11

Colloquial

11
Bulgarian

22
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11

Colloquial

11
Bulgarian
The Complete Course
for Beginners

Kjetil Rå Hauge and

Yovka Tisheva

22
First published 1994 by Routledge
Second edition published 2006
by Routledge
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon, OX14 4RN
Simultaneously published in the USA and Canada
by Routledge
711 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
© 2006 Kjetil Rå Hauge and Yovka Tisheva
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or
reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or
other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying
and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system,
without permission in writing from the publishers.
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
Hauge, Kjetil Rå, 1945–.
Colloquial Bulgarian: the complete course for beginners/
Hauge, Kjetil Rå and Yovka Tisheva. – 2nd edn.
p. cm – (The colloquial series)
Includes index.
1. Bulgarian language – Textbooks for foreign speakers –
English. I. Tisheva, Yovka. II. Title. III. Series
PG839.5.E5R33 2006
491.8′182421 – dc22 2005024942

ISBN: 978-1-138-94963-8 (pbk)

Typeset in Times Ten by

Florence Production Ltd, Stoodleigh, Devon
11
Contents

11 Introduction vii

1   1
Getting acquainted

2     12
In the hotel and at home

3    22
In the restaurant

4    36
Telephone conversation

5     50
Books and newspapers

6   63
Shopping

7       75
Going to the market

8 !"   87
Travelling

9 # $  100
Family

10 %  111
22 Health
vi Contents

11   122
Going to the cinema

12 &  % 135

Name-day

13    148
The weather

14 '% (  161

The Madara Horseman

15 !%  % % 174

President for a day

16 )*( * 185

The lost ticket

17   +   ( 197

How I spent my summer holiday

Grammar overview 210

Key to exercises 229
Bulgarian–English glossary 252
Index 282
11
Introduction

11 Bulgarian is the language of the Republic of Bulgaria, with a popu-

lation of just under eight million according to the 2001 census. It
is relatively easy to learn, with a less complicated grammar than
most of its brethren in the family of Slavic languages, as for instance
Polish and Russian. Church Slavonic, which was first put into
writing in the ninth century and became the liturgical language of
Eastern Orthodoxy, is seen as its distant relative (or ancestor, in
the prevailing Bulgarian viewpoint). During the five centuries of
Ottoman domination, starting in the later part of the Middle Ages,
the language fell into disuse, although it saw a renaissance from
the eighteenth century onwards.

The alphabet
The alphabet is shown on the next page. Pronunciation is relatively
simple. There are very few historically motivated spellings – words
are usually pronounced as they are spelled.

Voiced and voiceless consonants

The consonants *, , , %, , and  (as well as their equivalents in
English) are voiced – that is, pronounced with vibration of the
vocal chords. Their voiceless counterparts are , , , , - and .
Consonants at the end of a word are pronounced as voiceless, no
matter how they are spelled: - ‘boss’ is pronounced just like
- ‘seam’, with /f/ as the final sound.
In clusters of two or more consonants, all are pronounced either
voiced and voiceless, with the last consonant deciding the matter:
22    ‘answer’ is pronounced as if it is written ‘% ’.
viii Introduction

The alphabet (Audio 1; 1)

Printed Handwriting Example Pronounced

as in
.  Ä ‡  far
/ * Å · * boat
Ç ‚  very
0  É „   good
1 % Ñ ‰ %  day
2  Ö Â  bet
3 , Ü Ê , azure
  á z  zoo
)  à Ë  keep
4 $ â È $ yoke
  ä Í  scan
5  ã Î  live
' å Ï  may
  ç Ì  nose
  é o  mole
!  è Ô  spend
6  ê   red
# ë Ò  say
 í Ú Ø  stay
7 8 ì Û   food
9  î Ù  food
: ï ı   Scottish loch
;  ñ ˆ  cats
< = ó ˜ = church
> - ò ¯ -  she
?  ô ˘  ashtray
+ " ö ˙  pub
@ A ú ¸ (see below)
B C û ˛ D yuletide
E ( ü fl + yard
 Introduction ix

11 Hard and soft consonants

The consonants , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , and  have
what we call ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ variants. Try to think of where you
place your tongue when you pronounce the first sound in ‘day’.
Or, even better, try it now, and you will feel that the tip of your
tongue is right behind your upper front teeth. Lift the middle part
of your tongue towards the roof of the mouth (the palate), and
you have a ‘soft’ d.
There are no special letters for the ‘soft’ variants. Instead, the
11 burden of indicating them is shifted to the vowel sign:  is
pronounced with a hard  and means ‘[he/she] gave’, while  is
pronounced with a soft  and means ‘part’. So, although these two
words are written with different vowel signs, the difference is not
in the vowel, but in the first consonant. When the letters  and 
come after a consonant, they stand for the vowels  and , but in
addition indicate that the consonant is soft. The letter combination
 indicates a soft consonant before the vowel , e.g. 
‘driver’, and it is the only context in which you will find .

Two sounds in one sign

The letter  expresses two sounds,  and , in much the same
way that ‘x’ expresses ‘k’ and ‘s’ in English ‘six’: e.g.  ‘house’
is pronounced ‘’.
At the beginning of a word and after a vowel, the letters  and
 stand for the ‘y’-sound of English ‘yet’ when followed by the
vowels  and .

Stress
Stress can fall on any syllable of a word and where you put it may
affect the meaning of the word, e.g.   means ‘wool’ while
  means ‘wave’. Stress is not usually indicated except in gram-
mars and dictionaries, and books like the one you are reading now.
And we go a little bit further: in one-syllable words, stress is not
usually indicated, as there is just one place where the stress could
fall. But there is a group of one-syllable words that are never
stressed, or are stressed only under special circumstances, so in this
book we distinguish, for example, the stressed  meaning ‘yes’
22 from the unstressed  meaning ‘(in order) to’.
x Introduction

Unstressed vowels, especially  and , are often pronounced less

distinctly than stressed vowels, with the pronunciation of  tending
towards " and  pronounced like 8.

Alphabet practice
Start by reading a couple of words that contain only familiar letters:
 [tam] there
  [tεma] theme
 [tɔm] volume, tome
 [tɔk] current
Then you can add a few more letters that are still familiar, but
have different sound values from the ones they have in Latin script.
You will quickly notice words that have been borrowed from
European languages, mostly from English:
8 [akaunt] account
  [krɔasan] croissant
 [rεkεt] racket
 [rɔkεr] rocker
Now go on to the units. In each unit you will find three dialogues,
several language points and several exercises. In the first units the
dialogues are translated for you, but after a while they are phased
out and you will need to rely on the list of new words after each
dialogue, as well as the full Bulgarian–English glossary (pp. 252–81).
Some units contain culture notes and some of the later units
also contain reading passages. Keys to the exercises are given on
pp. 229–51.
By the end of this course you will have developed the following
skills:
• a basic vocabulary of more than a thousand words;
• the basics of Bulgarian grammar, with emphasis on the verb
system;
• phrases to help you in real-life situations;
• good pronounciation habits;
• listening comprehension for normal native speech;
• some reading practice for newspaper language.
 Introduction xi

11 Abbreviations used
adj. adjective m. masculine
adv. adverb p. person
coll. collective part. (past active) participle
colloq. colloquial pf. perfective
conj. conjunction pl. plural
f. feminine prep. preposition
imp. imperative sing. singular
impers. impersonal voc. vocative
11 impf. imperfective

22
 1  
11

Getting acquainted

11 In this unit you will learn how to:

• Greet people
• Apologise
• Say goodbye
• Ask about nationalities and professions
• Use verbs of the -class

Dialogue 1
Ana meets her good friend Georgi at the café.

:   ,  .  ?

 :   ,   . ! ?
: "     . #     .
 : #$      ?
: % &,    .
 : ' $ ?
: (,  . #  )  * . +   
, . - ,  !
 : - , !

ANA: Hello, Georgi. How are you?

GEORGI: Thank you, I’m fine. And you?
ANA: I’m fine too. I have a lot of work today.
GEORGI: Do you have time for coffee?
ANA: I’m sorry, but I don’t have time.
GEORGI: Are you in a hurry?
ANA: Yes, very much [so]. I have a meeting with Mary. She
is arriving from London. Bye, Georgi!
22 GEORGI: Bye, Ana!
2 Unit 1:  

Vocabulary
% $ hi, hello  ? how are you?
*%+ thank you %* fine, well
 much, a lot *  work
% today   time
* to hurry ",+  to be sorry,
regret
 meeting; date   to arrive
= bye!

Language points 1

Present tense, -verbs

Bulgarian verbs are grouped in three patterns, -verbs, -verbs and
-verbs, according to how their present tense is formed. There is
no infinitive (for more about this, see Unit 2, pp. 17–18), so the
first person singular (the ‘I’ form) is used as the dictionary form.
Here is   ‘to have’:
   I have
  - you (sing.) have
$  / +  /    he has/she has/it has
    we have
    you (pl.) have
  they have
The verbs in Dialogue 1, ",+  ‘to regret’, * ‘to
hurry’,   ‘to want’ and   ‘to arrive’, all follow this
pattern:
F ",+  . I am sorry.
F *. Ana is in a hurry.
    . We want coffee.
    5%. They arrive from London.
The plural form of ‘you’  is also used for addressing strangers
and people you want to be polite to. Ana and Georgi, however,
are good friends and use the  form. The  form is written with
a capital in letters, but not in literary works or newspapers.
 Unit 1: Getting acquainted 3

11 As all the forms have distinct endings, there is not any need to
use a personal pronoun with the verb unless you want to put special
emphasis on the pronoun:
&     .
I have time for coffee.
&      .
We have time for coffee.
#    -    .
Only you have time for coffee.
11
In the third person (‘he’/‘she’/‘it’/‘they’), though, you may some-
times need to use the pronoun to avoid ambiguity:
0    F. +     %*%.
Georgi has a meeting with Ana. She’s arriving from Varna
in the afternoon.
Without the pronoun + ‘she’ in the sentence above, there would
be no way of knowing who’s arriving, Georgi or Ana.

Exercise 1
Select a suitable form of   from the forms in parentheses.
1  _____ ( , , )     .
2 . _____ (, $,  )  )  * .
3    ,  _____ ($, ,  )    
 ?
4   (always) _____ (, ,  )     ,
  _____ (, $, ) ?

Alphabet practice
Practise some more strange letters in familiar words:
*8 [bɔnus] bonus
* [brɔkεr] broker
% [darts] darts
* [binɔ] bingo
% [videɔ] video
%$ [dizajn] design
22   [laptɔp] laptop
4 Unit 1:  

‘To be’ – ‘I am’, ‘you are’ . . .

This is how we use the verb ‘to be’ in Bulgarian:
 " I am
  you (sing.) are
$ / + /   he is/she is/it is
  we are
  you (pl.) are
  they are
(pronounced  ")
Here are some examples:
F " %*. I’m fine.
  %*. You are fine.
+   F(. She is from England.
$  . He is here.
   #(. We are from Sofia.
  %*. You (pl. or sing. formal) are fine.
   . They are from Varna.

Exercise 2
Rearrange the following sentences to make a conversation.
. ?  ? )  " %*.
/%+, %* " .

Exercise 3
Put the correct pronoun in place, choosing from:
 az I,  mu you (sing.), $ moÈ he,
( mfl she,  mo it,  Ìue we,  bue you (pl.),
 me they
1 _____   )   .
2 _____    , .
3 " _____   .
4 _____   */ .
5 0   * ? _____  , .
6 _____        ?
 Unit 1: Getting acquainted 5

11 Unstressed words
Notice that the pronouns , , . . . ‘I’, ‘you’, . . . , are stressed,
while the forms of ‘to be’, " , , . . ., are unstressed. Bulgarian
has a special class of unstressed words, which you will see more
of in the following units. They have a second characteristic that
goes with being unstressed: they may never immediately follow a
pause, or (for most practical purposes) they may never stand at
the beginning of a sentence. So, if you need to use an explicit
personal pronoun for emphasis, you say:
11
 " %* I’m fine
  %* they’re fine
However, normally you don’t need the pronoun, so you will just
say:
%* " I’m fine
%*  they’re fine
with the unstressed word after the stressed word. Think of the
unstressed words as fragile little things that cannot stand the cold
draught from the sentence border and have to be tucked behind
a fully stressed word!

Exercise 4
Complete the following with the correct form of " ‘to be’.
1  _____ .
2   _____   .
3 + _____ %.
4     _____ 2 .
5 + _____ , .
6 2 _____ 3  .
7 . _____ */ .

Exercise 5
Remove the personal pronoun from the following sentences and
rearrange word order as needed.
Example: F " %* –  
1 +   . __________ .
22 2 .   . __________ .
6 Unit 1:  

3 2   , . __________ .

4 2    . __________ .
5 +  2 . __________ .
6 +   . __________ .

Dialogue 2
Much later, Georgi is still at the café. Ana returns with Mary.

: ( ,  .       & * 

4 !
* : .   & 4 , * , .
 :     . 5    .
* : "    .
 : 2   /, ?
* : (, /  .
 : 0   ?
* : 0 , . 2  6    ?
 : . ,     .

ANA: Good afternoon, Georgi. Meet (lit. ‘get acquainted

with’) Ms Mary White!
MARY: Not ‘Ms White’, Mary, please.
GEORGI: I’m Georgi. Pleased to meet you.
MARY: I’m pleased too.
GEORGI: You are English, aren’t you?
MARY: Yes, I’m English.
GEORGI: Where are you from?
MARY: From London. Are you
a student?
GEORGI: No, I’m a
programmer.
 Unit 1: Getting acquainted 7

11 Vocabulary
%*" % good morning, good afternoon
( please
+    pleased to meet you (stock phrase at introductions)
 "% from where
  programmer

Language points 2
11
Nationalities are always expressed by separate words for men and
women:
. ,   American man, American woman
.=, = Englishman, Englishwoman
0 ,   German man, German woman
=, 8( Turkish man, Turkish woman
) ,   Italian man, Italian woman
/, * Bulgarian man, Bulgarian woman

Negation
Negation is expressed by , which usually goes before the verb.
F ",+  I regret
F  ",+  I don’t regret
     We want coffee
      We don’t want coffee
In this spot before the verb,  has a curious behaviour: it is a
stressed word, but the stress is transferred to the word that immedi-
ately follows. In this way, the unstressed words that you remember
from earlier in this unit may become stressed:
F   *. I am not a Bulgarian.
+    . She is not a German (woman).
This has no effect when the following word is a stressed word: in
      above the verb    does not get more
stress than it already has, but in F   * the normally
unstressed " has received the stress from , which is left without
stress. (In the he/she forms, you may sometimes hear   as well
22 as  .)
8 Unit 1:  

If you listen closely, you will also hear that when Mary says ‘
 , 7$ ’ in the dialogue, the  is stressed, because here it
is not in front of a verb!

The verb 

In just one verb, the negation particle  fuses with the verb to
form a new verb with incorporated negation: +  ‘not to have’
(compare with   ‘to have’). Apart from that, it behaves like
any other -verb:
&    ? – , +  .
Do you have coffee? – No, we don’t.
& -     ? – , +  .
Do you have time for coffee? – No, I haven’t.

Questions
Yes/no-questions are formed by adding the question particle :
$  *. $ *  ?
He is a Bulgarian. Is he a Bulgarian?
F      . F       ?
Ana has time for coffee. Does Ana have time for coffee?
This particle is always unstressed. Put it after the verb or what-
ever other word constitutes the base for the question:
+       ?
Don’t you have time for coffee?
   0?
Is Georgi here?
For the other type of questions, those that are not answerable with
‘yes’ or ‘no’, you use question-words. Most question-words in
Bulgarian begin with -: e.g.  ‘how’, "% ‘where’.
  0?
How is Georgi?
"%  F?
Where is Ana?
 Unit 1: Getting acquainted 9

11 Polite address
Address people as , unless you know them very well and/or
they suggest you use . Ana introduces her friend rather formally
as  , ' 7$ . She could also have used  ,
(‘Miss’) 7$ , as Mary is single, but  , (‘Mrs’) is commonly
used as an equivalent to ‘Ms’. Although Mary insists on being
addressed by her first name, Georgi still uses the  form – after
all, they have only just met.

11
Exercise 6
Complete the answers to the following questions.
Example: ' *  ? – ,  .
Is Mary (a) Bulgarian? – No, she isn’t.
1 F    ? – , __________ .
(Does Ana want coffee? – No, __________ .)
2 F *  ? – 1, __________ .
(Is Ana Bulgarian? – Yes, __________ .)
3 F  '    ? , __________ .
(Do Ana and Mary want coffee? – No, __________ .)
4 .   ? 1, __________ .
(Are you American? – Yes, __________ .)
5 0  F  F(  ? , __________ .
(Are Georgi and Ana from England? – No, __________ .)

Exercise 7
Do some silly, persistent questioning. Ask Georgi what national-
ity he is, using  , =,  , =,
 , * (of which obviously only one will be correct)
with the  form, and give his answers.
Example: 0,    ?
– ,    .
Georgi, are you an American?
22 – No, I am not an American.
10 Unit 1:  

Exercise 8
Ask Mary the same questions, using the  form and  ,
  ,  ,   ,   ,   .
Example: ,    ?
– ,    .
Mary, are you an American?
– No, I am not an American.

Cultural note: ‘yes’/‘no’ in body language

You may have heard that the Bulgarian body language for ‘yes’
and ‘no’ is the other way round from Western European equiva-
lents. That is to some extent true, but we want to give you the full
picture. The following is about as difficult as it gets in this book,
so give us your full attention.
The ‘no’ you are used to is a head shake, the opposite, ‘yes’, is
a nod. Bulgarian body language ‘no’ is not a ‘nod’, which usually
starts from above going down and may be repeated, but a single
nod starting from below and going up. It may, for good measure,
be accompanied by the sound that in English expresses disapproval
and is usually represented by ‘tsk, tsk’, but in Bulgarian there is
usually only one instance of ‘tsk’.
The ‘yes’ you are used to is a nod, the opposite, ‘no’, is a head
shake. Bulgarian ‘yes’ in body language is not a quick shaking of
the head, but rather a leisurely wagging from side to side, with no
accompanying sound.
Got that? The rest of the book will be a breeze. (Oh, and people
in the tourist business often try to adjust their body language to
what is common in Western Europe. But do hang on in there.)
 Unit 1: Getting acquainted 11

11 Dialogue 3 (Audio 1; 8)

At the café, Ana grabs a menu from the next table and hands it to
Mary.

:   !     ?

: , .
:       ?
: , !  ,  , .
"!: # $%!. %   . &' , ,
11 ' , ! ( $ !
 
: &' , "!!

ANA: Here you are! Do you want [some] tea or coffee?

MARY: Coffee, please.
ANA: Don’t you want any juice or Coke?
MARY: No, thank you, just coffee, please.
GEORGI: I’m leaving. It’s late already. Goodbye, Ana, goodbye,
Mary! [Have a] nice day!
ANA and
MARY: Goodbye, Georgi!

Vocabulary
 to want  tea
  juice   Coca-Cola, Coke
 to leave  late
 already

Exercise 9
Complete the following sentences, using the example given below.
Example:  .   ?
I am leaving. Are you leaving?
1  $%!. "! _____ ?
2 #   . ) _____ ?
3  $%!. * _____ , ! ' +$?
4 #   . ) _____  ?
5 # %#. ) _____ ?
22 6 ) %#$. * _____ ,   "!?
2    
In the hotel and at home

In this unit you will learn how to:

• Ask about availability

• Express qualities by using adjectives
• Use verbs of the -class

Dialogue 1 (Audio 1; 9)

On a hot summer’s day, Georgi Petrov arrives at the hotel.

 : ( .     5 . #

 7   8 .
%6& : ( ,    5 ,  $.
9      . . . (checks the reservations).
(, :   5 ,  /  ,   
).      –  :$   ?
 : 5   /   . #   ?
%6& : (,   . /,  /    .
 : (, / . 5 :   . # 
 ?
%6& : (,     6   .

GEORGI: Good morning. My name is Georgi Petrov. I have

a reservation at this hotel.
RECEPTIONIST: Good morning, Mr Petrov. Just a moment . . . yes,
here it is: Georgi Petrov, single room, for one
night. What kind of room do you want – with a
shower or with a bathtub?
GEORGI: I prefer [one] with a tub. Is there a TV set?
 Unit 2: In the hotel and at home 13

11 RECEPTIONIST: Yes, of course. So, a single room with a bath.

GEORGI: Yes, right. I’m travelling by car. Is there a car
park?
RECEPTIONIST: Yes, there is a large and convenient car park.

Vocabulary
   my name is  ( booking
%* %- welcome!   here; here
it is
11 %= ( single room  (f.) night
with %- shower
 bath(tub) %=  to prefer
  television set *  of course
=  right, exactly "   to travel
 car  car park
+ large, big 8%* convenient

Language points 1

Gender of nouns
Nouns in Bulgarian belong to one of three genders: masculine,
feminine or neuter. The gender can in most cases be gleaned from
the ending:
• Nouns ending in a consonant (including $) are usually mascu-
line:
8% (male) student
, man
8$ museum
• Nouns ending in - or -( are feminine:
8%  (female) student
, woman
( room
• Some feminine nouns also end in a consonant:
 night
22 = evening
14 Unit 2:    

• Nouns ending in - or - are neuter:

+  place
  name
* sky
So why do you need to know the gender of a noun? Among other
things, to use the correct pronoun: you use the masculine and femi-
nine pronouns $ and + not only to refer to males and females,
but also to refer to any masculine or feminine noun:
"%  F? – +  .
Where’s Ana? – She is here.
0   . +  .
Georgi has a car. It is here.

&   + . $   .

We have a large car park. It is just opposite.

Gender of adjectives
Adjectives are words that describe the qualities or properties of
things, and they go in front of the nouns they qualify. They change
according to the gender of the noun, nicely echoing the pattern
you have already seen for the nouns. The masculine form usually
ends in a consonant:

  8% merry (male) student

 , old man
* 8$ nice museum
The masculine form is also the look-up form that appears in
dictionaries. Add - to form the feminine:
  8%  merry (female) student
% , young woman
*  ( nice room
Add - to form the neuter:

*  +  nice place

*    nice name
  * grey sky
 Unit 2: In the hotel and at home 15

1 Pointing
The word ‘this’ in Bulgarian changes by gender:
    + this hotel is big
     this car is new
  +   *  this place is nice
The neuter form   may also be used on its own:
   ' this is Mary
1    =8%  this is wonderful

Existence – /
You already know the verbs   ‘to have’ and +  ‘not to
have’. When used in the third person singular   and + , they
can also have the meanings ‘there is’ and ‘there is not’:
&   ? Is there a car park?
, +  . No, there isn’t a car park.

Exercise 1
Match the adjectives on the right with the nouns on the left.
   
 & 6 
   
8   

Dialogue 2 (Audio 1; 11)

Svetla goes to see the Petrov family. She rings the bell, and Milena
opens the door.

* :   , % .   ,  !

% :   , * . .  7 ,   !
* : '   6 !     !
% : *. (Looking around) #   8:
   .
* : (, 8: . * ,  6 . # :8, 
2  8.
16 Unit 2:    

% : #  ?

* : (,    .
% :    ?
* : <)    .
% : +   . !   ?   ?
* : #        . % :/
 .
% : +    $   ?
* :      :,   
 ,        . % 8 
 :    .

MILENA: Hello, Svetla. Please come in!

SVETLA: Hello, Milena. I’m bringing you flowers, here you are!
MILENA: What a beautiful bouquet! Thanks very much!
SVETLA: You’re welcome. You (pl.) have a very nice flat.
MILENA: Yes, it’s nice. Small but comfortable. It has a kitchen,
a bedroom and a sitting room.
SVETLA: Does it have a balcony?
MILENA: Yes, it has a large balcony.
SVETLA: Where’s Georgi?
MILENA: He’s still at work.
SVETLA: He works a lot. And how are you? What’s new?
MILENA: I too don’t have much free time. I am studying
German now.
SVETLA: You don’t speak German?
MILENA: I speak English and Russian, [and] I understand a bit
of German, but I don’t speak that language well. I am
taking [lit. ‘going to’] German lessons now.

