What grammatical case is "dog" in Belarusian?

What grammatical case is "dog" in Belarusian? - briefly

In Belarusian, the word for "dog," which is "сабака," does not change form based on the grammatical case. This is because nouns in Belarusian are generally invariant and do not inflect for case like they do in some other languages.

What grammatical case is "dog" in Belarusian? - in detail

In Belarusian, the word "dog" (собака) can appear in various grammatical cases depending on its role within a sentence. Belarusian, like other Slavic languages, has a rich case system that includes Nominative, Genitive, Dative, Accusative, Instrumental, and Locative cases.

  1. Nominative Case (Імянік): The word "собака" is in the Nominative case when it serves as the subject of a sentence. For example:

    • Собака спит. (The dog is sleeping.)

  2. Genitive Case (Родны): In the Genitive case, "собака" would indicate possession or the object of a preposition that requires the Genitive case. For instance:

    • Я бачу собаку. (I see the dog.)
    • Собаки маецца. (Dogs are being born.)

  3. Dative Case (Давальнік): The Dative case is used to indicate the indirect object of a verb or the object of certain prepositions. For example:

    • Дай мне собаку. (Give me the dog.)
    • Вона дала мне собаку. (She gave me the dog.)

  4. Accusative Case (Вінік): The Accusative case is used for the direct object of a verb, typically when the object is definite or specific. For example:

    • Я бачу вашу собаку. (I see your dog.)

  5. Instrumental Case (Творны): In the Instrumental case, "собака" would indicate the means by which an action is performed. For instance:

    • Собакою я знайшоў ключ. (With the help of a dog, I found the key.)

  6. Locative Case (Месны): The Locative case is used to indicate location and sometimes accompaniment. For example:

    • У собакі є сям'я. (The dog has a family.)

Each of these cases serves a specific grammatical function, allowing for precise communication in the Belarusian language. Understanding the correct case usage is crucial for accurate and nuanced expression in both written and spoken Belarusian.