з-за / з-пад

From Behind, From Under and Because of

Level 4Sounds Like z-za í z-pad

З-за means from behind and з-пад means from under; both take the genitive: з-за стала (from the table), з-пад ложка (from under the bed). З-за дажджу means because of the rain.

How It Works

Where from. З-за and з-пад show where something comes out from. Compare them with за and пад for position:

  • за стол (to the table) → за сталом (at the table) → з-за стала (from the table)
  • пад ложак (under the bed, going) → пад ложкам (under the bed, staying) → з-пад ложка (from under the bed)

Both take the genitive (genitive endings) and are always written with a hyphen.

З-за also means:

  • from beyond: Сонца выйшла з-за хмар. з-за мяжы (from abroad)
  • getting up from an activity: устаць з-за стала (to get up from the table)
  • because of, usually for something bad or someone to blame: з-за дажджу (because of the rain), з-за цябе (because of you). Праз can mean this too. For a good result, use дзякуючы.

З-пад also means:

  • from the area near a town: Ён родам з-пад Мінска. (He comes from near Minsk.)
  • a container that used to hold something: слоік з-пад мёду (a jar that held honey), бутэлька з-пад малака (a milk bottle)

Examples (6)

  1. Сонца выйшла з-за хмар.

    The sun came out from behind the clouds.

    Word by Word: Sun came-out from-behind clouds.

  2. Бабуля ўстала з-за стала.

    Grandma got up from the table.

    Word by Word: Grandma got-up from-behind table.

  3. Кот вылез з-пад ложка.

    The cat crawled out from under the bed.

    Word by Word: Cat crawled-out from-under bed.

  4. З-за дажджу мы засталіся дома.

    Because of the rain, we stayed at home.

    Word by Word: Because-of rain we stayed at-home.

  5. Мой дзядуля родам з-пад Мінска.

    My grandfather comes from near Minsk.

    Word by Word: My grandfather by-birth from-under Minsk.

  6. Пастаў кветкі ў слоік з-пад мёду.

    Put the flowers in the old honey jar.

    Word by Word: Put flowers into jar from-under honey.

    З-пад мёду describes a jar that once held honey.

Common Mistakes

  • Writing з-за without the hyphen.

    Сонца выйшла з за хмар.
    Сонца выйшла з-за хмар.

    З-за and з-пад are single prepositions, so they are always written with a hyphen.

  • Keeping the instrumental of пад ложкам after з-пад.

    Кот вылез з-пад ложкам.
    Кот вылез з-пад ложка.

    З-пад takes the genitive: ложка.

  • Using з-за to thank someone for a good result.

    З-за тваёй дапамогі я здаў экзамен.
    Дзякуючы тваёй дапамозе я здаў экзамен.

    З-за sounds like the help caused a problem. For a good cause, use дзякуючы with the dative.

How It Connects

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

з-за / з-падLevel 4From Behind, From Under and Because of

Learn This First

From behind needs за, пад and the genitive.

Words in This Pattern

з-заз-пад