Leaving Out Is in the Present

Level 1Sounds Like nulâvaâ zvâzka

Belarusian normally drops "am, is, are" in the present: Я студэнт (I am a student), Кава гарачая (The coffee is hot).

How It Works

English needs "am", "is" or "are" to link a subject with a description. Belarusian does not. In the present tense the link is simply left out:

  • Я студэнт. (I am a student.)
  • Кава гарачая. (The coffee is hot.)
  • Мой брат дома. (My brother is at home.)

Past and future bring быць back. When the time is not the present, you do say the verb: Учора я быў дома (Yesterday I was at home), Заўтра я буду дома (Tomorrow I will be at home). See быць in the past and the future of быць.

What about ёсць? Ёсць is the present form of быць, but in everyday speech it says that something exists or that someone has it: Тут ёсць кавярня, У мяне ёсць брат. As a simple "is" between a subject and a description it is rare and bookish, so leave it out.

Writing a dash. When both the subject and the description are nouns, a dash usually marks the missing verb: Мінск — вялікі горад. After a personal pronoun no dash is needed: Я студэнт. The details are in the dash between subject and predicate.

Examples (6)

  1. Я студэнт.

    I am a student.

    Word by Word: I student.

  2. Кава гарачая.

    The coffee is hot.

    Word by Word: Coffee hot.

  3. Мой брат дома.

    My brother is at home.

  4. Мінск — вялікі горад.

    Minsk is a big city.

    Between two nouns, a dash marks the missing verb in writing.

  5. Сёння холадна.

    It is cold today.

    No verb and no word for "it" are needed.

  6. Учора я быў дома.

    Yesterday I was at home.

    In the past, быць is said: быў.

Common Mistakes

  • Translating English "am" with ёсць in an everyday statement.

    Я ёсць студэнт.
    Я студэнт.

    For a plain, neutral "I am a student", Belarusian uses no verb. Ёсць as a linking word belongs only to rare bookish or emphatic style; in everyday speech it means "there is" or "have".

  • Dropping быць in the past as well.

    Учора я дома.
    Учора я быў дома.

    Only the present tense leaves the verb out. For the past, say быў, была, было or былі.

How It Connects

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

Leaving Out Is in the PresentLevel 1

Learn This First

The dropped verb is seen in sentences with a pronoun subject.

Words in This Pattern

быць