Belarusan verbal aspect is similar to Russian and Ukrainian. Consult a text on one of these languages for more information on verbal aspect.
16.1 Present tense
Belarusan has one present tense and two future tenses, the future perfect and the future imperfect. The present tense is formed by conjugating the infinitive of the imperfect aspect of a verb for the correct person.
Я тут жыву́.I live here.
Я жыву́ цяпе́р у сябро́ў.I am living with friends right now.
Я жыву́ з і́мі ме́сяц.I have lived with them for a month.
The verb быць, to be, has no present tense conjugation. The verb to
be is often rendered in the present tense as a pause, represented as a
dash when written. It is dropped completely in third person impersonal
constructions. Some of the functions of the verb to be can also be
filled by other verbs like быва́ць, to occur, and стаць, to become.
Я — амерыка́нец, а ты — белару́с.I am an american, and you are a
belarusan.
Хло́пчык — ве́льмі гало́дны.The young man is very hungry.
Ця́жка вы́вучыць но́вую мо́ву.It is difficult to learn a new
language.
The word ёсць is also used to fulfill some of the functions of the verb to be. It is used either to emphasis the existence of the subject, or as a predicate meaning there is. The word ёсць is etymologically descended from the obsolete present tense conjugation of the Common Slavonic verb byti, to be.
Ён з’яві́ўся такі́м, які́м ён і ёсцьHe appeared as that person, whom
he is
па сваё́й нату́ры.by his nature.
Ёсць які́-не́будзь ста́ры, што даIs there anyone old that lived
here
вайны́ тут жыў?before the war?
16.2 Future imperfect formation
The future imperfect tense is formed by conjugating the verb быць for
the correct person, and following that with the infinitive of a verb’s
imperfective aspect.
Што бу́дзеш рабі́ць?What will you be doing?
Я бу́ду мно́га чыта́ць.I will be reading a lot.
16.3 Future perfect formation
The future perfect tense is formed by conjugating the infinitive of a verb’s perfective aspect for the correct person.
Што зро́біш?What will you do?
Я ско́нчу гэ́ту кні́гу.I will finish this book.