Secondary Imperfectives
Перапісаць → перапісваць: a prefixed perfective gets a new imperfective with a suffix. Ён часта перапісвае свае вершы. (He often rewrites his poems.)
How It Works
Adding a prefix to an imperfective verb usually does two things: it adds meaning and makes the verb perfective. Пісаць (write) becomes перапісаць (rewrite, perfective). But how do you say he rewrites his poems every day? You need an imperfective that still means rewrite.
The suffix. Belarusian makes a new, secondary imperfective with a suffix:
- -ва-, the most common: перапісаць → перапісваць, расказаць → расказваць, дачытаць → дачытваць, адкрыць → адкрываць
- -іва-/-ыва-: падкрэсліць → падкрэсліваць
- -оўва- for verbs in -аваць: арганізаваць → арганізоўваць, выпрабаваць → выпрабоўваць
- -а-/-я-: вырашыць → вырашаць
Many common pairs are covered in aspect pairs with suffixes. Secondary imperfectives are the same pattern applied to prefixed verbs.
When to use it. For habits, repeated actions, and actions in progress: Крама адкрываецца а дзявятай. (The shop opens at nine.) Хто арганізоўвае сустрэчу? (Who is organizing the meeting?)
All regular. These verbs conjugate like чытаць: перапісваю, перапісваеш, перапісвае.
Russian comparison. Where Russian has -ывать/-ивать after a consonant, Belarusian often has just -ваць: переписывать → перапісваць, рассказывать → расказваць.
Examples (6)
- Ён часта перапісвае свае вершы.
He often rewrites his poems.
Word by Word: He often rewrites his poems.
- Бабуля любіць расказваць казкі.
Grandma loves telling fairy tales.
Word by Word: Grandma loves to-tell tales.
- Я заўсёды дачытваю кнігі да канца.
I always read books through to the end.
Word by Word: I always finish-reading books to end.
- Настаўнік кожны раз падкрэслівае памылкі чырвоным.
The teacher underlines mistakes in red every time.
Word by Word: Teacher every time underlines mistakes with-red.
- Крама адкрываецца а дзявятай.
The shop opens at nine.
Word by Word: Shop opens at ninth.
- Хто арганізоўвае сустрэчу?
Who is organizing the meeting?
Word by Word: Who organizes meeting?
Common Mistakes
Using the perfective for a daily habit.
Ён кожны дзень перапіша план.Ён кожны дзень перапісвае план.Перапіша is perfective and means he will rewrite it once. A daily habit needs the secondary imperfective перапісвае.
Copying the Russian suffix -ывать.
Ён часта перапісывае свае вершы.Ён часта перапісвае свае вершы.Belarusian uses -ва- here: перапісваць, not перапісываць.
Using арганізуе for an action happening now.
Зараз ён арганізуе сустрэчу.Зараз ён арганізоўвае сустрэчу.The intended meaning is He is organizing the meeting right now. Арганізаваць is perfective in Belarusian, so арганізуе means he will organize it. For an action in progress, use арганізоўвае.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Secondary imperfectives follow suffix pairs.
Related Patterns
- Aspect Pairs Made with a Prefix
A prefix makes a perfective; a secondary imperfective turns it back into an imperfective.
Level 2 - The Prefix пера- for Redoing and OverdoingRedoing and Overdoing with Пера-
Пера- verbs get imperfectives like перачытваць and перапісваць.
Level 5 - The Prefix да- for FinishingFinishing with Да-
Да- verbs get imperfectives like дачытваць and дапісваць.
Level 5 - Verbs in -аваць/-явацьVerbs in -аваць and -яваць
Verbs in -аваць make their imperfectives with -оўва-: арганізоўваць.
Level 2 - Verbs with Both Aspects
Some -аваць verbs need no suffix because one form serves both aspects.
Level 5
Practice Secondary Imperfectives in Bubblegum
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