нібыта
Supposedly with Нібыта
Put нібыта before a claim you doubt: Ён нібыта хворы. (He is supposedly ill.) Кажуць, нібыта цэны вырастуць. (They say prices will go up, supposedly.)
How It Works
As a particle, нібыта goes right before the word or phrase in doubt: Ён нібыта хворы. (He is supposedly ill.) The speaker is reporting what was said, not vouching for it. It is not a parenthetical word like мабыць, so it is not set off with commas.
After verbs of saying and thinking, нібыта replaces што and adds doubt. Compare:
- Ён сказаў, што нічога не чуў. He said he had heard nothing (neutral report).
- Ён сказаў, нібыта нічога не чуў. He claimed he had heard nothing (and I doubt it).
This makes нібыта a useful tool in reported speech when you want to report without agreeing.
As if. Нібыта can also introduce a comparison, meaning the same as нібы and быццам: Мне здаецца, нібыта мы ўжо сустракаліся. (I feel as if we have met before.)
Because нібыта casts doubt, do not use it for facts you accept, and be careful using it about yourself. For reported words with a gesture or tone, see маўляў.
Examples (6)
- Ён нібыта хворы.
He is supposedly ill.
Word by Word: He supposedly ill.
- Кажуць, нібыта цэны вырастуць.
They say prices will supposedly go up.
Word by Word: They-say, supposedly prices will-grow.
- Ён сказаў, нібыта нічога не чуў.
He claimed he had not heard anything.
Word by Word: He said, supposedly nothing not heard.
Нібыта instead of што shows the speaker doubts the claim.
- Ліст нібыта адправілі яшчэ ў панядзелак.
The letter was supposedly sent as early as Monday.
Word by Word: Letter supposedly sent already on Monday.
- Яна нібыта ўжо ўсё ведала, але нічога не сказала.
She supposedly already knew everything, but she said nothing.
Word by Word: She supposedly already all knew, but nothing not said.
- Мне здаецца, нібыта мы ўжо сустракаліся.
I feel as if we have met before.
Word by Word: To-me seems, as-if we already met.
Here нібыта means as if.
Common Mistakes
Setting нібыта off with commas.
Ён, нібыта, хворы.Ён нібыта хворы.Нібыта is a particle attached to the claim, not a parenthetical word like мабыць, so it takes no commas.
Using нібыта about something you mean as true.
Я нібыта хворы, таму застаюся дома.Я хворы, таму застаюся дома.Нібыта casts doubt, so the first sentence suggests you are only pretending to be ill. Leave it out when you mean the fact.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Supposedly needs быццам and reported speech.
Related Patterns
Words in This Pattern
Practice нібыта in Bubblegum
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