пра + Accusative
About with Пра
Пра means about and takes the accusative: кніга пра Беларусь (a book about Belarus).
How It Works
Пра names a topic: размаўляць пра (talk about), думаць пра (think about), чуць пра (hear about), фільм пра (a film about). The word after it takes the accusative, so you use the forms you know from direct objects:
- Masculine and neuter nouns for things do not change: пра горад, пра мора. Feminine nouns that end in a consonant do not change either: пра Беларусь, пра восень.
- Feminine nouns in -а/-я take -у/-ю: пра маму, пра працу, пра зямлю. See feminine accusative.
- Masculine nouns for people and animals take -а/-я: пра брата, пра сябра. See animate accusative.
Pronouns. Use the accusative pronouns: пра мяне, пра цябе, пра яго, пра яе, пра нас, пра вас, пра іх, and пра сябе (about oneself). See pronoun case forms. Belarusian does not add н- after a preposition, so it is пра яго, not пра няго.
Пра and аб. Аб with the locative also means about: кніга аб Беларусі. It sounds formal and bookish. In conversation, пра is the natural choice. Keep the two cases apart: пра always takes the accusative, and аб takes the locative.
Examples (6)
- Гэта кніга пра Беларусь.
This is a book about Belarus.
Word by Word: This book about Belarus.
- Раскажы пра сябе.
Tell me about yourself.
Word by Word: Tell about self.
- Я часта думаю пра цябе.
I often think about you.
Word by Word: I often think about you.
- Мы доўга размаўлялі пра працу.
We talked about work for a long time.
Word by Word: We long talked about work.
Праца is feminine, so it takes -у: працу.
- Ты чуў пра нашага новага настаўніка?
Have you heard about our new teacher?
Word by Word: You heard about our new teacher?
Настаўнік names a person, so it and its adjectives take the -а form.
- Што ты ведаеш пра яго?
What do you know about him?
Word by Word: What you know about him?
Common Mistakes
Using the locative after пра, as if it were аб.
Гэта фільм пра Беларусі.Гэта фільм пра Беларусь.Беларусі is the locative form that goes with аб. After пра, use the accusative: пра Беларусь.
Leaving a feminine noun in its dictionary form after пра.
Мы гаварылі пра музыка.Мы гаварылі пра музыку.Музыка is feminine, so the accusative ends in -у.
Adding н- to a pronoun after пра, as in Russian.
Мы гаварылі пра няго.Мы гаварылі пра яго.Belarusian pronouns keep their normal form after a preposition: пра яго, пра яе, пра іх.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Пра uses the accusative.
Related Patterns
- Feminine Accusative -у/-юFeminine Accusative -у and -ю
Feminine nouns after пра take these endings.
Level 1 - Animate Accusative
Masculine nouns for people and animals after пра take the -а form.
Level 2 - Personal Pronoun Case Forms
Lists the pronoun forms used after пра.
Level 2 - аб + LocativeAbout with Аб
The formal way to say about, with the locative.
Level 5 - сябеThe Reflexive Pronoun Сябе
Пра сябе means about oneself.
Level 3
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice пра + Accusative in Bubblegum
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