Bulgarian Language Learn Free

People in traditional Bulgarian dress dance one of the country's beloved group dances in a mock wedding celebration in Vratsa, Bulgaria.

The Talking Bulgarian Phrasebook

Published: February 22, 2023

The Talking Phrasebook Series presents useful phrases and words in side-by-side translation and with audio files specifically geared to help students work on listening skills and pronunciation. Each entry below, divided by category, features an English word or phrase in the left column and its Bulgarian translation in the right.

In the center column for each row is a play button. The recorded file will feature first English, then the Bulgarian in three versions: one slow, one with each syllable broken out, and a last version that will be spoken as it might be overheard in a conversation between native speakers.

Facts About Bulgarian

  1. No infinitives. Bulgarian uses no infinitives. Instead, both verbs are conjugated depending on the person. In English, this would look like: She likes writes (meaning, โ€œshe likes to writeโ€). In Bulgarian, it looks like this: โ€œะขั ะพะฑะธั‡ะฐ ะดะฐ ะฟะธัˆะต.โ€
  2. Alphabet pride. Bulgaria is the birthplace of the Cyrillic alphabet. The Bulgarian Empire was the first to adopt the old Slavic Glagolitic script for official state purposes. That script was originally developed by brothers Cyril and Methodius as part of their efforts to spread Christian practices in Slavic lands. In Bulgaria specifically, the Cyrillic alphabet was developed later from the Glagolitic by Naum and Clement, two former students of Cyril and Methodius. Further, many Bulgarians believe that Cyril and Methodius were specifically Bulgarian. (While they were probably Greek and perhaps partly Slavic, the history is not universally agreed upon.) The two are celebrated as national heroes in Bulgaria with an official holiday each May 24.
  3. Gender. Bulgarian uses gender (male, female, and neuter) for nouns but has some confusing rules for it.ย  For instance, masculine nouns are typically indicated by a consonant endings: ะฑั€ะฐั‚ (brother), ะดะตะฝ (day). However, masculine nouns may take on the feminine โ€“ a and -ั endings and neuter -ะพ and -ะต endings when referring to a male person. Such masculine nouns include ะฑะฐั‰ะฐ (father), ะบะพะปะตะณะฐ (colleague), ะฒัƒะนั‡ะพ (uncle on motherโ€™s side). Feminine nouns, typically with โ€“ a and -ั endings, can also likewise end with a constant, e.g. ะฝะพั‰ (night), ะบั€ัŠะฒ (blood), ั‡ะฐัั‚ (part). Neuter nouns usually end inย  -ะพ and -ะต, although they also include foreign words that end in -ัŽ, -ัƒ, and -ะธ. For example, ะดะตะนัั‚ะฒะธะต (action), ะฟะฐะปั‚ะพ (coat), ะผะตะฝัŽ (menu), and ัƒะธัะบะธ (whiskey) are all neuter. The one exception to this is that the months of the year, despite most ending in ะธ, are all masculine. The forms of both adjectives and verbs can change based on the gender on the noun, which means that correctly using gender in Bulgarian is important but quite challenging.
  4. Respect. Bulgarian differentiates between informal and formal speech to show respect. When speaking to a single person who you know well (friend, close relative), you use the singular โ€œyouโ€ (ั‚ะธ; ti). Meanwhile, if speaking to a stranger or person of respect (teacher, boss, or generally for someone older than you), you use the plural โ€œyouโ€ (ะฒะธะต; vie) โ€“ even when speaking to a singular person. For example:
    โ€“ How are you? ะšะฐะบ ัะธ ั‚ะธ? (singular โ€œyouโ€, informal): youโ€™re catching up with a relative
    โ€“ ะšะฐะบ ัั‚ะต ะฒะธะต? (plural โ€œyouโ€, formal): you are a person in your 20s talking to your elderly neighbor
  5. Articles. The definite article โ€œtheโ€ is added as an extra syllable at the end of a noun or adjective. Scandinavian languages are similar. The type of ending depends largely on gender. If there is an adjective, the definite ending is added to the adjective and omitted from the noun. The definite ending is used even in constructions involving possession, unlike English which does not. The indefinite article โ€œaโ€ is not used in Bulgarian. Here are some examples of singular nouns:
    โ€“ ะœะพัั‚ (bridge; masculine indefinite); ะผะพัั‚ัŠั‚ (masculine definite if subject); ะผะพัั‚ะฐ (masculine definite if not subject)
    โ€“ ะšะฝะธะณะฐ (book; feminine indefinite); ะบะฝะธะณะฐั‚ะฐ (feminine definite)
    โ€“ ะšัƒั‡ะต (dog; neuter indefinite); ะบัƒั‡ะตั‚ะพ (neuter definite)
    HOWEVER, If you use an adjective with the noun, for instance for โ€œthe brown dog,โ€ the definite ending would be applied only to the adjective and not the noun, so it would become ะฑัะปะพั‚ะพ ะบัƒั‡ะต.
  6. Asking Questions: Question words in Bulgarian include the following:
  • Who: ะบะพะน (koi)
  • What: ะบะฐะบะฒะพ (kakvo)
  • Why: ะทะฐั‰ะพ (zashto)
  • Where: ะบัŠะดะต (kyde)
  • How: ะบะฐะบ (kak)

