The Genitive Case: Possession, Absence, and More
The Genitive case indicates possession (like 'of' or 's), absence (with без - without), origin (with з/із or ад - from), or location at/having ('at' or 'have' with у/каля). Its primary role is showing belonging or relation, or being required by certain prepositions.
Nouns: Endings vary based on gender, number, and hard/soft stem.
- Singular Masculine/Neuter: ending -а (animate/concrete inanimate) / -у (abstract/collective inanimate) / -я (soft) / -я (after vowel). (e.g., дом бра́та - brother's house, кнíга настаўніка - teacher's book, акно́ го́рада - city window, ко́лер по́ля - field color, цу́кар - sugar, сне́гу - snow)
- Singular Feminine: ending -ы (hard) / -і (soft) / -і (after vowel). (e.g., кнíга сястры́ - sister's book, го́лас зямлí - voice of the earth)
- Plural (all genders): Variable, often -аў (masculine hard), -еў (masculine soft), -ёў (masculine stressed soft), or a zero ending (feminine and neuter). (e.g., дамы́ бра́таў - brothers' houses, кнíгі настаўнікаў - teachers' books, кнíгі жанчы́н - women's books, во́кны гарадо́ў - city windows, палёў - fields)
Adjectives:
- Singular (all genders): hard -ога, soft -яга. (e.g., дом до́брага бра́та - house of a good brother, кнíга но́вай настаўніцы - book of a new teacher, акно́ сíняга мо́ра - window of the blue sea)
- Plural (all genders): hard -ых, soft -іх. (e.g., дамы́ до́брых бра́таў - houses of good brothers, кнíгі сíніх настаўнікаў - books of blue teachers)
Prepositions: Used after без (without), з/із (from), ад (from), у/каля (at/by/have), and others like да (to/until).
Examples: Гэ́та рабо́та майго́ ба́цькі (This is my father's work). Я з го́рада (I am from the city). У мяне́ ёсць гадзі́ннік (I have a watch - literally "At me there is a watch"). Яны́ е́дуць без вады́ (They are going without water). Я ба́чыў мно́га прыго́жых жа́нчын (I saw many beautiful women).