калі in Time Clauses
Time Clauses with Калі
Калі прыйдзеш, патэлефануй. (When you come, call.) Калі + a clause tells when something happens.
How It Works
The question word калі (when?) also joins two clauses: Калі я быў малы, я жыў у вёсцы. (When I was little, I lived in a village.) The clause can come first or last: Я жыў у вёсцы, калі быў малы.
Future time. English says when you come with a present verb. Belarusian uses the future: Калі прыйдзеш, патэлефануй. Калі скончу працу, я табе напішу. (When I finish work, I will write to you.) A present verb here means something that happens again and again: Калі я прыходжу дадому, я п'ю чай. (Whenever I come home, I drink tea.) See the perfective future.
Aspect. A perfective verb in the калі clause means that action is complete before the main one: Калі ён прыйшоў, мы пачалі вячэраць. (When he arrived, we started dinner.) An imperfective verb means the actions overlap: Калі я ішоў дадому, пачаўся дождж. (While I was walking home, it started to rain.) See the imperfective and the perfective.
Commas. The time clause is always separated by a comma: Калі прыйдзеш, патэлефануй.
When or if? Калі also means if: Калі будзе дождж, мы застанемся дома. Context tells you which. See real conditions with калі. For the moment right after something, use як толькі (as soon as); for a stretch of time, пакуль (while).
Examples (6)
- Калі я быў малы, я жыў у вёсцы.
When I was little, I lived in a village.
Word by Word: When I was little, I lived in village.
Said by a man. A woman says: Калі я была малая, я жыла ў вёсцы.
- Калі прыйдзеш, патэлефануй.
When you come, call.
Word by Word: When will-come, call.
Прыйдзеш is future: literally, when you will come.
- Калі скончу працу, я табе напішу.
When I finish work, I will write to you.
Word by Word: When will-finish work, I to-you will-write.
- Калі я ішоў дадому, пачаўся дождж.
While I was walking home, it started to rain.
Word by Word: When I was-going home, began rain.
Imperfective ішоў: the walk was in progress when the rain started.
- Я заўсёды п'ю каву, калі чытаю навіны.
I always drink coffee when I read the news.
Word by Word: I always drink coffee, when read news.
- Калі ён прыйшоў, мы пачалі вячэраць.
When he arrived, we started having dinner.
Word by Word: When he arrived, we began to-have-dinner.
Perfective прыйшоў: he arrived first, then dinner started.
Common Mistakes
Using the present tense for a single future event.
Калі ты прыходзіш, патэлефануй.Калі прыйдзеш, патэлефануй.For one future event, the калі clause needs the future, usually a perfective verb. The present прыходзіш sounds like whenever you come, which does not fit a one-time request.
Leaving out the comma after the time clause.
Калі прыйдзеш патэлефануй.Калі прыйдзеш, патэлефануй.A time clause is always separated from the main clause by a comma.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Time clauses need калі and the future.
Related Patterns
- калі in ConditionsReal Conditions with Калі
Калі can also mean if; only context separates the two.
Level 3 - пакульWhile and Until with Пакуль
Пакуль marks a stretch of time (while) or an end point (until).
Level 3 - як толькіAs Soon as with Як Толькі
Як толькі means as soon as, a tighter time link.
Level 4 - пасля таго якAfter with Пасля Таго Як
Says that one action follows another.
Level 4
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice калі in Time Clauses in Bubblegum
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