Vocabulary
 (, -- to bring, carry   + (pl.) flowers
  beautiful *8 bunch, bouquet
( you’re welcome, * beautiful, fine
don’t mention it
   apartment, flat ", - small
 ( kitchen ( bedroom
 sitting room * balcony
 still, yet * (, -- to work
 new *%, -% free, available
=, -- to study   German
 Unit 2: In the hotel and at home 17

11  (, -- to speak $  English

  Russian * to understand
 a little  language
 now, at the %(; %( to go; to go
moment   to lessons

11

Language points 2

Verbs in --
This is how -verbs change in person and number. You will note
slight differences in the endings as compared with the -verbs:
  ( I speak
  - you (sing.) speak
$/ +/    he/she/it speaks
   we speak
    you (pl. and formal) speak
  ( they speak
Bulgarian has no infinitive form (e.g. ‘to speak’), so verbs are listed
in dictionaries under their first person singular form:   ‘to
22 have’,  ( ‘to speak’. Unfortunately, you are not always able
18 Unit 2:    

to tell which group the verb belongs to from this form. It is safe
to assume that all verbs ending in - in their dictionary form are
-verbs. Also, that most (not all) verbs ending in -( are -verbs,
as are verbs ending in -=, such as = ‘to study’. A good rule is
to learn both the first and second person singular of any new verb,
e.g.:  (,  -; =, =-.

Disappearing vowels
Some adjectives have a vowel in the last syllable of the masculine
form that disappears in the other forms, for example:
"   small hotel
 ( small room
  small café
8%*   comfortable hotel
8%* ( comfortable room
8%* +  comfortable place
These adjectives end in either - or -"- plus a consonant, but not
all adjectives with these endings lose their last vowel. Therefore,
we indicate disappearing vowels in the vocabulary, as you have
seen for " and *% above (p. 16).

Exercise 2
Complete the following with the correct form of  ‘this’.
1 =    . #$  _____  ?
2 =   6 . #$  _____ 6 ?
3 =    . #$  _____  ?
4 =    . #$  _____  ?

Exercise 3
Complete the following with the correct form of  ( ‘to speak’.
1  _____  .
2 + _____  '   .
3  _____   .
4 + _____   ?
5 . _____  ,  *  _____  :.
 Unit 2: In the hotel and at home 19

1 Exercise 4 (Audio 1; 12)

Answer the following questions.

1 +  $ ? – (, _____ .
2 +   $   ? – (, _____ .
3     ? – . , _____ .
4     7 ? – (, _____ .
5 2 8     :    ,   & !  ? – . ,
_____ .
1 6 + :/$  ' ? – (, _____ .

Exercise 5
Use   ‘to have’, * ( ‘to work’, %( ‘to go’ or  ( ‘to
speak’ to complete the blanks in the following.
1 + _____   :   ' ?
2 . _____  .
3  , _____      ?
4  _____        (firm).

Dialogue 3 (Audio 1; 13)

Mary is looking for a flat and visits a property agency. She is greeted
by the clerk.

%6& : ( .  / ?

* : +'        .
%6& :     /  ? 2   ?
* : 5   /   ,7.
%6& : #     . 9       
.
* : 0   ?
%6& : (,    , ,  ,
  , > ,   $.
* : #       ?
%6& : . , ,   . #     
   6 „2 $”,   6$/. 2
:$  ?
2 * : . ,  :$.
20 Unit 2:    

%6& : +       ,  .

* : <, ,     . +  
   .

CLERK: Good morning. May I help you?

MARY: I’m looking for a small flat to rent.
CLERK: Where do you prefer? In which district?
MARY: I prefer [one] in Lozenets.
CLERK: We have one available there. A one-bedroom flat with
facilities.
MARY: Is it furnished?
CLERK: Yes, it has a large bed, a sofa, bookshelf, wardrobe,
desk and a small closet.
MARY: Is there central heating and hot water?
CLERK: No, there isn’t, there is a water heater. We also have
a bed-sitting room on boulevard Vitosha, but for a
non-smoker. Do you smoke?
MARY: No, I don’t.
CLERK: This room has both central heating and a telephone.
MARY: Oh yes, I definitely want a telephone. This offer is very
interesting.
 Unit 2: In the hotel and at home 21

11 Vocabulary
  *= ? may I help you?  (, -- to look for, seek
(lit. ‘what do
you like?’)
   % apartment to let %=  to prefer

   city region, quarter   offer
*( bathroom, facilities * % furnished
 bed %  couch, sofa
11 **  bookshelf %* dresser,
wardrobe
*C desk, writing
table - cupboard
 central heating ", - warm, hot
% water *$ water heater
  + , independent, 8-= non-smoker
- self-contained
-, -- to smoke   definitely,
absolutely
  , -  interesting

Exercise 6
There’s a lot of things you’d want in a flat. Make small dialogues
for asking about them and answering, following the pattern.
Example: &   *? – 1,    .
Is there a balcony? –Yes, right over there.
Use the words  ( ‘kitchen’,  ‘telephone’,  
‘television set’, and ( ‘bedroom’.

Exercise 7

Rearrange the words to make sentences.

1 8 , ,  , , 
2 ,  ,  , , 8 , 6 , :
3 , , , ,  , :$
4 , :,  , ,   
22 5 , * ,  ,  ,  
3   
In the restaurant

In this unit you will learn how to:

• Order in a restaurant
• Talk about meals
• Count to ten
• Use object pronouns
• Use the definite article
• Use verbs of the -class

Dialogue 1 (Audio 1; 14)

Georgi tells Petar about his new friend Mary.

 : $ ,       , .

5 : !/ . . .     , ?
 : . ,    $.        7.
+   * . (  /    7 .
5 : 2   7       8:  
   '  :8. -  8    
„ ”. ?   , )     
    .
 :      ?
5 : . :7 „+ ”,  . 2 / -
     8 .    
 7.
 : $      ?
5 :   ,    – 8-7-3-4-5-6.
 : (  ,        
„ ”.       ) .
 Unit 3: In the restaurant 23

11 GEORGI: Do you know, I have a new [female] acquaintance,

from England.
PETAR: An Englishwoman . . . I don’t know her, do I?
GEORGI: No, you don’t know her. I have known her for a week.
Her name is Mary. Tonight we are going to a pizza
restaurant.
PETAR: Instead of a pizza restaurant, go to a nice restaurant
with good Bulgarian cuisine. I often go to restaurant
‘Astra’. I like it, because it is quiet and has a large
garden.
11 GEORGI: Where is this restaurant?
PETAR: On Targovska street, next to the bridge. In the
evenings there’s usually a lot of people there. I always
make a reservation.
GEORGI: Do you know the phone number of the restaurant?
PETAR: I know it, of course – 8-7-3-4-5-6.
GEORGI: Good, then I reserve a table in restaurant ‘Astra’.
Thank you for [your] assistance.

Vocabulary
(, - to know (a fact)   acquaintance
(female)
  to know, be %  week
acquainted
with
% = tonight    to go
  instead of ( pizza restaurant
%*, %*, good =  often
%*
  to like   because
, -$ quiet % garden
 street % next to, by,
beside
 bridge = (adv.) in the evening,
evenings
*  usually  (pl.) people
 always   then, in that
case
22   table   (f.) help
24 Unit 3:   

Language points 1

Tag questions
In English, you can make a declarative sentence into a question
by adding a tag that echoes the verb, for example ‘You speak
Bulgarian, don’t you?’. In Bulgarian, you simply add the little word
, for example 0 - *" , ?, & - ,
? ‘You have a car, haven’t you?’

Definite article
Like English, Bulgarian has a definite article, but while the English
article is a separate word, placed before the noun, the Bulgarian
article is tacked on to the end of the word. ‘A fish’ or ‘fish’ is
*, and ‘the fish’ is * . Furthermore, it has different forms
for the three genders:

(1) Masculine: -" (-)

  restaurant
  " (  ) the restaurant
, man
", ( ",) the man
The masculine article differs from the feminine and neuter in
having two forms depending on the role the noun plays in the
sentence.
(a) Use the long form ending in - when the noun serves as the
subject of the sentence:

'", =  .
The man is reading a book.

6  "    „6 ”.

The restaurant is on Rakovski street.

– or when it follows the verb " ‘to be’:

      " ?
Is that the restaurant?
 Unit 3: In the restaurant 25

11 (b) In any other position, use the short form:

+   ",.
She is talking to the man.
 ,% ",.
I don’t see the man.
This distinction is ignored in the spoken language, where the
shorter form ", is more common than ", .
This is also one of the few cases where the spelling does not
11 reflect the pronunciation – the ending - is actually pronounced as
if it were spelled with -": ",,   ".
With masculine nouns ending in -$, the $ of the noun and the
" of the article will be spelled with the letter (, but is read as $"
(see also ‘Introduction’, p. vii):
=$ =( (=() the tea (pronounced as if
spelled =$" , =$")

(2) Feminine: - 
 car   the car
, woman ,  the woman
In feminine nouns ending in a consonant, the stress always moves
to the article:
  help    the help
 night   the night

(3) Neuter: - 
  time    the time
 bed   the bed
A good rule of thumb for beginners is to use the Bulgarian article
where you would use ‘the’ in English. There are some minor excep-
tions, and we’ll look at them later.

Exercise 1
Use the model below to complete the following sentences.
Example: &  % . –  +%$ !
22 I want a juice. – Here’s your juice!
26 Unit 3:   

1 # _____  . –    _____ !

2 # _____ . –    _____ !
3 # _____ /. –    _____ !
4 # _____ 7. –    _____ !
5 # _____  /. –    _____ !
6 # _____ . –    _____ !

Object pronouns
You have already learned to say ‘I’, ‘you’, ‘he’, ‘she’ etc., and now
you will learn to say ‘me’, ‘you’, ‘him’, ‘her’ etc. Here are both
types of pronoun shown together:
  me
  you
$  him
+ ( her
  it
  us
  you (pl. and formal)
  them
These pronouns belong to the class of unstressed words that you
learned about in Unit 1, p. 5. In principle, their place is just in
front of the verb in the sentence:
<  %(    . '    .
I often go to this restaurant. I like it very much.
"%   ? – F ( = .
Where’s the book? – Ana is reading it.
But, like " , they can never come immediately after a pause:
<  %(    . :  .
I often go to this restaurant. I like it.
! -  F? – !  (.
Do you know Ana? – Yes, I do.
And, like " , they may receive the stress transferred from  (see
Unit 1):
&  %    .   +  -.
I have a new (female) aquaintance. You don’t know her.
 Unit 3: In the restaurant 27

1 Exercise 2
You know a lot of people, don’t you? Give a positive answer to
all the questions, following this example.
Example: ! -  F? – 1,   (.
Do you know Ana? – Yes, I do.
1 5 $  5 ? – (, _____ .
2 5 $  5  !? – (, _____ .
3 5 $  ? – (, _____ .
1 4 5 $  ? – (, _____ .
5   ! ,     * ? – (, _____ .
6   ! ,     5 ? – (, _____ .
7   ! ,     *    ? –
(, _____ .

Exercise 3
This is almost the same as Exercise 2, but give negative answers
this time. Remember to stress the word immediately following the
negative particle  (see Unit 1).
Example: ! -  F? – ,  +   .
Do you know Ana? – No, I don’t.
1 5 $  *    ? – . ,  _____ .
2 5 $  5 ? – . ,  _____ .
3 5 $  ? – . ,  _____ .
4 5 $  ? – . ,  _____ .
5 *     5 ? – . ,  _____ .
6 *     5  ? – . ,  _____ .
7 *     ? – . ,  _____ .

Dialogue 2 (Audio 1; 16)

Georgi and Mary are in the restaurant. They are studying the menu.

* :  ,      „%&”?

 : . $ ?   ,     
  7,  , /  , .
* :      '   :8.
2  : . 8 $     ?
28 Unit 3:   

* : (, 8 . 0  7   /   

  .  /    
 '/  &  $  .
 : = / $  )  '   68. 0/$
 $  ?
* : (, / ,    „%&”.
 : 2          .
* : +      .   /$ 
 .
 : (  .     @ ? !,  ,  . . . .
*,     „%&”,   $
 ,    , /$   .

MARY: Georgi, what’s in a ‘Snezhanka’ salad?

GEORGI: Don’t you know? Yogurt, finely chopped cucumber,
dill, garlic, salt.
MARY: I don’t know Bulgarian cuisine very well.
GEORGI: Don’t you dine out?
MARY: I do. I have a pizza or a sandwich for lunch in a
restaurant near the office. For supper I usually order
a pork chop and shopska salad.
GEORGI: There, you do know someting about Bulgarian cuisine.
Do you like shopska salad ?
MARY: Yes, I do, but now I would like a ‘Snezhanka’.
GEORGI: In Bulgaria we drink fruit brandy with salad.
MARY: That’s a very potent drink. I would like a glass of
white wine.
GEORGI: Good. Where’s the waiter . . . Ah, there he is, he’s com-
ing. . . . Please, one Snezhanka salad, one shopska
salad, one small fruit brandy, a glass of white wine.

Vocabulary
  salad   + yogurt
+ cut-up, chopped;    cucumber
+  finely chopped
 
" dill = " garlic
 salt  ( cuisine; kitchen
 pizza % = (toasted) sandwich
 office =( supper, evening
meal
 Unit 3: In the restaurant 29

11 =  to order ", cutlet

= (adv.) in the evening, -    ‘farmer’s’ salad
evenings (with feta cheese)
*= to love, like (, - to drink
( fruit brandy , - strong, potent
  drink, beverage =- glass, cup
*+ white  wine
  A waiter %  to come

11

Language points 2

Show and tell:

The meaning of   is ‘here is . . .’ or ‘there is . . .’. Perhaps surpris-
ingly, it takes an object pronoun:
I  0. Here’s Georgi./There’s Georgi.
I  . Here he is./There he is.
I   . Here’s the car./There’s the car.
I  (. Here it is./There it is.
I  0  F. Here are Georgi and Ana./
There are Georgi and Ana.
22 I  . Here they are./There they are.
30 Unit 3:   

Exercise 4
Complete the following sentences (assume that you are able to
point to whatever is asked for). Use the example as a guide.
Example: "%    ? – I  (!
Where is the salad? – Here it is!
1   7 ? – = _____ !
2     ? – = _____ !
3      ? – = _____ !
4    / ? – = _____ !
5   * ? – = _____ !
6    / ? – = _____ !
7    /   / ? – = _____ !

Counting to ten (Audio 1; 17)

 0 - 6
% 1 % 7
%  2   8
 3 %  9
=  4 %  10
 5

Verbs in --
This is the last of the three types of verbs. Here are two examples:
 =  I read
 = - you (sing.) read
$/ +/  =  he/she/it reads
 =  we read
 =   you (pl. and formal) read
 =  they read
 ( I drink
 - you (sing.) drink
$/ +/   he/she/it drinks
  we drink
   you (pl. and formal) drink
 ( they drink
 Unit 3: In the restaurant 31

11 In both - and -verbs, there is a lack of correspondence between

pronunciation and spelling in the ‘I’ and ‘they’ forms: = , = 
are pronounced as if written = , =  , and (, ( as if
$", $" . This is the norm, but in some dialects the endings
are pronounced as written.

Exercise 5
Complete the following sentences.
Example: F =  .    = -?
11
I am reading a book. What are you reading?
1    . +  _____ ?
2  /  .    _____ ?
3 .   . +  _____ ?
4 2    .   _____ ?
5 + /   (‘novel’). 2  _____ ?
6         . .  _____ ?
7 + / $ .   _____ ?

Verbs of eating
‘To eat’ is an -verb, but with a slight irregularity in its ‘I’-form
(first person singular). The remaining forms are regular:
 + I eat
 (%- you (sing.) eat
$/ +/  (% he/she/it eats
 (% we eat
 (%  you (pl. and formal) eat
 (% they eat
The main meals of the day have their own separate verbs. A typical
day might go like this:
  .
I have breakfast at home.
*+%  % ( %  .
I lunch at a pizza restaurant next to the office.
=(    .
22 I have supper in a restaurant.
32 Unit 3:   

You can also use these verbs to indicate what you are having for
the meal:
*+%  .
I have pizza for lunch.

Exercise 6
These people have some strange meal habits. Change the verbs of
eating so that the sentences show more traditional fare for the time
of the day.
1 2/     7  -.
2 + /  :   &  /$    
„ ”.
3 2     ,     7 
(‘cigarette’).
4   :    /$   .
5 2/   /   /     .

Dialogue 3
Meanwhile, the couple at the next table seem to have rather different
appetites. Is the lady really hungry?

A : * ' / $ B . %6   /

$ / : . . .
* &' : %:   :,      . *
    . #  ) : : :,
 ,      .
A : !  )  '  . 0   
 . .    & .
* &' : *&     ?
A : .   ? 3      : 
„%&”  /   –  /   .
* &' : (,  . . $ ) . (To the waiter)
*,    '/.
%  @ : (, :$ .
* &' : #   $ :,   $  ,
    &     6   .
%  @ : !    & ?
* &' : +    ! #      6 
   .
 Unit 3: In the restaurant 33

11 Vocabulary
% (adv.) long 8 (adv.) surely
= everything  by heart
  in the morning %, -% hungry
 , -  tasty  soup
+  dish, course   meat
* at all ,%, -% thirsty
 onion   smell
  pork chop,  %  " to be on a
11 ", cutlet diet
*8  bottle

Language points 3

Double negation
Always double your negations!  means ‘nothing’, but you
still need to add a negation to the verb:
+    . She doesn’t want anything.
  ,% . I can see nothing.

Doubled prepositions
In the written language, the preposition ‘with’ is ‘doubled’ to "
when it occurs in front of a word starting with either or :
! ( "   .
We drink fruit brandy with the salad.
&  ", " .
I want a pork chop with cabbage.
Similarly ‘in’, ‘into’ is doubled to " in front of or :
   " .
I am going to Varna.
6* ( "   .
22 I work in the firm.
34 Unit 3:   

In informal spoken language these prepositions are often doubled

in any position.

#    " .

The salad contains (lit. ‘is with’) onions.

   " 6 .
I am going to Ruse.

Exercise 7
Either % ‘hungry’ or ,% ‘thirsty’ will fit in each of the
empty spaces below. Fill them in.

1 *   __________ #    .

2    __________ # :,  &   .
3 ,    __________ ? . $   .
4 .   __________ #        
   .
5    , )   ? .   __________ ?
6 +   __________ ,   __________ #     
     .

Exercise 8
More food, anyone? Give positive and negative answers to the
following questions.

Example: & -  ?

– 1,   . – ,     .
Do you want coffee?
– Yes, I do. – No. I don’t.

1 #$   ? – (, _____ . – . , _____ .

2    * ,    ? – (, _____ . – . , _____ .
3 #$  /? – (, _____ . – . , _____ .
4 +    ? – (, _____ . – . , _____ .
5      &? – (, _____ . – . , _____ .
6 A     ? – (, _____ . – . , _____ .
 Unit 3: In the restaurant 35

11 Exercise 9
Read through the following passage, which has verbs of all three
types.
0 *  % +   . *   
.  *    =$. *+%   .  % 
=     . = =   . <  % 
      .
Now write the passage using  instead of 0.
11
Example: F * ( % +    . . .
I work in a big firm . . .
Then write it once more using 0  F.
Example: 0  F * ( % +    . . .
Georgi and Ana work in a big firm . . .

Cultural note: tipping

Tipping is quite usual, except in very plain restaurants. Ten per
cent, or a reasonable rounding up of the bill, will usually be suffi-
cient. If the bill comes to 8 levs, you could hand the waiter a
10-lev note and say 1$     %   , ( ‘Give me
one lev change, please’. Or if the bill amounts to 9 levs, a simple
*%+ ‘thank you’ or   ‘thanks’ will signal that the waiter
may keep the rest. Taxi drivers don’t usually like to bother with
coins, so round up the bill to the nearest lev or so.

22
4 
 
Telephone conversation

In this unit you will learn how to:

• Make telephone calls

• Issue commands with imperatives
• Make plurals
• Count to 100
• Tell the time

Dialogue 1
Milena’s phone rings. Who is calling?

* :  ,  . & , , :$ .

*'&:  , (,   ?
* : *?   '  ?
*'&: +'  (. + ')  ?
* : +:  &   (.   & ?
*'&: .  & .  '   87-53-24.
* : +    ,  :  &  (. .
   ?
*'&: .      „-  ” . . .
* : % &,    $.
Soon the phone rings again.
* : (, . %:$.
*'&: (, &    ,  $,
  .
* : % &,   $   . +   / 
&  :,    ? .      /!
 Unit 4: Telephone conversation 37

11 MILENA: Hello, hello. Who’s that, please? (lit. ‘Say (what you
want), please, I’m listening’)
MAN: Hello, Desislava, is that you?
MILENA: Excuse me? Who are you looking for?
MAN: I’m looking for Desislava. Is she at home?
MILENA: There’s no Desislava living here. Who’s calling?
MAN: Impossible. I’m calling (lit. ‘seeking’) 87-53-24.
MILENA: The number is the right one, but Desislava does not
live here. Don’t you understand?
MAN: We know each other from the disco ‘Chervilo’ . . .
11 MILENA: Sorry, you’ve got the wrong number.
MILENA: Yes, hello. Who’s that? (lit. ‘I’m listening’)
MAN: Desislava, this is Boris calling, you remember, don’t
you, from the disco.
MILENA: Sorry, but you’ve got the number mixed up. That girl
does not live here, do you understand? Don’t call any
more!

Vocabulary
,, -- to say, speak, tell , (, , - to live, dwell
" , -  no, none *,%  to call, make a
call on
" , possible   number
%   disco, club - error
 (, -- to remember -, -- to err
22  "+, - to ring
38 Unit 4:   

Language points 1

Telephone etiquette
When you make a telephone call in Bulgaria, you are expected to
identify yourself first, not the other party. From a private line, you
might hear:
F! Hello.
or
F! #- . Hello.
(lit. ‘Hello, I’m listening’)
or
1, , , (! Hello.
(lit. ‘Yes, state your business, please’)
Businesses are more likely to identify themselves first:
9  „2  ”, %*" %!
Expert Company, good morning!
You are then expected to introduce yourself:
*,%  ' )  .  ( - # + .
This is Milena Ivanova. I’m looking for Mr Stoyanov.
If Mr Stoyanov actually happens to be the person who has lifted
the receiver, he’ll say:
 ! Speaking!
But if he has to be connected or called to the phone, the answer
might be:
2%   , (.
One moment, please.
!=$  %   ,   ,.
Wait a moment, I’ll put you through.
When the telephone conversation comes to an end, we usually say:
1= ! Goodbye!
 Unit 4: Telephone conversation 39

11 which is related to =  ‘to listen’, instead of % ,% (related

to ,% ‘to see’); or, in informal style, we would say just:
<! Bye!

Exercise 1
The lines of this telephone conversation are jumbled. Put them in
the right order.
1 +  :,    . +    .
11
2 5 ')  ?
3  , :$ .
4 . ,   & ?
5 ( /:!
6    %  ,     5 .
7    ! ( /:.

Imperative
Imperatives are special verb forms used to give instructions or
commands, for example <$! ‘Wait!’. There is one form for the
singular, for issuing a command to a single person, and a plural
form that is also used when talking to single persons with whom
you are on polite  terms. This latter form always ends in - .
They are formed differently for the three groups of verbs, so be
sure to have a quick look back at the preceding units to check that
you know the present tense of -, - and -verbs.

• -verbs
-$, -$  =$, =$  wait

• - and -verbs
(i) those that have a vowel right before their  or :
-$, -$  $, $  drink
(ii) the remainder (that is, those with a consonant before the
ending):
-, -  = , =   read
22 -, -   ,    speak
40 Unit 4:   

The imperative endings -, -  are always stressed. With the other
endings, stress falls on the same syllable as in the present tense.
The imperative of " ‘to be’ is *"%, *"% , for example
/"% " ! ‘Be patient!’.

Exercise 2
Complete the exchanges following the example.
Example:   = -?
– <  . – !%", $, =  !
What are you reading?
– I am reading a book. – Continue, read (on)!
1  $? _____  . –5 &, _____ !
2  :$$? _____ :. – 5 &, _____ !
3   ? _____  . – 5 & , _____ !
4  :/$? _____ . – 5 &, _____ !
5  :/ ? _____  . – 5 & , _____ !
6  / ? _____ . – 5 & , _____ !

Dialogue 2
The phone rings, and Milena thinks it is the wrong number again,
but who is it and why does she call?

* : .    /! +   /  &  :!

