'''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.

;_@_p _A_q _B_r _C_s ?? _D_t _D_G_t_w _D_H_]_t_x__ _E_u _F_v _G_w _H_x ?? _J_z _K_{ _L_| _M_} _N_~ _O__ _P__ _Q__ _R__ _R_]____ _S__ _T__ ?? _U__ _V__ _W__ _X__ _Y__ _\__ _]__ _^__ ____ _`__ :

Vowels

;_@_p : like the 'a' in 'alone' ;_E_u : like "ye" in "yet" or the "ie" in "miedo" ;_F_v : like "yo" in "yonder" or the "io" in "frio" ;_^__ : like "e" in "met" ;_J_z : like "y" in "play" or "boy". It's a semivowel, and it is always combined with a full vowel. ;?? : like "ee" in "see" ;_O__ : like "o" in "open" ;_T__ : like "oo" in "boot"

Consonants

;_A_q : like "b" in "bit" ;_B_r : like "v" in "vine" ;_C_s : approx. like "h" in "how" [aspirated like the 'ck' in "brick"] ;?? : like "g" in "go" ;_D_t : like "d" in "do" ;_D_G_t_w : like "j" in "journey" ;_D_H_]_t_x__ : approx. like "ds" in "raids" ;_G_w : like "s" in "pleasure" ;_H_x : like "z" in "zoo" ;_H_]_x__ : soft palatalized sound in between "z" and "zh". ;_K_{ : like "k" in "kitten" ;_L_| : like "l" in "lady" ;_L_]_|__ : soft "l" like "l" in "lemon" ;_M_} : like "m" in "my" ;_N_~ : like "n" in "not" or like the "ny" in "canyon" ;_N_]_~__ : like "n" in "near" ;_P__ : like "p" in "pot" ;_Q__ : trilled "r" (similar to a Spanish "r") ;_R__ : like "s" in "sun" ;_R_]____ : soft palatalized sound in between "s" and "sh". ;_S__ : like "t" in "tip" ;?? : like final "w" in "window" ;_U__ : like "f" in "face" ;_V__ : like "ch" in Scottish "loch" ;_W__ : like "ts" in "cats" ;_W_]____ : soft palatalized sound in between "ts" and "ch". ;_X__ : like the 'ch' in "chest" ;_Y__ : like "sh" in "shut" ;_\__ : like the 'y' in 'possibly' ;_]__ : silent ;____ : like "u" in "duke"[iu] ;_`__ : like "ya" in "yard" or the "ia" in "mia"

Phrase list

Basics

; Hello. : _B?___p__. (''vitaiu'') ; How are you? : _`_{ _}_p_u___u____? (''yak maetsiesia?'') ; Fine, thank you. : _D___q___p, _t_x___{___z . (''dobra, dziakui'') ; What is your name? : _`_{ _r_p__ _x_p_r______? (''yak vas zavuts'?'') ; My name is ______. : _M___~_u _{_|?______________ . (''mianie klichuts'_____ .'') ; Nice to meet you. : _P_____u_}_~_p ___p_x_~_p_v_}?_____p. (''priiemna paznaomitstsa'') ; Please. : _K_p_|? _|_p___{_p . (''kali laska'') ; Thank you. : _D_x___{____ _r_p_}. (''dziakuiu vam'') ; You're welcome! : _N___}_p _x_p ______! (''niama za shto'') ; Yes. : _S_p_{. (''tak'') ; No. : _N_u. (''nye'') ; Excuse me. (''getting attention'') : _D_p_____z___u. (''daruitsye'') ; I'm sorry. : _P___p_q_p_____u. (''prabachtsie'') ; Goodbye : _D_p ___p_q_p_____~___~__. (''da pabachen'nya'') ; I don't speak____. : _` _~_u ___p_x_}_p?_|__________. (''ya nie razmailiaiu'') ; Do you speak English? : _W? ___p_x_}_p?_|___u___u ___p-_p_~_s_u_|_____{__ ? (''tsi razmawliaietsie pa-anhielsku?'') ; Help! : _D_p___p_}___s_p! (''dapamoha!'') ; Good day. : _D_p_q_____t_x_u_~__. (''dabrydzien'') ; Good morning. : _D___q___p_z ___p_~?____. (''dobray ranitsy'') ; Good evening. : _D___q____ _r_u___p__. (''dobry viechar'') ; Good night. : _D_p_q___p_~_p__. (''dabranach'') ; I don't understand anything. : _` _~?_____s_p _~_u ___p_x___}_u__. (''ya nichoha nie razumieiu'')

