Yakanye: е and ё Written as я before the Stress
When е or ё sits in the syllable right before the stress, Belarusian writes я: вёсны → вясна́, сёстры → сястра́, ле́с → лясны́.
How It Works
The rule
Count back from the stressed syllable. The syllable directly in front of it is the pretonic syllable. If it has е or ё, write я.
- зе́млі (lands) — зямля́ (earth)
- вёсны (springs) — вясна́ (spring)
- сёстры (sisters) — сястра́ (sister)
- лес (forest) — лясны́ (forest, adjective)
- мёд (honey) — мядо́вы (honey, adjective)
- дзе́ці (children) — дзяце́й (of the children)
Where е stays
- Two or more syllables before the stress: веснавы́, селяні́н, дзесятко́вы.
- After the stress: во́сень, во́зера, ве́цер.
- After г, к, х: геро́й, кефі́р.
- In the particle не and the preposition без when written separately: не ведаю, без цукру. Texts in the classical taraškievica spelling write ня ведаю and бяз цукру here; recognize these forms, but do not copy them.
- In some loanwords: меда́ль.
Together with akanye, this rule means that the vowel letters of a root change as the stress moves. See also Word Stress.
Examples (5)
- Вясной у лесе вельмі прыгожа.
In spring it is very beautiful in the forest.
Word by Word: In-spring in forest very beautiful.
вясно́й has я right before the stress; ле́се keeps е because it is stressed.
- Мая сястра жыве ў вёсцы.
My sister lives in a village.
Word by Word: My sister lives in village.
сястра́ has я before the stress; the plural сёстры is stressed on the root and keeps ё.
- Гэта лясная дарога.
This is a forest road.
Word by Word: This forest road.
лясна́я comes from лес: the root is right before the stress, so е becomes я.
- Зямля пасля дажджу мокрая.
The ground is wet after the rain.
Word by Word: Earth after rain wet.
зямля́ (compare зе́млі).
- Сёння цёплы веснавы дзень.
Today is a warm spring day.
Word by Word: Today warm spring day.
веснавы́ keeps е because it is two syllables before the stress.
Common Mistakes
Copying the Russian spelling with е before the stress.
Сестра жыве ў Мінску.Сястра жыве ў Мінску.In сястра́ the first syllable is directly before the stress, so е is written я.
Using я in a syllable that is not directly before the stress.
Сёння вяснавы дзень.Сёння веснавы дзень.In веснавы́ the stress is on the last syllable, so ве is two syllables away. Only the syllable right before the stress takes я.
Using я after г, к or х.
Ён сапраўдны гярой.Ён сапраўдны герой.The rules keep е after г, к and х even right before the stress.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Yakanye extends akanye.
Related Patterns
- Word Stress
You need to know where the stress falls to apply yakanye.
Level 1 - не + VerbNegating Verbs with Не
The particle не is always written не, even right before the stress.
Level 1 - Tsekanye and Dzekanye
Words like дзяцей combine yakanye with дз from a soft д.
Level 1 - Common Russianisms to Avoid
Writing сестра or земля copies Russian spelling; the Russianisms entry covers the same habit with everyday words.
Level 2
Practice Yakanye: е and ё Written as я before the Stress in Bubblegum
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