Averted Action with быў / была / было / былі
Averted Action with Было
Я пайшоў быў, ды вярнуўся. I had started to leave but came back. The extra быў says the action was cut off.
How It Works
Add the past tense of быць after a past-tense verb, and the action becomes one that did not work out: it started, or was about to start, and then was stopped or undone. A second clause with ды, але or а usually says what happened instead.
- Я пайшоў быў, ды вярнуўся. I had started to leave but came back.
- Яна хацела была сказаць, але прамаўчала. She was going to say something but kept quiet.
- Мы паехалі былі ў горад, але аўтобус зламаўся. We had set off for town, but the bus broke down.
Agreement. In the careful standard, быць agrees with the subject just like the main verb: быў (masculine), была (feminine), было (neuter), былі (plural). This is the form used by classic authors such as Kolas and Karatkevich.
The unchanging было. In speech, and sometimes in print, you will also meet one fixed form, было, for every subject: Я пайшоў было… Ён хацеў было адказаць… Learn to recognise it. The 1957 academic course of Belarusian morphology called it a departure from the literary norm, and the linguist I. Ya. Lepeshau treats it as a Russian-influenced error. When you write, the agreeing form is the safe choice.
An earlier past. The same compound form can also place one past event before another, like the English had done, especially in literature: Дождж сціх быў, а потым пачаўся зноў.
Only with the past. The construction works only with past-tense verbs. It is not the conditional: пайшоў бы means would go (see the conditional). For something that almost happened by accident, use ледзь не.
Examples (5)
- Я пайшоў быў, ды вярнуўся.
I had started to leave but came back.
Word by Word: I left was, but returned.
- Яна хацела была сказаць, але прамаўчала.
She was going to say something but kept quiet.
Word by Word: She wanted was to-say, but kept-silent.
- Мы паехалі былі ў горад, але аўтобус зламаўся.
We had set off for town, but the bus broke down.
Word by Word: We went were to town, but bus broke.
- Дождж сціх быў, а потым пачаўся зноў.
The rain had died down, and then it started again.
Word by Word: Rain died-down was, and then started again.
- Ён хацеў было адказаць, але перадумаў.
He was about to answer but changed his mind.
Word by Word: He wanted was to-answer, but changed-mind.
The unchanging было is common in speech. In careful writing: Ён хацеў быў адказаць.
Common Mistakes
Making быць disagree with the subject in the agreeing form.
Яна пайшла быў, ды вярнулася.Яна пайшла была, ды вярнулася.If you use the agreeing compound past, both verbs agree with the subject: пайшла была for a woman, пайшлі былі for several people.
Using the construction with the present tense.
Я іду было, ды вяртаюся.Я пайшоў быў, ды вярнуўся.Быў and было combine only with past-tense verbs. For the present, describe the change with a second verb: Я збіраюся ісці, але застаюся.
Confusing it with the conditional бы.
Я пайшоў бы, ды вярнуўся.Я пайшоў быў, ды вярнуўся.The intended meaning is I had started to leave but came back. Пайшоў бы means I would go and does not fit with вярнуўся.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Averted action needs past быць.
Related Patterns
- Masculine Past Tense in -ў
The main verb is an ordinary past-tense form.
Level 2 - Feminine and Plural Past Tense
Agreement in -ла and -лі applies to both verbs.
Level 2 - Conditional with б/быThe Conditional with Б and Бы
Бы looks similar but makes the conditional, not an averted action.
Level 3 - ледзь неAlmost with Ледзь Не
Ледзь не marks something that almost happened, usually by accident.
Level 5
Words in This Pattern
Practice Averted Action with быў / была / было / былі in Bubblegum
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