Numbers

; 0 : _~___|__ (''nul''') ; 1 : _p_t_xi_~ (''adzin'') ; 2 : _t_r_p (''dva'') ; 3 : ______ (''tri'') ; 4 : ___p________ (''chatiri'') ; 5 : ________ (''piats''') ; 6 : __________ (''shests''') ; 7 : ___u_} (''siem'') ; 8 : _r_____u_} (''vosiem'') ; 9 : _t_x_u_r______ (''dzieviats''') ; 10 : _t_x_u________ (''dziesiats''') ; 11 : _p_t_xi_~_p_____p____ (''adzinatstsats''') ; 12 : _t_r_p_~_p_____p____ (''dvanatstsats''') ; 13 : _______~_p_____p____ (''trynatstsats''') ; 14 : __a_______~_p_____p____ (''chatyrnatstsats''') ; 15 : _______~_p_____p____ (''piatnatstsats''') ; 16 : ___p___~_p_____p____ (''shasnatstsats''') ; 17 : ___u_}_~_p_____p____ (''siemnatstsats''') ; 18 : _r_p___u_}_~_p_____p____ (''vasiemnatstsats''') ; 19 : _t_x_u_r_____~_p_____p____ (''dzieviatnatstsats''') ; 20 : _t_r_p_____p____ (''dvatstsats''') ; 30 : ___________p____ (''tritstsats''') ; 40 : _______p_{ (''sorak'') ; 50 : _________t_x_u______ (''piats'dziesiat'') ; 60 : ___________t_x_u______ (''shests'dziesiats'') ; 70 : ___u_}_t_x_u______ (''semdziesiat'') ; 80 : _r_____u_}_t_x_u______ (''vosiemdziesiat'') ; 90 : _t_x_u_r___~_______p (''dzievianosta'') ; 100 : ______ (''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 : ___p_~___t_x_u_|_p_{ (''paniaDZEIlak'') ; Tuesday : _p?_______p_{ (''awTOrak'') ; Wednesday : ___u___p_t_p (''sieraDA'') ; Thursday : ___p_____r_u__ (''chatsVEIR'') ; Friday : _______~?___p (''PIATnitsa'') ; Saturday : __y_q_____p (''suBOta'') ; Sunday : _~___t_x_u_|__ (''niaDZEIlia'')

; now : _______u__ (''tsiaPIER'') ; today : ___v_~_~__ (''SIONnia'') ; tomorrow : _x_p?_____p (''ZAWtra'') ; yesterday : _________p (''uCHOra'') ; day : _t_x_u_~__ (''dzhien''') ; night : _~____ (''noch'') ; in the afternoon : ___p___p?_t_~i (''papawDNI'')

Months

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

; January : _______t_x_u_~__ (''STUdzien''') ; February : _|______ (''LIUty'') ; March : ___p_{_p_ri_{ (''sakaVIK'') ; April : _{___p___p_ri_{ (''krasaVIK'') ; May : _}_p_z (''mai'') ; June : _______r_u_~__ (''CHERvien''') ; July : _|i___u_~__ (''LIpien''') ; August : _w_~i_r_u_~__ (''zhNIvien''') ; September : _r_u___p___u_~__ (''VIErasien''') ; October : _{_p___________~i_{ (''kasTRYCHnik'') ; November : _|i_____p___p_t (''listaPAD'') ; December : ___~_u_w_p_~__ (''SNIEzhan''')

Colors

; white : _q_u_|__ (''BIEly'') ; black : _______~__ (''CHORny'') ; red : _______r___~__ (''chyrVOny'') ; yellow : _w__?____ (''ZHOWty'') ; blue : __i_~i (''SIni'') ; brown : _{_p_______~_u_r__ (''kaRYchnievy'') ; gray : ________/__i_r__ (''SHEry/SIvy'')

Transportation

; airplane/ airline : ___p_}_p_|_v__ (''samaliOt'') ; taxi : ___p_{__i (''taksI'') ; train : _____s_~i_{ (''tsiagnIk'') ; trolley : _____p_|_u_z_q____ (''traliEibus'') ; tram : _____p_}_r_p_z (''tramvAi'') ; bus : _p?_____q____ (''awtObus'') ; car : _p?___p_}_p_qi_|__ (''awtamabIl'') ; ferry : ___p_____} (''parOm'') ; ship, boat : _____t_~_p (''sUdna'') ; helicopter : _r_u_____p_|_v__ (''viertaliOt'') ; bicycle : _r_u_|_p__i___u_t (''vielasipiEd'')

Bus and train

Directions

Taxi

; Where can I find a taxi? : _D_x_u _}___w_~_p _x_~_p_z______? ___p_{____?_{__? (''dzie mozhna znais'tsi taksouku?'') ; Please, get me a taxi. : _K_p_|? _|_p___{_p, _r___{_|?_{_p_z___u ___p_{____?_{__. (''Kali laska, vyklikaitsie taksouku'')

Lodging

Money

Eating

Bars

Shopping

Driving

Authority