Understanding the Basics of Telling Time in Belarusian
Belarusian uses a 24-hour clock in formal contexts, such as train schedules and official announcements, but everyday conversations often use the 12-hour format. Learning both systems is useful, as you will encounter both in real-life situations.
Key Vocabulary for Telling Time
- Гадзіна (hadzina) – hour
- Хвіліна (khvilina) – minute
- Секунда (sekunda) – second
- Ранiца (ranitsa) – morning
- Дзень (dzen’) – day/afternoon
- Вечар (vechar) – evening
- Ноч (noch) – night
- Палова (palova) – half (used for “half past”)
- Чвэрць (chverts’) – quarter
How to Ask for the Time in Belarusian
To ask “What time is it?” in Belarusian, you can say:
- Каторы цяпер гадзін? (Katory tsaper hadzin?)
- Колькі часу? (Kol’ki chasu?)
Both forms are commonly used and will be understood in any Belarusian-speaking context.
Reading and Saying the Hours
When telling time in Belarusian, remember that the word for “hour” changes form depending on the number. Here are some examples:
- 1:00 – Адна гадзіна (adna hadzina)
- 2:00 – Дзве гадзіны (dzve hadziny)
- 3:00 – Тры гадзіны (try hadziny)
- 4:00 – Чатыры гадзіны (chatyry hadziny)
- 5:00 – Пяць гадзін (pyats’ hadzin)
- 12:00 – Дванаццаць гадзін (dvanatsats’ hadzin)
The pattern continues with the appropriate number and the correct grammatical case for “hour.”
Telling Time: Minutes Past and To
To express minutes after the hour, use the structure:
[Hour in genitive] + [number of minutes] хвілін(ы)
For example:
- 2:10 – Дзесяць хвілін пасля другой (Dzesyats’ khvilin paslya druhoy) – Ten minutes past two
- 4:25 – Дваццаць пяць хвілін пасля чацвёртай (Dvatstsats’ pyats’ khvilin paslya chatsvyortay) – Twenty-five minutes past four
To express minutes to the hour, use:
[Number of minutes] хвілін(ы) да [next hour in genitive]
- 2:50 – Дзесяць хвілін да трэцяй (Dzesyats’ khvilin da tretsyay) – Ten minutes to three
- 5:55 – Пяць хвілін да шостай (Pyats’ khvilin da shostay) – Five minutes to six
Half and Quarter Hours
Just like in English, you can say “half past” and “quarter past/to” in Belarusian:
- 2:30 – Палова трэцяй (Palova tretsyay) – Half past two (literally: half of the third)
- 3:15 – Чвэрць чацвёртай (Chverts’ chatsvyortay) – Quarter past three
- 3:45 – Без чвэрці чатыры (Bez chvertsi chatyry) – Quarter to four
AM and PM in Belarusian
Belarusian does not use “AM” or “PM.” Instead, context or specific words for the time of day are used:
- Раніцай (ranitsay) – in the morning
- Днём (dnyom) – in the afternoon
- Вечарам (vecharam) – in the evening
- Уначы (unachy) – at night
For example, “7:00 in the evening” would be сем гадзін вечарам (syem hadzin vecharam).
Practical Examples for Everyday Use
- It is 1:15 – Чвэрць другой (Chverts’ drugoy)
- It is 6:30 – Палова сёмай (Palova syomay)
- What time is the train? – У колькі цягнік? (U kol’ki tsyagnik?)
- The lesson starts at 9:00 – Урок пачынаецца а дзевятай гадзіне (Urok pachynayetsya a dzevyatay hadzine)
Tips for Mastering Time in Belarusian
- Practice with native speakers or language partners to get used to the sound and structure of time expressions.
- Use language learning tools like Talkpal to reinforce listening and speaking skills.
- Listen to Belarusian radio or watch TV schedules for real-life examples of time being used.
Conclusion
Telling time in Belarusian may seem challenging at first, but with practice and the right resources, you’ll quickly become comfortable with both formal and informal expressions. Remember to focus on vocabulary, structure, and context. Whether you use traditional study methods or AI-powered platforms like Talkpal, integrating these time-telling skills into your daily routine will help you communicate more naturally and confidently in Belarusian. Happy learning!