Survival Basics in Speaking Bulgarian

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Hi!
Zdrasti!
(ะ—ะดั€ะฐัั‚ะธ)
*informal, conversational โ€“ to greet a friend, neighbor, acquaintance, family member
Hello!
Zdravei!
(ะ—ะดั€ะฐะฒะตะน)
*informal, conversational โ€“ to greet a friend, neighbor, acquaintance, family member
Hello!
Zdraveite!
(ะ—ะดั€ะฐะฒะตะนั‚ะต!)
*more formal โ€“ to greet a teacher, stranger/passerby, elderly
Yes
Da
(ะ”ะฐ)
No
Ne
(ะะต)
Good morning!
Dobro utro!
(ะ”ะพะฑั€ะพ ัƒั‚ั€ะพ!)
Good afternoon!
Dobyr den
(ะ”ะพะฑัŠั€ ะดะตะฝ!)
Good evening!
Dobyr vecher!
(ะ”ะพะฑัŠั€ ะฒะตั‡ะตั€!)
Whatโ€™s up?
Kakvo stava?
(ะšะฐะบะฒะพ ัั‚ะฐะฒะฐ?)
How are things?
Kak e pri teb?
(ะšะฐะบ ะต ะฟั€ะธ ั‚ะตะฑ?)
How are you?
Kak si? Kak ste? (informal/formal)
(ะšะฐะบ ัะธ? ะšะฐะบ ัั‚ะต?)
Good, thank you, and you?
Dobre, blagodarya, a ti/vie? (informal/formal)
(ะ”ะพะฑั€ะต, ะฑะปะฐะณะพะดะฐั€ั, ะฐ ั‚ะธ/ะฒะธะต?)
Bye!
Chao!
(ะงะฐะพ!)
*informal, conversational
Good bye!
Dovizhdane!
(ะ”ะพะฒะธะถะดะฐะฝะต!)
*more formal
Good bye!
Vsichko dobro!
(ะ’ัะธั‡ะบะพ ะดะพะฑั€ะพ!)
(literally โ€œall the bestโ€) *more formal
See you later!
Do pokysno!
(ะ”ะพ ะฟะพ-ะบัŠัะฝะพ!)
Sorry!
Izvinyavai/Izvinyavaite!
(ะ˜ะทะฒะธะฝัะฒะฐะน/ะ˜ะทะฒะธะฝัะฒะฐะนั‚ะต!)
Open/closed
Otvoreno/zatvoreno
(ะžั‚ะฒะพั€ะตะฝะพ/ะทะฐั‚ะฒะพั€ะตะฝะพ)
Pull/push
Drypni/butni
(ะ”ั€ัŠะฟะฝะธ/ะฑัƒั‚ะฝะธ)
*when referring to a door
Small/big
Malyk/golyam
(ะœะฐะปัŠะบ/ะณะพะปัะผ)
Do you speak English?
Govorish li angliiski / Govorite li angliiski
(ะ“ะพะฒะพั€ะธัˆ ะปะธ ะฐะฝะณะปะธะนัะบะธ? ะ“ะพะฒะพั€ะธั‚ะต ะปะธ ะฐะฝะณะปะธะนัะบะธ? (informal/formal)
I donโ€™t speak English.
Az ne govorya angliiski.
(ะะท ะฝะต ะณะพะฒะพั€ั ะฐะฝะณะปะธะนัะบะธ.)
I only speak a little Bulgarian.
Az govorya samo malkoย  bylgarski.
(ะะท ะณะพะฒะพั€ั ัะฐะผะพ ะผะฐะปะบะพ ะฑัŠะปะณะฐั€ัะบะธ)
I understand/I donโ€™t understand.
Az razbiram/Az ne razbiram.
(ะะท ั€ะฐะทะฑะธั€ะฐะผ/ะะท ะฝะต ั€ะฐะทะฑะธั€ะฐะผ.)
Thanks!/Thanks so much!
Mersi / Mersi mnogo! (informal)
(ะœะตั€ัะธ!) / (ะœะตั€ัะธ ะผะฝะพะณะพ!)
Thank you!/Thank you very much!
Blagodarya / blagodarya mnogo! (formal)
(ะ‘ะปะฐะณะพะดะฐั€ั!) / (ะ‘ะปะฐะณะพะดะฐั€ั ะผะฝะพะณะพ!)
Very well, thank you!
Mnogo dobre, blagodarya! (formal)
(ะœะฝะพะณะพ ะดะพะฑั€ะต, ะฑะปะฐะณะพะดะฐั€ั!)
Well/poor
Dobre / losho (adv.)

