Belarusian phrasebook

Pronunciation guide / Vowels / Consonants / Phrase list / Basics / Numbers / Days Dates / Months / Colors / Transportation / Bus and train / Directions / Taxi / Lodging / Money / Eating / Belarusian phrasebook nightlife, bars, clubs and pubs. / Shopping / Driving / Authority

Belarusian is the main language of Belarus.

Belarusian and Russian are the two official languages, but Russian is more widely spoken. It will be difficult to get by without some Russian. The two languages are closely related, together with Ukrainian, so even the Belarusian monolinguals understand some Russian and Ukrainian. Polish is spoken in the western parts, especially around Grodno.

Pronunciation guide

Belarusian follows its own style of cyrillic form of writing standing out from the rest of the Slavic alphabets. Below you'll find an example of Belarusian cyrillic alphabet.

Аа Бб Вв Гг Ґґ Дд ДЖдж ДЗЬдзь Ее Ёё Жж Зз Іі Йй Кк Лл Мм Нн Оо Пп Рр Сс СЬсь Тт Уу Ўў Фф Хх Цц Чч Шш Ыы Ьь Ээ Юю Яя

Vowels

Аа: like the 'a' in 'alone'
Ее: like "ye" in "yet" or the "ie" in "miedo"
Ёё: like "yo" in "yonder" or the "io" in "frio"
Ээ: like "e" in "met"
Йй: like "y" in "play" or "boy". It's a semivowel, and it is always combined with a full vowel.
Іі: like "ee" in "see"
Оо: like "o" in "open"
Уу: like "oo" in "boot"

Consonants

Бб: like "b" in "bit"
Вв: like "v" in "vine"
Гг: approx. like "h" in "how" [aspirated like the 'ck' in "brick"]
Ґґ: like "g" in "go"
Дд: like "d" in "do"
ДЖдж: like "j" in "journey"
ДЗЬдзь: approx. like "ds" in "raids"
Жж: like "s" in "pleasure"
Зз: like "z" in "zoo"
ЗЬзь: soft palatalized sound in between "z" and "zh".
Кк: like "k" in "kitten"
Лл: like "l" in "lady"
ЛЬль: soft "l" like "l" in "lemon"
Мм: like "m" in "my"
Нн: like "n" in "not" or like the "ny" in "canyon"
НЬнь: like "n" in "near"
Пп: like "p" in "pot"
Рр: trilled "r" (similar to a Spanish "r")
Сс: like "s" in "sun"
СЬсь: soft palatalized sound in between "s" and "sh".
Тт: like "t" in "tip"
Ўў: like final "w" in "window"
Фф: like "f" in "face"
Хх: like "ch" in Scottish "loch"
Цц: like "ts" in "cats"
ЦЬць: soft palatalized sound in between "ts" and "ch".
Чч: like the 'ch' in "chest"
Шш: like "sh" in "shut"
Ыы: like the 'y' in 'possibly'
Ьь: silent
Юю: like "u" in "duke"[iu]
Яя: like "ya" in "yard" or the "ia" in "mia"

Phrase list

Basics

Hello.: Вітаю. (vitaiu)
How are you?: Як маецеся? (yak maetsiesia?)
Fine, thank you.: Добра, дзякуй . (dobra, dziakui)
What is your name?: Як вас завуць? (yak vas zavuts'?)
My name is ______.: Мяне клічуць______ . (mianie klichuts'_____ .)
Nice to meet you.: Прыемна пазнаёміцца. (priiemna paznaomitstsa)
Please.: Калі ласка . (kali laska)
Thank you.: Дзякую вам. (dziakuiu vam)
You're welcome!: Няма за што! (niama za shto)
Yes.: Так. (tak)
No.: Не. (nye)
Excuse me. (getting attention): Даруйце. (daruitsye)
I'm sorry.: Прабачце. (prabachtsie)
Goodbye: Да пабачэньня. (da pabachen'nya)
I don't speak____.: Я не размаўляю______. (ya nie razmailiaiu)
Do you speak English?: Ці размаўляеце па-ангельску ? (tsi razmawliaietsie pa-anhielsku?)
Help!: Дапамога! (dapamoha!)
Good day.: Дабрыдзень. (dabrydzien)
Good morning.: Добрай раніцы. (dobray ranitsy)
Good evening.: Добры вечар. (dobry viechar)
Good night.: Дабранач. (dabranach)
I don't understand anything.: Я нічога не разумею. (ya nichoha nie razumieiu)

