каб in Wishes
Wishes with Каб
Каб + past tense on its own = may ...!: Каб усё ўдалося! (May everything go well!) Каб ты быў здаровы! (May you be healthy!)
How It Works
Wishes and blessings. Start with каб and use the past-tense verb. The verb agrees with its subject, as usual:
- Каб ты быў здаровы! (to a man) / Каб ты была здаровая! (to a woman)
- Каб усё ўдалося! (May everything go well!) Усё is neuter, so ўдалося.
- Каб вам шанцавала! (Good luck to you!) Шанцаваць is impersonal, so the neuter form.
- Каб у вас усё было добра! (I wish you all the best!)
With polite or plural вы, the verb is plural: Каб вы доўга жылі! See agreement with polite вы.
Firm commands. The same pattern can sound strict, like a parent speaking: Каб заўтра а сёмай быў дома! (Be home at seven tomorrow!) Каб я больш гэтага не чуў! (I do not want to hear that again!)
Tone and context tell a blessing from an order. Folk speech also uses каб in curses, so learn fixed phrases before inventing new ones.
Related patterns. After a verb such as хацець or казаць, the same каб + past tense reports someone's wish or request: каб with the past tense. For a wish about a third person you can also use няхай: Няхай табе шанцуе!
Examples (6)
- Каб ты быў здаровы!
May you be healthy!
Word by Word: That you were healthy!
To a man. To a woman: Каб ты была здаровая!
- Каб усё ўдалося!
May everything go well!
Word by Word: That everything succeeded!
- Каб вам шанцавала!
Good luck to you!
Word by Word: That to-you it-was-lucky!
- Каб у вас усё было добра!
I wish you all the best!
Word by Word: That at you everything was good!
- Каб заўтра а сёмай быў дома!
Be home at seven tomorrow!
Word by Word: That tomorrow at seventh were at-home!
A firm order to a boy or man.
- Каб я больш гэтага не чуў!
I do not want to hear that again!
Word by Word: That I more of-this not heard!
Common Mistakes
Using the future tense after каб.
Каб ты будзеш здаровы!Каб ты быў здаровы!In a каб wish the verb is always in the past-tense form, even though the wish is about the future.
Using a singular verb with polite вы.
Каб вы доўга жыў!Каб вы доўга жылі!Вы, polite or plural, always takes the plural past-tense form: жылі.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Wishes follow каб + past.
Related Patterns
- няхай / хайLet Him or Her with Няхай and Хай
Another way to wish something for a third person.
Level 3 - хоць быIf Only and at Least with Хоць Бы
Хоць бы makes wishes of the if only kind.
Level 5 - Conditional with б/быThe Conditional with Б and Бы
Каб contains the same б and also takes the past tense.
Level 3 - Agreement with Polite вы
Explains the plural verb in Каб вы доўга жылі!
Level 2
Words in This Pattern
Practice каб in Wishes in Bubblegum
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