(ะ”ะพะฑั€ะต / ะปะพัˆะพ)

Good/bad
Dobyr/dobra; losh/losha (adj. m/f)
(ะ”ะพะฑัŠั€/ะดะพะฑั€ะฐ; ะปะพัˆ/ะปะพัˆะฐ)
Please
Ako obichate

(ะะบะพ ะพะฑะธั‡ะฐั‚ะต)
*When asking for something politely (aka โ€œif you wouldnโ€™t mindโ€)

Youโ€™re welcome! or No worries!
Molya! or Nyama zashto!
(ะœะพะปั! ะัะผะฐ ะทะฐั‰ะพ!)
*when responding to โ€œmersi/blagodarya!โ€
Excuse me!
Izvinyavai/Izvinyavaite!
(ะ˜ะทะฒะธะฝัะฒะฐะน/ะ˜ะทะฒะธะฝัะฒะฐะนั‚ะต!) (informal/formal)
A little
Malko
(ะœะฐะปะบะพ)
Could you speak more slowly?
Mozhe li da goborite po-bavno?
(ะœะพะถะต ะปะธ ะดะฐ ะณะพะฒะพั€ะธั‚ะต ะฟะพ-ะฑะฐะฒะฝะพ?)
Could you repeat, please?
Povtorete, molya!
(ะŸะพะฒั‚ะพั€ะตั‚ะต, ะผะพะปั!) (formal)
Could you write that down?
Mozhe li tova da go napishete?
(ะœะพะถะต ะปะธ ั‚ะพะฒะฐ ะดะฐ ะณะพ ะฝะฐะฟะธัˆะตั‚ะต?)
My bag/wallet/passport was stolen
Otkradnaha mi chantata/portmoneto/pasporta.
(ะžั‚ะบั€ะฐะดะฝะฐั…ะฐ ะผะธ ั‡ะฐะฝั‚ะฐั‚ะฐ/ะฟะพั€ั‚ะผะพะฝะตั‚ะพ/ะฟะฐัะฟะพั€ั‚ะฐ).
I need a doctor!
Tryabva mi doktor!
(ะขั€ัะฑะฒะฐ ะผะธ ะดะพะบั‚ะพั€!)
Call the police!
Obadete se na politsiyata!
(ะžะฑะฐะดะตั‚ะต ัะต ะฝะฐ ะฟะพะปะธั†ะธัั‚ะฐ!) (formal)

