Introduction
<< Chapter 26:  The Prepositional Case
Chapter 28:  Conditional Sentences >>

Chapter 27

Prepositional Oddities

27.1        Preposition variation

    The prepositions listed below have a special form when preceding certain words.

Normal Form
 Auxiliary Form
 When preceding the words мне, ўсім, and ўсіх.
аб
 аба
 When preceding the word мне.
к
 ка
 When preceding the word мной.
пад
 пада
 When preceding the word мной.
над
 нада
 When preceding the word мной.
перад
 перада
 When preceding the word мной.
у
 ва
 When preceding any word beginning with ў.
у
 ў
 Otherwise, if it follows a word ending in a vowel.
з
 са
 Preceding any word whose first letter is either ж, з, м, с, or ш, and whose second letter is a consonant.


27.2        Pronouns following prepositions

    A characteristic unique to Belarusian of all the Slavic languages, the pronouns ён, яно, яна, and яны do not have a euphonic н appended to them when following a preposition.

аб ім
 about it
да яго
 to him
з ёй
 with her
над імі
 over them


27.3        Prepositional assimilation

    Certain prepositions and particles are assimilated into the words that follow them.  They and the words in front of them are pronounced as one word.  For purposes of pronunciation, all spelling rules should be applied to the preposition as if it were part of the next word, for example, if the following word begins with a palatized consonant, the ending of the preposition is pronounced palatized.  Classical orthography writes the prepositions with the rules applied, while Modern orthography does not.  Pronunciation of prepositions reflects the application of the spelling rules, regardless of which orthography is used.

Classical
 Modern
Устаў зь зямлі.
 Устаў з зямлі.
 I got up from the ground.
Як сарока бязь хваста.
 Як сарока без хваста.
 Like a magpie without a tail.


27.3        Prepositions with adverbs

    Sometimes prepositions can be followed by an adverb, which is not declined.

Які прагноз на сёння?
 What is the forecast for today?
Нам трэба купіць ежу на заўтра.
 We need to buy food for tomorrow.


<< Chapter 26:  The Prepositional Case
Chapter 28:  Conditional Sentences >>

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Copyright (c)  2004  Christian Cardell Marchant.
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