так / не

Yes and No

Level 1Sounds Like tak í ne

Так = yes, Не = no: Ты студэнт? — Так. (Are you a student? — Yes.)

How It Works

Yes. Say так, often with a word of thanks or the verb: Хочаш чаю? — Так, дзякуй. Belarusian speakers also answer yes simply by repeating the verb: Ты ведаеш Алеся? — Ведаю.

No. Say не. To give a full answer, put не before the verb as well: Не, не ведаю. (No, I do not know.) See negating verbs with не.

Negative questions. When the question already has не, answer with a full sentence so you are clear: Ты не галодны? — Не, не галодны. (Aren't you hungry? — No, I am not.)

Watch out. Да is a Russian word for yes; in Belarusian да is a preposition meaning to. The Belarusian yes is так.

Так also means so, like this: Рабі так. (Do it like this.)

Examples (6)

  1. Ты студэнт? — Так.

    Are you a student? — Yes.

    Word by Word: You student? — Yes.

  2. Ты стаміўся? — Не, не стаміўся.

    Are you tired? — No, I am not.

    Word by Word: You got-tired? — No, not got-tired.

  3. Хочаш чаю? — Так, дзякуй.

    Do you want some tea? — Yes, thank you.

    Word by Word: Want tea-of? — Yes, thanks.

  4. Вы з Мінска? — Не, я з Гомеля.

    Are you from Minsk? — No, I am from Homel.

    Word by Word: You from Minsk? — No, I from Homel.

  5. Ты ведаеш Алеся? — Ведаю.

    Do you know Ales? — Yes, I do.

    Word by Word: You know Ales? — I-know.

    Repeating the verb is a natural way to say yes.

  6. Ты не галодны? — Не, не галодны.

    Aren't you hungry? — No, I am not.

    Word by Word: You not hungry? — No, not hungry.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the Russian word да for yes.

    Ты студэнт? — Да.
    Ты студэнт? — Так.

    In Belarusian да is a preposition meaning to. Yes is так.

  • Saying no and then dropping не from the verb.

    Ты стаміўся? — Не, я стаміўся.
    Ты стаміўся? — Не, я не стаміўся.

    Не, я стаміўся contradicts itself: it says no and then I am tired. Put не before the verb too.

How It Connects

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

так / неLevel 1Yes and No

Learn This First

Yes and no answer yes-no questions.

Words in This Pattern

нене