Comparative constructions

B1 — Будова сказа

як, чым, за, нібы - the four ways of making a comparison, and the fixed similes that a native speaker reaches for without thinking.

I can compare two things four different ways and use the common fixed similes.

Examples

Гэты замак большы за той. — This castle is bigger than that one.
Было лепш, чым я думаў. — It was better than I expected.
Ён такі ж высокі, як яго бацька. — He is as tall as his father.
Дзед здаровы як бык. — Grandfather is as strong as an ox.
Чым далей у лес, тым больш грыбоў. — The further into the forest, the more mushrooms.

Sentence structureB1

Comparative constructions

як, чым, за, нібы - the four ways of making a comparison, and the fixed similes that a native speaker reaches for without thinking.

Learning Goal

I can compare two things four different ways and use the common fixed similes.

Exam Skills:BSU · WritingBSU · Speaking

Look at these examples. Can you spot the grammar pattern?

Гэты замак большы за той.

This castle is bigger than that one.

Было лепш, чым я думаў.

It was better than I expected.

Ён такі ж высокі, як яго бацька.

He is as tall as his father.

Дзед здаровы як бык.

Grandfather is as strong as an ox.

Pay attention to the highlighted parts. What do they have in common?

Four constructions

Word	Use	Example
як	likeness, with equals	белы як снег
чым	than, after a comparative	большы, чым той
за + accusative	than, after a comparative	большы за той
нібы / быццам	as if, a hypothetical likeness	нібы нічога не здарылася

Equal comparison

Такі ж... як and гэтакі самы... як for two things alike: Ён такі ж высокі, як бацька. For quantity, столькі ж... колькі: У мяне столькі ж часу, колькі ў цябе.

Than, twice over

За with the accusative and чым with the nominative are interchangeable after a comparative. За is tighter and more common in speech; чым is necessary when the second half is a whole clause: лепш, чым я думаў.

The fixed similes

Every language has these and they cannot be translated word for word. A few worth having:

белы як снег - white as snow
здаровы як бык - strong as an ox, literally as a bull; also здаровы як дуб, as an oak, and як тур, as an aurochs
працуе як пчала - works like a bee
чырвоны як бурак - red as a beetroot
ціха як у лесе - quiet as a forest

Здаровы як бык coincides with Russian and is not a calque: the simile is recorded across the whole Belarusian-speaking territory, and the variants with the oak and the aurochs are its own.

Чым... тым

For two things changing together: Чым далей, тым цікавей. - The further on, the more interesting.

Apply this grammar in B1 course exercises

Practice Exercises

Typical errors: using a bare genitive for than, and translating a fixed simile word for word from another language.

Common Error Patterns

Using a bare genitive for than

За with the accusative, or чым: большы за той.

Using за before a whole clause

A clause needs чым: лепш, чым я думаў.

Translating a fixed simile word for word

Learn them whole: здаровы як зубр, чырвоны як бурак.

Omitting ж from такі ж... як

The particle is part of the construction.

Гэты замак большы за той.

This castle is bigger than that one.

За with the accusative - the tighter and more common form.

Было лепш, чым я думаў.

It was better than I expected.

Чым is required because the second half is a whole clause.

Ён такі ж высокі, як яго бацька.

He is as tall as his father.

Equal comparison with такі ж... як.

Дзед здаровы як бык.

Grandfather is as strong as an ox.

A fixed simile shared with Russian; the variants як дуб and як тур are Belarusian's own.

Чым далей у лес, тым больш грыбоў.

The further into the forest, the more mushrooms.

The чым... тым pattern for two things changing together.

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Apply this grammar in B1 course exercises

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Frequently asked questions

When do you use Comparative constructions?: Такі ж... як and гэтакі самы... як for two things alike: Ён такі ж высокі, як бацька. For quantity, столькі ж... колькі : У мяне столькі ж часу, колькі ў цябе.
How do you form Comparative constructions?: За with the accusative and чым with the nominative are interchangeable after a comparative. За is tighter and more common in speech; чым is necessary when the second half is a whole clause: лепш, чым я думаў . Every language has these and they cannot be translated word for word. A few worth having: Здаровы як бык coincides with Russian and is not a calque: the simile is recorded across the whole Belarusian-speaking territory, and the variants with the oak and the aurochs are its own. For two things changing together: Чым далей, тым цікавей. - The further on, the more interesting.
What are common mistakes with Comparative constructions?: Typical errors: using a bare genitive for than, and translating a fixed simile word for word from another language.

Sources

Кароткая граматыка беларускай мовы. У 2 ч. Ч. 2: Сінтаксіс / навук. рэд. А. А. Лукашанец — НАН Беларусі, Інстытут мовазнаўства імя Якуба Коласа; Мінск: Беларуская навука, 240 с., 2009
The syntax volume of the current academic reference grammar, cited as the standard reference for Belarusian sentence structure rather than for one quoted passage. It is what the description on this page is measured against; it is not a source for any single claim here.

Word

Use

Example

як

likeness, with equals

белы як снег

чым

than, after a comparative

большы, чым той

за + accusative

than, after a comparative

большы за той

нібы / быццам

as if, a hypothetical likeness

нібы нічога не здарылася

Frequently asked questions

When do you use Comparative constructions?

Такі ж... як and гэтакі самы... як for two things alike: Ён такі ж высокі, як бацька. For quantity, столькі ж... колькі : У мяне столькі ж часу, колькі ў цябе.

How do you form Comparative constructions?

За with the accusative and чым with the nominative are interchangeable after a comparative. За is tighter and more common in speech; чым is necessary when the second half is a whole clause: лепш, чым я думаў . Every language has these and they cannot be translated word for word. A few worth having: Здаровы як бык coincides with Russian and is not a calque: the simile is recorded across the whole Belarusian-speaking territory, and the variants with the oak and the aurochs are its own. For two things changing together: Чым далей, тым цікавей. - The further on, the more interesting.

What are common mistakes with Comparative constructions?

Typical errors: using a bare genitive for than, and translating a fixed simile word for word from another language.

Sources

Кароткая граматыка беларускай мовы. У 2 ч. Ч. 2: Сінтаксіс / навук. рэд. А. А. Лукашанец — НАН Беларусі, Інстытут мовазнаўства імя Якуба Коласа; Мінск: Беларуская навука, 240 с., 2009

The syntax volume of the current academic reference grammar, cited as the standard reference for Belarusian sentence structure rather than for one quoted passage. It is what the description on this page is measured against; it is not a source for any single claim here.