адзін аднаго
Each Other with Адзін Аднаго
Яны любяць адзін аднаго. (They love each other.) Мы дапамагаем адзін аднаму. (We help each other.)
How It Works
English each other never changes. In Belarusian it has two parts: адзін stays in the nominative, and the second word changes its case.
- Accusative or genitive: Яны любяць адзін аднаго.
- Dative: Мы дапамагаем адзін аднаму.
- Instrumental: Яны доўга размаўлялі адзін з адным.
Case comes from the verb. Дапамагаць takes the dative, so the second part is аднаму. See verbs taking the dative.
Prepositions go in the middle. адзін пра аднаго (about each other), адзін без аднаго (without each other), адзін з адным (with each other), адзін каля аднаго (next to each other).
Gender. For a group of men or a mixed group, use the masculine forms. For a group of women, use the feminine адна: адна адну, and адна адной in the genitive, dative and instrumental: Сяброўкі дапамагаюць адна адной.
Each other versus oneself. Do not confuse this with сябе, which means oneself: Яны любяць сябе means they love themselves. Some verbs already show a mutual action with -ся: Яны сустрэліся (They met). See meanings of -ся.
Variant. You may also see адзін другога, with the same meaning.
Examples (6)
- Яны любяць адзін аднаго.
They love each other.
Word by Word: They love one another.
- Мы дапамагаем адзін аднаму.
We help each other.
Word by Word: We help one to-another.
- Сяброўкі думаюць адна пра адну.
The friends think about each other.
Word by Word: Friends think one about another.
All the friends are women, so the feminine forms are used.
- Яны доўга размаўлялі адзін з адным.
They talked to each other for a long time.
Word by Word: They long talked one with another.
- Мы не можам жыць адзін без аднаго.
We cannot live without each other.
Word by Word: We not can live one without another.
- Дзеці сядзелі адзін каля аднаго.
The children sat next to each other.
Word by Word: Children sat one near another.
Common Mistakes
Putting the preposition before адзін.
Яны думаюць пра адзін аднаго.Яны думаюць адзін пра аднаго.The preposition belongs to the second part, so it goes between адзін and аднаго.
Leaving the second part in the accusative after a verb that needs the dative.
Мы дапамагаем адзін аднаго.Мы дапамагаем адзін аднаму.Дапамагаць takes the dative, so the second part becomes аднаму.
Using сябе to say that two people love each other.
Яны любяць сябе.Яны любяць адзін аднаго.Сябе means oneself, so the first sentence says each person loves themselves. For a mutual action, use адзін аднаго.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Each other needs адзін and case forms.
Related Patterns
- сябеThe Reflexive Pronoun Сябе
Means oneself, not each other; the two are easy to mix up.
Level 3 - Meanings of -ся
Some -ся verbs already express a mutual action without адзін аднаго.
Level 3 - Verbs Taking the Dative
Verbs like дапамагаць make the second part dative: адзін аднаму.
Level 3 - свойThe Reflexive Possessive Свой
Another reflexive word that refers back to the subject.
Level 3
Words in This Pattern
Practice адзін аднаго in Bubblegum
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