: * ,   ? ) $ ?  
& .
* : ,  &,  :     
 $ . . .
:  $ ? 0   !
* : ! . . . &  ,     / ,  .
:   , * .    6. 2
'      ').
* : <,   , . !  8   $?
:      ,    % 
5 .
* :   / 6 ?
: 2 8 /.
 Unit 4: Telephone conversation 41

11 * : (  , '  . ( /:!

: ( /:!

MILENA: Don’t call any more! That girl does not live here!
ANA: Milena, what’s going on? Why do you say that? This
is Ana calling.
MILENA: Ana, I’m sorry, but there are so many wrong numbers
on the phone . . .
ANA: Wrong numbers? Explain what’s going on!
MILENA: Well . . . people call, ask about girls, discos . . .
11 ANA: Forget that, Milena. I’m inviting you to a party. We
meet at my place on Saturday.
MILENA: Oh, thank you, Ana. Are you inviting many people?
ANA: Colleagues from the firm, friends from Sofia and
Plovdiv.
MILENA: When does the party start?
ANA: At eight.
MILENA: Fine, until Saturday, then. Goodbye!
ANA: Goodbye!

Vocabulary
 = more   to happen
(3rd pers. only)
*( +, -- to explain   to ask
* (, -- to forget (, -- to invite
8 (colloq.) party, gathering "* to collect;
"*   to get together
(1st pers. pl.)
+  friend =  to begin

Language points 2

Masculine plurals
Count the syllables
You will remember from Unit 2 (p. 13) that masculine nouns end
in a consonant (including $). They have two different endings to
form plurals – one for words of one syllable, and another for words
22 of two or more syllables.
42 Unit 4:   

• The single-syllable words add - :

    course, courses
   juice, juices
    bridge, bridges
Unfortunately, there is no hard and fast rule to tell where the
stress will fall in these plurals – it may fall either on the noun
or on any of the two vowels of the ending.

• Words of more than one syllable add - (with no change in

stress):
     restaurant, restaurants
* * balcony, balconies

• If the word ends in -$, the $ changes to :

8$ 8 museum, museums
 $   tram/streetcar, trams/
streetcars

Feminine plurals
Most feminine nouns end in - or -(, and to form the plural they
exchange that ending for an -:
    salad, salads
  soup, soups
(  fruit brandy, fruit brandies
In Unit 2 (p. 13) you saw that there are some feminines that do not
have the - ending and end in a consonant – these just add the -:
  night, nights
    morning, mornings

Neuter plurals
You have learned that neuter nouns mainly end in - or -. Those
ending in - add - :
 =  =  girl, girls
   (cup of) coffee, coffees
 Unit 4: Telephone conversation 43

11 This also applies to the few neuter nouns ending in -:

     cab/taxi, cabs/taxis

Neuter nouns ending in - exchange that ending for -, very often
with a move of stress to the ending:

  village, villages

  wine, wines

11 Masculine nouns in -
A few masculine nouns, most of them denoting persons, end in
-. They get the same definite article and plural ending as the femi-
nine nouns in -, but they take masculine adjectives:
( %  .
I’m inviting a new colleague.
/    ! % .
The father is from Plovdiv.

Exercise 3

Say ‘I have more than you’, following this example.

Example: &  % .

– .     .
I have a telephone.
– And I have many telephones.

1 # _____  . – !    _____ .

2 # _____  /. – !    _____ .
3 # _____  . – !    _____ .
4 ?   _____ : . – !  8    _____ .
5  _____   . – !    _____ .
6  _____    . – !    _____ .
7  _____   . – !    _____ .
22 8  _____  /. – !    _____ .
44 Unit 4:   

Dialogue 3 (Audio 1; 24)

Ana calls for a taxi. Where is she going?

A: „9 ” ,   / .

: #   '/ .
A: 0   ?
:   „# ”  17, 8 3.
A:   ,  8  „5” 
7 ?
: ( 8  „5”.
A:    ?
:     . 5       &,
. #  &.
A: "/ , . . . (short pause) + %-9856
 :    „# ”. -    
8 .
:     . ( /:!

Vocabulary
  cab, taxi   % I want to order
=
% address    city area
* block of flats % entrance
* % close to, near to * hospital
"% where to  airport
 (, -- send, dispatch *, luggage compart-
ment, boot
*, luggage = wait, hold on
= wait

Language points 3

Numbers 11 to 100
%$  (%%  ) 11
% $  (% %  ) 12
$  ( %  ) 13
= $  (= %  ) 14
 Unit 4: Telephone conversation 45

11  $  ( %  ) 15

- $  (- %  ) 16
% $  ( % %  ) 17
  $  (  %  ) 18
%  $  (%  %  ) 19
% $  (% %  ) 20
% $   % 21
% $   %  22
$  ( %  ) 30
11 = $  (= %  ) 40
 %  50
-$  (- %  ) 60
% %  70
  %  80
%  %  90
 100
  % $  120
 % $   % 121
Note the examples on the last two lines: composite number words
have only one  ‘and’, which is placed before the last element. The
forms shown in parentheses are used in official documents and very
careful speech. You can easily tell from them how the number
words are constructed: %  %  – ‘one on ten, 11’; %  % 
– ‘two ten, 20’.

Telling the time

The 24-hour system is used for all kinds of formal timekeeping –
public signs, railway and bus schedules, broadcast listings, etc. In
everyday speech, the 12-hour system dominates. In both systems,
you literally tell ‘what the hour is’:
<     .
It is eight o’clock. (lit. ‘the hour is eight’)
In order to say ‘I have breakfast at eight o’clock’ you would use:
    = .
I have breakfast at eight.
22 (lit. ‘I breakfast in the eight-hour’)
46 Unit 4:   

There are no exact equivalents to ‘a.m.’ and ‘p.m.’, so when the

time of day is not obvious from the context, as in the example we
just gave, you could add 8   ‘in the morning’, %*% ‘in
the afternoon’, or =  ‘in the evening’, as appropriate:
!    =  = .
I arrive at eight p.m.
For indicating the minutes, you need to use  ‘and’ down to the
‘bottom of the hour’:
<      %  .
It is ten past eight.
<      $  .
It is thirty minutes past eight.
Then use * ‘without’ up to the ‘top of the next hour’:
<   %  * % $    .
It is twenty-five minutes to nine.
<   %  * %  .
It is ten to nine.
For the quarters = " is sometimes used:
!  % * = " .
I arrive at a quarter to seven.
and   for ‘half’:
=(  %   .
We have supper at half past seven.
Pronunciation of 24-hour times should follow this pattern:
% $  (=  )  =     (  )
20.45

Exercise 4
Answer the following questions using the times provided in paren-
theses.
Example:   -?
– !  (19.50)   * %  .
When do you arrive?
– I arrive at ten to eight.
 Unit 4: Telephone conversation 47

11 1     $? – _____  (15.20) _____ .

2   / $? – _____  (19.30) _____ .
3   : * ? – _____  (7.45) _____ .
4    $? – _____  (13.30) _____ .
5       : ? – _____  (12.50) _____ .
6   /  ? – _____  (19.25) _____ .

Exercise 5
11 Tell the time on the clock faces below.
  =  ?
What time is it?

11 12 1 11 12 1 11 12 1
10 2 10 2 10 2
3 9 3 9 3
8 4 8 4 8 4
7 6 5 7 6 5 7 6 5

11 12 1 11 12 1 11 12 1
10 2 10 2 10 2
9 3 9 3 9 3
8 4 8 4 8 4
7 6 5 7 6 5 7 6 5

Exercise 6
Spell out these telephone numbers, following the example.

Example:
22 - 85 - 67 - 10
% $   %  –   %    – -$   % – % 

1 93-21-88
2 73-10-06
3 71-40-38
4 76-13-18
5 52-10-11
22 6 91-42-76
48 Unit 4:   

Exercise 7
Read Georgi’s business diary and answer the questions using the
informal 12-hour system. Use the ‘Glossary’ (pp. 252–81) if there
are words you do not know.
8.00   $  
10.00 # - # +  
11.00 (   ,   „> ”
12.30 *+% ',   „F *”
16.30 #   * „/  ”
19.30 =( „> ”    ( 
1     ?
2 2  /     7?
3 2  /     - %  ?
4     / ?
5      10 /.?
6 2  /   )  2 ?

Exercise 8
Write down a day from your own diary in Bulgarian, or use Georgi’s
diary in Exercise 7 with ‘I’-forms of the verbs, following this
example.
Example:   =      8  $  
. . . =        . . .

Cultural note:
beckoning
As early as Unit 1,
we introduced you to the
‘opposite’ ways of
indicating ‘yes’ and ‘no’
in body language. As if
that wasn’t enough,
Bulgarians also have
‘opposite’ ways of beckoning.
Western Europeans usually
signal ‘come here’ by
 Unit 4: Telephone conversation 49

11 stretching out a hand with an upturned palm and making a

‘beckoning’ gesture with the index finger. In Bulgaria, stretch out
your hand with your palm turned downwards and make a beckoning
gesture with all fingers (except with the thumb, which would be
difficult anyway). In many countries outside Bulgaria, this would
look like a ‘go away’ gesture, but in Bulgaria, it will hail you a cab
on the street.

11

22
5    
Books and newspapers

In this unit you will learn how to:

• Recognise verbal aspect pairs

• Talk about the future
• Make plurals of adjectives
• Name the days of the week

Dialogue 1 (Audio 1; 26)

Georgi and Petar are walking along the street when Georgi decides
to buy a newspaper. Why does Petar want a page from it?

 : 5 /     . C :     .

5 : +    6:$   7, ?
 : (,   . -      ,
  &      7,   
  &  8      $
  7 .
5 : %  .        $ .
 : + ? .  :  ?  '  
 /  . (To the newsagent) 9  „+ : ”,
.
5 / : 90  .
 : #      „Sofia Today”?
5 / : . ,      ,      .
C   :/ : .
 : (To Petar) !   $     
?
5 : . ,   $ )  , )  
 7     7 . +   
$$?  )  $.
 Unit 5: Books and newspapers 51

11 Vocabulary
= /= to wait   newspaper
8  /(, to buy   habit
--
%* in detail   piece of news
,% / look through,  page
% review
,% / to glance at   horoscope
%, --
11  never -  / to solve
-, --
"    crossword  (adv.) strange, peculiar
 busy   stotinka (1/100th
of a lev)*
8=  / to receive, get   journal, magazine
=, --
+   to have no   / to take
  objections  , --
* the currency of Bulgaria

22
52 Unit 5:    

Language points 1

Two verbs for one: verbal aspect

For every action that is described by one verb in English, you will
usually find two verbs in Bulgarian. ‘To buy’, for instance, may be
either 8  or (. There is no difference in lexical meaning
between these two verbs in the pair, but there are specific contexts
where either one or the other is called for.
The name of this language feature is aspect, and it comes with
two labels: imperfective (8  ) and perfective ((). In very
general terms, the difference between them is that the perfective
verbs imply completion of the action, while the imperfective verbs
do not necessarily imply that. That may sound rather abstract, but
we’ll give you more substantial guidance later on.
For the one tense that you already know, the present tense, the
imperfective forms are used, except in a number of special cases.
Make a point of learning both aspect forms of any new verb
from now on. There is no easy way of constructing one of the
members of a pair from the other, in the way you can construct
plural nouns from singular forms. There are, however, some
patterns that you will learn to recognise. Here are a few of the
most common ones:

• The perfective form has a prefix:

=  =  to read

• The perfective form has a - suffix (before the personal endings):

    to arrive

• The imperfective form has a -  suffix (before the personal

endings):
   ( to have breakfast

In the ‘Glossary’ (pp. 252–81) and in the vocabularies given in the

units, we will write the aspect pairs in the following way:
= /=  to read
The perfective aspect form will always be after the diagonal.
 Unit 5: Books and newspapers 53

11 Future tense
Welcome to the future. It is very simple and easy: just put 
(unstressed) in front of the present tense of the verb. For example,
let us take a look at =  ‘to read’:

  =  I will read
  = - you will read
$/ +  =  he will read/she will read
11   =  we will read
  =   you will read
  =  they will read

If you want to express a negation in the future tense, you will have
to use the two words +  % instead of :

 +  % =  I will not read

 +  % = - you will not read
$/ + +  % =  he will not read/
she will not read
 +  % =  we will not read
 +  % =   you will not read
 +  % =  they will not read

If the future action you are describing will take place on a single
occasion and be completed, you should use the perfective, as in
the first line in Dialogue 1 above (p. 50):

? (  .
I’m going to buy a newspaper.

But if you say:

0(  8   (  /"(.

Greece will buy electricity from Bulgaria.

then you are describing a transaction without any concept of

completedness – it may go on for an indefinite period of time.
22
54 Unit 5:    

Adverbs from adjectives

Making adverbs from adjectives is very simple: just use the neuter
form (ending in -):
+%  a rare book
6+% =  . I rarely read books.
 =  a strange man
+  % . She looks at me strangely.
%*  a detailed plan
!%* =    . I read the news in detail.

Exercise 1 (Audio 1; 27)

Make sentences following the example.

Example: <  8   . &    (  .
I often buy a newspaper.
Tomorrow I will also buy a newspaper.
1 -  6:$   . # :  __________ .
2 -  6:  /. # :  __________ .
3 -  : '). # :  __________ .
4   /  : '). # :  __________ .
5 2    :     8 /. # :  __________ .
6 .        7 /. # :  __________ .
7 +    : '). # :  __________ .

Exercise 2 (Audio 1; 28)

Now try to say the opposite of the sentences in Exercise 1, using

the negated future.
Example: <  8   .    +  % (
 .
I often buy a newspaper. But tomorrow I won’t
buy a newspaper.
1 -  6:$   . . :  __________ .
2 -  6:  /. . :  __________ .
3 -  : '). . :  __________ .
4   /  : '). . :  __________ .
 Unit 5: Books and newspapers 55

11 5 0    :     8 /. . :  __________ .

6 .        7 /. . :  __________ .
7 +    : '). . :  __________ .

More masculine plurals

Exceptions
Polysyllabic masculine nouns ending in - change the  to  when
11 the plural ending - is added:
    newspaper, newspapers
8=* 8=* textbook, textbooks
As you saw in Unit 4 (pp. 41–2), the general rule for masculine
nouns is that the monosyllabic ones get -  and the polysyllabic
ones -. There are some exceptions to both these rules.

• Some monosyllabic nouns pluralise by use of -:

   guest, guests
- % - % Swede, Swedes
   film, films
% % day, days

• And the other way round – a couple of polysyllabic nouns

take - :
 "    centre, centres

• There are also some odd plural endings that occur with just a
few nouns (see the ‘Grammar overview’, pp. 210–28, for a fuller
list):
, ", man, men
   road, roads
* * ( brother, brothers
  foot, feet; leg, legs

• Completely by itself stands the plural of =  ‘man’, ‘human

being’ – , with the additional nuance of ‘people’:
        .
22 There are always many people in this restaurant.
56 Unit 5:    

Dialogue 2 (Audio 1; 29)

Petar runs into Georgi in the centre of Sofia. They go to an open-

air book market. What does Petar decide to buy?

5 :   ,  .  $?

 : 0 & 7 . +'    6/ 
  ,   .
5 : .  ) „%  ”    ) 
 $,      6/ 7.
  . 9  .
 : ) $ ?  ) :$?
5 : C :         
  –       ' 
:. , ,    /   )
„%  ”.
 : 2&         %. #
       .
5 : +    $ %,    
  :   . "      
 ' ,       .
 : ,  '  . 5'    –
6/ ,      6 & ,   
  . (To the bookseller) C   
   . !     -' 
/?
5 / :   & ,    /7, 
6/ 7. . &         ).
5 : . &        . C :
       :.
 : 0 /  . +  )     :7 
   !

Vocabulary
*( / to walk around, 8=*; textbook;
*+, -- circle 8=*  textbook in
$  English
% (city) square   / to find
 (, --
%" gift +  girlfriend
 Unit 5: Books and newspapers 57

11   %  CD  music

(pl.   %  )
% (conj.) whether  ( history
 old   photograph
%-, -- today’s, , - full
contemporary   set
%  /% , to sell = dictionary
-%%-
 at   opposite
%, -% folk, people’s  =, -= excellent
11 %( idea $% bagpipe
%  /%     to enjoy something
  (pl.  ) musical sound (pl.    any sound)

Language points 2

Prepositions: small surprises

Sometimes the choice of prepositions (the little words that express
relations between objects) may be a bit surprising. You know the
meaning of  from the sentence +    5% ‘She is
22 arriving from London’, but note also that ‘I am interested in music’
58 Unit 5:    

is )      . The preposition  means ‘at’ or

‘on’ in $   *  ‘He is at work’ and (  *8 %
„  -” ‘a room on Vitosha boulevard’, but another important
function is to express possession or origin, for example:   
 $%  ‘the sounds of the bagpipe’.

More about 

You already know (  in the meaning ‘there is not . . .’, as in
+   ‘there is no car park’. It can also be used about
persons and things in the sense ‘he/she/it isn’t here’:
0   ? – , +  .
Is Georgi here? – No, he isn’t.
"%  $% ? –  (, +  (.
Where’s the bagpipe? I don’t know, it isn’t here.

Indefinite article
The numeral % ‘one’ functions as a kind of indefinite article in
Bulgarian, but it is used in fewer contexts than the English indefin-
ite article – as you may have noticed already (Unit 1, Dialogue 2)
‘I am a programmer’ is just   " . A rule of thumb is
that if you can say ‘a certain’, you may use the indefinite article
in Bulgarian. In Dialogue 2 in this unit, Georgi says:  ( %
8=*  $   ‘I am looking for a (certain) textbook
in English’. If he had just said  ( 8=*  $ 
 it would have meant that he was looking for a textbook, any
textbook, in English.

The two meanings of 

When the little word  stands between two words of the same type
or between sentences, it means ‘and’:
  =$ coffee and tea
<   - I read and write
When it does not mean ‘and’, it means ‘also’, ‘as well’:
 Unit 5: Books and newspapers 59

1 2  !
You come, too!
)  -  "   .
I too do crosswords.

Exercise 3
Match the answers with the questions.
1     ? – . ,  . +  
1   .
2 +:    ? – . ,  . +   
').
3      ? – .,   . + 6  
 .
4    ? – . ,   :.
5     @ ? – . ,  .
6   :     ? – . ,   .
7   ? – . ,   .

Dialogue 3 (Audio 1; 30)

Ana is reading in the park when a stranger approaches her. Who

is he?

* &' : ( .   ?

: *?   ?     . .
:&   .
* &' : !,   . . . 2& , /   , /  ...
 / ?
: ,  &   ?
* &' :     – '     ?
: ' . %   '  .
* &' : "    ?
: !  )    ?
* &' : 5     7     . . .
: . ...       ! /   
   8: !   !
#        – ,
. . .?
2 * &' : !  )     . . .?
60 Unit 5:    

Vocabulary
,% need  ( company,
companionship
 ,  ,  , alone  %, -%; translated;
   % translation
"  , contemporary,  short story
- modern
  / to question,  (book) cover
  interrogate
= thus, so that   author
means . . . ,
therefore
% surprise  plan

Language points 3

Plural of adjectives
The plural ending is always -, for all three genders:
*  *    nice movies
*   = *   =  nice girls
*   *   nice wines

Exercise 4
Complete these sentences using the following example.

Example: &  % .

– .        * .
I have a book.
– I have many books and they are good.

1 #   . –    _____   _____ .

2 #    . –    _____   _____ .
3 #   /. –    _____   _____ .
4 5     /. !    _____  
_____ .
 Unit 5: Books and newspapers 61

11 5 #   6/ . –    _____   _____ .

6 #     . –    _____   _____ .
7 #   . –    _____   _____ .

Exercise 5
Match the answers with the questions.
1    ? – +   6  .
11 2  ' $? – 2     .
3  $? – 0 .
4   )   $? – 2 8 /.
5       – +    .
„Sofia Today”?
6 0   * ? –27  .
7    8 ? – 2   .
8   $? – 5       /.

Days of the week

%( Sunday
% Monday
 Tuesday
+% Wednesday
=  " Thursday
 " Friday
*  Saturday
Use the preposition with the names of the days:
'    +%.
Milena has a meeting on Wednesday.
 = the day before yesterday
= yesterday
% today
  tomorrow
%% the day after tomorrow
%   +% next Wednesday
22   +% last Wednesday
62 Unit 5:    

Exercise 6
This is the weekly schedule for Radio Varna:

9.00–12.00 12.00–18.00 18.00–18.30 18.30–19.00 19.00–23.00

!% .   5 .   % D 

: : B

 . '  .    + 40

8    

#+% *: .-  .    ' 

:  – :    
& 7

<  " *: E 6 – .    + 40

:  –    
  

 D 
2 

! " *: .-  .    2 / 

:  – :       


#*   '  .   % 2 / 

 &  B   

%( %  . .   % % 

: 8     

Petar is in business and loves folk music. Ana is an opera fan and
likes to keep abreast with politics, Georgi is a sports maniac who
is also interested in jazz, and Milena’s heart lies with pop music.
Describe for each of them at least three programmes they will
listen to.
Example: % ! "  - „%
”  %  =  % % $  = , "
  - . . .
On Monday Petar will listen to ‘Folk music’ from
9 to 12, on Tuesday he will listen to . . .
 6  
1

Shopping

1 In this unit you will learn how to:

• Use %-clauses
• Compare adjectives
• Express giving with dative pronouns
• Use the quantified plural

Dialogue 1 (Audio 1; 31)

Milena and Georgi are in a big food market in Sofia. Why do they
move on to another counter?

* : # '       . + ) 

  -    :.
 : .  )   8 . .     
)    .
* : 2     8:  , 
$  '.
 : 5-   :    ) ,  
   '    $:.
* : 5   /  $:,  $? 2&, : 
    8.
 : (    )  ,  $. .   :
  8 :. " &   :.
2 * : (  !
64 Unit 6:  

Vocabulary
,% / to have a look at,  goods, merchandise
% inspect
* / to choose,    carefully
*, -- select
% shop counter, ,% / to see
stall %(, --
%+  to the right  shop, department
store
 feta cheese -  yellow cheese
 expensive, dear  sausage
- ham % type, sort
+* bread, loaf of   / to try, test
bread  
,% to appear, look
(impf. only)

Language points 1

Using -clauses
Bulgarian has no infinitive. In contexts where you would use ‘to
go’, ‘to buy’, etc. in English, Bulgarian uses % plus the present
tense of the verb, inflected for the appropriate person:

   % ( +* I want to buy bread

  - % - +* you (sing.) want to buy bread
$   %  +* he wants to buy bread
    %  +* we want to buy bread
    %   +* you (pl.) want to buy bread
   % ( +* they want to buy bread

In the pattern above we have two verbs,   and (, and

they are inflected for the same person. The verb   and many
others also allow for different persons in the two verbs in the
constructions:

&  (1st sing.)   % %  (1st pl.)  .

I’d like us to have a look at the merchandise first.
 Unit 6: Shopping 65

11 On its own, without another verb in front of it, a %-construction

usually implies a wish or a command:
1      !
Let’s try something new!
In these sentences, % may be reinforced or replaced by :

 %  % +*.

Let’s buy a loaf of bread.

11   % +*.

Let’s buy a loaf of bread.

Exercise 1
Complete the following sentences as shown in the example.

Example: +  +*. &  % ( +*.

I don’t have any bread. I want to buy bread.
1 . $ __________ .
2 *     __________ .
3 .  __________ .
4 2   8 __________ .
5 *      $: __________ .

Exercise 2
Give affirmative answers to these questions, following the example.

Example: & -  %  +*?

– 1,  %  +*.

Should we (lit. ‘do you want us to’) buy bread?

– Yes, let us buy bread.

1 #$      5 ? – (, __________ .

2 #$    '  : ) ? – (, __________ .
3 #$  *          :?
– (, __________ .
4 #$  "  : 8? – (, __________ .
22 5 #     :? – (, __________ .
66 Unit 6:  

Dialogue 2 (Audio 1; 33)

Milena moves on to the next counter and is greeted by the shop

assistant. What kind of banknote does she pay with?

5 / : ( .      &?

