Personal Pronouns
Personal pronouns: я, ты, ён/яна/яно, мы, вы, яны
I can use Belarusian pronouns correctly.
Look at these examples. Can you spot the grammar pattern?
Я студэнт. Я з Мінска.
I am a student. I am from Minsk.
Ён настаўнік, а яна лекар.
He is a teacher, and she is a doctor.
Мы беларусы. Яны таксама беларусы.
We are Belarusians. They are also Belarusians.
Вы з Беларусі? Так, мы з Гродна.
Are you from Belarus? Yes, we are from Hrodna.
Pay attention to the highlighted parts. What do they have in common?
Personal Pronouns
| Belarusian | English | Russian equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| я | I | я |
| ты | you (informal) | ты |
| ён | he | он |
| яна | she | она |
| яно | it | оно |
| мы | we | мы |
| вы | you (formal/pl.) | вы |
| яны | they | они |
Key Differences from Russian
- ён (not он), яна (not она), яно (not оно), яны (not они) — Belarusian starts 3rd person with Я!
- Вы (capitalized) for formal address — like Russian Вы
RU speakers: using он/она/они instead of ён/яна/яны. Forgetting formal Вы. Mixing up яно (it) with яна (she).
Common Error Patterns
Using Russian он/она/они instead of ён/яна/яны
3rd person in Belarusian starts with Я: ён, яна, яно, яны.
Not using formal Вы with strangers
Use Вы (capitalized) for formal address — essential in Belarusian culture.
Я студэнт. Я з Мінска.
I am a student. I am from Minsk.
я = I. Same as Russian! студэнт with э, not е (Belarusian phonetic spelling).
Ён настаўнік, а яна лекар.
He is a teacher, and she is a doctor.
ён = he (NOT он!), яна = she (NOT она!). 3rd person starts with Я in Belarusian!
Мы беларусы. Яны таксама беларусы.
We are Belarusians. They are also Belarusians.
яны = they (not они). таксама = also (same as Russian тоже but different word!).
Вы з Беларусі? Так, мы з Гродна.
Are you from Belarus? Yes, we are from Hrodna.
Вы = formal you. Гродна (Hrodna) — beautiful city in western Belarus near Polish border.
Practice in course
Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises