быццам / як быццам
As if with Быццам
Ён гаворыць, быццам нічога не здарылася. (He talks as if nothing happened.) Быццам, як быццам and нібы all mean as if.
How It Works
Use быццам, як быццам or нібы when something only seems to be a certain way. The three are close in meaning; як быццам is written as two words.
With a clause. Ён гаворыць, быццам нічога не здарылася. (He talks as if nothing happened.) Яна глядзела на мяне, нібы не пазнала. (She looked at me as if she did not recognize me.) The verb is in its normal tense: здарылася and пазнала are simply past tense.
With a noun phrase. The comparison can be short: Снег ляжаў, быццам белая коўдра. (The snow lay like a white blanket.) This is close to comparisons with як, but the image is less literal.
After seem and feel. Быццам can follow words like здаецца or адчуванне: Мне здаецца, быццам я цябе ўжо бачыў. (I feel as if I have seen you before.)
As a particle. Without a clause, быццам (often быццам бы) can mean seemingly: Ён быццам бы згадзіўся. (He seemed to agree.)
Commas. The 2008 rules set off phrases with быццам, як быццам and нібы with commas. Put a comma before the word, and a second one if the sentence continues.
For reported claims that may be false, see нібыта and маўляў. For truly unreal conditions, see калі б.
Examples (6)
- Ён гаворыць, быццам нічога не здарылася.
He talks as if nothing happened.
Word by Word: He speaks, as-if nothing not happened.
- Яна глядзела на мяне, нібы не пазнала.
She looked at me as if she did not recognize me.
Word by Word: She looked at me, as-if not recognized.
- Ён паводзіць сябе так, быццам ён тут гаспадар.
He acts as if he were the boss here.
Word by Word: He conducts himself so, as-if he here master.
- Мне здаецца, як быццам я цябе ўжо дзесьці бачыў.
I feel as if I have seen you somewhere before.
Word by Word: To-me it-seems, as-if I you already somewhere saw.
Said by a man. A woman says: бачыла.
- Снег ляжаў на полі, быццам белая коўдра.
The snow lay on the field like a white blanket.
Word by Word: Snow lay on field, as-if white blanket.
- Ён быццам бы згадзіўся, але нічога не зрабіў.
He seemed to agree, but he did nothing.
Word by Word: He as-if would agreed, but nothing not did.
Common Mistakes
Writing як быццам as one word.
Ён гаворыць, якбыццам нічога не здарылася.Ён гаворыць, як быццам нічога не здарылася.The 2008 rules list як быццам among the compound conjunctions that are always written as two words.
Leaving out the comma before быццам.
Ён гаворыць быццам нічога не здарылася.Ён гаворыць, быццам нічога не здарылася.Clauses and comparative phrases with быццам, як быццам and нібы are separated by commas.
How It Connects
Learn This First
As if follows comparing with як.
Related Patterns
- нібытаSupposedly with Нібыта
A close word that often marks a claim as doubtful: supposedly.
Level 5 - маўляўReported Words with Маўляў
Another way to report words or claims the speaker does not vouch for.
Level 5 - калі б / каб + Unreal ConditionUnreal Conditions with Калі Б and Каб
For conditions that are truly unreal, use калі б rather than быццам.
Level 4 - Commas in Complex Sentences
Explains the commas around the быццам clause.
Level 4
Words in This Pattern
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