* : ( . 5       /  ,
-   .
5 / : =   , /      . . )
: ?
* : (,     8,      
 $   . 5 &  ,  / , 
  / . . &    . 5 
 ?
5 / : (. *  :,    -'. .-
     $ .
* : (  ,    $    $. " ), 
/ ,     6  -.
5 / : 0         ?
* : 5-    6    . 
 : / ?
5 / : 9    30  .
* : =   ,    .
5 / : #   ?
* : .    . (, .    , 
30  .
5 / : =      . ( & .
* : ( & .

Vocabulary
% = saleslady, shop assistant
% /%,, -- to offer, suggest
 ( / (, -- to weigh (something)
= piece, chunk +  to the left
  half, one half  kilo
 carton, package   spaghetti
(pl. only)
-% chocolate   / to show
,, --
 *=  please, if you   label
please
 Unit 6: Shopping 67

11  , +  fresh   cheap, inexpensive

 lev  " litre
 - Frankfurter, hot dog
  (usually 3rd to cost
pers. impf. only)
%* change (small coins), pl. of %* small, tiny
  change (amount returned)

11

Language points 2

Using   /  

These are two separate words. !  behaves like an indeclin-
able adjective, or like ‘half a . . .’, for example   
‘half a kilo’; and   is a noun, for example  
  ‘a kilo and a half’. See also Unit 4, ‘Telling the time’
(pp. 45–6).

Quantified plural
Masculine nouns (except those that denote persons, see Unit 9,
p. 109) take a special plural after numerals:
&  % ( %   .
22 I want to buy two newspapers.
68 Unit 6:  

but:
  -   .
You have many newspapers.
This also applies to + ‘some, several’ and  ‘how
many’:
  -   ? –  (, %$   +
 -.
How many Frankfurters do you want? – I don’t know, give me
some (a number of) Frankfurters.
' 8   -  +*.
Milena is buying Frankfurters and bread.
The stress is never shifted to this quantified plural ending. Any
adjectives before the noun take their regular plural form:
1$  +   .
Give me some small cartons.
A couple of very common nouns form exceptions. 1 ‘day’ is
often used with the standard plural:
%  % /%  % two days
and  ‘time’, ‘turn’ is always used with the standard plural:
%   ,    twice, three times
Feminine and neuter nouns have only one kind of plural: %  ,
‘two women’, %  =  ‘two lumps/pieces’.

Comparison
Comparison of adjectives and adverbs couldn’t be simpler. Just put
a particle in front – - for the comparative and $- for the
superlative:
 new %* well
- newer -%* better
$- newest $-%* best
  cheap  little
-  cheaper -  less
$-  cheapest $-  least
 Unit 6: Shopping 69

11 There is only one exception:  –  = – $-  ‘much

– more – most’. The comparison particle always carries stress,
which is even slightly stronger than the stress of the following adjec-
tive or adverb.
The target of comparison, which is expressed by ‘than’ in
English, has two forms in Bulgarian. If the target is a noun or a
noun phrase, use  :
#   -   - .
The feta cheese is cheaper than the yellow cheese.
11 - "  -    .
The yellow cheese is more expensive than the feta cheese.
If the target is a sentence, even a short or abbreviated one, use
  :
!-%*      .
Better late than never.
=    -%  ,      .
Everything takes longer than you think.

Dative pronouns
These are most typically used as indirect objects – as in ‘to give
somebody something’ or ‘to send somebody something’, when you
specify not only what you give or send (direct object) but also to
whom you give or send it (indirect object):
 
 
$ 8
+ 
 8
 
 
 
Like the object (accusative) pronouns (see Unit 3, p. 26), they
belong to the group of words that are not usually stressed and
that cluster next to the verb. Don’t get confused by the accent
mark on the third person singular (f.) K – it is always written like
22 that, in order to distinguish the dative pronoun from  ‘and’, ‘also’.
70 Unit 6:  

In addition, we use a grave accent (`) for it in this book in order

to distinguish it from the stress accents, which are aigue accents
(´) (On the internet and in output from less advanced typesetting,
you will often find the spelling ‘$’ for the third person singular (f.)
pronoun.)
!,     =  .
Show me that piece of sausage.

&  %  %,  %.

I’d like to suggest something else for you.

1$   -  -.

Give me six Frankfurters.
0  %. 1$  8 %  -.
Georgi is hungry. Give him a Frankfurter.

Exercise 3
Pick the correct plural form (quantified or plain) from the text in
parentheses.

1 6     ( ,  ).

2  /    (  $,   $).
3 6 /   ( ,  )  ,   !
4 2    () , ) )  .
5 %  :  (  ,  ).

Exercise 4
Complete the following sentences using the example as a guide.

Example: F    . 1$   .

I want the cheese. Give me the cheese

1 "    . ( __________   .

2 .    . ( __________   .
3 +    . ( __________   .
4 *     . ( __________   .
5 *   5 @    . ( __________
  .
 Unit 6: Shopping 71

11 Exercise 5
Make sentences comparing the following objects, first making the
comparison one way, and then the other.
Example: /  +   -+   *  %+ .
The beer to the left is bigger than the beer
to the right.
/  %+   -   *  + .
The beer to the right is smaller than the beer
11 to the left.

1  

2 / 

3 

4 M

5  

22
72 Unit 6:  

Dialogue 3 (Audio 1; 37)

A day later, more shopping has to be done. Milena tells Georgi

what’s on her shopping list. But what is on Georgi’s mind?

* : 0    :. =  ) :: 

: –   ,    8    
/ –        / .   –   
   ,  /  –   6 
 8. <) –    ',  :, /   6
  8 ,  ,  8    . . .
 :  $    & ) . . .
* : + ? ?
 : ! –       /, $     
  7 ! (  /   / & :   
     .
* : .   $    '   
 . 5-    :   –
        .

Vocabulary
  to shop   breakfast
(impf. only)
  butter * =$ herbal tea
= =$ plain (lit. ‘black’) $  minced meat
tea
*8 jar  (sing. only) peas
   * toothpaste  soap
8   roll of toilet   napkin
 ( paper
   washing powder * ( / to forget
* (, --
,, -, important   er, well . . .
= crisps  cigarette
= football (soccer) ,% between
match
 ( TV, television 8 ( can, box
% fruit * banana
  orange
 Unit 6: Shopping 73

11 Exercise 6
Put the nouns in parentheses into the correct plural form, and spell
out the numbers with letters.
1 2 '    (‘to watch’)   (/) 
 .
2 !    2 ().
3 *   3 ().
4 2 '     )    (/)   .
5 2      4 () – 2 (6/)  2 ( /).
11
6 . )   2 ( /).
7  ( ) $  :?
8  (7 )    ?
9 2   6: 3 (  ).

Exercise 7
You are offering a titbit to someone with the suggestion to give it
a try (you might first want to review object pronouns, see Unit 3,
p. 26).
Example: I   =  . & -  %   -?
Here’s a piece of sausage for you. Do you want
to try it?
1 =     . #$   ______ ?
2 =    8. #$   ______ ?
3 =    $ . #$   ______ ?
4 =    8. #$   ______ ?
5 =   . #$   ______ ?

Exercise 8
You are now on the receiving end of the situation described in
Exercise 7, and you politely decline to give it a try.
Example: & -  %  -  ?
– , *%+,    %    .
Do you want to try the cheese?
– No, thank you, I don’t want to try it.
1 #$    $   ?
22 . ,   ,    __________ .
74 Unit 6:  

2 * , # ,          ?

. ,   ,    __________ .
3 5  ,         ?
. ,   ,    __________ .
4 #$    $ ?
. ,   ,    __________ .
5 - ! ,        $: ?
. ,   ,    __________ .
6 #$    $   / $?
. ,   ,    __________ .
 7     
11


Going to the market

11
In this unit you will learn how to:

• Say the names of the months

• Transform direct speech to indirect speech
• Use articles with adjectives

Dialogue 1
Mary goes to an open-air market. She’ll be leaving with a bag of
apples – what colours are they?

5 / : .-    /:7  :! ?  

:   ! .,    !
* :     ? .  &   .
5 / : =  –  , /:$, : – / /:7
   8: $  !
* : /  $: . .      ,
 :    :. C     : ) .
5 / : 5   ,   8:   & 
  /.
* : . ,   ,     &. . )
    . #   / $?
5 / : - $ ,   &,    B  B. ! 
  7 6 ,      ,  ,
'$ . #    .
* : C   2     .
5 / : 0       – /  , &'  
 ?
* : .   7   /?
22 5 / : (, 7      ') – 1,20 .    .
76 Unit 7:      

* : +   &  / /     

&'      .

Vocabulary
= vegetables   this way, hither
(pl. only)
"% nowhere %  tomato
=- pepper fruit, -   to joke, jest
bell pepper (impf. only)
   lettuce, green ( cos lettuce
salad
  spring onions  +  / check, try out
 +, --
 %, aubergine,  = squash
eggplant
=- cherry   month
 season    peach
%( watermelon - honeydew melon
% (sing., grapes +*" apple
coll. noun)
 price (), same
 / ,, to put, place -, -, -
--
 Unit 7: Going to the market 77

11 Language points 1

Names of the months

    7 
Note that the names of the months are written with a small initial
letter:
(8 January D July
11  8 February  8 August
 March    September
 April    October
$ May   November
D June %  December

Two irregular -verbs

The verb % , perfective of %  ‘to give’ has an irregular -
form:
  % I shall give
  %%- you (sing.) shall give
$/ +/   %% he/she/it shall give
  %% we shall give
  %%  you (pl.) shall give
  %% they shall give
For the verb (, - ‘to know’ you have a choice of the regular
-form ( or an irregular  .

Indirect speech
An example of direct speech is ‘ “I want coffee,” says Georgi’
whereas ‘Georgi says that he wants coffee’ is an example of indirect
speech. Indirect speech is usually introduced by a small word
such as ‘that’, and references to ‘I’, ‘you’ or ‘we’ through pronouns
or verbal forms are shifted. (The latter part might sound difficult,
but you already know how to do it – this particular point works
in exactly the same way as in English as well as lots other
22 languages.)
78 Unit 7:      

Plain declarative sentences are introduced by = ‘that’ (which

must never be dropped, unlike in English ‘He says he wants
coffee’):
0  : „&  .”
Georgi says: ‘I want coffee.’
0  , =   .
Georgi says that he wants coffee.
F  : „   .”
Ana says: ‘I’m going home.’
F  , =    .
Ana says (that) she’s going home.
If the direct speech consists of an imperative, use a %-clause to
relate it indirectly:
F   : „1$    =!”
Ana says to me: ‘Give me squash!’
F   % K %  =.
Ana tells me to give her squash.
'  : „<$  % %!”
Mary says: ‘Wait for me at the entrance.’
'    % ( = % %.
Mary tells me to wait for her at the entrance.
If the direct speech sentence is a question, just add the question
without any small word for introduction, but shift the pronoun
references if necessary:
F  : „#   +*" ?”
Ana asks: ‘Are the apples expensive?’
F      +*" .
Ana asks whether the apples are expensive.
F  : „"%    ?”
Ana asks: ‘Where is the salad?’
F   "%    .
Ana asks where the salad is.
!% ="   ': „&    %*?”
The salesman asks Mary: ‘Do you have small change?’
!% ="   '    %*.
The salesman asks Mary whether she has small change.
 Unit 7: Going to the market 79

1 Reading passage
This is how the greengrocer might retell the meeting with Mary in
Dialogue 1.

%   )       . 9  &     

    .  N, /   , /:$, : –
/ /:7    8: $  . !  ,
/     ,  :    :.  N 
     &  / . +   , /  
1   &. 5    / $.  N , / / $ 
    B  B. .    N  2   
 . 5        –  /   ,
&'      . +       7   /.
, /     7. +      &
/ /    .

Exercise 1 (Audio 1; 40)

Change the following direct speech into indirect speech.

Example: F  : „0% " .”
– F  , =  %.
Ana says: ‘I’m hungry.’
– Ana says that she is hungry.
1 *  : „A    „# ”.”
2 * &' : „+'  (.”
3 %  : „.  .”
4 *    : „!      .”
5    *   : „. '.”
6     : „#$  8:    .”

Exercise 2
Change direct speech into indirect speech, with imperatives this
time.
Example: '    0: „8 !”
– '    0 %  .
Milena says to Georgi: ‘Buy cheese!’
2 – Milena tells Georgi to buy cheese.
80 Unit 7:      

1 %    : „     !”

2    * : „0   !”
3     : „-   8 /.”
4     : „-   8 /.”
5 .    : „-   8 /.”
6 %  : „C    8 /.”

Exercise 3
Once again change direct speech to indirect speech, but with this
time with questions.
Example: '   F: „$  *,%?”
– '   F $  *,%.
Milena asks Ana: ‘Who’s calling?’
– Milena asks Ana who’s calling.
1 *    : „   ?”
2 .   * : „0   ?”
3    5 : „? $  $  ?”
4     : „O/$   ?”
5 +   : „  /' ?”

Dialogue 2 (Audio 1; 41)

Mary asks Ana about places to shop for clothes. What is the location
of the shop Ana recommends?

* : ,      . #$ 

8: 8.    $?
: 6:  / . D  , 
8      6 7  7  .
* : )? +     8  :.
: (, 8    8 ,   6& ',  
   /  -    ' 
 .
* : # :&       :,   
   .
: #$    :   ? C    
 „% ”.
* :     ?
 Unit 7: Going to the market 81

11 : 2    .( („  ”, .7   7

 6 :  ).
* : +            , 
       .
: 28  /  )6  ,      
 & - 6,   . 5  7  8
 .(        .

11

Vocabulary
 , -  elegant %  piece of clothing,
(pl.) clothes
=, -= different, various %, -% fashionable,
fashion
*8  boutique *  shoe
  , -  terrible (here in its 8, , -  terrible
frequent (colloq.)
sense: formidable)
  pair of trousers * blouse
 ,% / to take somewhere, * bazaar
 %, -- take along
22 (about persons)
82 Unit 7:      

   to be located % (pedestrian)

(impf. only) underpass
%  palace, hall  cinema
 café  (  to remember
(impf. only)
 opposite, facing,  , floor, storey
against
%8 down, downwards  , central
  advertisement -

Language points 2

Adjectives with articles

You already know that the definite article is tacked on after the
noun: for example, ‘blouse’ is * and ‘the blouse’ is * .
If there is an adjective attached to the noun, the article will go
after the adjective
 * green blouse
  * the green blouse
If there is more than one adjective, the article will go after the first
one:
*    * the nice green blouse
   *   * the new nice green blouse
The form of the article is -  with feminine nouns, as you have
just seen, -  with neuter nouns, and -  with plural nouns:
*+   the white wine
    the new bed
*    the nice shops
  * the green blouses
*    =  the beautiful girls
In the masculine, an extra syllable is added to the adjective:
( 8  the green sweater
This is pronounced $" , so you will see that this is the
masculine -" article that you are used to, only spelled with
the letter (. And there is a short variant that is used whenever
 Unit 7: Going to the market 83

11 the adjective is not part of the subject of the sentence (see Unit 3,
pp. 24–5):
&  ( 8 .
I want the green sweater.

Strict word order

Accusative (object) pronouns ( , , . . .), and dative pronouns
( , , . . .) both belong to the class of unstressed words (see Unit
11
1, p. 5) and are therefore subject to very strict word order rules.
As we mentioned in Unit 1, they cannot stand at the beginning of
the sentence. If you have both an accusative and a dative pronoun,
the word order is always dative first, then accusative:
&   . 1$  (!
I want the book. Give it to me!
0     „%”. 8 8 !
Georgi wants the paper ‘Trud’. Buy it for him!
Keep in mind that the transferred stress from the negation particle
 (see Unit 1, p. 7) may fall on a pronoun that in principle is
unstressed:
& -  +*" ? – ,  +   .
Do you want the apple? – No, I don’t.
&  % =   ,  0    % .
I want to read the paper, but Georgi is not giving it to me.

Exercise 4
Ask for the things mentioned below, on your own behalf or
someone else’s, and remember to put the pronouns in the right
order.
Example: &   . 1$  (!
I want the book. Give it to me!
1 #   . __________ !
2 #      . __________ !
3 .   . __________ !
4 .   . __________ !
22 5      . __________ !
84 Unit 7:      

6 *     7 . __________ !

7 *      6/ . __________ !
8 +    . __________ !
9   * ,    . __________ !
10 * / ,    . __________ !

Exercise 5
Replace the underlined nouns with unstressed pronouns in the
following sentences.
Example: ! " %     0.
– ! " 8  % .
1 *      5 .
2        *.
3 *  !     7   5 .
4 .     .
5    / $   *   ! .
6 2       .
7 (     .
8 (  :    .
9 ( :   .
10 5       .

Dialogue 3
Mary and Ana are busy browsing at the clothing bazaar. What are
the colours of the outfit Mary chooses?

* : 2&    ! *  8 .

: ?: ,    '    ? 5- 
   / .
* : . / /  7 . .  8 . 5   /-
    .
: !  ? 5    –    .
* : (  ,    . C   . (Goes to try it on)
: " & $   . C  :$ ?
* : (, )  :. .       8 ) :.
: +  8 $ /  , /     
   7     . ' 7  ' 
?
 Unit 7: Going to the market 85

11 * : *&       .  

  . ?     . #     ?
: (, ,     .
(Mary tries it on)
: *, /   . C   -  
')  .

Vocabulary
, (, A,  blue (note the forms for fem. and
11 neut. – only in this adjective)
", - thin    / to measure,
 (, -- try on for size
+ brown %, - modern
*  to try, try on % %+ matching
 *( combination  + ,   colour
 - light (as in % model
   light
blue, etc.)
  size, number

Language point 3

Two ways to say ‘I like’ – 8 

Remember    ‘I like it’ from Unit 3, Dialogue 1? You
can express the same thing with     , which is in fact
the preferred way of putting it.
:     . /
     .
I like this restaurant.
: -     ?/
      ?
Do you like this restaurant?
When you use this model, what you like becomes the subject of
the sentence, and if it is expressed by a plural, the verb will
of course have to go into the plural as well:
 *    ?
22 Do you like these blouses?
86 Unit 7:      

Exercise 6
Juggle the two ways of using   . We give you one way and
you should give the other.
Example:       ?
– :       ?
Do you like this restaurant?
1 + :   8 . – __________ .
2 5    8 . – __________ .
3 ? $  $   ? – __________ .
4 .   8   ? – __________ .
5 ? $  '   ? – __________ .
6 *      :  7  . .  8 
  . – __________ .
7 .  8     7  . – __________ .
8 2 8    6 7   7  ? – __________ .
 8 !"  
1

Travelling

1 In this unit you will learn how to:

• Use verbs of movement and travel

• Use relative clauses
• Recognise the (/-alternation

Dialogue 1 (Audio 1; 44)

Mary wants to go to the Historical Museum. How will she get there?

: * ,   $?     ,  

 & $    ?
* : D &      %. #    
" / 6 .      -
'  ?
: 5'  )  $   P 1  7,   
  ) „%  ”.
* : 0      ?
: C /$      )6 .    -
 .
* :    )  :   ? .    
 ?
: C  $     ,   )
„  ”.
* : .      .
: +    :   ,  6 „2 $”.
C  / $    .
* : .   -  /    ? % 
2   -'  ?
88 Unit 8: !"  

: * -'  ,   7    %  

  & . 2')   $ ) &$ 
 $  -   .
* : (,  /     $.
: 2    ' $!
* : .   ,    ? 2   :/
)   .

Vocabulary
  map ) = ( the Historical
8$ Museum
 / to reach, %  there, to that
, -- arrive at place
* quick $ trolleybus
 (bus, tram) stop %  the National
**  Library
 / +, to get off (bus,  / , to stop
- train), descend -
 side  = / to cross
 , - =-
  traffic light   easy
= manner, way % , movement, traffic
 actually - on foot
+, +, +,  direct, straight
" +, -- (impf. only) to go, walk
   (impf. only) to pay attention, take care
*  /*  to get mixed up, get lost
*+ , --  to worry
 =$ as a last resort
  /  to ask

Language points 1

A two-faced vowel: /-alternation

In the vocabulary above, you will see that one verb changes in a
curious way: +, -. Some words have a ( that changes
into an  in some its grammatical forms. The rules for the change
are quite simple: there are two conditions, which both have to be
 Unit 8: Travelling 89

11 fulfilled, for the ( to show up as (. If one of them is not fulfilled,

it will appear under the guise of :
(1) the syllable must be stressed;
(2) the following syllable of the word must not contain  or .
Stress shifts are common in articled and plural forms, so in those
you will often see condition number one broken: the definite form
of  + ‘colour’ is    with stress on the article, and the plural
of +  ‘place’ is  . And many endings, for nouns, adjectives
and verbs, contain  or , giving you plenty of opportunities to see
11 condition two broken: the plural of + ‘direct’, ‘straight’ is ,
and the present tense forms of + ‘to get off (bus, train)’,
‘descend’ are +, -, ,  ,  , + .
This does not apply to every ( – the root vowel in + ‘to eat’
loses its stress and is followed by a syllable containing  in (%-,
(%, etc., but still appears as (. It means that you should view every
 with suspicion – if you find the phrase *   and want
to look it up, you will have to look for the adjective under *(;
you won’t find it under ‘*’.

More alternations: // and /&

In some verbs of the -type, a  will change to = before the  of
the ending, and a  to ,:
  (pf.) to cross  can, to be able to
 =- ,-
 = ,
 = ,
 =  , 
  

Going places
English has the short and versatile verb ‘to go’. In Bulgarian, you
will sometimes have to be more specific about your movement in
space. In the dictionary,    / % is the equivalent of ‘to go’,
but in Bulgarian :$% %   ! is said for ‘Let’s go!’. This
is because   / , -- is used when indicating the begin-
22 ning of the movement is important: ‘to set off’, ‘to leave’.
90 Unit 8: !"  

On the other hand,    / %, -- carries with it the impli-

cation of a complete trip. It is all right to say L    
! % ‘Tomorrow I’m going to Plovdiv’ if you are close enough
and/or plan to get there by air, but if your trip will take several
days you would say 7     ! % . Note also the
different preposition here –  just indicates the general direction.
Here are the most useful prepositions used with    / %:
    '.
I’m going to Milena’s (to see a person).
   .
I’m going to the shop (entering a locality).
   % .
I’m going to the shop (reaching a certain point).
    .
I’m going shopping (for the purpose of an activity).
The actual process of movement is described by   / ,
-- ‘to pass’ or, for those longer movements that we call journeys,
"   (impf. only) ‘to travel’. The most useful prepositions used
with these verbs are:
'    „  ”.
I walk/pass along Varnenska street.
'  $/$   .
I pass by the monument.
'   .
I pass through the park.
!"   % .
I am travelling to Varna.
!"    #( % .
I am on my way from Sofia to Varna.
All of these verbs can be used whether you are travelling on foot or
by some means of transport. You may add - or - ‘on foot’:
'  -  .
I’m walking through the park.
The use of " +, -- ‘to walk’ usually implies walking on foot.
Any of the prepositions used with   and "   here may
be used with it.
 Unit 8: Travelling 91

11 Exercise 1
Select the correct verb of motion from the alternatives given.
1 2  / ( ', )  ?
2 ! :   5  (  ,  )  6
„Q 0   ”.
3     ,  ( ', )  /.
4 2    /   ( ',  :)  .
5 #  ( :,  ) " / 6 .
11 6 ?   ( ', )   .
7   ( , ')  %       7.
8 (  /  (, )   .
9 (   -'   ($,  $)  $.
10 ( , )  : 7 .
11 2 %  2  ( , )   3:.

Exercise 2
Put the correct prepositions in these sentences with motion verbs.
1  :   _____ 5 .
2 % )  : _____ 6  '  9 /.
3 *     _____   „! ”.
4 (  /   _____  7 .
5 #       _____  ) „%  ”?
6 0    :   _____ % _____ 6 .

Language points 2

Using  
Constructions with  % . . . ? may imply either that you are
asking how something can be done, or how it must or should be
done – the context decides the meaning:
 %  %  ?
How can I get there?
 +  % +?
22 At which stop should I get off?
92 Unit 8: !"  

Using ‘which’ and ‘who’

In Bulgarian, the pronoun $ fills in for both these English
pronouns. In the sense of ‘which’, it appears together with a noun
(or at least a noun is understood from context) and it changes for
gender and number:

Masculine Feminine Neuter Plural

$ +  

 +  % +?