Introductions in Bulgarian

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What is your name?
Kak se kazvash/kazvate? (informal/formal)
(ะšะฐะบ ัะต ะบะฐะทะฒะฐัˆ/ะบะฐะทะฒะฐั‚ะต?)
Pleased to meet you!
Priyatno mi e da se zapoznaem!
(ะŸั€ะธัั‚ะฝะพ ะผะธ ะต ะดะฐ ัะต ะทะฐะฟะพะทะฝะฐะตะผ!)
I am 25 years old.
Az sym na dvadeset i pet godini.
(ะะท ััŠะผ ะฝะฐ ะดะฒะฐะดะตัะตั‚ ะธ ะฟะตั‚ ะณะพะดะธะฝะธ.)
How old are you?
Na kolko godini si?
(ะะฐ ะบะพะปะบะพ ะณะพะดะธะฝะธ ัะธ?)
Where are you from?
Otkyde ste?
(ะžั‚ะบัŠะดะต ัั‚ะต?)
I am American.
Az sym ot Amerika.
(ะะท ััŠะผ ะพั‚ ะะผะตั€ะธะบะฐ)
No, I am from Canada.
Ne, az sym ot Kanada.
(ะะต, ะฐะท ััŠะผ ะพั‚ ะšะฐะฝะฐะดะฐ)
She is Australian.
Tya e Avstralika.
(ะขั ะต ะฐะฒัั‚ั€ะฐะปะธะบะฐ)
He is Irish.
Toi e irlandets.
(ะขะพะน ะต ะธั€ะปะฐะฝะดะตั†)
We are from New Zealand.
Nie sme ot Nova Zelandiya.
(ะะธะต ัะผะต ะพั‚ ะะพะฒะฐ ะ—ะตะปะฐะฝะดะธั)
They are from Wales.
Te sa ot Uels.
(ะขะต ัะฐ ะพั‚ ะฃะตะปั)
How do you like Bulgaria?
Haresva li ti Bylgariya?
(ะฅะฐั€ะตัะฒะฐ ะปะธ ั‚ะธ ะ‘ัŠะปะณะฐั€ะธั?)
I like Bulgaria very much.
Bylgariya mnogo mi haresva.
(ะ‘ัŠะปะณะฐั€ะธั ะผะฝะพะณะพ ะผะธ ั…ะฐั€ะตัะฒะฐ)
Have you ever been to Plovdiv?
Bili li ste v Plovdiv?
(ะ‘ะธะปะธ ะปะธ ัะธ/ัั‚ะต ะฒ ะŸะปะพะฒะดะธะฒ?) (formal)
I have never been to Varna before.
Az nikoga ne sym bil(a) v Varna.
(ะะท ะฝะธะบะพะณะฐ ะฝะต ััŠะผ ะฑะธะป(ะฐ) ะฒ ะ’ะฐั€ะฝะฐ)
This is my second time in Bulgaria.
Za vtori pyt sym v Bylgariya.
(ะ—ะฐ ะฒั‚ะพั€ะธ ะฟัŠั‚ ััŠะผ ะฒ ะ‘ัŠะปะณะฐั€ะธั)
What do you do?
S kakvo ce zanimavash?
(ะก ะบะฐะบะฒะพ ัะต ะทะฐะฝะธะผะฐะฒะฐัˆ?)
I am a student/businessman/teacher/doctor.
Az sym student/biznesmen/uchitel/doktor.
(ะะท ััŠะผ ัั‚ัƒะดะตะฝั‚/ะฑะธะทะฝะตัะผะตะฝ/ัƒั‡ะธั‚ะตะป/ะดะพะบั‚ะพั€)
I am on vacation.
Az sym na vakantsiya (if youโ€™re a student on a holiday break)/otpuska (if youโ€™re working)
(ะะท ััŠะผ ะฒะฐะบะฐะฝั†ะธั/ะพั‚ะฟัƒัะบะฐ.)
I am here on business.
Az sym tuk po rabota.
(ะะท ััŠะผ ั‚ัƒะบ ะฟะพ ั€ะฐะฑะพั‚ะฐ).

