Як справы?

Asking How Someone Is

Level 1Sounds Like âk spravy

Як справы? means "How are things?". Answer Добра, дзякуй (Fine, thanks) and ask back with А ў цябе? (And you?).

How It Works

The question
Як справы? is friendly and works with almost anyone. To make it clear whom you are asking, add у + the person: Як у цябе справы? (informal), Як у вас справы? (polite or plural). You can also ask about a place or topic: Як справы на працы? (How are things at work?), Як справы ў школе?

Answers, from best to worst

  • Выдатна! — Great!
  • Добра, дзякуй. — Fine, thanks.
  • Нармальна. — OK.
  • Так сабе. — So-so.
  • Не вельмі. — Not great.
  • Дрэнна. — Bad.

Asking back
Say А ў цябе? or А ў вас? ("And at you?"). Notice ў: after a word ending in a vowel, like а, the little word у becomes ў. See У Becomes Ў after a Vowel.

Other friendly versions: Як ты? (How are you?), Як маешся? (How are you doing?), Як жывеш? (How is life?).

The missing "are" is the same rule you will meet in Leaving Out Is in the Present.

Examples (6)

  1. Прывітанне, Алеся! Як справы?

    Hi, Alesia! How are things?

    Word by Word: Hi, Alesia! How affairs?

  2. Добра, дзякуй. А ў цябе?

    Fine, thanks. And you?

    Word by Word: Well, thanks. And at you?

    У becomes ў after the vowel а.

  3. Нармальна, дзякуй.

    I'm OK, thanks.

    Word by Word: Normally, thanks.

  4. Як у вас справы?

    How are you?

    Word by Word: How at you affairs?

    Polite, or asking a group of people.

  5. Як справы на працы?

    How are things at work?

    Word by Word: How affairs at work?

  6. Не вельмі добра, я стаміўся.

    Not very well, I'm tired.

    Word by Word: Not very well, I got-tired.

    A man speaking; a woman says я стамілася.

Common Mistakes

  • Writing у instead of ў after a vowel.

    Добра, дзякуй. А у цябе?
    Добра, дзякуй. А ў цябе?

    After a word ending in a vowel, у (in, at) is written ў. А ends in a vowel, so write А ў цябе?

  • Using the Russian word дела in the question.

    Як дела?
    Як справы?

    Дела is the Russian word from Как дела? The everyday Belarusian question is Як справы?

  • Using a singular form with the plural word справы.

    Як твая справы?
    Як твае справы?

    Справы is plural, so "your" must be plural too: твае справы.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

Як справы?Level 1Asking How Someone Is

Learn This First

Asking how someone is follows a greeting.

Words in This Pattern

як справыяксправа