At which stop should I get off?
$ %  % ?
What day is it today?
 +*"  $- ?
Which apples are the cheapest?
    %= -?
Which of these cheeses do you prefer?
In the sense of ‘who’, only the masculine form $ is normally
used, and it has an object form :
$   %  %   ?
Who wants to go to the cinema with me?
$  *,%?
Who is calling?*
* This form is used even when hearing a female voice on the phone.

  -?
Who are you looking for?
   *,%-?
Who are you calling?

Dialogue 2 (Audio 1; 45)

Georgi is going to attend a conference at the seaside. Petar asks him

what kind of transport he will use.
 Unit 8: Travelling 93

11 5 :  )  :$ %  ?

 : *    '   %–6   22.30.
5      6  ,  6.45. %
 6  %   )  :   :.
!      )6   .
5 : (,   :$    )      
6  . C $   ,    6  
 ) . .  $, /    :
%,    :  %  ?
 : ,    : )       , 
11   7  /  11 /. 6  .
5 : C  :$  7  . "
   ,   )  :$ 7 ),  
 :   -'  .
 : + $    :    
%  ?
5 : "  :     ,    : 
  $ : . . )       ) . .
   :  „2  : ”.
 : )?
5 : +   :  $ :   :    /
/. 2  :   „9  ” 
 „%  ”. +  -' .
 : . , )  .    :/ )
       : . C  
Q     . .  :   6 
 %   ' ?
5 : (,     ' Q     .

Vocabulary
 train   schedule
  bus station  station, train
station
  sleeper +, - to sleep
8  tired %  following
( conference   / to miss, skip
 , --
, - official    opening
  ( / to think over +,  whole, entire
22   (, -- - route, itinerary
94 Unit 8: !"  

"   / to advise   / to pass

 "   , --
  direction

Language points 3

Using ‘either/or’
You learned the word  ‘or’ in Unit 1. It is used for ‘either . . .
or’ as well:
&  +     % = . &   %$%-,
 F.
There is room only for one. Either you will come, or Ana.
+     /8 . ? "  -  ,
  * .
There is no plane for Burgas. You will have to travel either by
train or by bus.

Measuring difference, 
When comparing things, you may want to express the extent of
the difference, as in ‘He is two years older than me’. To do this,
use the preposition , for example: $  %  % - 
 .

Relative clauses
When you add further explanation to a noun in a separate clause,
it is called a relative clause, for example ‘This is the man who can
help you’. In Bulgarian, you introduce such clauses with a pronoun,
made by adding -  to the question-word $ (see ‘Using “which”
and “who” ’, p. 92). The pronoun agrees in gender and number
with the noun it refers to:

Masculine Feminine Neuter Plural

$  +     

 Unit 8: Travelling 95

11    = " , $  , %   .

This is the man who can help you.
   , , +     .
This is the woman who will help you.
    ,     .
This is the wine that we’ll be drinking.
   * ,    (.
These are the blouses that I am going to buy.
11 Note that you must never drop the relative pronouns, unlike in
English ‘the wine (that) we’ll be drinking’; and also that preposi-
tions are never left stranded at the end of the sentence, as they
sometimes are in English:
   , , +   "   .
This is the woman we’ll be travelling with.
If the pronoun refers to a male person,   is used as the object
form:
   = " ,     .
This is the man you are looking for.
   = " ,    +*  %   .
This is the man you should help.

Exercise 3
Complete the following sentences with the correct relative pronoun.

1 C        , _____ '  :  

2 .
2 #   , _____ :/  .
3 +    ,  _____    .
4 O    ), _____ /  8 /.
5 * , _____ 6: 8,   7  .
6 %  , _____ 6:  ,  -' .
7   6: $   , _____ )   /   
 .
22
96 Unit 8: !"  

Exercise 4
Match the pairs of sentences (shown on the right) with the corres-
ponding single sentence that uses a relative pronoun (shown on
the left). This may seem easy, but take good notice of the way the
pairs in the solution match each other.

1 C      +     .
   ,   2    ) 
'  :    .
6 .
2  ,       b C    
9 ,       . 0 
7  .    '  
:   6 .
3 5     /, c 0    ).
   . % )  /  7 /.
4 0    ),   d 5     /.
/  7 /. * / 
 .
5 +     , e       9 .
 )  .     
7  .

Dialogue 3
Georgi has lost his way and has to ask a stranger for an address.

 : " ,      &  ?

A: (, )?
 : +'  :7 „2 ”.
A: O7 „2 ”? (thinking) . ' 6 ,
 , /   . C      :7
  . + )    . O7 ,
  '  ,     .
 :    !
 Unit 8: Travelling 97

11 (Georgi sets off as told, but he does not find the street and has to
ask again)
 : " , '  :7 „2 ”.   
 ?
*'&: O7 „2 ”? +        .
 : + ?     ?
*'&: 2       )      
    . „2 ”     .
 : /, /       . .    
&  '  –  )     8 .
11
Vocabulary
   / (, to turn  $ turn, curve
--
* , -  opposite "   crossroads
  straight ahead + cross street
    $  I’m being led up the garden path
(lit. ‘I’m being sent out for green
caviar!’)

Exercise 5
Give directions to a stranger (man), using the diagram below. Use
  ‘straight ahead’, +  ‘to the left ‘and/or %+ 
‘to the right’.
Example: "   + , %   %+ .
Go to the left, after that to the right.

1. 3.

2. 4.

22
98 Unit 8: !"  

Exercise 6
You are standing on Varnenska street outside the hotel (see the
map below) when a stranger approaches you and asks for direc-
tions to the tourist information office. Explain the shortest route.
(Remember that you can use the future tense as well as the
imperative.)
Example:   %  % 8 =  
  *C?
"     "  .  
  % ,     %+ . #% 
 %  %     + . /C  
= 8 .

13

5 
B”

6. “(6B” e B”
M

5 )
6. “5

9–11


6. 2 “,eB”

6. “? 

6. 2 “,eB”

? e
 5–7
“Qe ”
6. “ M ”

6. “*6”

6. “2 e” 6. D6e”

6. “”

1–3

6. “+  B”

1–3 5–7 9 11–13 15–17

Here are some words that may be useful for this exercise:
* hospital   church
   monument,  post office
memorial
 Unit 8: Travelling 99

11 1 You are standing outside the hospital. Explain how to get to

the cinema.
2 You are still outside the hospital. Explain how to find the church.
3 You are on the steps of the church. Explain how to find the
hotel.
4 You are sitting at the base of the monument. Tell the stranger
how to reach the post office.
5 You are on Turnovska street, outside no. 5. How can one get
to the post office from there?

11

22
9 # $ 
Family

In this unit you will learn how to:

• Use possessive pronouns

• Talk about family relations
• Use words corresponding to ‘must’ and ‘may’
• Address people

Dialogue 1 (Audio 1; 48)

Ana and Mary are sitting in a café looking at people around them.

* : ,    /    5 ?
:   / ?
* : D:  / ,         7.
: (,   . +       5 .   '
'  &  :. *, /   /  8 
  .
* : *&    )     :.
: %6  , ) /    &    8 .
A girl enters and sits down at Petar’s table.
: = ,5   )      /.
* : *&    & 6.
: . ,    8, /  & . 2  
     6.
When Petar and the girl get up to leave, they notice Ana and Mary.
5 :    .   ?
* :   , 5 ,        :.
 Unit 9: Family 101

11 5 : 0      :,      ).

   ,      " .
: 0,     ? 5        .

Vocabulary
 fair-haired  , -, to be right,
-, - " correct
 ,  ; time; for the , married
   first time
11
+  probably   sister

Language points 1

Possession
Bulgarian has two sets of possessive pronouns. If you consider that
bad news, the good news is that you already know one of them
– it is identical to the set of dative pronouns that you learned in
Unit 6 (pp. 69–70). If you put one of the dative pronouns after a
noun with a definite article, you have a possessive pronoun. We
usually call these the ‘short’ possessive pronouns:

   my book
   your (sing.) book
  8 his (its) book
 K her book
   our book
   your (pl.) book
   their book

So what happens if there are one or more adjectives attached to the

noun? You learned in Unit 7 (pp. 82–3) that the article goes after
the first adjective, and the short possessive pronoun goes with it:
    
my new book
    $  
22 my new English book
102 Unit 9: # $ 

The ‘long’ possessive pronouns are, well, longer. They are declined
in gender according to the noun that follows, and they may or may
not have a definite article attached:

Masculine Feminine Neuter Plural

$ (   my
$ (   your (sing.)
       his (its)
 $ $ $ her

- - - - our

- - - - your (pl.)
  +  +    their

When a definite article is added, the rules for nouns (see Unit 3,
p. 25) apply to $ and $, while the rules for adjectives apply
to the rest (you actually only notice the difference in the mascu-
line forms):

Masculine Feminine Neuter Plural

( (      my
( (      your (sing.)
 (          his (its)
$( $  $  $  her

-( -  -  -  our

-( -  -  -  your (pl.)
 ( +   +      their

In spoken language, you will get a long way with just the short
forms – they are less formal and more frequent. But in some cases
you will still have to use the long forms.
First of all, the short forms are unstressed, so there is no way
that you can stress them for emphasis. If you want to say ‘No, that
is my pencil, not yours’, you will have to use the long forms
and say ,     ,  ( . The last word of this
sentence also shows another case: when there is no noun to go
with the possessive pronoun (e.g. when you use ‘mine’, ‘yours’, etc.
in English) we use the long forms:
 Unit 9: Family 103

1    $. This pencil is mine.

 $     ? Is this pencil yours?

Close relatives
Most words for close relatives do not take an article together with
the short possessive pronouns. While ‘my colleague’ is  
 in Bulgarian, with article plus dative pronoun as you learned
in the section above, ‘my mother’ is just $ , with no article.
More words that behave that way are:
1
   my sister
*  my brother
,  my wife
*  my father
Notable exceptions are:
",  my husband
  my son
You omit the article only in the singular and when there is no
adjective:
    my sisters
*      my beautiful sister

Exercise 1 (Audio 1; 49)

Complete the answers for the following questions.

Example:  (      ?
– 1,      .
Is your book new?
– Yes, my book is new.
1 +  8:  ? – (, __________ .
2 .$     ? – (, __________ .
3 .       ? – (, __________ .
4 - 5 , $       ? – (, __________ .
5 *       ? – (, __________ .
6 * / , $   8:  ? – (, __________ .
7 +8      ? – (, __________ .
8 +  /7 '  ? – (, __________ .
2 9 + 8        ? – (, __________ .
104 Unit 9: # $ 

Dialogue 2 (Audio 1; 50)

Georgi and Milena are discussing how their respective mothers cook.
Their conversation is interrupted by a phone call.

 : *  )   :   )   6. +

            
/ .
* : *     : ,   
  .
 :  8     :8. )   N &$
/   8 $?
* : 2     .    &   ,
            .
 : .       $. + )  -
 . 2  /      :. *  
  /   ,  )  –  .
* : *    /   ,      ,
   2    8   /. +  
     / . C  &$
 '  .
 : 2,   $   8   / 
 .    / ,  ?
* : !, A ,  /  . . .  )   . . . (the tele-
phone rings)  ? ( . . . D  ,  6  .
A ,     / . ? , '
?

Vocabulary
% ( / to bring  (, - to cook
% , -- (impf. only)
 ( kitchen, cuisine   +  / to worry, feel
  (, nervous about
-- 
+     there is no reason *  one’s own,
% to . . . private
 taste ( (maternal) aunt
 = (f.) cook;  = (m.) *= grilled meatball
*  / to lick one’s  food
*,, -- fingers
   
 Unit 9: Family 105

11 %+  / to become hungry  dear, beloved

%(, --
8%   pleasure

Language points 2

Using  and  &

11 In Unit 6 (pp. 64–5), you learned to combine two verbs with %:
  % ( +* ‘I want to buy bread’;  - % - +*
‘you want to buy bread’. Notice again how both verbs in this
construction change according to person. However, when you say
‘I must buy bread’, ‘you must . . .’, etc., the first verb, +* ,
remains unchanged:
 +*  % ( +* I must buy bread
 +*  % - +* you (sing.) must buy bread
$ +*  %  +* he must buy bread
 +*  %  +* we must buy bread
 +*  %   +* you (pl.) must buy bread
 +*  % ( +* they must buy bread
With the verb  as the first member of such a construction,
both patterns are possible. Let us first have a look at the ‘regular’
pattern:
  % %$% I can come
 ,- % %$%- you (sing.) can come
$ , % %$% he can come
 , % %$% we can come
 ,  % %$%  you (pl.) can come
  % %$% they can come
In this pattern, the meaning is ‘I am able to come’, that is, ‘I have
the ability and nothing hinders me’. If you leave the first in its
third person form throughout, the meaning will be ‘I may come’,
that is, ‘it may happen that I come’:
 , % %$% I may come
 , % %$%- you (sing.) may come
22 $ , % %$% he may come
106 Unit 9: # $ 

 , % %$% we may come

 , % %$%  you (pl.) may come
 , % %$% they may come

More about ‘this’ and ‘that’

These pronouns are used in connection with pointing, and you
learned  ‘this’ in Unit 2 (and the plural in Unit 5): ‘that’ is
 and we repeat  here for comparison:

Masculine Feminine Neuter Plural

     this

     that

As in English, you use one set to refer to distant objects and

another to refer to close objects. However, where you distinguish
between ‘distant’ and ‘close’ is a little different in Bulgarian, when
compared with English. For example, if you want Mary to give you
the book she is holding, you would say ‘Give me that book!’ with
the ‘distant’ pronoun. In Bulgarian, you would say 1$  
! with the ‘close’ pronoun. The ‘distant’ pronouns are only
used for things which are way over there, held by some third person.
      .
This salad is very tasty.
$   = , $      ?
Who is that man passing by on the street?

Exercise 2 (Audio 1; 51)

Complete the following sentences.

Example: F +  +*. +*  % ( +*.
I don’t have any bread. I have to buy bread.
1 .  . ______________ .
2 .    . ______________ .
3 .$ /. ______________ .
4 *       . ______________ .
5 5  8. __________ .
6 .  . ______________ .
 Unit 9: Family 107

1 Exercise 3
Consider carefully whether ‘may’ or ‘able to’ is the intended sense
in the following sentences, and fill in either the unchanged ,
or , ,-, changed according to person.
Example: "% . . . %    ? ( )
Where can I book a table?
1 . _____     ' . #  .
2 +       * . _____      $
1 ?
3 . _____    )  $   :$  B .
4 *      )    ,  _____  
 '  .
5 +:       /:7. . _____  :$
   :.
6 _____       $  /   ?

Exercise 4
Complete the responses to the sentences below, following the
pattern in the example.
Example:   8  .
– #      ,   (.
Only this book is his, that one is yours.
1 D /7  N  :. % _______________ .
2      :. % _______________ .
3 (     :. % _______________ .
4    6  :. % _______________ .
5 5  7  N  :. % _______________ .
6 3     6  :. % _______________ .

Dialogue 3 (Audio 1; 52)

Irina has invited Asen to her father’s birthday – a good occasion

for him to meet her family. Asen has just rung the bell.

" :   . +/    $. <)  
 . (Looking at the flowers Asen is carrying) ! 
2       6 ?  )   ?
108 Unit 9: # $ 

! : . ,    . .    .  )

    . *    / ?
" : C     ,    /    
    ) .
!: /            :$.
" : #        $ . +  / .
* ,   ,   ! .
! : D      ,  & ".
   ,  7    . *  
   ,    ". -  &  !
" : ! ,   )         5 .
*, /   :8 , )   .

Vocabulary
   in time % ( hostess, housewife
*  =%, cousin %- (pl. only) persons
*  =% (f.)
  daddy
%  ( /%  (, -- to introduce
=  ,% % happy birthday
   /  call, send for
 Unit 9: Family 109

11 Language points 3

Numerals for counting men

It’s true! Bulgarian has a special set of numerals that are used
together with masculine nouns denoting persons. They take the
regular plural, not the special quantified plural we introduced you
to in Unit 6 (pp. 67–8):
%   * ( two brothers
11
  ", three men
=   +  four (male) friends
   %- five persons
-     six Americans
That is as far as you need to learn them – from seven onwards
plain numerals with the quantified plural are usually used. Formally
%   belongs in this group, but it is more often used in the
sense of ‘approximately ten’: " %   %- ‘about ten
persons’.

Addressing people
First names have a special form (vocative) used when addressing
a person (in fact, almost any noun has such a special form, but
most of us very rarely address objects around us):
F,   )  % . ) , % $,  ?
Oh, here’s Ivan. Ivan, hello, how are you?
The use of these forms is a bit of a social minefield, but we can
safely recommend you tiptoe into it by using the form ending in
- for male names ending in a consonant (except -$):
/  //    / 
! "/!  1  "/1  
For feminine names, further care is needed: most female names
and other nouns ending in - get the ending -:
 /  '(/'$
However, more and more these forms are considered crude and
22 uneducated. Those ending in - and - get the ending -; but
110 Unit 9: # $ 

don’t use )  for )  if you want to appear as the polite
and educated person you really are.
Foreign names don’t get the special vocative endings, nor do
names ending in - or -. The vocative form for * ‘father’ is
 , and for $ ‘mother’  .
When addressing a stranger,  % ‘Sir!’ is perfectly polite,
as are  , (from  ,, note the stress change) ‘Ma’am!’
and  , ‘Miss!’. When these terms are used in conjunction
with a family name, the feminine forms keep their vocative forms,
but not the masculine:
1*" %,  % !  .
Good morning, Mr Petrov.
1*" %,  , !  .
Good morning, Mrs Petrova.
1*" %,  , !  .
Good morning, Miss Petrova.

Exercise 5
Say hello (% $, & !) to all the people identified below,
taking into account grammar as well as politeness and propriety.
1  5 ! 
2 *     6   & "
3 * 5 7 * 
4  &7 4 8    "

Exercise 6
Spell out the numerals with letters and use the correct plural form
for the nouns in brackets – for men or for women, animals and
things.
1 2    4 (   )  2 (   ).
2 (  /  )   /     3 (  ).
3 #  3 ( ),   4    ('&).
4 +  2 (/)  3 ( 7)    5 :$.
5 .     4 (/).
 10 % 
11

Health

11 In this unit you will learn how to:

• Use constructions for expressing feelings

• Use vocabulary relating to health
• Use long (stressed) personal pronouns
• Use doubled object expressions

Dialogue 1
It suddenly occurs to Mary that Ana doesn’t look too well. Why
does Ana agree to go and see a doctor?

* : ,   ? .  & $  ,  

 .
:   . -:      . 2  
 .
* : + $   ,     7 . %6 
   / . #$        
 ? ?  ) . *&    $ , )
  .
: . , /    / .  : 
    ,   ') . .  – 
 '    . .      ,  / 
 6  . .    $ . "     .
* :    /    . +    $    ,
      ' .
:   )  &    –   ' ,
 6 ,   . +    /  /,
     8 /,   : ,   
22 7  .
112 Unit 10: % 

* : 0     6 ? +     .

: ,      . .     
 )      ,    6  $.

Vocabulary
*% pale
 %, suddenly
   to be ill, unwell
=  / to feel
=  
 % feeble, weak
   + to feel dizzy
= reason
+   friendly
"  (piece of) advice
  / , -- to snack, have a bite
-   to feel ill, unwell
%  regularly
=  to taste bitter
8  mouth
  really, in fact
*     to have a headache
 serious
 doctor
  + blood pressure
(for short:  )
  high, tall
8  over-exhaustion
 stress
=  /=, to rest
--
 at least
   to do sports
(impf. only)
  that much, to that degree
% for . . . sake, on account of
% examination
8 +  / to set one’s mind at ease
8 +, -- 
 Unit 10: Health 113

11 Language points 1

Feelings and their sources

In English, the ‘experiencer’ of a feeling or sentiment is usually
also made the subject of the sentence, for example ‘I have a
headache’. In Bulgarian the tendency is to put the blame where it
belongs: /    , lit. ‘The head is hurting me’. There are
several ways of doing this in terms of the organisation of the
11 sentence. An ache, as we just have seen, is usually attributed to
the body part(s) causing it and is expressed by the verb * ‘to
hurt’ (an -verb). This verb is never used in the first or second
person, and even in the dictionary is only shown in the third person.
So, according to your predicament, you would say:

/    " . I have a stomach-ache.

/+   . My legs hurt me.

Feelings with no obvious source are often expressed with the experi-
encer in the dative. The feeling itself will be expressed by an adverb
(ending in -, or more rarely, in -):

1-  . I am ill.
  . I am ill.
# 8%  . I am cold.
  . I am warm.

The feeling may also sometimes be expressed by a verb:

0= . I have a bitter taste.

Have a look also at these constructions where the cause of the

predicament, if you can call it that, is the subject:

!   *.
I feel like a beer.

E%   +*".
I want apples.

   + .
I feel dizzy.
22 (lit. ‘the world is turning around for me’)
114 Unit 10: % 

Parts of the body

, /
y8, y$



y 

 8
, 7

 ,
 

Notice that many words for parts of the body that occur in pairs
have irregular plural forms. Also, no distinction is made between
‘hand’ and ‘arm’ (" is used for both), or between ‘foot’ and
‘leg’ ( also for both).

Exercise 1 (Audio 1; 54)

Bulgarian does not have a word for a ‘bad hair day’, but there are
lots of other parts of the body that could trouble you. Look at the
illustration above and use all the words there to make sentences
about where your pain is.

1 Using ‘I’ forms: *    , *    " , ....

2 Using ‘he’ forms: *    .
3 Using ‘you (sing.)’ forms and asking: *     ?
 Unit 10: Health 115

11 Exercise 2
Express a craving for the objects you see pictured below, and
take care to use plural when appropriate, as in    
‘I want (to eat) strawberries’.
1 2

4
11 3

Ordinal numerals: ‘first’, ‘second’, . . .

The ordinal numerals change according to gender and number the
way adjectives do:

Masculine Feminine Neuter Plural

 ( )    first

    second
    third
        fourth
    fifth

    sixth

    seventh
    eighth
        ninth
        tenth
        eleventh
        twentieth

This pattern continues until . . .

     hundredth
     thousandth
22
116 Unit 10: % 

Exercise 3
Here’s the list of the top hits of the week in three different cate-
gories (pop, folk and rock) and their performers.

! 9 6

1   . . *$ 3   2
2 *  " 5  % 7 
3   ?   2     %
4  2 /  D   * / 
5    !   %$ 2 !
6 (  */ 2 *   * 
7 +  7  *   %& % 
8 * 6 6  % +    E +
9   5   *
10   " 2    

For the following stars, state the chart positions in the following way.
(Look out for groups, they have funny names and need the plural.)
Example: /       (   .
Beloslava is number one (lit. ‘first’) in the
pop chart.
'   %    (   .
Maxim is number nine (lit. ‘ninth’) in the
rock chart.
1  2 /  6 *   %&
2 " 7 5  
3   * /  8    !  
4 . . 9 *$ 3   2
5 E + 10 2    

Dialogue 2
Milena has a tooth that is troubling her and phones her dentist to
get an appointment. Is she in much pain?

%  : %   /  „0  ”,  .

* : ( . #   $ /     
- 2 .      7  .
 Unit 10: Health 117

11 %  : (- 2    &      ,  

   /  .        $?
* : 5- ,  &. #     /  
: ?
%  : (, 13 /.  14.30.
* :      6   . .    .
.  :  &  ?
%  : 2 :  - 2        
    /  . +    6    
? .    , &      : 
11      / . 2     
7  ,  )      8.
* : (  ,   '       17.30 /.
%  :    ,  )   6        , /
)         $  . + 
  $   .    ?
* : *  5 .
%  : (,          . /,
    :   17 /. !    
,   .
* : (,    ,       .
5   . ( /:.

