Past Participles in -лы
Пажоўклае лісце is leaves that have turned yellow. A -лы participle names a state reached by a change.
How It Works
A -лы participle describes the state something is in after it changed by itself: замерзлае возера (a lake that has frozen), загарэлы твар (a face that has tanned).
How it is built. The verb is perfective and has no direct object. Take the feminine past form, which already has -л- (see the feminine past tense), and give it adjective endings:
- пажоўкнуць → пажоўкла → пажоўклы (yellowed)
- замерзнуць → замерзла → замерзлы (frozen)
- загарэць → загарэла → загарэлы (tanned)
- звянуць → звяла → звялы (wilted)
- састарэць → састарэла → састарэлы (outdated)
Endings. These words agree with their noun like any adjective: пажоўклае лісце, па замерзлым возеры, пасівелыя валасы.
Compared with -ны. A passive participle describes something that someone acted on: зачыненыя дзверы (a door someone closed). A -лы participle describes a change that happened by itself: замерзлае возера.
Active participles in -ўшы with adjective endings, like прыехаўшыя госці, are a different and much rarer form. The standard language prefers a clause: госці, якія прыехалі. See active participles in -ўшы.
Examples (6)
- Пад нагамі шалясціць пажоўклае лісце.
Yellowed leaves rustle underfoot.
Word by Word: Under feet rustles yellowed foliage.
- Пасля лета ў яго загарэлы твар.
After the summer he has a tanned face.
Word by Word: After summer at him tanned face.
- Дзеці каталіся на каньках па замерзлым возеры.
The children skated on the frozen lake.
Word by Word: Children rode on skates along frozen lake.
- Ён прыйшоў дадому змоклы і стомлены.
He came home soaked and tired.
Word by Word: He came home soaked and tired.
Змоклы is a -лы form from змокнуць (to get soaked); стомлены is a passive -ны form.
- Мы выкінулі звялыя кветкі.
We threw away the wilted flowers.
Word by Word: We threw-out wilted flowers.
- Гэта слова ўжо састарэлае.
This word is already outdated.
Word by Word: This word already outdated.
Common Mistakes
Forgetting the case ending.
Мы каталіся на каньках па замерзлы возеры.Мы каталіся на каньках па замерзлым возеры.After па with the locative, the participle needs the locative ending -ым, like any adjective.
Using the Russian ending -ый.
Пасля лета ў яго загарэлый твар.Пасля лета ў яго загарэлы твар.Belarusian masculine adjectives and participles end in -ы: загарэлы, замерзлы.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Participles in -лы follow passive participles.
Related Patterns
- Feminine and Plural Past Tense
The -л- of these participles is the same -л- as in the past tense: пажоўкла.
Level 2 - Adjective Agreement
These participles agree with their noun exactly like adjectives.
Level 1 - Participial Phrases
A -лы participle can carry its own words: лісце, пажоўклае ад спёкі.
Level 4 - Active Participles in -ўшыActive Participles in -ўшы (Recognition)
Another active past participle, much rarer and mostly bookish.
Level 6