Asking Directions

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Where are the toilets?
Kyde sa toaletnite?
(ะšัŠะดะต ัะฐ ั‚ะพะฐะปะตั‚ะฝะธั‚ะต?)
Menโ€™s
Myzhki
(ะœัŠะถะบะธ)ย  (adj.)
Womenโ€™s
Zhenski
(ะ–ะตะฝัะบะธ)ย  (adj.)
Where is the nearest bank?
Kyde e nai blizkata banka?
(ะšัŠะดะต ะต ะฝะฐะน-ะฑะปะธะทะบะฐั‚ะฐ ะฑะฐะฝะบะฐ?)
Where is the nearest post office?
Kyde e nai blizkata poshta?
(ะšัŠะดะต ะต ะฝะฐะน-ะฑะปะธะทะบะฐั‚ะฐ ะฟะพั‰ะฐ?)
Where is the nearest train station?
Kyde e nai bliskata zhe. pe. gara?
(ะšัŠะดะต ะต ะฝะฐะน-ะฑะปะธะทะบะฐั‚ะฐ ะถ. ะฟ. ะณะฐั€ะฐ?)
Where can I find Wi-Fi?
Kyde moga da namerya Wi-Fi?
(ะšัŠะดะต ะผะพะณะฐ ะดะฐ ะฝะฐะผะตั€ั Wi-Fi?)
Do you know the Wi-Fi password?
Znaete li parolata za Wi-Fi-to?
(ะ—ะฝะฐะตั‚ะต ะปะธ ะฟะฐั€ะพะปะฐั‚ะฐ ะทะฐ Wi-Fi-ั‚ะพ?) (formal)
How can I order a taxi?
Kak da namerya taksi?
(ะšะฐะบ ะดะฐ ะฝะฐะผะตั€ั ั‚ะฐะบัะธ?)
Straight ahead!
Napravo!
(ะะฐะฟั€ะฐะฒะพ!)
Take a right!/left!
Otidi na dyasno/yavo
(ะžั‚ะธะดะธ ะฝะฐ ะดััะฝะพ/ะปัะฒะพ)
After the stoplight
Sled svetofara
(ะกะปะตะด ัะฒะตั‚ะพั„ะฐั€ะฐ)
Next/First/Last
Sledvashtiyat/Pyrvi/Posleden
(ะกะปะตะดะฒะฐั‰ะธัั‚/ะฟัŠั€ะฒะธ/ะฟะพัะปะตะดะตะฝ)

Shopping

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How much does that cost?
Kolko struva tova?
(ะšะพะปะบะพ ัั‚ั€ัƒะฒะฐ ั‚ะพะฒะฐ?)
The menu, please!
Menyoto, molya!
(ะœะตะฝัŽั‚ะพ, ะผะพะปั!)
Iโ€™d like a beer, please
Az bih ickala bira, molya
(ะะท ะฑะธั… ะธัะบะฐะปะฐ ะฑะธั€ะฐ, ะผะพะปั).
Iโ€™d like the bill, please.
Mozhe li smetkata, molya?
(ะœะพะถะต ะปะธ ัะผะตั‚ะบะฐั‚ะฐ, ะผะพะปั?)
Do you accept credit cards?
Mozhe li s kreditna karta?
(ะœะพะถะต ะปะธ ั ะบั€ะตะดะธั‚ะฝะฐ ะบะฐั€ั‚ะฐ?)

