яны

The Pronoun Яны (They)

Level 1Sounds Like âny

Яны means "they" for people and for things: Яны студэнты (They are students), Дзе ключы? Яны на стале (Where are the keys? They are on the table).

How It Works

In the singular you choose between ён, яна and яно. In the plural there is just яны, for men, women, mixed groups and things alike.

Verbs. In the present the verb takes the яны ending: яны жывуць (they live), яны робяць (they do). In the past it takes the plural form ending in -лі, with no gender: яны былі, яны чыталі.

Case forms. Яны becomes іх (them, genitive and accusative), ім (to them), імі (with them) and (аб) іх (about them). As with the other pronouns, no н- is added after a preposition: у іх, да іх, з імі.

The same form іх also means "their", and it never changes: іх дом, іх дзеці. See яго, яе and іх.

Examples (6)

  1. Яны студэнты.

    They are students.

  2. Дзе ключы? Яны на стале.

    Where are the keys? They are on the table.

    Яны also replaces plural things.

  3. Яны жывуць у Брэсце.

    They live in Brest.

  4. Я іх добра ведаю.

    I know them well.

    Іх is the accusative form of яны.

  5. Мы ідзём да іх у госці.

    We are going to visit them.

    No н- is added after да.

  6. Яны былі ў кіно.

    They were at the cinema.

    The plural past form былі has no gender.

Common Mistakes

  • Adding н- after a preposition, as in Russian.

    У ніх ёсць сабака.
    У іх ёсць сабака.

    Belarusian uses the plain form іх after prepositions.

  • Using a singular past form with яны.

    Яны была дома.
    Яны былі дома.

    Яны takes the plural past form ending in -лі.

  • Leaving the noun singular after яны.

    Яны студэнт.
    Яны студэнты.

    When the predicate noun describes яны, it is plural too.

How It Connects

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

яныLevel 1The Pronoun Яны (They)

Learn This First

Яны follows the singular third person.

Words in This Pattern

яны