у + Locative

Location with У and the Locative

Level 1Sounds Like u + mesny mesca

To say where something is, use у + the locative: у Мінску, у школе, у парку. It answers дзе? (where?).

How It Works

Spelling the preposition. Write ў when the word before it ends in a vowel, and у after a consonant or at the start of a sentence: Я жыву ў Мінску, but Мой брат у Мінску and У Мінску холадна. Before a word that starts with у, the preposition becomes ва: ва ўніверсітэце (at the university). See у and ў.

Common endings.

  • -е after most hard consonants: у школе, у Гродне, у лесе (in the forest). Т and д change to ц and дз: у Брэсце, у горадзе
  • often -у after г, к, х in masculine nouns: у парку, у Мінску, у банку
  • usually -ы after ж, ш, ч, р, ц: у кватэры, у бальніцы (in the hospital)
  • -і after soft consonants: у кавярні (in the café), у Гомелі, у Беларусі

Feminine nouns in г, к, х change the consonant before -е: кніга → у кнізе (in the book). See locative endings and г, к and х before -е.

У or на? Most buildings, rooms, towns and countries take у: у школе, у кватэры, у Беларусі. Open spaces, surfaces and events take на: на вуліцы, на стале, на канцэрце. See на + locative.

Where, not where to. The locative only says where something is. For movement into a place, у takes the accusative: Я ў школе (I am at school), but Я іду ў школу (I am going to school). See the accusative for destinations.

Examples (6)

  1. Я жыву ў Гродне.

    I live in Hrodna.

    Word by Word: I live in Hrodna.

    Жыву ends in a vowel, so the preposition is ў. Гродна → у Гродне.

  2. Мой брат вучыцца ў Мінску.

    My brother studies in Minsk.

    Word by Word: My brother studies in Minsk.

    Мінск ends in к, so the locative ending is -у.

  3. Дзеці гуляюць у парку.

    The children are playing in the park.

    Word by Word: Children play in park.

    Гуляюць ends in a consonant sound, so the preposition is у. Парк → у парку.

  4. У кватэры цёпла.

    It is warm in the apartment.

    Word by Word: In apartment warm.

    After р the locative ending is -ы: у кватэры.

  5. Мама ў кавярні.

    Mom is at the café.

    Word by Word: Mom in café.

    Кавярня has a soft н, so it takes -і. Мама ends in a vowel, so the preposition is ў.

  6. Ён працуе ва ўніверсітэце.

    He works at the university.

    Word by Word: He works at university.

    Before a word that starts with у, the preposition is ва.

Common Mistakes

  • Keeping the dictionary form after у.

    Я жыву ў Мінск.
    Я жыву ў Мінску.

    У meaning "in" needs the locative: Мінск → у Мінску.

  • Writing ў after a consonant.

    Ён ў школе.
    Ён у школе.

    Ў is written only after a vowel. Ён ends in a consonant, so write у.

  • Using the locative for a destination.

    Я іду ў школе.
    Я іду ў школу.

    With movement toward a place, у takes the accusative: у школу.

How It Connects

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

у + LocativeLevel 1Location with У and the Locative

Learn This First

Location with у needs cases and дзе.

Words in This Pattern