Verbal Nouns in -нне/-цце
Verbal Nouns in -нне and -цце
Verbal nouns end in -нне or -цце with a doubled consonant: чытанне (reading), пытанне (question), развіццё (development), адкрыццё (discovery).
How It Works
These nouns name an action or its result. Belarusian writes them with a doubled consonant, because the consonant between two vowels is pronounced long (doubled consonants).
-нне is the most common suffix:
- чытаць → чытанне (reading), пытаць → пытанне (question), запрасіць → запрашэнне (invitation)
- after ж, ш, ч write э: рашыць → рашэнне (decision), нарадзіцца → нараджэнне (birth)
- from -аваць verbs: будаваць → будаванне (building), праграмаваць → праграмаванне (programming)
-цце comes from verbs with a short root ending in a vowel + ць: жыць → жыццё (life), піць → піццё (drinking, a drink), адкрыць → адкрыццё (discovery), развіць → развіццё (development), мыць → мыццё (washing).
Ending -е or -ё. When the ending is stressed, it is written -ё: развіццё, адкрыццё, жыццё. When unstressed, -е: чыта́нне, пыта́нне.
Grammar. They are neuter and decline like neuter nouns: пытанне → пытанні (plural), пытанняў (genitive plural), з пытаннем (instrumental), у развіцці (locative). The object of the action usually goes in the genitive: вывучэнне мовы (the study of a language), развіццё горада (the development of the city).
In formal writing, verbal nouns can pile up into long chains; see chains of verbal nouns for how to keep them readable. The classical spelling (taraškievica) writes a soft sign in some of these nouns, as in чытаньне; the official spelling does not.
Examples (6)
- Чытанне — мой любімы занятак.
Reading is my favorite pastime.
Word by Word: Reading — my favorite pastime.
- У мяне ёсць пытанне.
I have a question.
Word by Word: At me is question.
- Гэта вельмі важнае адкрыццё.
This is a very important discovery.
Word by Word: This very important discovery.
- Развіццё горада ідзе хутка.
The city is developing quickly.
Word by Word: Development of-city goes fast.
- Дзякуй за запрашэнне!
Thank you for the invitation!
Word by Word: Thanks for invitation!
- Вывучэнне мовы патрабуе часу.
Learning a language takes time.
Word by Word: Study of-language requires time.
The object of the action, мова, goes in the genitive: мовы.
Common Mistakes
Writing a single н.
У мяне ёсць пытане.У мяне ёсць пытанне.The consonant before the ending is long, so it is doubled: пытанне.
Using a Russian-style ending.
развіціеразвіццёBelarusian uses a doubled ц and a stressed -ё, not -ие.
Writing е after ж, ш, ч.
Гэта маё рашенне.Гэта маё рашэнне.Ш is always hard, so it is followed by э: рашэнне.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Verbal nouns need doubling and neuter nouns.
Related Patterns
- Chains of Verbal Nouns
Chains of verbal nouns are typical of formal writing.
Level 6 - Always-Hard ж, ш, ч, р, цAlways-Hard Ж, Ш, Ч, Р and Ц
After hard ж, ш, ч the suffix is spelled -энне.
Level 1 - Officialese
Overusing verbal nouns is a mark of officialese.
Level 6 - Verbs in -аваць/-явацьVerbs in -аваць and -яваць
Verbs in -аваць form nouns in -аванне.
Level 2
Words in This Pattern
Practice Verbal Nouns in -нне/-цце in Bubblegum
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