Genitive Singular Endings
Masculine and neuter nouns take -а/-я (брата, акна). Feminine nouns take -ы or -і (мамы, кнігі).
How It Works
You need the genitive after words like з (from), да, ад, без, каля, for possession and in у мяне няма. Here is how to form it.
1. Masculine and neuter nouns:
- Hard consonant → -а: брат → брата, стол → стала, акно → акна
- Soft consonant → -я: Алесь → Алеся, конь → каня, поле → поля
- Some masculine nouns take -у/-ю instead, especially substances and abstract ideas: цукар → цукру, чай → чаю, час → часу. See masculine genitive -а or -у.
2. Feminine nouns in -а/-я:
- Hard consonant → -ы: мама → мамы, сястра → сястры
- After the always-hard ж, ш, ч, р, ц → -ы: вуліца → вуліцы
- Soft consonant or г, к, х → -і: зямля → зямлі, кніга → кнігі, рака → ракі
3. Feminine nouns with no ending take -і after a soft consonant and -ы after a hard one: Беларусь → Беларусі, соль → солі, ноч → ночы.
4. Spelling can shift with the stress. When the stress moves to the ending, akanye changes the stem's spelling: стол → стала, конь → каня. This is regular, not an exception.
Masculine nouns ending in -а, such as тата, take the feminine endings: таты. See masculine nouns in -а.
Examples (6)
- Я іду да сястры.
I am going to my sister's.
Word by Word: I go to sister.
Да takes the genitive: сястра → сястры.
- Мы жывём каля ракі.
We live near the river.
Word by Word: We live near river.
Рака ends in к, so the ending is -і.
- Кава без цукру, калі ласка.
Coffee without sugar, please.
Word by Word: Coffee without sugar, please.
Цукар is one of the masculine nouns with -у.
- У мяне няма часу.
I don't have time.
Word by Word: At me there-is-no time.
- Ён прыехаў з Беларусі.
He came from Belarus.
Word by Word: He came from Belarus.
Беларусь is feminine with no ending and a soft consonant, so it takes -і.
- Каля акна стаіць стол.
There is a table by the window.
Word by Word: Near window stands table.
Common Mistakes
Using -ы after г, к or х.
Я прыйшоў без кнігы.Я прыйшоў без кнігі.After г, к and х, feminine nouns take -і: кнігі.
Using -і after an always-hard consonant.
Мой дом у канцы вуліці.Мой дом у канцы вуліцы.Ц is always hard in Belarusian, so the ending is -ы.
Keeping о when the stress moves to the ending.
Кот спіць каля стола.Кот спіць каля стала.In стала the о is no longer stressed, so it is written а.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Genitive endings follow the first genitive use.
Related Patterns
- Masculine Genitive -а/-уMasculine Genitive -а or -у
Explains which masculine nouns take -у instead of -а.
Level 3 - Genitive of Possession
Uses these endings to show who owns something.
Level 2 - без + GenitiveGenitive After Без
Без is always followed by the genitive.
Level 2 - у мяне нямаNot Having with Няма
The thing you do not have goes into the genitive.
Level 1 - Always-Hard ж, ш, ч, р, цAlways-Hard Ж, Ш, Ч, Р and Ц
These consonants are always hard, so they take -ы.
Level 1 - Akanye: Unstressed о and э Written as а
Explains spelling changes such as стол → стала.
Level 1
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
- Animate AccusativeLevel 2
- да + GenitiveGoing to with Да and the GenitiveLevel 2
- каля / ля / пасля / для + GenitiveGenitive After Каля, Ля, Пасля and ДляLevel 2
- Genitive Plural EndingsLevel 2
- у + Person in the GenitiveAt Someone's Place with УLevel 2
- Verbs Taking the GenitiveLevel 3
- замест / акрамяInstead of and ExceptLevel 3
- Neuter Nouns in -мяLevel 3
And 9 more in the full list.
Practice Genitive Singular Endings in Bubblegum
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