Numbers

0: нулъ (nul')
1: адзiн (adzin)
2: два (dva)
3: тры (tri)
4: чатыры (chatiri)
5: пяцъ (piats')
6: шэсцъ (shests')
7: сем (siem)
8: восем (vosiem)
9: дзевяцъ (dzieviats')
10: дзесяцъ (dziesiats')
11: адзiнаццацъ (adzinatstsats')
12: дванаццацъ (dvanatstsats')
13: трынаццацъ (trynatstsats')
14: чaтырнаццацъ (chatyrnatstsats')
15: пятнаццацъ (piatnatstsats')
16: шаснаццацъ (shasnatstsats')
17: семнаццачъ (siemnatstsats')
18: васемнаццацъ (vasiemnatstsats')
19: дзевятнаццацъ (dzieviatnatstsats')
20: дваццацъ (dvatstsats')
30: трыццацъ (tritstsats')
40: сорак (sorak)
50: пяцъдзесят (piats'dziesiat)
60: шэсцъдзесят (shests'dziesiats)
70: семдзесят (semdziesiat)
80: восемдзесят (vosiemdziesiat)
90: дзевяноста (dzievianosta)
100: сто (sto)

Days & Dates

NOTE: The days from Monday to Sunday are written in Belarusian in lowercase letters and not like the English which are capitalize.

Monday: панядзелак (paniaDZEIlak)
Tuesday: аўторак (awTOrak)
Wednesday: серада (sieraDA)
Thursday: чацьвер (chatsVEIR)
Friday: пятніца (PIATnitsa)
Saturday: сyбота (suBOta)
Sunday: нядзеля (niaDZEIlia)

now: цяпер (tsiaPIER)
today: сёння (SIONnia)
tomorrow: заўтра (ZAWtra)
yesterday: учора (uCHOra)
day: дзенъ (dzhien')
night: ноч (noch)
in the afternoon: папаўднi (papawDNI)

Months

NOTE: The months in Belarusian are written in lowercase letters and not like the English which are capitalize.

January: студзенъ (STUdzien')
February: люты (LIUty)
March: сакавiк (sakaVIK)
April: красавiк (krasaVIK)
May: май (mai)
June: чэрвенъ (CHERvien')
July: лiпенъ (LIpien')
August: жнiвенъ (zhNIvien')
September: верасенъ (VIErasien')
October: кастрычнiк (kasTRYCHnik)
November: лiстапад (listaPAD)
December: снежанъ (SNIEzhan')

Colors

white: белы (BIEly)
black: чорны (CHORny)
red: чырвоны (chyrVOny)
yellow: жоўты (ZHOWty)
blue: сiнi (SIni)
brown: карычневы (kaRYchnievy)
gray: шэры/сiвы (SHEry/SIvy)

Transportation

airplane/ airline: самалёт (samaliOt)
taxi: таксi (taksI)
train: цягнiк (tsiagnIk)
trolley: тралейбус (traliEibus)
tram: трамвай (tramvAi)
bus: аўтобус (awtObus)
car: аўтамабiль (awtamabIl)
ferry: паром (parOm)
ship, boat: судна (sUdna)
helicopter: верталёт (viertaliOt)
bicycle: веласiпед (vielasipiEd)

Bus and train

Directions

Taxi

Where can I find a taxi?: Дзе можна знайсьці таксоўку? (dzie mozhna znais'tsi taksouku?)
Please, get me a taxi.: Калі ласка, выклікайце таксоўку. (Kali laska, vyklikaitsie taksouku)

Lodging

Money

Eating