Introduction
<< Chapter 22:  The Accusative Case
Chapter 24:  The Dative Case >>

Chapter 23

The Genitive Case

23.1        Use of the genitive case

    This case is used both by certain prepositions and also to express ownership and relationship.  Some verbs, like баяцца, to fear, and хацець, to want, require that the direct object be placed in the genitive case.  To negate a sentence, the particle не is placed before the direct object, and the direct object is placed in the genitive case.  A lack of something can be expressed by the word няма, followed by the noun in the genitive plural, or genitive singular if the noun has no plural form.

Расліны баяцца марозу.
 Plants fear frost.
Я сама гэтага хацела.
 I wanted this myself.
Невядома, хто гаспадар гэтага катэджа.
 Noone knows who the owner of this cottage is.
Я не маю часу.
 I do not have any time.
Я нічога не разумею.
 I do not understand anything.


23.2        Prepositions with the genitive case

    The following prepositions can be followed by the genitive case.  The meaning of each preposition in that context is given.

ад
 from



Ад сасны адламалася галінка.
 A branch broke off from the tree.


Схаваліся ад дажджу.
 They hid from the rain.


Ад вясны да восені.
 From spring to fall.

than



Мацней ад грому.
 Stronger than thunder.




акрамя
 but



Там нікога не было акрамя мяне.
 Noone was there but me.




апрача
 but



Там нікога не было апрача мяне.
 Noone was there but me.




без
 without



Без усялякай прычыны.
 Without any excuse.




вакол
 around



Вакол яго сабраліся людзі.
 People gathered around him.




воддаль
 far from



Воддаль дарогі стаяла вёска.
 Far from the road stood a village.




да
 until



Яшчэ некалькі дзён да жніва.
 It is still a few days until harvest.

to



Дадаць пяць да трох.
 Add five to three.


Ужо да берага падплываў.
 He had already swam to the bank.




дзеля
 for [someone's
benefit]



Зраблю гэта дзеля цябе. I will do this for you.




для
 for



Для яго гэта лёгкая справа. It is an easy thing for him.




з
 off of (opposite
of на + Acc.)



Прыбраў ліст з акна.
 He removed the leaf off of the window.

out of
(opposite
of у + Acc.)



Выйшаў з вады.
 He got out of the water.




замест
 instead



Хочаш вады замест чаю?
 Do you want water instead of tea?




звыш
 more than



Набраў звыш двух дзесяткаў.
 He gathered more than twenty.




каля
 near



Дрэва расце каля плоту.
 The tree grows near the fence.

about



Каля пяці гадзін.
 About five o'clock.




між
 among



Спрэчка між сябраў.
 An arguement among friends.




паводле
 in accordance with
 Апранутая паводле апошняй моды.
 Dressed according to the latest fashions.




паміж
 between



Стаяць паміж двух агней.
 To stand between two fires.




пасля
 after



Пасля аб'яднання, яны выбралі старэйшага.
 After the unification, they selected an elder.


Настаўніца прыедзе пасля вучылішча.
 The teacher will come after the school.




супраць
 across



Хата стаіць супраць школы.
 The house is across from the school.


Плысці супраць цячэння.
 To swim against the current.


Хто «за» і хто «супраць»?
 Who is "for" and who is "against"?


Здарылася супраць маёй волі.
 It happened against my will.




сярод
 in the middle of
 Дрэва стаіць сярод поля.
 A tree stands in the middle of a field.




у
 [used to show
possession]



Няўжо ў іх няма сабакі?
 Do they really not have a dog?


У яго баліць галава.
 His head hurts.

at



Шыць паліто ў краўца.
 To have the coat mended at the tailor's.


<< Chapter 22:  The Accusative Case
Chapter 24:  The Dative Case >>

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Copyright (c)  2004  Christian Cardell Marchant.
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