Vocabulary
  =  dental clinic
  /-, -- = to set up an appointment
  (f.);  (m.) patient
,% /% to examine
8%*, -* inconvenient 8%*, -* convenient
" , possibility %% the day after
tomorrow
   again + (work) shift
* pain  schedule
%8,%  /%8%+, -- to warn
"* (f.), "* (m.) dentist
 "% extraordinary, - urgency,
unscheduled emergency
 strong  painkiller*
%+   (impf. only) to hope
  (3rd pers. only) to become necessary
22 * a degraded brand name, like aspirin
118 Unit 10: % 

Language point 2

Long and short personal pronouns

In Unit 9 (pp. 101–3), you were introduced to ‘long’ and ‘short’
possessive pronouns. It will then come as no surprise to you that
the personal pronouns also come in long and short versions. The
ones you have learned so far are the short ones. Here are the long
ones (with the short ones given for comparison):

Accusative Dative
    
*   * 
/(/ /(/  / 8/$/ 8
(/ 
    
    
+   + 

The long forms are used after prepositions:

? %$% *. I’ll come along with you.
+  %  * (. We won’t leave without her.
As explained with the possessive pronouns, the short ones must
be unstressed, so if you want to put emphasis on the pronoun, you
will have to use the long form.
'  %-?
Are you looking at me?
0%-  ?
Are you looking at me/are you watching me?
F    % =. 1$   !
Ana doesn’t want the sandwich. Give it to me!
,%-   ? 1$  !
Do you see the paper? Give it to me!
The long forms are also used when emphasis is placed on the
pronouns by adding words such as   ‘only’, = ‘just’,
‘exactly’ and  ‘also’:
 Unit 10: Health 119

1 #  * = .
We are only waiting for you.
= * = .
It’s exactly you we are waiting for.
&  *  % -%.
I’ll give you chocolate too.

Exercise 4

1 Complete the sentences below with the correct long pronouns.

Example: "%  '? +*  %  ( (.
Where is Milena? I have to talk to her.
1    ? +       ______ .
2     * ? +       ______ .
3 * ,    ' . +       ______ .
4   * ,    ' . +      
______ .
5 , )  ' $? #$     $  ______ ?
6  , ) ' $  /  ? #$     $ 
______ ?
7 * / , )  '  ? #       
 ______ ?
8    / ? +       ______ .

Dialogue 3 (Audio 1; 56)

Ana has gone to see the doctor. What is his diagnosis?

: (Knocking on the doctor’s door) ( ,  .

*&   ?
,   : (,    . %  , :$ .
: .  /:   .     .
,   : =,         ,  6   
  - . 0  :   ?
: .   . 5      6  .
,   : /,        . !  
:6    ?
: (, 7    . (        .
,   :  , /     . !       8
2 –  ,   ')?
120 Unit 10: % 

: (,       .

,   : 2       . % /  , ) 
  .

Vocabulary
 / +, to come in +% / %, to sit down
- --
  / to complain   appetite
=, -- 
  lack  8 muscle
+,  body % even
 ,   bone * problem
% nausea   vomiting
+ sometimes %   to be nauseous
*  common, plain,  flu
ordinary
"*= / "*, "*=-  to undress

Language point 3

Doubled objects
You have learned to use short, unstressed pronouns for objects
(e.g. %  ‘I’m looking at you’) and also to use long, stressed
pronouns (e.g. % * ‘I’m looking at you’). There is also a
third possibility, using both types of pronoun: %  *.
These doubled object constructions are much more typical of
the spoken language than of written language. While a single
stressed pronoun as object often indicates contrastive emphasis, as
described earlier in this unit, a doubled pronoun usually indicates
that the person or thing in question is being focused as the main
theme for the statement. They may in some cases be compared to
English sentences where the main theme is made the subject of a
passive sentence:
   * . ( (   =  = 
   .
Vera is very beautiful. She is liked by all the boys in the
quarter.
 Unit 10: Health 121

11  %(      .

I too like this idea.
In addition to that, the impersonal constructions mentioned under
‘Feelings and their sources’ in this unit (p. 112) always require a
short, unstressed pronoun, so if you want to use them to express
contrastive emphasis, you end up with a doubled object here too:
'  *   . .    *.
(As for me,) I have a headache. But he does not.

11 Exercise 5
Give answers to the following questions.
Example: F ( *   . . *?
– '   *.
Ana has a headache. What about you?
– I don’t have one.
1       . ! ?
2 *     ' . !   ?
3 +8     8 . ! ?
4 +     6$ . !  ?
5 .     . !   ?
6        . !   *?

Exercise 6
Give answers to the following questions, but this time in the
affirmative.
Example: F ( *   . . *?
– &   *.
Ana has a headache. What about you?
– I have one too.
1       . ! ?
2 *     ' . !   ?
3 +8     8 . ! ?
4 +     6$ . !  ?
5 .     . !   ?
6        . !   *?
22
11  
Going to the cinema

In this unit you will learn how to:

• Use the aorist past

• Use reflexive pronouns

Dialogue 1 (Audio 2; 1)

Ana has been to the cinema. Who did she go with? Did they like
the picture?

* : ,   $ )? +' 8 ,  8  

$ ,    ,    
  .
: 8   . .    $ – 5   
     !
* : .   5! )    8     ,
     ?
: !   /  $    , 8
    & , ' 8   & 7  . . .
* : (  ,  / .   8 ?
: 9   . D     7
 $8, /   :    .
* : " 8:   $  ?
:  $  8 . D&@   ')  
            
/       / . 2  )  
/ 7       .
* : + ,  $  ,      .
*&    )      . !  5
8   6?
 Unit 11: Going to the cinema 123

11 : * /  : 8 . %   /  

7  ,     8     8   
  @  .

KINO
11

Vocabulary
 last night % -  home phone
*  mobile phone, +  / +  to believe
cellphone
=  unexpected ,( showing
=; meaning, importance;
(  = it doesn’t matter
  advertise, promote
   % . . . it’s worth it to . . .
, A film director  / , to return
-- 
  memory, %  childhood
recollection
+ ,   (the) world    / to discover
 (, --
=  part, particle $ it seems
"=, --, to be silent    to comment
"=
 game, play,  A actor
22 acting
124 Unit 11:  

Language points 1

The aorist past

There are a number of past tenses in Bulgarian. We’ll start here
with the tense called aorist. You recall that there are three different
groups of verbs: -, - and -verbs, characterised by these three
vowels.

• All -verbs still show their vowel in the aorist. We show the
aorist here together with the present for comparison:

Aorist Present Aorist Present

       % %

      - % %-
$/ +/        % %
         %  % 
         %  % 
        %  %

Note especially that the forms for the second and third person
singular coincide – not only in the -verbs, but in all aorist forms.
You will also see that in the third person, the present tense and
the aorist coincide. Some speakers shift the stress to the ending to
avoid this ambiguity, so that + % is ‘she looks’ and + %
is ‘she looked’.

• Most of the -verbs keep their vowel in the aorist:

Aorist Present Aorist Present

    (    (
    -    -
$/ +/         
          
            
     (     (

Here as well, stress may be shifted to the ending to avoid ambigu-

ity: $   ‘he speaks’, $   ‘he spoke’.
 Unit 11: Going to the cinema 125

11 • A few -verbs show an -- or -(- in the aorist:

Aorist Present Aorist Present

 "= "= " + " +

 "= "=- " + " -
$/ +/  "= "= " + " 
 "=  "= " +  " 
 "=  "=  " +  "  
 "=  "= " +  " +
11

The verb " ‘to be’ can always be expected to be a little irregular:

Aorist Present

 *+ "
 *- or * 
$/ +/  *- or * 
 *+  
 *+  
 *+  

As opposed to the present tense of " , the past tense does have
its own stress. It may also stand at the beginning of the sentence,
or it may follow the same word order rule as " :

 " % I am hungry

% " I am hungry
 *+ % I was hungry
*+ % I was hungry
% *+ I was hungry

Past, but still going on

Notice what Ana says about the Spanish film. She uses the present
tense, while we translate it with an English perfect tense:

6     % .

22 They have been promoting it for three weeks.
126 Unit 11:  

We use the present tense if what has been going on in the past
also continues in the present:
3 ( /8  %  %.
I have been living in Burgas for two years (and still live there).
And in case you wonder – there is a perfect tense in Bulgarian as
well. You will learn about it in Unit 14.

Exercise 1
Complete the following sentences.
Example: F      F   .
I liked the film and Ana liked it.
1  8 8     *  _________ .
2 .    8    _________ .
3   5 8     _________ .
4         _________ .
5 +   8 '    _________ .
6 +        _________ .
7 . 8     _________ .
8   /8   _________ .

Exercise 2
Give responses to the following statements.
Example: &  %  ( ! ".
– F =   .
I want to speak to Petar.
– I have already spoken to him.
1 #     . –   / _________ .
2 #    *    . –   / _________ .
3 #  :. .  / _________ .
4 #      * .   / _________ .
5 #    *    . – .  / _________ .
6 #  :  . – *   / _________ .
7 #      5 . – *   / _________ .
 Unit 11: Going to the cinema 127

1 Dialogue 2 (Audio 2; 3)

It is Monday morning, and Georgi and Petar are back in the office.
Why is Georgi so glad to be back?

 : (  , /  6 ' $! 0    !

?        B  .
5 : +   ?   ' ' &  /  , 
            /  .
 : %        –    ) : .
1
.   '     8 6&.
5 :    :/?   ? 5 & ? "
   ?
 : 5-$ . +')   $   . %   .
5 : " ? .    ? .     ) ?
 : . ,   . A   $   . .
    &   8&    N    .
5 : )  N   &        
 ?
 : 5  &8 N,   ,  . . . . 8  
      ,   8   
  ,       .
5 : % ) ' ) N   &$      /.
"      # . 2  ) 
&,   &$   $ ,  $.

Vocabulary
8% weekend -  / to come to
-, -- an end
=  % holiday, day off  past
=    something happens    road accident
/ = to me
  
, fire  mother-in-law
(wife’s mother)
+, --, -+ to stand, remain %   to do household
chores
 in, around  ,% / to stroll, go for
 %(, a walk
2 -- 
128 Unit 11:  

 ", theatre   programme

  (pl.)
* ticket   play, stage play
(  dam % immediately
   / to decline
 ,, -- 

Language point 2

Reflexives
‘Petar knows that Georgi will find his book.’ Now, whose book is
that – Petar’s or Georgi’s? In Bulgarian, there is no doubt:

! " , = 0       .

Petar knows that Georgi will find his (Petar’s) book.

! " , = 0    (  .

Petar knows that Georgi will find his (Georgi’s) book.

Reflexive pronouns, such as $, are used to identify possession

with the acting subject of the sentence – in the example above,
with 0, the subject and actor of the subordinate clause
0    (  . Note that $ follows the same
pattern as $ and $:

Masculine Feminine Neuter Plural

( (     

The possessive reflexive pronoun comes in an unstressed variant

as well:

! " , = 0      8.

Petar knows that Georgi will find his (Petar’s) book.

! " , = 0      .

Petar knows that Georgi will find his (Georgi’s) book.
 Unit 11: Going to the cinema 129

11 Exercise 3
Change the first word of the following text to = and retell it
as a past event:

Example: =  "  F . . .

Yesterday I called Ana . . .

L    "+  F   ( (  . ? 

*%(   '   ( (. ? %  %   
 . ? ( *   ,(  7 =. #%  
11
   *           
 A .

Exercise 4
Complete the sentences below, using the example as a pattern.

Example:      .
'     .

1 +     . * 8  _________ .

2 +      . * 8  _________ .
3 +     . * 8  _________ .
4 +    . * 8  _________ .
5 +      . * 8  _________ .
6 +      . * 8  _________ .
7 +       . * 8  _________ .

Exercise 5
Decide which pronoun (reflexive or non-reflexive) to use.

1 D      (,   )  .

2 5   8  ,   &   (, )
 .
3 *  /  8        (, N)  .
4  )      (, )   2 .
5 %6   , / ( ,  )     - 
22   .
130 Unit 11:  

Dialogue 3 (Audio 2; 5)

Milena is doing an interview for a radio station with the singer

Pavlina Paskova.

* : 5 5      . . 2    

&          . 6 . +  $
   . #      /  
     6   .
%  B/         
:  6 . 5  2000 .  
'   :,   B/ 14   /
    . 5,   6   
$  ? #$  6  ?
5: *6     . .:/8   
 . "           
     .
* : %  : ,      8,  
$   $?
5: 2 /   :   $  . .  8
:&      . .  8
   @ .
* : ) $     $   
 &  ? )         
'  ?
5: 5       /     .
5 8   &   . !  6/
   ,       :$ . +  
 :/8 6    :  „5 ”.
 6 8, /      ') / 
: .    8 '    , 
6 8  .
* :  8      7  5 . 5  
 $6     .
5: * &  7/   &.   B 
       . +   
7   . 2' 7      / 
6   8,    .
* : " & $  $  &. .   
    .     ?
 Unit 11: Going to the cinema 131

11 5: 2      7. *&    -

 7          8  .

Vocabulary
% born  $  family
* - former *  * , basketball player
*  *  (f.)
*", silver * (adj.) bronze
- (adj.)
11 % medal 8*  republican,
nationwide*
"   championship D=  finishing,
completion
  sports career   /  , to get into,
 --   engage in
something
8( the music %  /% to publish,
* business release
D=  / D=, -- to include
  =, authentic %  , folk song
-= - 
8 musician % family, kin
8  musical gene =, --/=, to learn
--
** grandmother  relating to
folklore
()
 to react ", spouse
(impf. and pf.) " (f.)
*", - close (n.: close - decision
relative or friend)
= beginning +  manifestation,
field of activity
A, coach, trainer -  /-, to decide, solve
A (f.) --
    (impf. only) to experiment
,  arrangement  ( / to change
 +, --
" performance,  8=, -- to sound
rendering
22 8  /8  (, -- to feel, sense
132 Unit 11:  

 (, --/ (, -- to make, do

8 +  /8 +, to become convinced of something
--  
-8 show ( / +, to change
 attire --
%",, --; to hold (impf. only);
 %",   to attach great importance to
something
; stage;  D costume, suit
= stage image
 %,
%$ designer  especially
  outside  style
- awfully, very * (f.) weakness
%  " flaw, defect  , emotional
-
 too, too highly    open-hearted,
sincere
* relating to Bulgaria

Exercise 6
Change the following sentences, taken from Dialogue 3, from the
aorist past into the present tense.
Example: F   "*   .
– F   "*   .
I collected the songs myself.
– I collect the songs myself.
1 .:/8     .
2 )          '  ?
3 5 8   &   .
4  6 8, /      ') /.
5 5    $6      .

Reading passage
E    7 .
 "   – *  &       ,  /   
:. 9     ) „ ” /  –  ,  
 Unit 11: Going to the cinema 133

11  @ ,  N            .   

    /        7 . +: 
              ,    
       B  .

 MM – *  &, /      & ,

: ')     : . +  /  N    $
    . C  '       ,  )
'   '  ?

11 ! (   – %    &  9  :

&) . + '          
     .  )  &    ' ? # 
road movie.

Vocabulary

*%, -% poor, destitute = (, -- to (day)dream

  /  leave  / to meet
, --
=  (day)dream $ (m.), hero(ine),
( (f.) character
%  =, -= dramatic * choice
 capital city
  *+  /  *+, to adapt
-- 
 unknown
%( /%+, to part with something
--  
D( illusion  = burdened
 , - monotonous  house
" (m.), spouse *= however
" (f.)
 past % forward
 Crimea  , death
*  / to lose " 
, dwelling, home
*(
% , %  house, home
, +  /, (, -- to experience, live through
22    real, proper
134 Unit 11:  

Exercise 7
Rewrite the film summaries (p. 132) in the first person instead of
the third person. Begin like this:
1 ! &       , . . .
2 0 /      & , : . . .
3 %    &  : . . .

Cultural note: seating in cinemas

and theatres
Usually the seats are not numbered consecutively from one end of
the row to the next, but all the even numbers (=   , seats
2, 4, 6 . . .) are on one side and the odd numbers (=   ,
seats 1, 3, 5 . . .) on the other. This little stroke of genius allows
them to label the entrances on both sides not ‘Right’ and ‘Left’
(most people will know that already), but =  and = . In
that way you will immediately know the optimal route to your seat
without trying to guess how far into the row it is. And just
remember when going with a friend that if you get seats 9 and 11,
they are still together.
 12 &  %
1

Name-day

1 In this unit you will learn how to:

• Use some more aorist past forms

• Use indirect speech in the framework of the past
• Use nicknames

Dialogue 1 (Audio 2; 6)

Petar and Nikolai are discussing last night’s party, and Mary over-
hears the discussion. What kind of a party was it?

5 : 0, .,   &! % 6 )  

  !
. : (,   6  . .    8 „ ” 20
:$. !     8 14,    
   8      –   .
5 : " /    8     .   
 8 . .    , 
:     8.  8    ' , 
   /: .
. : 2& , /   . * ,    
&   ,     &  ,  
     )   .
5 : !    ? ! &     :
 ,    $.
. : 5      , /     
    8  /  –     $ !
)      . " 6 / .
5 : (          / , 
2 T   . "     –  
136 Unit 12: &  %

  , /   ) ,     

 :  .
. : , )  ')  T . U    
  $.   /   – ' 
%   ,   2@  , T   ,
"  . . &$    $!
* :      ? %     , /:
–    ,  .
5 : ? . $ -&  '   7?
+      –  7    7
       8  ,   
')  .
* :  /     7?
. : 5  7 ,   /       
 :  . %  *      .
+       . . /  :
 @ . 2/,       
 ,    /  .
* : !      &  ? #  ,
    , :, 7,   7,
  .
. :    :$ &  , $   . .
&$   $  6,     . !
     . 2      
 .

Vocabulary
, alive
  / , -- to become, get up, stand up
%  /%$%    to visit, come as a visitor
   /  (, --  to move house
%  hardly
% with difficulty
   to find one’s way
 +, --  to party, have fun
 /  (, --  to recall, have something dawn
on oneself
  % (pl.   %, name-day
definite  (( ) %)
  (impf. only) to celebrate
 ( /  (, -- to prepare
 Unit 12: Name-day 137

11 - carp
    an expert on something
8" = the party goes on
 holiday, celebration
+    it is clear to me, I understand
=  /=, -- to begin (= =  /=)
% Christmas
  +  / (, to sober up
--;  +
+% food, eating
11  drink, drinking
+" , -  some kind of
 ,   saint
    Orthodox
% calendar
  in principle
  , -  known, well-known
 ,  ,  ,   (adj.) holy; #   ' St Marina
=(, --/=( to treat someone to something
 difference
,  dance, dancing
 invited

22
138 Unit 12: &  %

Language points 1

More aorist pasts

The -verbs vary a bit in the way their aorist past is formed. Many
of them still have an , but alternating with  in most of the persons.
These also frequently change the stress:

Aorist Present Aorist Present

 %$% %$% =  = 
 %$% %$%- =  = -
$/ +/  %$% %$% =  = 
 %$%  %$% =   = 
 %$%  %$%  =   =  
 %$%  %$% =   = 

All -verbs with -- in front of the  form the aorist with :

Aorist Present Aorist Present

   % %
  - % %-
$/ +/    % %
    %  %
     %  % 
    %  %

A few -verbs have no vowel before the aorist endings – these are
the ones that do have a vowel immediately before the  of the
present:

Aorist Present Aorist Present

  ( = =(
  - = =-
$/ +/    = =
    =  =
     =  = 
   ( =  =(
 Unit 12: Name-day 139

11 Verbs with 
You have seen them around for a while, ever since )   % 
‘I am pleased too’ in Unit 1. They have several functions, and the
most important one is to make passive constructions:
     ( %  $.
We celebrate Nikolai’s name-day.
& ( %  $      .
Nikolai’s name-day is celebrated by us.
11 As you see, the ‘doer’ or the subject of the active sentence, ,
is expressed by   in the passive sentence. But one of the main
purposes in using a passive sentence is often not to have to express
the ‘doer’ at all:
 =   %    .
Not all name-days are widely celebrated.
The connection between the -verb and the plain verb is not
always transparent – for example between    ‘to be called’
and   ‘to say’. And in some cases English uses the same verb
for both meanings:
$    =.
Nikolai returned home yesterday.
$     ' =.
Nikolai returned the books to Mary yesterday.
In the third person singular (the $/ +/  form), -verbs may
function as impersonal constructions, roughly corresponding to the
use of ‘one’ in English:
   %   .
One does not send out invitations for a name-day.
Invitations are not sent out for a name-day.
-(        * .
In our office one speaks only Bulgarian.
In our office only Bulgarian is spoken.
There are also verbs that simply do not occur without  – you
can just consider them as plain verbs in disguise, not as reflexive
verbs:
*,%  to call
22   to recall, have something dawn on oneself
140 Unit 12: &  %

Exercise 1
Complete the following sentences.
Example: F  ,  F  =$.
1 2 8   ,   _______  .
2  / 8   ,   _______ .
3  '8  7 /.,  _______  8 /.
4     :8 ,   _______   .
5 +  8 / ,   _______  .
6 . '8  2 ,   _______  D:.
7 2/   8   ,    _______   .
8  8  ,   _______   .

Exercise 2 (Audio 2; 7)

Answer the questions below, following the pattern in the example.

Example: & -  % - .
– /%+,  =  .
1     ) '? – +  / _______ .
2 #$    / $   ? –   ,   / 
_______ .
3   )     ? –+  / _______ .
4   ) / 6 ? – 6  / _______ .
5 &        ! – +  / _______ .

Dialogue 2 (Audio 2; 8)

This is what took place at Georgi’s name-day party. Who else has
a name-day today? And where is she celebrating?

* : -   ,  ! (  &   !

5 : A , /  ! (   &     !
* : A   ) , 6 8     
>  !
 :     , / /  8 . 2 ,
 !
5 : 2&      8. " ) )   –
 8     Q   % ,   
 & $. 0)8, / )     .
 Unit 12: Name-day 141

11 * : !  8  2 , /   /  :. + 

 $ 6   )   6 ,  )   6
 .
 :    ? 0 $ : ?  N   &8 
 :   6  – :  /  , 
       &  .
5 : 5 )         , ?
 : ? ,  /! . ! (    
$!

11 Vocabulary
% healthy, in good health
,(, --; - (impf. only) to wish
  happiness
8  success
C* , C*  love
% ,% /% %, --; % % to take along, bring (a person)
*  /*(, --; - to promise
8 at, to (usually about a person or
his/her home)
 course, class (of a given year)
  /  , --;  to accept
  like, as, just as
%  cheers!

Language point 2

Indirect speech again

‘He said that it didn’t matter.’ Well, what did he say? He said: ‘It
doesn’t matter.’ You changed the tense because the verb of saying
(‘said’) is in the past tense. In Bulgarian, you don’t have to do that.
Just use the tense that was used in the original: $ , = 
 ,. This goes for verbs of saying and verbs of mental activity
(‘to think’, ‘to consider’, ‘to remember’, ‘to forget’).
0 *, =  %$%.
Georgi said that he would come.
' * , =  %.
22 Milena forgot that she was hungry.
142 Unit 12: &  %

!  %    *.

I asked whether there was still beer.
!   , = +  %    .
We thought that we wouldn’t find you.
#  , =    0.
I suddenly remembered I had a meeting with Georgi.

Exercise 3
Rewrite the passage below, which is part of the greengrocer’s tale
from Unit 7, and put all his statements into the aorist. Begin like
this:
2% , %$%    "%    .
9  &          .  N, / 
 , /:$, : – / /:7    8: $
 . !  , /     ,  :    :.
 N       &  / . +   ,
/     &. 5    / $.  N , /
/ $      B  B. .    N  2
    .

Exercise 4
Complete the answers, following the pattern shown in the example.
Example: <   - *?
– ,  =  %.
Do you drink beer often?
– No, but yesterday I drank one.
1    5 , /      ? – . ,  /  _____
 .
2 -   )$  &   N :$   ? – . ,
 /  _____ .
3 -    & $    / ? – . ,  /  _____ .
4 -    $ ? – . ,  /  _____ .
5 *  /   )   &   6 :  ?
– . ,  /  _____ .
6    * , /    &      / ?
– . ,  /  _____ .
 Unit 12: Name-day 143

1 Dialogue 3 (Audio 2; 10)

The party goes on. Milena is serving the wine and Georgi is chat-
ting with the guests. Why did he go to Melnik last year?

* : 5 @ ,    $   ?

5 : (,  8   /. *  :.
* : %  ). = ,   .
5 : . ,    ,   8   / .
* : (     )   ?
1 5 : *, / 8   / . O     
 .
* : * , &       . 5 
 6  ,  /$.
5 :    8 $     )  
* . #$     $?
 : )   -  ?     /   
 $  . *    7
8 8 ,    :.
* : A , ) 7: ?
 : (,   )8? !       .
(   8 )  ,     6  .

