без + Genitive

Genitive After Без

Level 2Sounds Like rodny paslâ bez

Без means "without". The noun or pronoun after it goes into the genitive: кава без цукру (coffee without sugar).

How It Works

Nouns. Put the noun in the genitive singular or the genitive plural:

  • цукар → без цукру (without sugar)
  • вада → без вады (without water)
  • малако → без малака (without milk)
  • праблемы → без праблем (without problems)

Pronouns. Use the genitive forms from personal pronoun case forms: без мяне, без цябе, без яго, без яе, без нас, без вас, без іх. Belarusian adds no н- after the preposition: без яго, unlike Russian "без него".

Useful phrases. Без праблем! (No problem!), Я не магу без цябе (I cannot do without you).

Compare. The opposite, "with", is з with the instrumental: кава з цукрам (coffee with sugar). Not having something is expressed with няма, which also takes the genitive: У мяне няма цукру.

Examples (6)

  1. Я п'ю каву без цукру.

    I drink coffee without sugar.

    Цукар → цукру.

  2. Ён п'е чай без малака.

    He drinks tea without milk.

    Малако → малака.

  3. Я не магу без цябе.

    I cannot do without you.

    Ты → цябе, the genitive.

  4. Мы не пачынаем без яго.

    We are not starting without him.

    Без яго: no н- is added.

  5. Без праблем!

    No problem!

    Word by Word: Without problems!

    Праблемы → праблем, the genitive plural.

  6. Дзеці не выходзяць на вуліцу без шапкі.

    The children do not go outside without a hat.

    Шапка → шапкі.

Common Mistakes

  • Keeping the nominative after без.

    Кава без цукар.
    Кава без цукру.

    Без always takes the genitive: цукар → цукру.

  • Using the instrumental after без, as after з.

    Кава без цукрам.
    Кава без цукру.

    The instrumental belongs to з (with): кава з цукрам. Its opposite без takes the genitive.

  • Using the dative form of a pronoun.

    Я не магу без мне.
    Я не магу без мяне.

    Мне is the dative ("to me"). After без you need the genitive мяне.

How It Connects

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

без + GenitiveLevel 2Genitive After Без

Learn This First

Без uses the genitive.

Words in This Pattern

без