з'яўляцца + Instrumental
Formal Linking Verb З'яўляцца
In formal style, з'яўляцца means to be and takes the instrumental: Мінск з'яўляецца сталіцай Беларусі. (Minsk is the capital of Belarus.)
How It Works
In the present tense, Belarusian usually has no verb for to be (leaving out is); written language uses a dash instead (the dash). Formal and written texts often use the linking verb з'яўляцца instead.
Form. It is an imperfective reflexive verb: з'яўляюся, з'яўляешся, з'яўляецца, з'яўляемся, з'яўляецеся, з'яўляюцца; past з'яўляўся, з'яўлялася, з'яўляліся. Note the apostrophe after the prefix з-.
The instrumental. The noun or adjective after it is always in the instrumental (the instrumental for roles): Ён з'яўляецца аўтарам кнігі. Гэтыя звесткі з'яўляюцца канфідэнцыйнымі. (This information is confidential.)
Word order. The instrumental part often comes first, and the subject after the verb: Галоўнай мэтай праекта з'яўляецца развіццё турызму. (The main goal of the project is the development of tourism.) The verb agrees with the subject in the nominative, here развіццё, not with мэтай.
Style. З'яўляцца sounds official. In conversation, prefer the dash or быць: Мой брат — студэнт. Ён быў дырэктарам школы. Using з'яўляцца in casual speech sounds bureaucratic (officialese).
Other meaning. The same verb also means to appear, to show up: Ён з'яўляецца на працы а дзевятай. (He shows up at work at nine.) The perfective з'явіцца usually has this meaning too. In bookish style it can also mean to become, to turn out to be (з'явіцца паваротным пунктам, to become a turning point), but the everyday linking verb for is is the imperfective з'яўляцца.
Examples (5)
- Мінск з'яўляецца сталіцай Беларусі.
Minsk is the capital of Belarus.
Word by Word: Minsk appears capital(instr.) of-Belarus.
- Ён з'яўляецца аўтарам кнігі.
He is the author of the book.
Word by Word: He appears author(instr.) of-book.
- Гэтыя звесткі з'яўляюцца канфідэнцыйнымі.
This information is confidential.
Word by Word: These data appear confidential(instr.).
- Галоўнай мэтай праекта з'яўляецца развіццё турызму.
The main goal of the project is the development of tourism.
Word by Word: Main goal(instr.) of-project appears development of-tourism.
The subject is развіццё; the instrumental phrase comes first.
- Спадар Каваль з'яўляўся дырэктарам школы дзесяць гадоў.
Mr. Kaval was the school principal for ten years.
Word by Word: Mr. Kaval appeared principal(instr.) of-school ten years.
Common Mistakes
Putting the predicate noun in the nominative.
Мінск з'яўляецца сталіца Беларусі.Мінск з'яўляецца сталіцай Беларусі.After з'яўляцца, the predicate noun always takes the instrumental: сталіцай.
Using the Russian form of the verb.
Мінск яўляецца сталіцай Беларусі.Мінск з'яўляецца сталіцай Беларусі.The Belarusian verb has the prefix з- and an apostrophe: з'яўляцца.
Making the verb singular with a plural subject.
Гэтыя звесткі з'яўляецца канфідэнцыйнымі.Гэтыя звесткі з'яўляюцца канфідэнцыйнымі.З'яўляцца agrees with the subject in the nominative. Звесткі is plural, so the verb is з'яўляюцца.
How It Connects
Learn This First
The formal link needs the instrumental and the dash.
Related Patterns
- Leaving Out Is in the Present
In everyday speech, the present tense has no linking verb at all.
Level 1 - лічыць + Accusative + InstrumentalConsidering and Calling with the Instrumental
Лічыць also puts the predicate noun in the instrumental.
Level 4 - Officialese
Overusing з'яўляцца is a typical feature of officialese.
Level 6 - The Apostrophe
З'яўляцца is spelled with an apostrophe after the prefix.
Level 1
Words in This Pattern
Practice з'яўляцца + Instrumental in Bubblegum
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