Belarusian

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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Compound of ні (ni) +‎ бы (by). Cognate with Ukrainian ні́би (níby), Polish niby. Compare Old Ruthenian небы (neby, like, as if), Russian как бы (kak by), Czech and Polish jakoby.

Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): [nʲiˈbɨ]
  • Audio:(file)
  • IPA(key): [ˈnʲibɨ]
  • Rhymes: , -ibɨ

Conjunction

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нібы́ or ні́бы (nibý or níby)

  1. like, as if

Particle

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ні́би or ні́бы (níbi or níby)

  1. as if, allegedly, seemingly, it seems (like)

References

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  • нібы” in Belarusian–Russian dictionaries and Belarusian dictionaries at slounik.org