Word Order for Topic and New Information

Level 5Sounds Like téma í réma

Known information first, new information last: Кнігу напісаў Караткевіч. (It was Karatkevich who wrote the book.)

How It Works

In basic word order you learned that endings, not position, show who does what. That freedom has a job: word order shows which part of the sentence is known (the topic, тэма) and which part is new (the comment, рэма).

The rule: known information comes first, and new or important information comes last.

  • Хто напісаў кнігу? — Кнігу напісаў Караткевіч. (It was Karatkevich who wrote the book.)
  • Што напісаў Караткевіч? — Караткевіч напісаў кнігу. (Karatkevich wrote a book.)

A job English gives to articles. Belarusian has no a or the. A noun at the end is often new, like English a. A noun at the start is often known, like English the:

  • У пакой увайшла настаўніца. (A teacher came into the room.)
  • Настаўніца ўвайшла ў пакой. (The teacher came into the room.)
  • На стале ляжыць кніга. (There is a book on the table.) versus Кніга ляжыць на стале. (The book is on the table.)

In speech, stress can highlight another word instead, but in writing the end position carries the new information. To highlight a word even more, use менавіта.

Examples (6)

  1. Кнігу напісаў Караткевіч.

    It was Karatkevich who wrote the book.

    Word by Word: Book(acc.) wrote Karatkevich.

  2. Караткевіч напісаў кнігу.

    Karatkevich wrote a book.

    Word by Word: Karatkevich wrote book.

  3. У пакой увайшла настаўніца.

    A teacher came into the room.

    Word by Word: Into room came teacher.

  4. Настаўніца ўвайшла ў пакой.

    The teacher came into the room.

    Word by Word: Teacher came into room.

  5. На стале ляжыць кніга.

    There is a book on the table.

    Word by Word: On table lies book.

  6. — Калі прыедзе бабуля? — Бабуля прыедзе заўтра.

    "When is Grandma coming?" "Grandma is coming tomorrow."

    Word by Word: When will-arrive grandma? Grandma will-arrive tomorrow.

Common Mistakes

  • Putting a new person at the start when you mean someone not yet mentioned.

    Мужчына ўвайшоў у пакой.
    У пакой увайшоў мужчына.

    The intended meaning is A man came into the room, introducing someone new. At the start, мужчына reads as a man we already know: The man came into the room. Put new information last.

How It Connects

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

Word Order for Topic and New InformationLevel 5

Learn This First

Topic and new information follow basic word order.