што in Relative Clauses

Relative Што

Level 4Sounds Like što ŭ adnosnym skaze

усё, што … = everything that; тое, што … = what, the thing that: Усё, што ты сказаў, праўда.

How It Works

A relative clause describes a word in the main clause. With nouns you normally use які. After the pronouns усё (everything) and тое (that, the thing), use што:

  • Усё, што ты сказаў, праўда. (Everything you said is true.)
  • Тое, што ён зрабіў, вельмі важна. (What he did is very important.)

Тое, што = what. English often says just what. Belarusian says тое, што. Тое takes the case the main clause needs: Раскажы пра тое, што бачыў. (Tell me about what you saw.) Дзякуй за ўсё, што ты зрабіў. See the forms of увесь.

Што changes case. Its form depends on its job inside its own clause:

  • што (subject or object): усё, што я ведаю
  • чаго (genitive): усё, чаго я баюся (everything I am afraid of)
  • чым (instrumental): усё, чым я магу дапамагчы (everything I can help with)
  • with a preposition: тое, пра што мы гаварылі (what we talked about)

The preposition always goes before што, never at the end of the clause.

For people, use хто. Той, хто рана ўстае, … (The one who gets up early …)

Што after a noun. In speech, songs and poetry, што can also follow a noun: кніга, што ляжыць на стале. This is correct but less neutral. In ordinary writing, use які: кніга, якая ляжыць на стале.

Commas. The clause is set off by commas on both sides. See commas in complex sentences.

Do not confuse this with што after verbs like ведаць (I know that …), where што does not point back to any word.

Examples (6)

  1. Усё, што ты сказаў, праўда.

    Everything you said is true.

    Word by Word: Everything, what you said, truth.

    Said to a man. To a woman: Усё, што ты сказала, праўда.

  2. Тое, што ён зрабіў, вельмі важна.

    What he did is very important.

    Word by Word: That, what he did, very important.

  3. Я зраблю ўсё, што змагу.

    I will do everything I can.

    Word by Word: I will-do everything, what I will-be-able.

  4. Тое, пра што мы гаварылі, застанецца паміж намі.

    What we talked about will stay between us.

    Word by Word: That, about what we talked, will-remain between us.

    The preposition пра goes in front of што.

  5. Дзякуй за ўсё, што ты для мяне зрабіў.

    Thank you for everything you have done for me.

    Word by Word: Thanks for everything, what you for me did.

  6. Ці бачыў ты кнігу, што ляжала на стале?

    Have you seen the book that was lying on the table?

    Word by Word: Whether saw you book, what lay on table?

    Што after a noun is conversational. In neutral writing: кнігу, якая ляжала на стале.

Common Mistakes

  • Using які after усё or тое.

    Усё, якое ты сказаў, праўда.
    Усё, што ты сказаў, праўда.

    After the pronouns усё and тое, the linking word is што.

  • Putting the preposition at the end, as in English.

    Тое, што мы гаварылі пра, застанецца паміж намі.
    Тое, пра што мы гаварылі, застанецца паміж намі.

    A preposition always stands before што. It cannot be left at the end of the clause.

  • Leaving out што.

    Усё ты сказаў праўда.
    Усё, што ты сказаў, праўда.

    English can drop that, but Belarusian always needs the linking word and the commas around the clause.

How It Connects

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

што in Relative ClausesLevel 4Relative Што

Learn This First

Relative што follows які and content што.

Words in This Pattern

увесьтойусё