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. The palate sounds is done with your tongue touching the roof of the mouth.
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"
Diphthongs
ай
like 'eye'
яй
like saying 'ya' in "yard" and 'eye' [yah-ee]
ой
like 'oy' in "boy" [oy]
ей
like 'ye' in "yet" and 'ay' in "play" [yeh ee]
эй
like 'ey' in "prey" [ey]
ый
like 'i' in "Chris" and 'y' in "yes" similar to saying "possibly yes" [ee yeh]
уй
like 'oo' in "good" and 'y' in "yet" [oo yeh]
юй
like 'you' and 'y' in "play" [yoo ee]
аў
like 'ou' in "out" [ah oo]
яў
like saying 'ya' in "yard" and 'ou' in "out" [yah oo]
оў
like the 'ow' in "grow" [oh oo]
еў
like 'ye' in "yet" and 'wo' in "won't" [yeh woh]
эў
like 'e' in 'end' and 'wo' in "won't" [eh woh]
Phrase list
Basics
Common signs
OPEN
адкрываць (ahd-kry-VAHTS')
CLOSED
закрытая (zah-kry-taia)
ENTRANCE
уваход (oo-vah-KHOD)
EXIT
Выйсцe (VYIHS-tsyeh)
PUSH
штурхаць (shtoor-KHAHTS')
PULL
цягнуць (tsyahg-NOOTS')
TOILET
туалет (twah-LYEHT)
MEN
людзі (lyood-ZEE)
WOMEN
жанчыны (zhahn-chy-nee)
FORBIDDEN
Забаронена (zah-bah-roh-NYEH-nah)
NO SMOKING
не курыць (nyeh koo-RYTS')
Hello.
Вітаю. (vee-TAH-you)
How are you?
Як справы?? (yahk SPRAH-vy)
Fine, thank you.
Добра, дзякуй . (DOH-brah, dzyah-KOO-ee)
What is your name?
Як вас завуць? (yahk vahs ZAH-voots'?)
My name is ______.
Мяне клічуць______ . (mianie klichuts'_____ .)
Nice to meet you.
Прыемна пазнаёміцца. (priiemna paznaomitstsa)
Please.
Калі ласка . (kah-lee LAHS-kah)
Thank you.
Дзякую вам. (dziakuiu vam)
You're welcome!
Няма за што! (niama za shto)
Yes.
Так. (tak)
No.
Не. (nyeh)
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-anhiel'sku?)
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)
Where is the toilet?
Дзе туалет? (dzyeh tualyet??)
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)
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 which are capitalize.
Monday
панядзелак (paniaDZEIlak)
Tuesday
аўторак (awTOrak)
Wednesday
серада (sieraDA)
Thursday
чацьвер (chatsVEIR)
Friday
пятніца (PIATnitsa)
Saturday
сyбота (suBOta)
Sunday
нядзеля (niaDZEIlia)
Time
now
цяпер (tsiaPIER)
today
сёння (SIONnia)
tomorrow
заўтра (ZAWtra)
yesterday
учора (uCHOra)
day
дзенъ (dzhien')
night
ноч (noch)
midnight
поўнач (POW-nahch)
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')
Seasons
summer
лета (LYEH-tah)
spring
вясна (vyahs-NAH)
autumn
восень (VOH-syehn')
winter
зіма (zee-MAH)
Colors
white
белы (BYEH-ly)
black
чорны (CHOHR-ny)
red
чырвоны (chyr-VOH-ny)
yellow
жоўты (ZHOW-ty)
blue
сiнi (SEE-nee)
brown
карычневы (kah-RY-chnyeh-vy)
gray
шэры/сiвы (SHEH-ry/SEE-vy)
purple
пурпурны/лiловы (poor-POOR-ny/lee-LOH-vy)
green
зялёны (zyah-LYOH-ny)
pink
ружовы (roo-ZHOH-vy)
Transportation
airplane/ airline
самалёт (samaliOt)
taxi
таксi (taksI)
train
цягнiк (tsiagnIk)
trolley
тралейбус (traliEibus)
tram
трамвай (tramvAi)
bus
аўтобус (awtObus)
car
аўтамабiль (awtamabIl)
van
фургон (foor-GOHN)
ferry
паром (parOm)
ship, boat
судна (sUdna)
helicopter
верталёт (viertaliOt)
bicycle
веласiпед (vielasipiEd)
motorcycle
матацыкл (mah-tah-TSIH-kuhl)
Bus and train
How much is a ticket to _____?
Колькі каштуе білет да _____? (KOlki KASHtue BIlet da____?)
One ticket to _____, please.
Адзін білет да _____,калі ласка. (ADzin BIlet da____,Kali LASka.)
Where does this train/bus go?
Дзе гэты цягнік / аўтобус ехаць? (dze GEty tsiagNIK/ owTObus Ekats')
Where is the train/bus to _____?
Дзе цягніком / аўтобусам да______? (dze tsiagNIkom/ owTObusam da____?)
Does this train/bus stop in _____?
Азначае Ці гэта цягнік / аўтобус спыніўся на_______? (azNAchae tsi GEta tsiagNIK/ owTObus spyniOWsia na_____?)
When does the train/bus for _____ leave?
Калі цягнік / аўтобус для______водпуску? (KAH-lee tsyahg-NEEK/ ow-TOH-boos dlyah______vohd-POOS-koo?)
When will this train/bus arrive in _____?
Калі гэты цягнік / аўтобус прыбудзе ў_____? (KAH-lee GEH-ty tsyahg-NEEK/ ow-TOH-boos pry-BOOD-zeh weh______?)