Як цябе завуць?
Asking Someone's Name
Як цябе завуць? means "What is your name?" to a friend or child. Say Як вас завуць? to an adult you do not know. Answer with Мяне завуць … ("My name is …").
How It Works
How the phrase is built
Завуць is the "they" form of the verb зваць (to call). There is no word for "they" in the phrase, so it works like English "What do people call you?". The person being named is the object, which is why the pronoun is not я or ты but its object form.
- Як цябе завуць? — to a friend, a child, a classmate. It pairs with ты.
- Як вас завуць? — to an adult stranger, a teacher, a customer, or to several people. It pairs with вы.
- Мяне завуць Алесь. — My name is Ales.
- Яго завуць Максім. Яе завуць Ганна. — His name is Maksim. Her name is Hanna.
Other ways you will hear
- Як цябе клічуць? / Мяне клічуць … — the same idea with the verb клікаць; it is common in everyday speech.
- Я — Алесь. — "I am Ales", a short way to introduce yourself.
- Маё імя — Алесь. — "My name is Ales", more formal and bookish.
After names are exchanged, people often say Вельмі прыемна (Very nice) or Прыемна пазнаёміцца (Nice to meet you). To bounce the question back, just say А цябе? or А вас? ("And you?").
The object forms мяне, цябе, вас, яго, яе, іх come back in many other patterns; see Personal Pronoun Case Forms.
Examples (6)
- Прывітанне! Як цябе завуць?
Hi! What's your name?
Word by Word: Hi! How you they-call?
Informal: used with a friend, a child or a peer.
- Мяне завуць Алесь.
My name is Ales.
Word by Word: Me they-call Ales.
The speaker is the object of завуць, so the form is мяне, not я.
- Прабачце, як вас завуць?
Excuse me, what is your name?
Word by Word: Excuse-me, how you they-call?
Polite: вас is used with an adult you do not know well.
- Мяне завуць Ганна, а цябе?
My name is Hanna, and yours?
Word by Word: Me they-call Hanna, and you?
А цябе? repeats the question without the verb.
- Як завуць тваю сястру?
What is your sister's name?
Word by Word: How they-call your sister?
A noun works the same way: сястра becomes the object form сястру.
- Яго завуць Максім.
His name is Maksim.
Word by Word: Him they-call Maksim.
Common Mistakes
Using the subject pronoun я with завуць.
Я завуць Алесь.Мяне завуць Алесь.Завуць means "they call", so the named person is the object. Use мяне (me), not я (I).
Using ты instead of цябе in the question.
Як ты завуць?Як цябе завуць?The question needs the object form цябе. Ты is only for the subject, as in Ты Алесь?
Using informal цябе with an adult stranger (a register mismatch, not a grammar error).
Добры дзень! Як цябе завуць? (to an older stranger)Добры дзень! Як вас завуць?Цябе goes with ты and sounds too familiar with an adult you have just met. Use вас, which goes with polite вы.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Asking a name follows informal greetings.
Related Patterns
- тыInformal Singular You
Як цябе завуць? is the question you ask someone you call ты.
Level 1 - выPlural and Polite You
Як вас завуць? is the polite and plural version, matching вы.
Level 1 - Personal Pronoun Case Forms
Мяне, цябе, вас, яго and яе are case forms of the personal pronouns.
Level 2 - якQuestion Word Як
The question starts with як (how), the same word used in many other questions.
Level 1 - Accusative for the Direct Object
The named person is the direct object of завуць, just like сястру in Як завуць тваю сястру?
Level 1
Words in This Pattern
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