Counting ย ย 

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0
nula
(ะฝัƒะปะฐ)
1 (see 0
for recording)
edno
(ะตะดะฝะพ)
2 (see 0
for recording)
dve
(ะดะฒะต)
3 (see 0
for recording)
tri
(ั‚ั€ะธ)
4 (see 0
for recording)
chetiri
(ั‡ะตั‚ะธั€ะธ)
5 (see 0
for recording)
pet
(ะฟะตั‚)
6 (see 0
for recording)
shest
(ัˆะตัั‚)
7 (see 0
for recording)
sedem
(ัะตะดะตะผ)
8 (see 0
for recording)
osem
(ะพัะตะผ)
9 (see 0
for recording)
devet
(ะดะตะฒะตั‚)
10 (see 0
for recording)
deset
(ะดะตัะตั‚)
11
edinadeset
(ะตะดะธะฝะฐะดะตัะตั‚)
12
dvanadeset
(ะดะฒะฐะฝะฐะดะตัะตั‚)
13
trinadeset
(ั‚ั€ะธะฝะฐะดะตัะตั‚)
14
chetirinadeset
(ั‡ะตั‚ะธั€ะธะฝะฐะดะตัะตั‚)
15
petnadeset
(ะฟะตั‚ะฝะฐะดะตัะตั‚)
16
shestnadeset
(ัˆะตัั‚ะฝะฐะดะตัะตั‚)
17
sedemnadeset
(ัะตะดะตะผะฝะฐะดะตัะตั‚)
18
osemnadeset
(ะพัะตะผะฝะฐะดะตัะตั‚)
19
devetnadeset
(ะดะตะฒะตั‚ะฝะฐะดะตัะตั‚)
20
dvadeset
(ะดะฒะฐะดะตัะตั‚)
21
dvadeset i edno
(ะดะฒะฐะดะตัะตั‚ ะธ ะตะดะฝะพ)
22 (see 21
for recording)
dvadeset i dve
(ะดะฒะฐะดะตัะตั‚ ะธ ะดะฒะต)
30
trideset
(ั‚ั€ะธะดะตัะตั‚)
40
chetirideset
(ั‡ะตั‚ะธั€ะธะดะตัะตั‚)
50
petdeset
(ะฟะตั‚ะดะตัะตั‚)
60
shestdeset
(ัˆะตัั‚ะดะตัะตั‚)
70
sedemdeset
(ัะตะดะตะผะดะตัะตั‚)
80
osemdeset
(ะพัะตะผะดะตัะตั‚)
90
devedeset
(ะดะตะฒะตะดะตัะตั‚)
100
sto
(ัั‚ะพ)
111 (see 100
for recording)
sto i edinadeset
(ัั‚ะพ ะธ ะตะดะธะฝะฐะดะตัะตั‚)
125 (see 100
for recording)
sto dvadeset i pet
(ัั‚ะพ ะดะฒะฐะดะตัะตั‚ ะธ ะฟะตั‚)
200 (see 100
for recording)
dvesta
(ะดะฒะตัั‚ะฐ)
300 (see 100
for recording)
trista
(ั‚ั€ะธัั‚ะฐ)
400 (see 100
for recording)
chetiristotin
(ั‡ะตั‚ะธั€ะธัั‚ะพั‚ะธะฝ)
500 (see 100
for recording)
petstotin
(ะฟะตั‚ัั‚ะพั‚ะธะฝ)
600 (see 100
for recording)
sheststotin
(ัˆะตัั‚ัั‚ะพั‚ะธะฝ)
700 (see 100
for recording)
sedemstotin
(ัะตะดะตะผัั‚ะพั‚ะธะฝ)
800 (see 100
for recording)
osemstotin
(ะพัะตะผัั‚ะพั‚ะธะฝ)
900 (see 100
for recording)
devetstotin
(ะดะตะฒะตั‚ัั‚ะพั‚ะธะฝ)
1000 (see 100
for recording)
hilyada
(ั…ะธะปัะดะฐ)

More on Bulgarian Grammar (Pronoun Focus)

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Below are listed the personal pronouns as they appear in nominative, accusative, and dative.

Nominative

These are used when the subject of the sentence. For example,

I am hungry: ะะท ััŠะผ ะณะปะฐะดะตะฝ (az sym gladen)

She loves to travel: ะขั ะพะฑะธั‡ะฐ ะดะฐ ะฟัŠั‚ัƒะฒะฐ (tya obicha da pytuva)

In the nominative, the subject is clearly in the act of doing (e.g. I am drinking, she is dancing), so Bulgarians often omit it. In other words, instead of saying โ€œI am drinking,โ€ Bulgarians will just say โ€œAm drinkingโ€ with the โ€œIโ€ being implied.

