The Belarusian Alphabet

Welcome to Belarusian

Прывітанне!

On the Way to School — Па дарозе ў школу

This dialogue uses classical Tarashkievich orthography. Don't worry about reading it all yet — you'll learn every letter in the lessons that follow!

Віця: До́бры дзе́нь, Га́нна! — Good day, Hanna!
Га́нна: До́бры дзень, Віця, як ма́ешся? — Good day, Vitsia, how are you?
Віця: Дзякуй, до́бра. А ты? — Thanks, well. And you?
Га́нна: О, я ве́льмі до́бра! Учо́ра мы вы́йгралі ў се́тку. — Oh, I'm very well! Yesterday we won at volleyball.
Віця: А, пра́ўда. Ве́ра мне ўжо каза́ла. Віншу́ю! — Ah, right. Vera already told me. Congratulations!
Га́нна: Дзя́куй, Віця. А дзе Ве́ра? — Thanks, Vitsia. And where is Vera?
Віця: Ве́ра й Зіна ўжо ў шко́ле. А вось і Ю́рка! — Vera and Zina are already at school. And here's Yurka!
Га́нна: Хто гэ́та? Я ня ве́даю яго́. — Who is this? I don't know him.
Віця: Ю́рка но́вы ву́чань. Ю́рка, хадзі сюды́! — Yurka is a new student. Yurka, come here!
Ю́рка: До́бры дзень! — Good day!
Віця: До́бры дзень, Ю́рка. Га́нна, гэ́та мой ся́бра Ю́рка Вірке́віч, а гэ́та... — Good day, Yurka. Hanna, this is my friend Yurka Virkevich, and this is...
Га́нна: Га́нна Хадзінская. Вірке́віч? У мяне́ сябро́ўка Ліда Вірке́віч. — Hanna Khadzinska. Virkevich? I have a friend Lida Virkevich.
Ю́рка: Ліда мая стрэ́чная сястра́. — Lida is my cousin.
Віця: Хадзе́м хутчэ́й, бо спо́зьнімся. За́раз бу́дзе пе́ршы звано́к. — Let's hurry, or we'll be late. The first bell is about to ring.

Word list

па даро́зе ў шко́лу — on the way to school
До́бры дзе́нь — Good day
Як ма́ешся? — How are you?
Дзя́куй! — Thanks!
до́бра — well (adv.)
ве́льмі до́бра — very well
я — I
ты — you
мы — we
учо́ра — yesterday
ўжо́ — already
вось — here is
Хто гэ́та? — Who is this?
но́вы — new
ву́чань — pupil, student (m.)
мой ся́бра — my friend (m.)
сябро́ўка — friend (f.)
мая — my (f.)
стрэ́чная сястра́ — cousin (f.)
Хадзе́м! — Let's go!
хутчэ́й — faster
бо — because
за́раз — soon / now
бу́дзе — will be
пе́ршы звано́к — first bell

Welcome to Belarusian!

Belarusian (беларуская мова) is the official language of Belarus, spoken by ~5 million people. It uses two alphabets: Cyrillic (кірыліца) and Latin (лацінка). The Cyrillic script is more common today, but the Latin alphabet — called Lacinka — has a long tradition and is still used. In this course we focus on the Cyrillic alphabet, which shares roots with Russian and Ukrainian but has its own unique letters and sounds. In this unit you'll learn every Cyrillic letter, recognize the sounds, and read your first words.

Your first Belarusian word

Прывітанне (pry-vee-TAN-nye) means 'Hello!' Tap the speaker to hear it. Don't worry about reading it yet — by the end of this unit you'll be able to sound it out yourself.

Introduction

Прывітанне! — Hello!

Introduction

Дзякуй — Thank you

Introduction

Так — Yes

Introduction

Не — No

Vocabulary

Belarusian	English	Audio
До́бры дзе́нь	Good day	—
Як ма́ешся?	How are you?	—
Дзя́куй	Thanks	—
до́бра	well	—
ве́льмі	very	—
учо́ра	yesterday	—
ўжо́	already	—
пра́ўда	truth / right	—
Віншу́ю!	Congratulations!	—
вось	here is	—
Хто гэ́та?	Who is this?	—
но́вы	new	—
ву́чань	pupil, student	—
мой ся́бра	my friend (m.)	—
сябро́ўка	friend (f.)	—
стрэ́чная сястра́	cousin (f.)	—
Хадзе́м!	Let's go!	—
хутчэ́й	faster	—
бо	because	—
за́раз	soon / now	—
бу́дзе	will be	—
пе́ршы звано́к	first bell	—
па даро́зе ў шко́лу	on the way to school	—
Дзя́куй!	Thanks!	—
ве́льмі до́бра	very well	—
я	I	—
ты	you	—
мы	we	—
мая	my (f.)	—
Прывітанне!	Hello!	—
Дзякуй	Thank you	—
Так	Yes	—
Не	No	—
Прывітанне		—

Practice

This lesson includes 14 interactive exercises — multiple choice, listening, translation, and more. Sign up free to practice with XP, hearts, and streaks.