калі?
Question Word Калі
Калі at the start of a question means when: Калі пачынаецца фільм? (When does the film start?)
How It Works
Калі (stressed on the last syllable: калі́) asks when. It goes at the start of the question: Калі ты прыязджаеш? (When are you coming?)
Typical answers.
- time words: зараз (now), сёння (today), заўтра (tomorrow), увечары (in the evening)
- days: у панядзелак (on Monday). See days of the week.
- clock times: а сёмай (at seven). See telling the time.
One word, several jobs. Outside questions, калі also joins clauses:
- when in a time clause: Калі я быў малы, … See time clauses with калі.
- if in a condition: Калі будзе дождж, … See real conditions with калі.
- the fixed phrase калі ласка (please, you are welcome).
English if can also mean whether ("Ask if he is home"). That meaning is ці, not калі. See indirect yes-no questions.
Examples (5)
- Калі ты вольны?
When are you free?
Word by Word: When you free?
- Калі пачынаецца фільм?
When does the film start?
Word by Word: When begins film?
- Калі ў цябе дзень нараджэння?
When is your birthday?
Word by Word: When at you day of-birth?
- Калі адкрываецца крама? — А дзявятай.
When does the shop open? — At nine.
Word by Word: When opens shop? — At ninth.
A clock time answer uses а with an ordinal number.
- Калі вы прыязджаеце? — Заўтра.
When are you arriving? — Tomorrow.
Word by Word: When you arrive? — Tomorrow.
The present tense can describe a planned arrival.
Common Mistakes
Giving a day of the week in the locative.
Калі ты прыйдзеш? — У панядзелку.Калі ты прыйдзеш? — У панядзелак.On a day of the week uses у with the accusative: у панядзелак, у сераду.
Using калі to mean whether.
Спытай, калі ён дома.Спытай, ці ён дома.The intended meaning is ask whether he is home. Калі here would mean when or if (condition), so use ці for whether.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Калі follows the first question words.
Related Patterns
- калі in Time ClausesTime Clauses with Калі
Калі also means when in a statement that joins two clauses.
Level 3 - калі in ConditionsReal Conditions with Калі
Калі also means if in a real condition.
Level 3 - у + Day of the WeekDays of the Week with У
How to answer калі with a day of the week.
Level 2 - а + HourTelling the Time with А
How to answer калі with a clock time.
Level 2 - Indirect Questions with ціIndirect Yes-No Questions with Ці
Use ці, not калі, for whether.
Level 3 - калі ласкаPlease and You Are Welcome
A fixed phrase built with the same word.
Level 1
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice калі? in Bubblegum
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