Introduction
<< Chapter 18:  Verbs of Motion
Chapter 20:  Gerunds and Participles >>

Chapter 19

Verbal Prefixes

19.1        Prefix usage

    Adding a prefix to an imperfective verb usually creates a perfective verb with a modified meaning.  Adding a prefix to an imperfective verb of motion does not create a perfective verb, but a new imperfective verb with a modified meaning.  The same prefix is attached to the perfective aspect of the verb of motion to form the perfective form of the new verb.
    When a prefix ending in a consonant is attached to a verb beginning in an iotized vowel, a buffer symbol ‘ is placed between them.
    When хадзіць has a prefix attached to it, the accent moves to the root for all forms.  When ісці has a prefix attached to it, the initial і- changes to an й- and the accent falls on the prefix for all persons in the present tense except the 1st person singular.  The exception to this is the prefix вы-, for which the accent always falls on this prefix, irrespective of person or tense.  When either хадзіць or ісці has a prefix attached, which ends in a consonant, an ы is placed as a buffer between the prefix and root.

аб'явіць
 to announce
 пад'ехаць
 to drive up
прыходжу
 I am coming
 прыходзіў
 I came
пойдзе
 he will go
 пайшоў
 he went
разышліся
 they dispersed
 адыходжу
 I am leaving


19.2        Directional prefix meanings

    Each of these prefixes has additional meanings that have nothing to do with direction, but for now I have only listed the meanings which imply a direction of motion.  Prefixes can be added to verbs to create new verbs.  Adding a prefix to the indeterminate form of a verb of motion creates the imperfective infinitive of a verb, and adding the prefix to the determinate form creates the perfective infinitive of the same verb.  The exception to this rule is the verb ехаць and ездзіць, to go [by transport].  The perfective aspect of a verb can be formed by adding a prefix to ехаць, but the imperfective aspect of the same verb is formed by adding the prefix to the verb язджаць.  The form язджаць rarely occurs on its own, without a prefix.  These prefixes can also be added to other, non-motion verbs.

па-            This prefix is added to the directional infinitive to form the perfective infinitive for all verbs of motion.

                   
пайсці
 to go [somewhere, on foot]

паехаць
 to go [somewhere, by transport]

пабегчы
 to run [somewhere]

панесці
 to carry [something somewhere]


аб-            This prefix implies encompassing or overtaking motion.

Indet.
 Det.
абыходзіць
 абыйсці
 to walk around
аб'язджаць
 аб'ехаць
 to drive around
абганяць
 абагнаць
 to overtake
абкладваць
 абкласці
 to surround [with something]


ад-            This prefix has the meaning of moving away.

адыходзіць
 адыйсці
 to withdraw
адносіць
 аднесці
 to carry off
адбіраць
 адабраць
 to take away
адрываць
 адарваць
 to tear off


вы-            This prefix has the meaning of going out of something.

выходзіць
 выйсці
 to exit [on foot]
вынасіць
 вынесці
 to carry out
выбіраць
 выбраць
 to select
вырываць
 вырваць
 to tear out


да-            This prefix implies movement as far as, or up to, a certain point.

даходзіць
 дайсці
 to reach
даносіць
 данесці
 to bring as far as
даганяць
 дагнаць
 to catch up to
дабірацца
 дабрацца
 to get as far as


з-            This prefix has the meaning of coming off of, or coming out of.

зыходзіць
 зыйсці
 to come off of
з'язжаць
 з'ехаць
 to depart
зносіць
 знесці
 to take down from, to take out of
знімаць
 зняць
 to remove


за-            Verbs with this prefix have the meanings of traveling far, or past something.

заходзіць
 зайсці
 to walk behind
забегаць
 забегчы
 to run ahead
заносіць
 занесці
 to carry [far] away
закладваць
 закласці
 to place behind


на-            Verbs with this prefix have the meaning of collision with something.

находзіць
 найсці
 to come across, to walk into
наязджаць
 наехаць
 to run into [with a vehicle]
нападаць
 напасці
 to fall into
наступаць
 наступіць
 to approach [a certain time]


пад-            This prefix has the basic meaning of upward motion.

падыходзіць
 падыйсці
 to approach [on foot]
пад'язджаць
 пад'ехаць
 to drive up to
падбягаць
 падбегчы
 to run up to
паднімаць
 падняць
 to lift


пера-            This prefix has the meaning of crossing over something.

пераходзіць
 перайсці
 to walk across
пераносіць
 перанесці
 to carry across
перадаваць
 перадаць
 to pass along
перакладваць
 перакласці
 to transfer, to translate


пра-            This prefix gives verbs the meaning of passing by something.

праходзіць
 прайсці
 to pass by
праязджаць
 праехаць
 to drive past
прабягаць
 прабегчы
 to run by
праносіць
 пранесці
 to carry by


раз-            This prefix gives verbs the meaning of movement in various directions, or distribution.

разыходзіцца
 разыйсціся
 to disperse
раз'язджацца
 раз'ехацца
 to drive away [in various directions]
разбягацца
 разбегчыся
 to run off, to scatter
разлятацца
 разляцецца
 to fly away, to scatter


у-            This prefix gives verbs the meaning of entering.  It changes to ува- with хадзіць and ісці.

уваходзіць
 увайсці
 to enter
уязджаць
 уехаць
 to drive in
убягаць
 убегчы
 to run in
уносіць
 унесці
 to carry in


уз-            This prefix gives verbs the meaning of upward motion.

узыходзіць
 узыйсці
 to walk up
узлазіць
 узлезці
 to climb up
узлятаць
 узляцець
 to take off
узвышаць
 узвысіць
 to elevate


<< Chapter 18:  Verbs of Motion
Chapter 20:  Gerunds and Participles >>

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Copyright (c)  2004  Christian Cardell Marchant.
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