Which conjunction introduces which kind of clause, and the two - каб and калі б - whose choice of verb form is not free.
I can build all eight kinds of subordinate clause and choose the right verb form after каб and калі б.
Look at these examples. Can you spot the grammar pattern?
Я ведаю, што ён прыйдзе а сёмай.
I know he will come at seven.
Хоць было позна, мы ўсё роўна пайшлі.
Although it was late, we went anyway.
Пачакай, пакуль я не вярнуся.
Wait until I come back.
Я хачу, каб ты прыйшоў у суботу.
I want you to come on Saturday.
Pay attention to the highlighted parts. What do they have in common?
| Type | Introduced by | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Object | што, ці | Я ведаю, што ён прыйдзе. |
| Relative | які, чый, дзе | Кніга, якую я чытаю. |
| Time | калі, пакуль, як толькі | Калі будзе час, паедзем. |
| Cause | бо, таму што | Не іду, бо хворы. |
| Purpose | каб | Прыйшоў, каб дапамагчы. |
| Condition | калі, калі б | Калі б было цяплей... |
| Concession | хоць, нягледзячы на тое што | Хоць было позна, мы пайшлі. |
| Result | так што | Было позна, так што мы засталіся. |
Most conjunctions leave the verb alone. Two do not:
It means when, if and, with бы, if only. The verb form tells them apart:
Concession, and shorter than the Russian equivalent: Хоць было позна, мы пайшлі. It also works as "at least": Пабач хоць раз.
A subordinate clause can stand before or after the main one, and the comma is written either way. Belarusian does not invert anything - the clause keeps ordinary word order throughout.
Apply this grammar in B1 course exercises
Practice ExercisesTypical errors: using a present or future after каб with different subjects, and putting бы in only one half of a калі б sentence.
Using a present or future after каб with different subjects
It takes the past form: каб ты прыйшоў.
Putting бы in only one half
Both halves carry it: Калі б я меў час, я прыйшоў бы.
Using Russian conjunctions
Бо, каб, хоць, пакуль, як толькі.
Omitting the comma before a subordinate clause
It is written whichever order the clauses come in.
Я ведаю, што ён прыйдзе а сёмай.
I know he will come at seven.
An object clause with <em>што</em>, and the tense is kept as spoken.
Хоць было позна, мы ўсё роўна пайшлі.
Although it was late, we went anyway.
Concession with <em>хоць</em>, shorter than the Russian conjunction.
Пачакай, пакуль я не вярнуся.
Wait until I come back.
<em>Пакуль</em> for time, and the negative here is idiomatic rather than logical.
Я хачу, каб ты прыйшоў у суботу.
I want you to come on Saturday.
Different subjects, so <em>каб</em> takes the past form even about the future.
Было позна, так што мы засталіся начаваць.
It was late, so we stayed the night.
A result clause with <em>так што</em>.
Practice in course
Apply this grammar in B1 course exercises
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.