Vocabulary
(, -- pour (solids), serve
 more, still
  /(, --; + to pour (liquids)
%  "= sufficiently, enough
%  /% , -%%- to hand
* wine cellar
=   devotee
  (impf. only) to dance
 ( / (, -- to open

Language point 3

Nicknames
Like many other peoples of the world, Bulgarians like to use
2 nicknames in everyday informal communication. They are used in
144 Unit 12: &  %

addressing a person by first name only as well as together with the

family name in speaking about him or her. Thus, close friends of
0 !  may address him as 3 and talk about him as
3 !  . Some of them are used with the definite article,
but not in direct address: #   %$%, ‘Sylvia came’ but
% $, # ! ‘Hello, Sylvia’. Nicknames from English some-
times compete with the original Bulgarian nicknames. Here is a
list for some of the more common names:
. %" #-, #%
F F=
.   
   
0 0
2 I, 5
2 ( I 
)  A, 
)  (, =
4% 1=
4% 1=
 =, 
    
    
'( '=, ' , ' =, '
$ A, 
! !
! " !-, !, ! A
# ( # 
#  # =, # , # , <
% -, -
;   ;  

Exercise 5
Make the following text more formal by substituting proper first
names for the nicknames. And while you’re doing that, make the
quotes into indirect speech as well.
%   : „. , $ , / @  & 
  ?” – „. ,”  . , „   ') 
&  . +    :       ,  
@ .”
 Unit 12: Name-day 145

11 Exercise 6
In the following text, replace   with = and change all the
underlined verbs into the aorist past ( =  . . .).
O  )    7 /. C :  )      
8 /. + )      B   )   12. + 
)    * . %  )   )    .
2 6 /. /  )  '  '), ) /   )  
   .
11

Reading passage
! 
5 7  – /     , )  '  
 ,  )    ,     . *&  
    & - /  /   7 – &  
    ,       7,    
  )  .
#    /  7      .
5 /         '      
 7,  6, /     –     
 /        B. +  8 
'   @  (6 )   /  @  
  , /      /  %   
5  7. +       /  ,   -  
    .
D      .:  (6   ) –  
 %  .  -6  7. 2       
 7        ,       .
+       7     , 7  
  . .  /     &   
 $ .

Vocabulary
 " impatience
  merriment, cheerfulness
22 %  (usually pl.) parent
146 Unit 12: &  %

,, -- (usually 3rd pers.) to be valid, count

=, -= personal
 , -$ relating to family  * wedding
", -  christening = , =  part
%, traditional =  almost
-
% certain, fixed, %( tradition
special
 8 ritual
*=$ custom, ceremony
 ( preparing, preparation
=  table set for a feast
= roast, roasted ,   lamb
=  /= , --; =  honour, pay homage to
#   0 !*%  Saint George Victory-bringer
   protector
 = shepherd, sheep-herder
 ( army
#   $ <8%  Saint Nicholas Miracle-worker
+ , + ( belief
 % master, ruler
  (  the world ocean(s)
,   ocean, sea  river
    (impf. only) to protect
+ seaman * fisherman
" , -  businessman, trader
* banker %",  obligatorily

Cultural note: names

Where you would expect ‘full name’, Bulgarian official forms
say ‘all three names’ (    , with the definite article after
the numeral), because everyone has exactly three names: first
name ( ), patronymic (*, name derived from one’s
father’s name), and family name ( (,    ).
If a person is named 0 )  !  , we know from
the patronymic )  that his father’s name is ) . Patronymics
are only used in official contexts. Most patronymics and family
names are derived from personal names with a possessive suffix
- /- , with a further - added for the feminine. Thus 0
)  originally meant ‘Ivan’s Georgi’.
 Unit 12: Name-day 147

11 In earlier times, the family name would reflect the name of the
grandfather, so that Georgi’s grandfather would be named ! "
in our example here, but nowadays the family name is usually kept
unchanged through generations.
A few family names derive from occupations: %= and
 = are the Bulgarian equivalents of ‘Miller’ and ‘Smith’.
Some names of this kind are derived from Turkish loanwords, for
example /(%, from *(%,( ‘painter’. Even more rare are
family names derived from geographical names, so it’s just a lucky
coincidence that the city of Sofia at the time of writing has a mayor
11 with the very appropriate family name of #+ .

22
13   
The weather

In this unit you will learn how to:

• Talk about the weather

• Form the imperfective tense
• Use tenses in combination
• Use the points of compass

Dialogue 1 (Audio 2; 11)

Milena meets Mary and finds out that Mary went for a hike on
Mt Vitosha during the weekend. What other people did Mary meet
there?

* : * , '  $! .   6  8 ?

* : . ,  2 $! 5   $   –   
  ')       8 
 !
* :    !          '
8 8 .   8  6  ,   7
8 8          –  ,  
 # ,    5/  . .  
 /8  '    .
* : #8     ,       '& 
 7  /8  2 $. .   
/6&,    /   8&  .
*  '      &8  '8.
* : #$   8 ?
* : D  ,  .   8  :
   %  , )     8
$    .
 Unit 13: The weather 149

11 * :   $   ? +:,    ,  $  

/   / .
* :   '8, $ & ,   $
 '& . . ) )  /8 '  
 7   ,     . <7 
 8 6,  %. %'7  $, 
'  $   . ,   $
      .
* : #    !  8: $,    
           .
11 * : (,     8 8& „!  ”,  
  6   . (:8$  ,   $8 
 &   -   '8.
* : #$   :  6   ?
* : 5    . !    , 
/  B/. 2' 8  8& .

Vocabulary
 tan 8 sunbed salon
   / , -- to remain, stay behind
22  mountain *  bravo
150 Unit 13:   

 %, -% last % nature

 lake %, once
=  /=, --  to ascend, climb up, mount
   / , -- to depart
=8,*, =8,* abroad
%, /%",, -- to hold out, stand
- queue  cable car
  weather *=, -= cloudy
=, -= dark ,, -, humid, damp
, + (3rd person only) to precipitate, rain
* weak, slight %,% rain
 as soon as
=  /=, --  to ascend, climb up
( station * cloud
%8 (adv.) below, down under
% over   sun
(/( to shine, warm +,  snow
* +, -- to shine, glisten  (adj.) light
+ ",    wind
(, -- to play (games, etc.)
 branch * pine
   beauty
    /    to get a desire for
, chalet
<  a mountain just outside Sofia
%  (3rd person only) to blow (about wind)
 8  enthusiast %  mostly
 skier
 + /  (3rd person only) to start raining
=  ascent, climb, climbing
D=  /D=, -- to come to an end

Language points 1

Wind and rain

Actually  (third person only) means ‘to precipitate’. You may
use it on its own, for example,  ‘it’s raining’, or if you want
to be specific, you can use it with a subject:
 Unit 13: The weather 151

11  %,% to rain

 + to snow
The verbs %  ‘to blow’ and  + /  ‘to start to precipi-
tate’ behave in the same way:
%  a wind is blowing
%   + " a strong wind is blowing
 + it started to rain
 + + it started to snow

11
The imperfect
This is another past tense. Let us look at the forms first and
compare them to the aorist forms. The -verbs still show their :

Imperfect Aorist

 % %
 %- %
$/ +/  %- %

 %  % 

 %  % 
 %  % 

The - and -verbs both show the ( that sometimes disguises

itself as - – take a quick look back at Unit 8 (pp. 88–9) to re-
capitulate when this happens.

Imperfect Aorist Imperfect Aorist Present

     " + " + %

  -   " - " + %-
$/ +/   -   " - " + %

       " +  " +  %

       " +  " +  % 
       " +  " +  %
22
152 Unit 13:   

We mentioned in Unit 12 that many -verbs change their stress

from the present to the aorist. These verbs will have their stress
in the imperfective on the same syllable as in the present:

Imperfect Aorist

 = + = 
 = - = 
$/ +/  = - = 

 = +  =  
 = +  =  
 = +  =  

Exercise 1 (Audio 2; 12)

Complete the following sentences with the proper forms of the

imperfect tense.
Example: F   = . !-  = + .
I read a lot now. Earlier, I didn’t read a lot.
1      . 5-   _____  .
2 +   / $. 5-   _____  .
3 *      . 5-   _____  .
4 .     . 5-   _____  .
5 +     . 5-   _____  .
6 2    : . 5-   _____  .
7   6:  . 5-   _____  .

Exercise 2
This exercise will let you use all the tenses you know. Make
sentences like the ones shown in the example.
Example: !-  = + . .  =  .
– = =       =  .
Earlier, I didn’t read a lot. But now I read a lot
– I read a lot yesterday and I will read a lot
tomorrow.
1 5-    8  . !  _____  –
/  _____   :  ) _____  .
 Unit 13: The weather 153

11 2 5-     8 ' . !  _____ '  –

/  _____ '   :  ) _____ ' .
3 5-   8   . !  _____   –
/  _____   :  ) _____  .
4 5 -    $ . !  _____  – / 
_____   :  ) _____ .
5 + -    :8. !  _____ – /  _____  : 
) _____.
6 + -     $   $. !  _____  $ – / 
_____  $  :  ) _____  $.
11 7 *  7   $ '& . !  _____ '& – / 
_____ '&  :  ) _____ '& .

How to use the past

You now know two past tenses, so when should you use one and
when the other? The main principle is that the aorist is dynamic,
while the imperfect is static. When you are talking about past
events, you can only make things happen by telling about them in
the aorist. If you tell about a chain of events in the aorist, your
audience will understand that one thing happened first, then
another, and so on:
=   7 =. 0    ' 
%   + '.
Yesterday I returned home at seven. I talked on the phone
with Milena, and went out with Mary.
On the other hand, several imperfect forms one after another will
be perceived as the description of a situation, a state of affairs that
was in force at a given time (and will often be translated by the
English past progressive).
! " %-  (, $   -  .*
 -  .
Petar was watching television, my mother was cooking and
Albena was talking on the phone.
This has less to do with what actually happened as with the way
you choose to present it to your listener. Yesterday’s telephone
conversation may be a part of a chain of events, as in the first
example, or it may be given the role of a static background for
22 one of the events, as here:
154 Unit 13:   

=   7 =. =      

', ' %$%. !  +  %.
Yesterday I returned home at seven. Just when I was talking
on the phone with Milena, Mary came. Afterwards we went
out together.
The imperfect tense is most frequently used with the imperfective
aspect. Conversely, the aorist is most often used with the per-
fective aspect. One exception to this is that verbs that form the
perfective with a prefix (= /= , -/-) have per-
fective aorists only when they have an object:
=   7 =. <    %   +
'.
Yesterday I returned home at seven. I read a bit and
afterwards I went out with Mary.
=   7 =. !=       %  
+ '.
Yesterday I returned home at seven. I read your letter and
afterwards I went out with Mary.

The aorist past for ‘to be’ and

‘to have’
The two verbs " and   /+  have no special forms for the
aorist tense – their imperfect tense forms do double duty as aorist
forms.
If you look at the pattern for " given in Unit 11, you will see
that the alternate * given for the  and $/ + forms look like
aorists, but in practice they are interchangeable with *-:
   *- *  /    * * .
The weather was nice.

Dialogue 2 (Audio 2; 13)

Milena has been skiing during the weekend, while Ana has stayed
in Sofia. Now they are comparing notes.

* : , )       7?

: .  /: 8  ,     $   
   ' .
 Unit 13: The weather 155

11 * : (   &       ?! . 

$, / :  . " 8 /6 
6 .
:   $   ?
* : %  ,    '/.  $ '/ , 
  6  , 8    .
: ! :  $     ! Q   8  
  7  8    8&    . D$8
  '   $  '). 2 8  
 . #$    8 . .   8
11   , 8     /8  '7.
( :  8    , ' 8  / 8
  7. .  8& 8 :/   . #$
     7  .
* : 2/ / 8:      6 
  .
: (,    8  8 ,  8, / 
          ,    
 .
* : .   , ? 5    . 5  -
 / $ 6         .

Vocabulary
%* , - voluntary
,  sacrifice
  /  , -- to miss, skip
  / to spend (time, period of time,
etc.)
 (mostly plural ) ski
 = according to order
= sunny
 quiet
 spring, springtime
%+, --/- to sit, be seated
  grass
, =-;  , =/; to roast, bake;
    to sunbathe
$ bench **(, -- to chat
% , % (pl.) child = dog
22 % view  % establishment
156 Unit 13:   

Exercise 3
Select the proper aspect form from the parentheses and put it into
the correct tense – aorist or imperfect.

2     5 ( $/ $)     : 

%  , 2 '  /  (  /  )
   : . (+ )      ,
) (/ )          
        .
" ,  7.30   / (// /)    .
O ( ) /6  . ( /  ) '7. (*/
 ) , / )    8:    % . 
$         6  :
( /  )    :. (///)  
/ 8    &,   /  (‘evidently’)
( :)    . (/ // )  . 
) , ()      . . ( / ) 
(  /   – ‘to start talking’)   : . 5
 ( / &)           ) .
.- ( '/ '),   15 :    .

Exercise 4
Make statements about the weather, using the pictures as cues.
You will be able to find the solutions in the dialogues within this
unit.

5
 Unit 13: The weather 157

1 Dialogue 3 (Audio 2; 14)

Georgi and Petar are busy reading their newspapers. A thought

suddenly strikes Petar.

5 : A ,     -:/  
  ?
 : !   – &  :   :  ?
5 : ,  ,      –     :  
   , )    ,   & 
1
 ,  . . .  8       
  . * :8  . -:   (slight
rustling of newspaper, reads): „.    ) 
' /  . '   /  
    /  )  6/     ) 
   &    '& . C :8 
6    ->  ,  -   
B. %6     :   )  & 6
6 1  B 2   6, -    
>   . %    :   )
  13–18   6.”
 : . '  . +:     ,   / ,
    /  /  $  
$ (slight rustling of newspaper, reads): „0 
    '7, ( )   
    8     &   
 .”
5 : (     8:  $ ,  
/  ? .  /?
 : #,   , :$  : „(  '7
)  )  /       
  )     8   / ' 68.
<7 )          ,
  &    7     &  .
*    :   /   ) 
& 6 10  15   6. D',     
  /  )    . 2 &
 :   / . C  :8 ,    
/  6 ,   ->  .”
5 : 2  ) '  '   6   8  
2 $      . . .
158 Unit 13:   

Vocabulary
% according to
=, -= boring
  (- )  rate of exchange
 +,   change
$   pound sterling
  % US dollar
 ,  Norwegian krone
  euro
  % % to have in mind
 forecast, prognosis
 dry
  scattered, torn
*= , *=  cloud cover
8 =  /8 =, --; -  to increase
 + /  to rain occasionally, in the form
(3rd person only) of showers
8  moderate
<   the Black Sea coast
8 minus
D plus
%8 degree
$ area
%  /% , -- to reach
" , -  " to agree
  =, -= appealing, attractive
-  (pl. only) shorts
*% exhilarated, elated
, fresh  greenery
%", -% generous =, "= ray
% motherland %, - ideal
= clean %8 air
( +  /( +, to appear, come about
-- 
, precipitation
  meteorologist
% ,% /% %(, -- to foresee
%, % mean, median, middle
=   (3rd person, impf. only) to be expected
% /%  (3rd person only) to blow
% rather, much, very
 Unit 13: The weather 159

11 Language point 2

Points of compass
 

 %   

%  
11
C% C 

C
The corresponding adjectives (‘northern’, etc.) are  , -;
%, -%;  =, -=; D,, D,.

Exercise 5
Write a weather report based on the weather map below, covering
the regions of NE, NW, SE and SW Bulgaria.

22
160 Unit 13:   

Exercise 6
This exercise is good for geography as well as vocabulary! Make
statements about where town A is located with respect to town B
for the following pairs.
Example: 5     %  6 .
Lom is located to the west of Ruse.

D6e
, 

5e2e
2 

% 
6 M

%M  M 
5 2 2
M e2M

1 %, 6 
2   , ,
3 2 , 5 
4 5 , 5 
5 %, 5 
6 %    , 2 
7 6 , 5 
8   , D:
9 5 , ,
 14 '% (
1


The Madara Horseman

1
In this unit you will learn how to:

• Talk about historical events

• Use passive constructions
• Use the perfect tense

Dialogue 1 (Audio 2; 15)

Ana has been on a trip to the northeast part of Bulgaria and is

telling Mary about it.

: * , 8     %   /   ?

* : -     . . .      2 ,
 6   „! ”,    ')  -  -
  .          7,  
'  :  .
: !   ?        ?
* : 5  5 , )   8  
  ' . * 8     
%     ,       ')    
 –      / '  :8! .
)    /  %   /   ?
: !    7 8  3:,  $,
$   7 . %     
 8 :  *  .     
 ' ,     )    
2  :) .
162 Unit 14: '% ( 

* : D&  /! *, /   /:  *  ,

     &$.
: *      ,  15    3:. +
     *   ,  ')  
 7  /   8  :    .
* : /     /  7.
: (,   –   6     
II  . . -/ )    ' 
 7    .
* : ( 7     –    – 7  7? .
8, /     7.
: =,   ,     7   .
* : !       *   ? +  
  6, ?
: . , * ,       86  . +  
    7      ,  '   ,
 *    .
* :   &   ?
: +     7  6  –  /, :/ 
'. 9 /  /      .
            .
* :       ?
: .    . O/      , /  ' 
8 VIII–IX  .

Vocabulary
8 resort %  until now
   / to visit    " amphitheatre
  +, --
=, -= typical   / to inquire, ask
 
 to organise   visit
(impf. and pf.)
"  exciting, thrilling  horseman, rider
   , architectural   reserve, preserve
-
8 ruin   Roman
 fortress  century
= +  impressive *  Old Bulgarian
 Unit 14: The Madara Horseman 163

11 %  relating to % , pl. %  – castle

  compound, complex
 8( statue * bas-relief
" 8 on, upon  " stone
   to be situated
(impf. only)
  outside
  plateau, high plain
 ( composition 8 figure
%= horseman, rider
11  , "  ,    lion
 =  / =, -- to point, direct
 lance   picture
  to symbolise *% victory
,  enemy
= scientist, learned person
% /%,, -- to suppose
 khan

Language points 1

The perfect tense

This tense is in some ways similar to the English perfect, e.g.
‘I have looked’. It is made up of two parts – an auxiliary verb and
a participle – but in Bulgarian the auxiliary is " ‘to be’ rather
than ‘to have’. To make the participle:

• take the aorist first person singular, % ,

• take off the ,
22 • and replace it with . e.g. %.
164 Unit 14: '% ( 

What you have got now behaves very much like an adjective, so
remember to change it for gender and number:
 " % (said by a man)/
 " % (said by a woman)
  % (said to a man)/
  % (said to a woman)
$  %
+  %
  %
  %
  %
This will work well for most - and -verbs: $    ‘he has
searched’, +  " + ‘she has walked’. The -verbs have some
exceptions, which we will look at in Unit 16 (p. 187). The verb
" ‘to be’ is almost always an exception:
 " * (said by a man)
 " * (said by a woman)
  * (said to a man)
  * (said to a woman)
$  *
+  *
  *
  *
  *

In Unit 13, you learned that the aorist is used to describe past
events and put them into a chain of events. The perfect tense also
refers to past events, but without placing them in a chain of events.
On hearing = ! " =( '  % 
‘Yesterday Petar had supper with Milena and watched a film’,
you would conclude that the events happened in that order, but
you can draw no such conclusions from = ! "  =(
'   %  .
The perfect tense is also useful for stressing the result in the
present from an action in the past. When you say  " 
  ( ‘I have bought a new dress’, you stress the fact that
you are now the owner of a new dress, while     (
(with the aorist) emphasises the action of buying.
 Unit 14: The Madara Horseman 165

11 Roman numerals
Roman numerals are used in the following cases:

• Indicating centuries:
! XIX . / XIX 
 %  $   
in the nineteenth century
! VII . / VII 
11  %  
in the seventh century
Note that Bulgarian does not use the definite article in these
expressions. You’ll find a list of the ordinal numbers in Unit 10
(p. 115).

• Indicating the month in date expressions:

29. XI. 2005 .
% $   %     %  (%    %
29 November 2005
 8. V. 1993 .
   $ +% %    %  %    
%
8 May 1993
Look at Unit 7 (p. 177) for the names of the months.

Exercise 1

Write answers to the following questions.

Example: ! -  #(? – ,   %  .

Do you know Sofia? – No, I haven’t been there.

1 * ,  $  2 ? – . , __________ .

2   * ,     2 ? – . , __________ .
3 )     ? – . , __________ .
4 +    5    6 ? – . , __________ .
5 * ,        2 ? – . , __________ .
22 6 * , 5 /       D:? – . , __________ .
166 Unit 14: '% ( 

Exercise 2
Complete the following sentences with the correct participles, using
the verbs given in parentheses.
1   _____ :  2 . (  )
2 .  /  _____  . ( )
3 * ,   _____  :? (:)
4 .      _____ ). (/)
5    5   _____   /  . (&)
6 %6  -    _____   8:  ! ()

Dialogue 2 (Audio 2; 18)

Petar and Ana are at the office. They start discussing how to enter-
tain a guest from abroad. Who is the guest coming with? Where will
Ana take them?

5 :     6       ,   
 '/  6    ?
: (,   /      .
5 : *  ' . 2/  $  .
: (, ,        . . . 5  
      )   - * .
5 : =,       –     )   ,
    :  $ ,    
    . . .
: +   /   . .  - *   
  :  6. 3   $, /  
  6 :       .
5 : +           ?
: . . - *     ' ,   
     :    .
5 : (      ,        .
: = &    B/     : 8 -
  „! . ”, .7  
86 &   , .7   /
6.
5 : %    '   6   B/  
  . . $  -& *    :
, &      ) 7' .
 Unit 14: The Madara Horseman 167

11  " / 6  )  :& 7 . 0 

      –     / 7  .
: 5     :   –  
" / 6    ,    
8: ,    :   2 $.
5 : !  6 „2 $” )   $ ? 2
& / 6   . . .

Vocabulary
11
%8  document, paper
 8   (usually pl.) (office) supplies
 / (, -- to send
 fax (machine)
   / (, to be (become) occupied with
--   something, do something
% ( /% (, -- to prepare
  / , -- to meet (someone arriving)
 +  / +, -- to lodge, accommodate
* , -  relating to work
" (f.) wife, spouse;
" (m.) husband, spouse
- boss 8 , - cultural
% earlier, before % () even
%   hardly  cathedral
, - national
8%,  relating to art
( gallery  icon
,, -, necessary %= far away
 (impf. and pf.) to plan
 variant, option

Language point 2

Passive
In Unit 12 we introduced you to passive constructions with -
verbs (p. 139). There is also another way of expressing the passive,
22 which is little closer to the English, e.g. ‘The cake was eaten
168 Unit 14: '% ( 

(by me)’. But where English uses the same participle for the passive
form and the perfect tense (‘I have eaten’), Bulgarian has a special
passive participle, which is not the same as the participle used in
the perfect tense. It is constructed like this:

• start with the aorist first person singular,

• take away the and replace it with ,
• but first have a look at the vowel before the :
– if it is , keep it; – if not, replace it with .

For example:

Present tense Aorist tense Passive participle

     , -, -, -

(  , -, -, -
=  =  = , -, -, -

F   .
I bought the book.
     .
The book was bought by me.

Exercise 3
Change the following active sentences into passives.

Example: F   .

I bought the book.
     .
The book is/was bought by me.

1    . *  __________ .

2 . :8   . +   __________ .
3    5  / 8 . +   / __________ .
4   8   . 5   __________ .
5 2  8    . 5   __________ .
6 (   8  ). * ) __________  .
 Unit 14: The Madara Horseman 169

1 Exercise 4
Rewrite these passives from Dialogue 2 as active constructions.
You will have to refer to the context to find out who the ‘doer’ is
in each case.
Example:      .
The book is/was bought by me.
F   .
I bought the book.
1
1 (   /      .
2 +   /   .
3 +'   6   B/     .

Dialogue 3 (Audio 2; 21)

Milena is guiding tourists around the centre of Sofia.

* : (  $  $    %! C ' 

   ,       8  
7     7 .
A: -:  , /         .
+     ?
* : (,   – %    -     )
 9 . 5/ 7 8    % 
 ,    8    
/  )   . Q7  6 : 
  &  :    7  6 , 
  '  &   ) :   .
A: !      ?
* : . , /           /
. +      % , %  7 
%.
A: 0  ) / $  ?
* : 0  7  %,      
      . *,       .
+        8 - 
„%  ! . ”. Q'   
    /  ?? . E   
  -    :  ' 
2 86 &7.
170 Unit 14: '% ( 

A: #     ,      7'  ?

