абы-
Just Any with Абы-
Абы- means it does not matter which, and often that nobody cared: Не рабі абы-як. (Do not do it carelessly.) Гэта не абы-які горад. (This is not just any city.)
How It Works
Абы- added to a question word means any at all, no matter which. It usually carries a judgement: the choice was careless, random or not good enough.
- абы-хто just anyone, абы-што any old thing
- абы-які any old kind, poor quality
- абы-дзе any old place, абы-куды to any old place, абы-калі at any old time
- абы-як carelessly, any old how
It often appears with не: Гэта не абы-хто, а наш дырэктар. (This is not just anybody, it is our director.) The pronouns change for case as usual: абы-каго, абы-каму, абы-чым.
Spelling. Write абы- with a hyphen. When a preposition is added, the official rules split абы-хто and абы-што into three separate words: абы з кім, абы ў каго, абы да каго. For абы-які both абы з якімі and з абы-якімі are correct. Words made from абы-як are written as one word: абыякавы (indifferent).
Compare the other any words. -небудзь is neutral and fits questions and requests: Хто-небудзь званіў? (Did anyone call?). Нехта and хтосьці mean someone real but unknown. Bookish -кольвек means any whatsoever with no negative tone.
On its own, абы can also be a conjunction meaning so long as: Мне ўсё роўна, абы было цёпла. (I do not mind, as long as it is warm.)
Examples (6)
- Не рабі абы-як.
Do not do it carelessly.
Word by Word: Not do any-how.
- Ён не даверыць сваю машыну абы-каму.
He will not trust his car to just anyone.
Word by Word: He not will-trust own car any-whom.
Абы-каму is the dative of абы-хто.
- Не еш абы-што перад сном.
Do not eat any old thing before bed.
Word by Word: Not eat any-what before sleep.
- Гэта не абы-які горад, а сталіца.
This is not just any city, it is the capital.
Word by Word: This not any-which city, but capital.
- Рэчы ляжалі абы-дзе.
Things were lying about all over the place.
Word by Word: Things lay any-where.
- Яна не ходзіць абы з кім.
She does not go out with just anyone.
Word by Word: She not goes any with whom.
With a preposition, абы-хто splits into three words.
Common Mistakes
Writing абы- joined to the word or with a space.
Не рабі абыяк.Не рабі абы-як.The official spelling uses a hyphen: абы-як, абы-хто, абы-што. Only derived words such as абыякавы are written as one word.
Keeping the hyphen when a preposition comes between.
Яна не ходзіць абы-з кім.Яна не ходзіць абы з кім.With a preposition, абы-хто and абы-што become three separate words: абы з кім, абы ў каго.
Using абы- in a neutral question.
Абы-хто званіў?Хто-небудзь званіў?Абы-хто means just anyone, no matter who, so it sounds dismissive. To ask neutrally whether anyone called, use хто-небудзь.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Just any follows -небудзь.
Related Patterns
Words in This Pattern
Practice абы- in Bubblegum
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