I: ะฐะท (az) We: ะฝะธะต (nie)
You: ั‚ะธ (ti) You (formal/plural): ะฒะธะต (vie)
He, she, it: ั‚ะพะน, ั‚ั, ั‚ะพ (toi, tya, to) They: ั‚ะต (te)

ย 

Accusative (direct object)ย 

These are used when a direct object of a transitive verb. For example,

I love him: ะะท ะณะพ ะพะฑะธั‡ะฐะผ (ะฐz go obicham)

I donโ€™t know him: ะะท ะฝะต ะณะพ ะฟะพะทะฝะฐะฒะฐะผ (ะฐz ne go poznavam)

Me: ะผะต (me) We: ะฝะธ (ni)
You: ั‚ะต (te) You (formal/plural): ะฒะธ (vi)
Him, her, it: ะณะพ, ั, ะณะพ (go, ya, go) Them: ะณะธ (gi)

ย 

The reflexive โ€œัะตโ€ (se) used when referring to oneself:

Do you like yourself? ะฅะฐั€ะตัะฒะฐัˆ ะปะธ ัะต? (haresvash li se?)

I am getting (myself) ready: ะŸั€ะธะณะพั‚ะฒะฐะผ ัะต (prigotvam se)

Accusative (object of a preposition)ย 

These are used as the object of a preposition. For example,

Are you thinking about it?: ะœะธัะปะธัˆ ะปะธ ะทะฐ ะฝะตะณะพ? (mislish li za nego?)

I went to the store with her: ะžั‚ะธะดะฐั… ะดะพ ะผะฐะณะฐะทะธะฝะฐ ั ะฝะตั (otidah do magazina c neya).

Me: ะผะตะฝะต (mene, often said as โ€œmenโ€ colloquially) Us: ะฝะฐั (nas)
You: ั‚ะตะฑะต (tebe, often said as โ€œtebโ€ colloquially) You (formal/plural): ะฒะฐั (vas)
Him, her, it: ะฝะตะณะพ, ะฝะตั, ะฝะตะณะพ (nego, neya, nego) Them: ั‚ัั… (tyah)

ย 

The reflexive โ€œัะตะฑะต ัะธโ€ (sebe si) used when referring to oneself:

I donโ€™t think much about myself: ะะต ะผะธัะปั ะผะฝะพะณะพ ะทะฐ ัะตะฑะต ัะธ (ne mislya mnogo za sebe si)

Dative (indirect object)

These are used when an indirect object. Within the indirect dative, there are two variants. The first is non-emphatic. For example, in the following sentence the focus in on the book:

She gave me the book: ะขั ะผะธ ะดะฐะดะต ะบะฝะธะณะฐั‚ะฐ (tya mi dade knigata)

The second variant is emphatic. In other words, emphasis is on a particular person:

She gave the book to me (vs another person): ะขั ะดะฐะดะต ะบะฝะธะณะฐั‚ะฐ ะฝะฐ ะผะตะฝะต (tya dade knigata na mene)

Note that when the dative is non-emphatic, the personal pronoun must appear after the subject.

Me: ะผะธ/ะฝะฐ ะผะตะฝะต (mi/na mene) Us: ะฝะธ/ะฝะฐ ะฝะฐั (ni/na nas)
You: ั‚ะธ/ะฝะฐ ั‚ะตะฑ (ti/na tebe) You (formal/plural): ะฒะธ/ะฝะฐ ะฒะฐั (vi/na vas)
Him, her, it: ะผัƒ/ะฝะฐ ะฝะตะณะพ, ั/ะฝะฐ ะฝะตั, ะผัƒ/ะฝะฐ ะฝะตะณะพ (mu/na nego, i/na neya, mu/na nego) Them: ะธะผ/ะฝะฐ ั‚ัั… (im/na tyah)

ย 

The reflexive โ€œัะธโ€ (si) used when referring to oneself:

I will buy (myself) bread: ะฉะต ัะธ ะบัƒะฟั ั…ะปัะฑ (shte si kupya hlyab)

Dative (possession)

These are used to indicate possession. Dative pronouns are used when the emphasis is on the object being possessed. For example:

This is my dog: ะขะพะฒะฐ ะต ะบัƒั‡ะตั‚ะพ ะผะธ (tova e kucheto mi)

Possessive pronouns (e.g. my, his, their โ€“ this is not dative) are used when the emphasis is on the possessor. These can be seen in sentences such as โ€œThis dog is mineโ€ (emphasis is on the dog being โ€œmineโ€ not the dog itself). However, possessive pronouns are used far less frequently than the dative.

