Belarusian phrasebook
旅遊會話手冊
Belarusian and Russian are the two official languages of Belarus, but Russian is more widely spoken. Although Belarusian has been compulsory in all schools since independence, it is difficult to get by in Belarus without some knowledge of Russian. In the cities, most people speak Russian as their first language and have limited proficiency in Belarusian, while you are more likely to meet a native Belarusian speaker in rural villages. Codeswitching between Russian and Belarusian, known as Trasianka, is common among the rural youth. Belarusian is most closely related to Ukrainian, and somewhat more distantly related to Russian. The Belarusian language also exhibits strong Polish influences that are not found in Russian due to Belarus' history as part of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. All road signs and many street signs in Belarus are written in Belarusian.
Pronunciation guide
Belarusian alphabet:
Аа Бб Вв Гг Дд Ее Ёё Жж Зз Іі Йй Кк Лл Мм Нн Оо Пп Рр Сс Тт Уу Ўў Фф Хх Цц Чч Шш Ыы Ьь Ээ Юю Яя Below - the characters of the Belarusian Cyrillic alphabet and - in brackets - their transliteration in Latin characters according to the official standard. Belarusian spelling is generally more phonetic than that of Russian. Unlike Russian, Belarusian does not have vowel reduction, so all vowels are pronounced the same regardless of stress.
Vowels Аа (Aa) like the 'a' in 'alone' Яя (Jaja; ia after consonants) like "ya" in "yard" or the "ia" in "mia" Ее (Jeje; ie after consonants) like "ye" in "yet" or the "ie" in "miedo" Ёё (Jojo; io after consonants) like "yo" in "yonder" or the "io" in "frio" Ээ (Ee) like "e" in "met" Йй (Jj) like "y" in "play" or "boy". It's a semivowel, and it is always combined with a full vowel. Іі (Ii) like "ee" in "see" Ыы (Yy) like the 'y' in 'possibly' Оо (Oo) like "o" in "open" Уу (Uu) like "oo" in "boot" Юю (Juju; iu after consonants) like the word "you"
Consonants Бб (Bb) like "b" in "bit" Вв (Vv) like "v" in "vine" Гг (Hh) same as "gh" in Arabic, similar to the German "ch" sound but voiced. Дд (Dd) like "d" in "do" Жж (Žž) like "s" in "pleasure" or "measure"; always hard Зз (Zz) like "z" in "zoo" Кк (Kk) like "k" in "kitten" Лл (Ll) like "l" in "lady" Мм (Mm) like "m" in "my" Нн (Nn) like "n" in "not" or like the "ny" in "canyon" Пп (Pp) like "p" in "pot" Рр (Rr) trilled "r" (similar to a Spanish "r") Сс (Ss) like "s" in "sun" Тт (Tt) like "t" in "tip" Ўў (Ǔǔ) like final "w" in "window" Фф (Ff) like "f" in "face" Хх (Chch) like "ch" in Scottish "loch" Цц (Cc) like "ts" in "cats" Чч (Čč) like the 'ch' in "chest" Шш (Šš) like "sh" in "shut" Ьь (No Latin equivalent) soft sign
Consonant combinations ДЖдж (Dždž) like "j" in "journey" ДЗЬдзь (Dźdź) approx. like "ds" in "raids" ЗЬзь (Źź) soft palatalized sound in between "z" and "zh". ЛЬль (Ĺĺ) soft "l" like "l" in "lemon" НЬнь (Ńń) like "n" in "near" СЬсь (Śś) soft palatalized sound in-between "s" and "sh". ЦЬць (Ćć) soft palatalized sound in-between "ts" and "ch".
Diphthongs ай like 'eye' яй like saying 'ya' in "yard" and 'eye' ой like 'oy' in "boy" ей like
Phrase list
Basics
Hello. Вітаю. (vee-TAH-you) How are you? Як справы? (yahk SPRAH-vy) Fine, thank you. Добра, дзякуй. (DOH-brah, dzyah-KOOY) What is your name? Як вас завуць? (yahk vahs ZAH-voots'?) My name is ______. Мяне завуць______ . (MYA-nye ZAH-voots'_____ .) Nice to meet you. Прыемна пазнаёміцца. (pry-YEM-nah pah-znah-YO-mits-tsya) Please. Калі ласка. (KAH-lee LAHS-kah) Thank you. Дзякуй. (DZYAH-kooy) You're welcome! Калі ласка! (KAH-lee LAHS-kah) Yes. Так. (tahk) No. Не. (nyeh) Excuse me. (getting attention) Даруйце. (dah-ROOY-tsye) I'm sorry. Прабачце. (prah-BACH-tsye) Goodbye Да пабачэньня. (dah pah-bah-CHEN'-nya) I don't speak____. Я не размаўляю______. (yah nye rahz-maw-LYA-yoo) Do you speak English? Ці размаўляеце па-ангельску ? (tsi rahz-maw-LYAH-yeh-tsye pah-ahn-GHYEL'-skoo?) Help! Дапамажыце! (dah-pah-mah-ZHYH-tsye!) Good day. Добры дзень. (DOB-ry dzyen) Good morning. Добрай раніцы. (DOB-ray RAH-nee-tsy) Good evening. Добры вечар. (DOB-ry VYEH-char) Good night. Дабранач. (dah-BRAH-nach) I don't understand anything. Я нічога не разумею. (yah nee-CHOH-ghah nyeh rah-zoo-MYEH-you) Where is the toilet? Дзе туалет? (dzyeh too-ah-LYEHT?)
Numbers 0 нуль (nool') 1 адзін (a-DZEEN) 2 два (dva) 3 тры (try) 4 чатыры (chah-TY-ry) 5 пяць (pyats') 6 шэсць (shests') 7 сем (syem) 8 восем (VOH-syem) 9 дзевяць (DZYEH-vyats') 10 дзесяць (DZYE-Hsyats') 11 адзінаццаць (ah-dzee-NUTS-tsats') 12 дванаццаць (dvah-NUTS-tsats') 13 трынаццаць (try-NUTS-tsats') 14 чатырнаццаць (chah-tyr-NUTS-tsats') 15 пятнаццаць (pyat-NUTS-tsats') 16 шаснаццаць (shas-NUTS-tsats') 17 сямнаццаць (syam-NUTS-tsats') 18 васямнаццаць (vah-syam-NUTS-tsats') 19 дзевятнаццаць (dzyeh-vyaht-NUTS-tsats') 20 дваццаць (DVAHTS-tsats') 30 трыццаць (TRYTS-tsats') 40 сорак (SOH-rahk) 50 пяцьдзясят (pyahts'-dzyah-SYAT) 60 шэсцьдзясят (shests'-dzyah-SYAT) 70 семдзесят (SYEM-dzyeh-syat) 80 восемдзесят (VOH-syem-dzyeh-syat) 90 дзевяноста (dzyeh-vyah-NOH-stah) 100 сто (stoh) 500 пяцьсот (PYAHTS'-soht) 1000 тысяча (TY-syah-chah)
Days of the Week NOTE The days from Monday to Sunday are written in Belarusian in lowercase letters and not like the English days, which are capitalized. Monday панядзелак (pah-nyah-DZYEH-l
本指南改寫自 Wikivoyage （CC BY-SA）