Singular Imperative
To tell one person you call ты to do something, use the singular imperative: Чытай! (Read!), Пішы! (Write!), Сядзь! (Sit down!)
How It Works
The singular imperative is for one person you call ты: a friend, a family member or a child. It is built from the present stem (for a perfective verb, the future stem).
- Stem ends in a vowel → -й. чыта-юць → чытай (read), слуха-юць → слухай (listen), гуля-юць → гуляй (play).
- Consonant stem, я form stressed on the ending → -і or -ы. іду́ → ідзі (go), раблю́ → рабі (do), пішу́ → пішы (write), скажу́ → скажы (say). After the always-hard ж, ш, ч, р and ц the vowel is written ы: always-hard consonants.
- Consonant stem, stress on the stem → no ending. ся́ду → сядзь (sit down), ба́чу → бач (see), забу́ду → забудзь (forget). A soft consonant keeps its softness with ь.
Sound changes. Д and т become дз and ц when soft, so ід- gives ідзі and сяд- gives сядзь: tsekanye and dzekanye. Unstressed о is written а, which is why ро́біш gives рабі.
Two consonants together. When the stem ends in two consonants, -і stays even if the stem is stressed: по́мню → помні (remember).
Irregular forms to learn. быць → будзь (be), даць → дай (give), есці → еш (eat).
Reflexive verbs add -ся after the imperative: мыйся (wash), вучыся (study), не хвалюйся (do not worry).
For several people or polite вы, add -це: the plural and polite imperative. Add калі ласка to sound softer.
Examples (6)
- Чытай уголас, калі ласка.
Read aloud, please.
Word by Word: Read aloud, please.
- Пішы мне часцей!
Write to me more often!
Word by Word: Write to-me more-often!
- Ідзі сюды!
Come here!
Word by Word: Go here!
Belarusian uses ісці (to go) where English says come here.
- Сядзь, калі ласка.
Sit down, please.
Word by Word: Sit-down, please.
- Рабі, як хочаш.
Do as you like.
Word by Word: Do, as you-want.
- Будзь асцярожны!
Be careful!
Word by Word: Be careful!
Будзь is the imperative of быць. Said to a man; to a woman: Будзь асцярожная!
Common Mistakes
Writing і after ш, which is always hard.
Піші мне!Пішы мне!Ш is always hard in Belarusian, so the ending is written ы: пішы.
Building the imperative from the infinitive instead of the present stem.
Сесь, калі ласка.Сядзь, калі ласка.The imperative comes from the stem of ся́ду, not from сесці. The stem is stressed, so there is no ending: сядзь.
Dropping the ending when the я form is stressed on the ending.
Ідзь сюды!Ідзі сюды!The я form іду́ is stressed on the ending, so the imperative takes -і: ідзі.
How It Connects
Learn This First
The imperative follows the present tense.
Related Patterns
- Imperative + -цеPlural and Polite Imperative
Add -це to address several people or one person politely.
Level 2 - не + ImperativeNegative Imperative
How to tell someone not to do something.
Level 2 - тыInformal Singular You
The singular imperative is for people you call ты.
Level 1 - Always-Hard ж, ш, ч, р, цAlways-Hard Ж, Ш, Ч, Р and Ц
Explains why пішы and скажы are written with ы.
Level 1 - хадзем / давайLet's with Хадзем and Давай
Suggestions that include the speaker: let's.
Level 2 - Aspect in Commands
When to choose a perfective or an imperfective command.
Level 3
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Practice Singular Imperative in Bubblegum
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