які in Relative Clauses
Relative Clauses with Які
кніга, якую я чытаю (the book that I am reading), сябар, з якім я жыву (the friend I live with)
How It Works
Які is the question word які used as a linking word. It works for people and things alike, so it covers English who, which and that.
Two steps to the right form.
- Gender and number come from the noun it describes: кніга is feminine, so якая.
- Case comes from its job inside its own clause. In я чытаю ... it is the object, so the accusative: кніга, якую я чытаю.
More examples of the case changing:
- subject (nominative): чалавек, які жыве ў Гродне (a man who lives in Hrodna)
- object (accusative, animate plural): людзі, якіх мы сустрэлі (the people we met)
- after з (instrumental): сябар, з якім я жыву (the friend I live with)
- after у (locative): горад, у якім я нарадзіўся (the city I was born in)
The case endings are the adjective endings, see adjective case endings.
Never left out. English can drop that (the book I read), but Belarusian always needs які. The preposition always stands in front of it and never at the end of the clause.
Commas. The clause is separated by commas on both sides: Кніга, якую я чытаю, вельмі цікавая. See commas in complex sentences.
Other linking words. After усё and тое use што; for places дзе and куды also work. The literary каторы is rare, and the Russian который is not Belarusian.
Examples (6)
- Кніга, якую я чытаю, вельмі цікавая.
The book I am reading is very interesting.
Word by Word: Book, which I read, very interesting.
Якую: feminine like кніга, accusative as the object of чытаю.
- Гэта сябар, з якім я жыву.
This is the friend I live with.
Word by Word: This friend, with whom I live.
- Я ведаю чалавека, які жыве ў Гродне.
I know a man who lives in Hrodna.
Word by Word: I know man, who lives in Hrodna.
Які is the subject of жыве, so it is nominative.
- Горад, у якім я нарадзіўся, невялікі.
The town I was born in is small.
Word by Word: Town, in which I was-born, not-big.
- Людзі, якіх мы сустрэлі, былі вельмі добрыя.
The people we met were very kind.
Word by Word: People, whom we met, were very kind.
- Фільм, пра які ты казаў, ідзе сёння.
The film you talked about is on today.
Word by Word: Film, about which you spoke, goes today.
Пра takes the accusative: які (inanimate).
Common Mistakes
Giving які the case of the noun instead of its role in the clause.
Кніга, якая я чытаю, цікавая.Кніга, якую я чытаю, цікавая.Inside its clause the book is the object of чытаю, so які must be accusative: якую.
Leaving out які, as English can leave out that.
Кніга я чытаю вельмі цікавая.Кніга, якую я чытаю, вельмі цікавая.Belarusian always needs the linking word and commas around the clause.
Taking the gender from the wrong word.
Я ведаю жанчыну, які працуе ў банку.Я ведаю жанчыну, якая працуе ў банку.Жанчына is feminine, so які becomes якая. It is nominative because it is the subject of працуе.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Relative clauses need які and adjective endings.
Related Patterns
- што in Relative ClausesRelative Што
Што links relative clauses after усё and тое.
Level 4 - дзе / куды in Relative ClausesRelative Дзе and Куды
For places, дзе and куды can replace у якім and у які.
Level 3 - каторыКаторы in Questions and Relative Clauses
An older, literary relative word.
Level 6 - Commas in Complex Sentences
Relative clauses are separated by commas.
Level 4
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice які in Relative Clauses in Bubblegum
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