The Prefix пера- for Redoing and Overdoing

Redoing and Overdoing with Пера-

Level 5Sounds Like prystaŭka pera

Пера- can mean re- or over-: Прыйшлося ўсё перарабіць. (We had to redo everything.) Ты перасаліў суп! (You oversalted the soup!)

How It Works

The prefix пера- has two meanings that learners meet often.

1. Again, differently. Do the action once more, usually to change or fix it:

  • чытаць → перачытаць (reread)
  • пісаць → перапісаць (rewrite, copy out)
  • рабіць → перарабіць (redo)
  • пытаць → перапытаць (ask again)

2. Too much. Go past the right amount:

  • саліць → перасаліць (oversalt; also to overdo it)
  • есці → пераесці (overeat)
  • працаваць → перапрацаваць (work longer than planned; it also means to rework or process)

Aspect. A пера- verb is perfective. For repeated or ongoing action, use its secondary imperfective: перачытваць, перапісваць, перарабляць, пераядаць.

Spelling. The prefix is always written пера-, never пере-, because of akanye. The root follows Belarusian too: перарабіць, from рабіць.

Across. With motion verbs, пера- means across: see перайсці.

Examples (6)

  1. Я перачытаў ліст тры разы.

    I reread the letter three times.

    Word by Word: I reread letter three times.

  2. Настаўніца папрасіла перапісаць сачыненне.

    The teacher asked us to rewrite the essay.

    Word by Word: Teacher asked to-rewrite essay.

  3. Прыйшлося ўсё перарабіць.

    We had to redo everything.

    Word by Word: Had-to everything redo.

  4. Прабачце, можна перапытаць?

    Sorry, may I ask that again?

    Word by Word: Sorry, possible to-ask-again?

  5. Ты перасаліў суп!

    You oversalted the soup!

    Word by Word: You oversalted soup!

  6. Не пераядай перад сном.

    Do not overeat before bed.

    Word by Word: Not overeat before sleep.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the Russian verb root.

    Прыйшлося ўсё перадзелаць.
    Прыйшлося ўсё перарабіць.

    Belarusian says рабіць, not делать, so redo is перарабіць.

  • Writing the prefix as пере-.

    Я перечытаў ліст.
    Я перачытаў ліст.

    Р is always hard in Belarusian, so the vowel after it is э, and an unstressed э is written а under akanye. The prefix is always пера-.

How It Connects

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

The Prefix пера- for Redoing and OverdoingLevel 5Redoing and Overdoing with Пера-

Learn This First

Redoing needs prefixes.