17.1 Formation of the imperative
In the case of the vast majority of Belarusan verbs, the imperative
is formed as follows. Conjugate the verb for the 2nd person singular
and remove the final two letters. If the stem ends in a vowel, add an -й. If the stem ends in an
invariably non-palatized consonant, nothing is added, otherwise add
either an -і or a -ь. The ending –і is added
either if the infinitive is more than one syllable and the accent falls
on the last syllable, or if the root ends in two or more consonants
(note that the letter combinations дз and дж are each treated as a single
letter). If neither of these two conditions is met, then a -ь is added. This forms the
singular form of the imperative. To form the plural imperative, the
suffix -це is appended to the
singular form.
| infin. | br /> | nd Pers. Sing. | tem | mp. Sing. | Imp. Pl. |
браць |
to take | бярэ́ш |
бяр- |
бяры́ |
бяры́це |
глядзець |
o look | глядзі́ш |
глядз- |
глядзі́ |
глядзі́це |
глянуць |
o glance | гля́ніш |
глян- |
глянь |
гля́ньце |
жыць |
o live | жыве́ш |
жыв- |
жыві́ |
жыві́це |
легчы |
o lie down | я́жеш |
ляж- |
ляж |
ля́жце |
мыць |
o wash | ы́еш |
ы- |
ый |
мы́йце |
ехаць |
o drive | ́дзеш |
дз- |
дзь |
е́дзьце |
рабіць |
o do | ро́біш |
об- |
рабі́ |
рабі́це |
рэзаць |
o slice | рэ́жаш |
рэж- |
рэж |
рэ́жце |
сячы |
o cut up | ячэ́ш |
яч- |
ячы́ |
сячы́це |
стаць |
o become | ста́неш |
стан- |
стань |
ста́ньце |
стукнуць |
o knock | сту́кнеш |
стукн- |
сту́кні |
сту́кніце |
чакаць |
o wait | чака́еш |
чака́- |
чака́й |
чака́йце |
17.2 Vowel changes due to spelling rules
There are several verbs, which seem to be irregular, but the changes of their vowels are really just manifestions of spelling rules.
бая́цца |
o fear | баі́шся |
о- |
бо́йся |
бо́йцеся |
смяя́цца |
o dare | смяе́шся |
сме- |
сме́йся |
сме́йцеся |
стая́ць |
o stand | стаі́ш |
то- |
той |
сто́йце |
17.3 Verbs beginning with вы-
If imperative form of verb ends in an -і (or -ы due to spelling rules) the
verb formed by adding the prefix вы- to the verb also has an imperative
that ends in -і, even though the
accent will fall on the prefix.
| Infin. | br /> | mp. Sing.<b | nfin. | br /> | Imp. Sing. |
ве́сці |
o lead | вядзі́ |
вы́весці |
o lead away | вы́ведзі |
каза́ць |
o say | кажы́ |
вы́казаць |
o state something< | вы́кажы |
рваць |
o tear | рві |
вы́рваць |
o tear away | вы́рві |
17.4 Irregular imperatives
Certain verbs have irregular imperatives. a few of these are given below.
| Infin. | br /> | nd Pers. Sing.<br / | Imp. Sing. | mp. Pl. |
дава́ць |
o give | дае́ш |
дава́й |
ава́йце |
даць |
to give* (Perf.) | дасі́ |
дай |
да́йце |
е́сці |
o eat | ш |
еш |
́ешце |
| br /> | br /> | br /> | ||
біць |
o hit | ‘еш |
бі |
і́це |
ліць |
o pour | ьеш |
лі |
і́це |
піць |
o drink | ьеш |
пі |
і́це |
17.5 1st person plural imperative
The most common way of forming the 1st person plural imperative is
by using the word
дава́йце. If the
verb is imperfective,
дава́йце is followed
by the verb’s infinitive. If the verb is perfective, the word
дава́йце is followed
by the verb conjugated for the 1st person plural.
Дава́йце яшчэ́ нальё́м. |
Let’s pour in some more.* | td>Дава́йце крыча́ць: хто слабе́й кры́кне, таго́ зьядзё́м. |
Let’s yell: Whoever yells the weakest, him we will eat.* |
alternatively, verbs do have a special form for the 1st person plural imperative.
Бярэ́м мана́ткі і марш! |
Let’s grab our gear and move out!* | td>Уцяка́йма, паку́ль не по́зна. |
Let’s get out of here, while it’s not to late.*</td> | |
Е́дзем на база́р, каб купі́ць е́жу на за́ўтра. |
Let’s go to the market to buy food for tomorrow.* |
If the 2nd person singular imperative ends in -й, the 1st person plural -rative is formed by adding the letters
-ма` to the end of the
imperative.
| Infin. | br /> | mp. Sing. | st Pers. Pl. Imp. |
будава́ць |
o wait | буду́й |
буду́йма |
мы́цца |
o wash oneself<br | мы́йся |
мы́ймася |
чыта́ць |
o read | чыта́й |
чыта́йма |
If the 2nd person singular imperative ends in an accented -ы or -і, the 1st person plural -rative -эм or
-ем` respectively.
бе́гчы |
o run | яжы́ |
бяжэ́м |
бра́цца |
o wrap around some | бяры́ся |
бярэ́мся |
крыча́ць |
o yell | крычы́ |
крычэ́м |
| br /> | br /> | br /> | |
сарва́ць |
to tear* (Perf.)< | сарві́ |
сарве́м |
спаць |
o sleep | пі |
спем |
хадзі́ць |
o walk | хадзі́ |
адзе́м |
Otherwise, the 1st person plural imperative is identical to the 1st person plural indicative form.
быць |
to be* | удзь |
бу́дзем |
се́сці |
to sit down* (Pe | сядзь |
ся́дзем |
ле́гчы |
to lie down* ( | ляж |
ля́жам |
17.6 3rd person imperative
The third person imperative is formed by placing either the particle
хай or няха́й before the
verb, conjugated for the third person, either singular or plural.
Хай гаво́рыць. |
Let him speak.* | td>Не чапа́й, хай ляжы́ць. |
Don’t disturb him, let | |
Хай бу́дзе святло́. |
Let there be light.* |