Below are the dative pronouns:

Me: ะผะธ (mi) Us: ะฝะธ/ะฝะฐ ะฝะฐั (ni/na nas)
You: ั‚ะธ (ti) You (formal/plural): ะฒะธ (vi)
Him, her, it: ะผัƒ, ั, ะผัƒ (mu, i, mu) They: ะธะผ (im)

ย 

The reflexive โ€œะฝะฐ ัะตะฑะต ัะธโ€ (na sebe si) used when referring to oneself:

I bought a present (for myself): ะšัƒะฟะธั… ะฟะพะดะฐั€ัŠะบ ะฝะฐ ัะตะฑะต ัะธ (kupih podaryk na sebe si).

Conjugations of โ€œto beโ€

Notes: In colloquial settings, Bulgarians often omit the pronoun. However, know that when omitting the pronoun, the present form of โ€œto beโ€ cannot start the sentence. Therefore, the following are two ways to say โ€œI am well,โ€ the first with the pronoun and the second without.

ะะท ััŠะผ ะดะพะฑั€ะต. Az sym dobre.

ะ”ะพะฑั€ะต ััŠะผ. Dobre sym.

The following table lists the conjugations for the act of being, i.e. when there is no other verb.

How are you? I am well. (ะšะฐะบ ัะธ ั‚ะธ? ะะท ััŠะผ ะดะพะฑั€ะต.)
Where will she be? She will be in Burgas. (ะšัŠะดะต ั‰ะต ะฑัŠะดะต ั‚ั? ะขั ั‰ะต ะต ะฒ ะ‘ัƒั€ะณะฐั.)
Who was there? Dimitarโ€™s kids were there. (ะšะพะน ะฑะตัˆะต ั‚ะฐะผ? ะ”ะตั†ะฐั‚ะฐ ะฝะฐ ะ”ะธะผะธั‚ัŠั€ ะฑัั…ะฐ ั‚ะฐะผ.)

I ะฐะท (az) You ั‚ะธ (ti) He/she/it

ั‚ะพะน/ั‚ั/ั‚ะพ (toi/tya/to)

We

ะฝะธะต (nie)

You (formal/plural)

ะฒะธะต (vie)

They

ั‚ะต (te)

am

ััŠะผ (sym)

are

ัะธ (si)

is

ะต (e)

are

ัะผะต (sme)

are

ัั‚ะต (ste)

are

ัะฐ (sa)

was

ะฑัั… (byah)

were

ะฑะตัˆะต (beshe)

was

ะฑะตัˆะต (beshe)

were

ะฑัั…ะผะต (byahme)

were

ะฑัั…ั‚ะต (byahte)

were

ะฑัั…ะฐ (byaha)

have been (masculine):

ััŠะผ ะฑะธะป (sym bil)

have been (feminine):

ััŠะผ ะฑะธะปะฐ (sym bila)

have been (masculine):

ัะธ ะฑะธะป (si bil)

have been (feminine):

ัะธ ะฑะธะปะฐ (si bila)

has been

ะต ะฑะธะป (e bil)

have been

ัะผะต ะฑะธะปะธ (sme bili)

have been

ัั‚ะต ะฑะธะปะธ (ste bili)

have been

ัะฐ ะฑะธะปะธ (sa bili)

will be

ั‰ะต ััŠะผ (shte sym)

will be

ั‰ะต ัะธ (shte si)

will be

ั‰ะต ะต (shte e)

will be

ั‰ะต ัะผะต (shte sme)

will be

ั‰ะต ัั‚ะต (shte ste)

will be

ั‰ะต ัะฐ (shte sa)

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About the author

Alexandra Sasha Love Author

Alexandra Love

Alexandra Love, at the time she wrote for this site, was double majoring in Political Science and Music and minoring in Russian Culture at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her material here was produced as part of an SRAS Online Research Internship done while she was studying abroad with SRAS in Batumi, Georgia. She is a native speaker of Bulgarian.

Program attended: Online Internships

View all posts by: Alexandra Love