на + Locative

Location with На and the Locative

Level 1Sounds Like na + mesny mesca

Use на + the locative for things on a surface and for open places and events: на стале, на вуліцы, на канцэрце.

How It Works

On a surface. Кніга на стале. (The book is on the table.) Карціна на сцяне. (The picture is on the wall.) Кот спіць на канапе. (The cat is sleeping on the sofa.)

Places that take на. These everyday places use на, not у:

  • на вуліцы (outside, on the street), на плошчы (in the square)
  • на рынку (at the market), на пошце (at the post office), на вакзале (at the station)
  • на кухні (in the kitchen), на моры (at the seaside)

Events and activities. на працы (at work), на ўроку (in class), на канцэрце (at a concert), на лекцыі (at a lecture), на вяселлі (at a wedding).

У or на? A building usually takes у, but an activity inside it takes на: у школе (at school), but на ўроку (in class). When in doubt, learn each noun with its preposition. Compare у + locative.

Ў after на. На ends in a vowel, so a following word that starts with у begins with ў: на ўроку, на ўсходзе (in the east). See у and ў.

At, to and from. With movement, на takes the accusative, and the way back uses з + genitive: Я на працы (I am at work), Я іду на працу (I am going to work), Я іду з працы (I am coming from work). See where, where to, where from.

Examples (6)

  1. Ключы на стале.

    The keys are on the table.

    Word by Word: Keys on table.

    Стол → на стале. The stress moves to the ending, so о is written а.

  2. Дзеці гуляюць на вуліцы.

    The children are playing outside.

    Word by Word: Children play on street.

    Вуліца always takes на. After ц the ending is -ы.

  3. Тата сёння на працы.

    Dad is at work today.

    Word by Word: Dad today at work.

    Праца is an activity, so it takes на.

  4. Я чакаю цябе на вакзале.

    I am waiting for you at the station.

    Word by Word: I wait you at station.

    Вакзал takes на: на вакзале.

  5. Бабуля на кухні.

    Grandma is in the kitchen.

    Word by Word: Grandma on kitchen.

    Кухня takes на, and its soft н gives the ending -і.

  6. Што вы робіце на ўроку?

    What do you do in class?

    Word by Word: What you do at lesson?

    Урок starts with у, and на ends in a vowel, so write на ўроку.

Common Mistakes

  • Using у with a noun that takes на.

    Дзеці гуляюць у вуліцы.
    Дзеці гуляюць на вуліцы.

    Вуліца always takes на. Learn these nouns with their preposition.

  • Keeping the dictionary form after на.

    Тата на праца.
    Тата на працы.

    На meaning "at" needs the locative: праца → на працы.

  • Using the locative for a destination.

    Я іду на працы.
    Я іду на працу.

    With movement toward a place, на takes the accusative: на працу.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

на + LocativeLevel 1Location with На and the Locative

Learn This First

На for location follows у for location.

Words in This Pattern