* : 2     &       ,  
       7   . 2  
     7   ,   
:     & 6 IX  XVIII  .
* &: "        7' ? " &  
 - / „! . ”.
* : +     -    7'   % –
„%  %”.
* &: *    –  7'   ') 
   . +  6/  ?
* : . ,   '   /        –
  '   :/      7'  .
%           /. + 
 6$  '  –     8: , 
       . % 0 -
 &      7'        
      -7    7   
8    8  :       , 
    6 .
A: !    -    7'   %?
* : . ,  . D    „%   ”  -  
„%  %”. +        
        2. + 
      ,    ' 
  . = ,  &   /,  
    , )        
 8  „3  ”. 2 $     
          8   
5     .
* &:     –  , 6  ,     
           !
A: .  6 . +     6   , 
 ) 8  ?
* : 2/      6  ,   
:&   6.
* &: "      ,     
 ?
* : (,   ? ,  )6 8  „3  ”.
 Unit 14: The Madara Horseman 171

11

11

Vocabulary
, +, +,  true
 settlement, township
 ,   tribe $,  land, region
 ( civilisation   flourishing
8%" decline "   to exist
* round, round trip ", " heart
, grandiose, % building
- marvellous
 +  / to build   fresco
 +, --
8%, artist % , -  underground
  crypt ( collection
22    /- to paint, draw % (time) period
172 Unit 14: '% ( 

8=, -$ (by) chance,  connection

coincidental
8-  /8-, -- destroy
 Goth  Hun
"  +  / "  +, -- restore
 *,% liberation , - valuable
,  early  +  Christian
    architecture / ( the Balkan
8  peninsula
 % rotunda  $  Byzantine
   emperor %  single, only
*,  /*,, to near, approach
-- 
  /,, -- ; to turn out to be
 
*( /*+, -- to surround
!%   the Presidential offices
 ,   power, authority ( religion
8, - unique * object
%$  functioning,  religious service
working ,*
 8 ritual " question
  toilet * close by

Language point 3

Word order in the perfect tense

Look at this strange little exception in word order for verbs with
a -particle, such as   ‘to return’:
 "  "/ "  
   /    
$   / +   
   
   
   
Only in the $ and + forms (third person singular) does the
particle precede the appropriate form of " . This, in fact, applies
not only to the particle, but also to unstressed object pronouns
 Unit 14: The Madara Horseman 173

11 (Unit 3, p. 26) and dative pronouns (Unit 6, pp. 69–70). So in

answer to the question ‘Did you return the book to Georgi’, you
would get this answer:
–       0?
– 1, = " 8 ( .
Yes, I have returned it to him already.
However, if you ask that question about a third person, e.g. ‘What
about Petar?’, you would get a different answer:
– F ! "?
11
– ) $ 8 (  .
He has returned it to him, too.

Exercise 5
Answer the following questions.
Example: *%    F? – N   K  *%.
Have you called Ana? – I haven’t called her yet.
1 0      ? – <)  __________ .
2 - !  ,  8        5 ?
– <)  __________ .
3 *     8    $ ?
– <)  __________ .
4 * / ,  8     $ ? – <)  __________ .
5        $ ? – <)  __________ .
6        $ ? – <)  __________ .

Exercise 6
Reply to the following commands.
Example: "    F! –  " K ( =.
Return the book to Ana! – I have already returned
it to her.
1 2      ! – __________  /.
2 2       ! – __________  /.
3 * / ,        ! – __________  /.
4 ,       /  ! – __________  /.
5  ,     ! – __________  /.
6 ,     $ ! – __________  /.
22
15 !% 
% %
President for a day

In this unit you will learn how to:

• Make polite requests

• Use political vocabulary
• Talk about what could have happened

Dialogue 1 (Audio 2; 22)

Stella is surprised to find Vyara in the office at this hour. Where

was Vyara supposed to be? And why is she not there?

% : !, 2 , )   ? . ) $  8 $ 

 ?
2 : (, )8,   & $   8.
% : ) – $      $   ?
2 : 5 /    –      . C8
 8     ,  $,  
 7     . . .  '8 : 
-  ,      . + ) $   
 . C $   /    ,   )
„%  ”.   8  $    ) . +'
)8   /      6. „:  ” 
 $? 2&        : 
   :7      /. % 8 
   :,  8   / ,  
& $    . . . C8    ,  
 /  $ ,   8.
% : %6   , /       ?
 Unit 15: President for a day 175

11 2 : *  , $      ,   8

6 . +/    8.
% : !     ?
2 : . ,      8 :7 . C8  6 
 ,   6$8   8.    ' 8
 .
% : -, / –    $   /, ?
+    6     ? *&    
           .
2 : !  $    , $   & 
11  .
% : +     –   7 . . . !  8  
 ,   )8  6   . , )8   
–      $  ,    '  
.

Vocabulary
  mood
(, --;  (pf. only) to guess
 ( / +, -- to spoil
" +  /" (, --; -+ to be late
  just, just then
% /%, -- to faint, swoon
=  unexpected
8-  /8-, --  to become frightened
+  /+, -- to assess, judge
  after all, still

Language points 1

Future in the past

This tense has no direct counterpart in English, but its meaning
is roughly equal to expressions like ‘I was about to . . .’, that is, it
refers to an event that at some time in the past was seen as a future
event. You know how to make a future form by adding the
unchangeable  to the verb, and +  % for the negated future
(Unit 5, p. 53). To form the future in the past, you use what can
be thought of as past forms of these elements and add % plus a
22 verb (, in this case):
176 Unit 15: !%  % %

Positive Negative

 + % , + - % ,

 - % ,- + - % ,-
$ - % , + - % ,
+ - % , + - % ,
 +  % , + - % ,
 +  % ,  + - % , 
 +  % , + - % ,

Exercise 1
Write answers to the following questions.
Example: =      ?
– ?+ % -,     .
Did you write a letter yesterday?
– I was about to write one, but changed
my mind.
1 2/   8     ? – __________ ,   8.
2 2/   :   ? – __________ ,   8.
3 5    /  8   2 ?
– __________ ,   8.
4 +        ? – __________ ,   8.
5    , /  8 8   ? – __________ ,  
8.
6 +  '/   /  ? – __________ ,   8.

Exercise 2
Answer the following questions in the negative.
Example:     - %  -? – , + -
%  .
Were you really going to leave?
– No, I wasn’t going to leave.
1 +    ) $  '$? – . , __________ .
2 +    )8  ' ? – . , __________ .
3      ) $    ? – . , __________ .
4 +    ) $   ? – . , __________ .
 Unit 15: President for a day 177

1 5 * / ,    )8     ?

– . , __________ .
6 .    )8   ' ? – . , __________ .

It takes two to tango – ‘one another’

‘We look at one another’ means that I look at you and you look
at me – yes? We have two ways to express such relations (recip-
rocal, as they are called). You can use the reflexive pronoun in
1 its direct object form ( ) or its indirect object form ( ), as appro-
priate:
  *= . We love one another.
  % . We are looking at one another.
  - . We correspond (write to one another).
For relations that are best expressed with a preposition, the
construction % (preposition) % is used:
 %+  % % %.
They were sitting next to one another.
  -   % %.
We were joking with one another.
Both types may be used in combination:
  *=  % %.
We love one another.
  %  % %.
We are looking at one another.

Dialogue 2 (Audio 2; 25)

Milena is doing an interview for TV about young people’s view of

politics. She asks what they would do if they were president for
a day.

* : !   /      .

 8   ,  8   
$   $   :   ,  8 
2        ?
178 Unit 15: !%  % %

* : + :         , /   /   &

   86    . .  8    ,
8   '    /      
    B. ! 8   , 
) $    -  .
(:       ,   . " 
 8  7    6 
       /  . +'& ,
/           
         .
* : .       ,     :
...
(: , /         
 . 8    7 ,     
   ) ,    , /  
 & .
* : )?       7  ?
!    &$  ),  8  $?
(: *, /           
8      ' $    
'   .    8   ' 
   / –  8       ,
)8        $   .
! 8    -  , )  - '
& , )  /:  -) .
* : /  ) $   $        
         ,  ?
.   )         ?
(:    ) $    -    ,
      8  $ . ?   )
   : /,       
    .
* : "      :      .
.        .    8
/  /    /   )  )
$     .

Vocabulary
  attention /  (pl.) the Balkans
 - relation +(, -+-/- to influence
  politics, policy = step
 Unit 15: President for a day 179

11 "%  creation, making "D union

*%+  / to unite, join $ war
*%+, --
,, -, sad %(, -- to lead, carry out
 quarrel,    , optimist
discussion     (f.)
   , = I think that ,  real, realistic
  politician * common
" +   (impf. only) to doubt
  ( /  (, -- to put, place
11  -, -- interior, internal
   / (, -- to act, take action
   development   economy
  happy   is that so?
" %, -% neighbouring
  , - attractive
  contact
-+  /-+, -- to expand, widen
   /  to get to know one another
(usually pl.)
=  (impf. only) to rely (on )
 =  political

Language point 2

Using 8-forms
The participle you learned in order to form the perfect tense (Unit
14, pp. 163–4) comes into good use again here:
 *  (said by a man)
*  (said by a woman)
 *  (said to a man)
*  (said to a woman)
$ * 
+ * 
 *  
 *  
22  *  
180 Unit 15: !%  % %

These forms are also called the conditional mood, as they describe
what you would do if a certain condition were true:
. *+ * , *     .
If I were rich, I’d buy you a new car.
The condition does not have to be explicitly expressed, for instance,
in a survey one would ask questions like:
/     , % ?
Would you buy a home on credit?
These forms are often used in polite requests:
/     ?
Could you open the window?
You will find many examples of this in Dialogue 3 below.

Exercise 3
Answer the following questions using the * -form.
1 C  :$    ? – __________ ,    .
2 C 8 $   5   6 ? – __________ , 
  .
3 * / , )      $     ?
– __________ ,    .
4   ) 8      7 ? – __________ ,  
 .
5 - 5 , )      ? – __________ ,    
 .
6 * /   )   ? – __________ ,    .

Dialogue 3 (Audio 2; 26)

Mary has a problem with her car. Georgi is willing to solve it, but
does he manage?

* : * / , 8       ?

+    ) 8/ 8   .
 : % 6  , * ,    
 ). %   :   ' $  
6  .
 Unit 15: President for a day 181

11 * : 2')      6,     

. #       ,  .

(At the car park)

 : * ,  8:    $,  6   ,

/ $ ? (        $?
* :  , )8      ,    $
 / ?   8  : ,    
 /  '.
 : (  . * ,         . C
11
    .
* : (Looking at Georgi’s efforts) – (     
 ) ?
 : 2          $ !
* : (Trying to start the car) – . , )   .
 : (   8  . * , ) 
 $ ?    &    ' ,
   7.
* : (,   . .$      $
 ,  . . .
 : * ,     /  &   87!
C  $    $?
* : . ,   .  ,   &, / 
:8   . . . (   '    .
C      :  )      .
 :   &, /   &8    . % )
   ')     ,  :  )   
  . . $, / / 8   
.

Vocabulary
 %( / %+, -- to set aside, reserve
 =  technical   character
 ,  ,  ,   such, of such character or kind
,  thing, matter (, -- to ignite
 (impf. only) to drive
* petrol
,% /%+, -- to fill, replenish
  tank  lid, bonnet
22 %  , -( engine   /( to ignite
182 Unit 15: !%  % %

   electric supply

   necktie
  / to stain
  mechanic
  ( /  (, -- to leave behind
* /*, --; to retire, go home
-* 
  / drive, give a ride
  repair shop

Language point 3

Conditions – reality and irreality

‘If’-sentences state what happens or applies if a given condition is
true. They consist of two parts, one stating the condition and
another stating what happens. The Bulgarian word for ‘if’ is .
In Unit 10 Dialogue 2, Milena was advised in the following way
by the dental clinic:
. *    ,    .
If you’re in strong pain, take some aspirin.
As long as we are dealing with real conditions like this one, the
use of  is fairly straightforward. The only unexpected feature
 Unit 15: President for a day 183

11 is that if you are referring to a condition that will come into force
in the future, you would not use the future tense, but the perfec-
tive aspect of the present tense:
. %$%- %,    %  %
 %(!
If you come on Monday, I’ll be very happy to see you!
.   %     ,  =    
* .
If you buy two shirts from us, you will get the third one
11 for free.
We sometimes choose to talk about conditions that we know not
to be true, and whose result consequently is impossible or unat-
tainable. In the first part of such sentences, Bulgarian uses the
imperfect tense: . *+ * . . . ‘If I were rich . . .’. For the
second part, you have a choice of both the forms we have intro-
duced in this unit: the future in the past or the * -forms:
. *+ * , + % (   .
. *+ * , *    .
If I were rich, I’d buy a new car.
.   *- = ,  *  *.
.   *- = , + - %  *+.
If that were the reason, I wouldn’t have disturbed you.

Exercise 4
Change the imperatives into more polite * -constructions.
Example:    ! – /    
?
Would you open the window?
1    - ! – __________ .
2 6    $   ! – __________ .
3  /   ! – __________ .
4 0    : ! – __________ .
5 0     ! – __________ .
6 5     ! – __________ .
7 D      ! – __________ .
8 %  :! – __________ .
22 9 %:$  )  &! – __________ .
184 Unit 15: !%  % %

Exercise 5
Express what could have been possible in a different way, trans-
forming the following sentences.
Example: .   , *  - *  .
If I had money, I’d buy a better wine.
→ .   , + % ( - *  .
1 ! 8  , 8  '/   .
– ! 8  , _______________ .
2 ! 8  , 8  /   .
– ! 8  , _______________ .
3 !   $ '& , 8 '  /.
– !   $ '& , _______________ .
4 !   $  6  ,  8   ').
– !   $  6  , _______________ .
5 ! $   :  ,      :
'  .
– ! $   :  , _______________ .
6 !   $  ,    :   .
– !   $  , _______________ .

Exercise 6
Now try the other way round, making the future in the past into
* -constructions.
1 ! 8  , )8    :  '  .
– ! 8  , _______________ .
2 ! 8  , )8    )   .
– ! 8  , _______________ .
3 !   $ '& , $    ').
– !   $ '& , _______________ .
4 !  8     /, $  
 .
– !  8     /, _______________ .
5 !   $  6  , )8  '   .
– !   $  6  , _______________ .
6 !   $  ,   $    :.
– !   $  , _______________ .
 16 )*(
1

*
The lost ticket

1
In this unit you will learn how to:

• Construct some more participles

• Use the reported past
• Tell jokes

Dialogue 1 (Audio 2; 28)

Georgi is back from a journey and is greeted by a secretary at the

office. What happened to Georgi’s ticket during the journey?

%    :  ,  $'!    : ?

 :   ? !    >/   $,
    .
%    : (   :   ?
 : 5-$ . .    $ – :8 
 ,   )    ('.
%    :  6! %6    :  , 
 :         .
 : . ,  -: .   /   
     ) ,   6  ,
    –   .
%    : ? ,    : ,   &
 /  .
 : *   $ . /   :8  ('
  , ,        . .
 )  %  :/8     
       . "    8
%,    $, /  /
2     . . .      
186 Unit 16: )*( *

&.   8  ,  

   $,   & 8 6   ,  
)8  '&  . . .
%    : .     /   6   ,
   /     ?
 : . ,  6    8       
7  , ,     $  
8. 2      &  & 
      ,    7   B .
%    : !    , /     ?
 : "     $ . *    
7  ('       
  /       )  –
 ,  , / ' . D$8      
  –   8   .
%    : "   –   8     ?
.  $     ' 7  
   ?
 : (,  8    ,    
 8  . + /   
  ,    :$!

Vocabulary
C= adventure
%  until
   trip out
8 +  /8 (, --; 8 + to manage to
 stupid
"   to worry, be disturbed
-, -- funny, comical
% , -  direct
 flight
*%   boarding card
  / +, -;  + to fly out
+ , -  obvious
  . . . what do you mean with . . .
 return trip
% +, -- (impf. only) to be imminent, at hand
* ,% /* %(, -- to discuss
%,* pocket
% seat
 Unit 16: The lost ticket 187

11  /, -- to land

,   thing, object, belonging
  passport
=% umbrella
  (impf. only) to be lacking
 " list, register
  ( airline
* fine, fee
 = so, consequently, thus

11
Language points 1

More participles
Some -verbs, especially the rather frequent %$% ‘to come’ and
 % ‘to go’, have irregular participles. The rest of the -verbs
that have a or % before the ending will follow = : % % –
%  ‘to take along’,   % –   ‘to take somewhere’. Also,
-verbs that have a or  before the ending will follow the pattern
of +.

Present Aorist Participle

tense tense
Masc. Fem. Neuter Plural

%$% %$% %- %- %- %-

 %  %  -"/  -  -  -
 -
=  =  = = = =
+ +% + + + +
% %% % % % %
%  %  % " %  %  % 
+ + +" + + 

Using  in another way

In Unit 9 you learned to combine the unchanging +*  with %-
22 clauses to express necessity (see pp. 105–6). e.g. +*  %  %
188 Unit 16: )*( *

‘I must go’. There is also a plain -verb +*  that expresses

necessity, but in a different way: the thing or things you need
become the subject of the sentence, and the person experiencing
the need is expressed with an indirect object:
   +* .
I need this book.
 %8   8 +*  .
He needed these documents.

Exercise 1
Answer the following questions, and note especially how the
perfect tense is used in the negative answers.
Example: 0   ?
–     ,  '   =.
1 *    8 ? – . _____ ),  5 _____
/ .
2 5     ? – . _____ ),    _____
/ .
3     8     ? – . _____ ),  $ 
_____     .
4          ? – . _____ ),    _____
 : .
5     8 ? – . _____ ),  $  _____   
 .
6 * / ,   8    ? – . _____ ),   
_____ / .
7  & * ,  8   $  ? – . _____ ),
  &'  _____ / .

Exercise 2
This exercise has object pronouns for added complexity. Have
another look at ‘Word order in the perfect tense’ in Unit 14
(pp. 172–3) before you start.
Example: F %%  *    =  ?
–     % .
1      ? – . ________ ).
2 5      ? – . ________ ).
 Unit 16: The lost ticket 189

1 3 * / ,  8     ? – . ________ ).

4        A ? – . ________ ).
5 * ,            ? – . ________
).
6 5     8      ? – . ________
).
7 A ,       ? – . ________ ).
8 A ,   /    ? – . ________ ).

1 Dialogue 2 (Audio 2; 29)

Georgi’s mishap becomes the talk of the office. Two other secretaries,
Albena and Lyuba, have heard the story.

! : $ ,        >/  
    : ('. ":   .
    ' 6  :/   .
,B: *   /  . #  B,  . . . D&
,    >    6   :/ .
! : +  :  ('        
, . .  )  %  :/  
          . "   /
     .
,B: .    :, ? .      6
    .
! : 5    '   /  6   
 &    7. 2   6   ,   
    &  &        
,      7 .
,B: !    , /   6  ?
! : +  , /      7  
         /  
    )  –  ,  , / ' . D$
        –     6
.
,B: "  ? %6   6   6   .
.        ' 7  
   ?
! : (,  :/   ,      .
,B: .)  –   '   ! 3 
2   6     : .
190 Unit 16: )*( *

Vocabulary
 ( distracted
D* in love, infatuated
*+  /*+ to forbid

Language point 2

Reported forms: truth or hearsay?

This is a unique feature of Bulgarian: whenever you report a fact
or an event, you have to mark your statement either as conveying
something you can vouch for (usually by knowing it from first-hand
experience), or as retelling something you know from second-hand
information. Your choice of verb form will do this.
Almost all the verb forms you have learned so far will implic-
itly characterise what you report as something you have witnessed
yourself. We will now have a look at the verb forms that imply
that you are retelling what others have told you.
In principle, all Bulgarian tenses have special forms for the
reported feature. For natural reasons, they are mostly used when
reporting past events, so let us have a look at the reported forms
for the aorist past:

Aorist direct forms Aorist reported forms

   "

   / 
$  
+  
  
    
    
   

You will notice that the forms are identical to the forms of the
perfect tense (Unit 14, pp. 163–5), with the exception of the
$/ +/  and  forms (third person singular and plural), which
lack the /  of the perfect. These are also the forms you are most
 Unit 16: The lost ticket 191

1 likely to use for retelling – you will rarely need or want to tell
what others say about you or your conversation partner(s), as you
are usually in a better situation to report such things yourself.
The use of reported forms does not extend to %-constructions.
When Albena says 6-  $ % %  "%  ‘He too
decided (reported) to see (non-reported) where things were’, only
the main verb - is used in the reported form.

Exercise 3
1 Assume for a moment that Mary could be as disorganised as
Georgi. Put the verbs in brackets into reported forms (as in
Dialogue 2).
5     : (' *  (:)  
. + ( :)  ('         , .
.  )  % ( :/)         
   . 5    '   (/ ) 6  
 (  & )   7. ( ) 6   ,   
   (&)  &         ,  
   7 . ( :/)   ,    ( )
.

Exercise 4
Change the aorist tense forms (underlined) in the following text
to the corresponding reported forms.
2/  *     7 /. :   ,    8 
 '   . %       
  :   . 2    )      
  . .        
     &. U 8      8  
 . 2' 8       3 /.

Dialogue 3 (Audio 2; 31)

Petar and Georgi are reading their papers again. Georgi wants to
share a joke from the paper with Petar. Has Petar heard it before?

 : =, :$ ' 7  6:   $

2   .
192 Unit 16: )*( *

5 : ! , 6   ,   $, / .

 : (Reads) (        6.
5  6    , /  )   7 
  7  . 0 $  6  '  ,
   & 7,   „143!”
 / /     8.
% )  „85!”  /    .
.    : „)     ?”
– „!      7  ,    
      /       .”
„237!” /:   :,      .
„)    ?”      . „+ 7
    , :$    /.”
5 : +    $ 7  6 $! 4& '
, )   $. "    $ .
=    ' : „% ) " 
   E ,    &   
 . „  ,   ,   . . .” E 
        ,   ". .
   6 & , /     > 
 7        , /  
   . . 6    
7     . „234!”   ,  / 6 
8. „43!”  :,    8. "
$         „498!”. % 
 /. „,   ' 7?”   ".
„#,”  E , „    $,  /
   $  .” ”

Vocabulary
 joke 8*  to publish
    to bend over + ,   laughter
( , -- ; +  to laugh
(impf. only)
  to number  silly
 , - wrong, incorrect,
%  hello
C*  amateur, enthusiast
%$   really, in fact
8  /8 , -; 8 + to die
"= silence
 Unit 16: The lost ticket 193

11

11

Language point 3

Reported forms: degrees of

commitment
There are a few tenses that are neutral in respect to vouching for
truth or ‘reportedness’, most notably the perfect tense and the
present tense. When talking about Georgi’s ticket in Dialogue 1,
his secretary says: #8     +"% ‘Surely you
have dropped it somewhere’ – an assumption on her part. It is not
something she has witnessed and can vouch for, so she cannot use
the plain aorist, but neither is it something she has been told, so
the reported aorist is also out of the question; so the perfect is the
remaining choice. However, for retelling a chain of events from
the past, the perfect tense is not an option – it is too static and
does not create the idea of a chain of events.
If you want to avoid the commitment of the plain aorist and the
difficulty of the aorist reported, there is the alternative of using
the present tense, which is called the historical present when used
for this purpose. The joke that Georgi reads out from the paper
in Dialogue 3 is in the aorist reported, but when Petar tells his
22 own version of it, he chooses the historical present.
194 Unit 16: )*( *

In newspapers, you will often see that the main fact of the news
story is given in the aorist past, while details of what happened
may be given in the reported aorist (unless it is a story ‘by our
own correspondent’). The reading passage at the end of this unit
will show you some examples of this.

Exercise 5
The following jokes are told in the aorist reported. Change the
verbs (underlined) into the present tense – and remember that you
may have to change the aspect as well.
Example: 6-     ,   % . . .
The animals in the forest decide to . . .
If there are words you don’t know, look them up in the glossary
at the back of this book.
1 D$    &        
 &    :     . -  7
. + $ / / .
– )    ? –     /.
– !          $  : „"  
   !”
2 % :   '& ',  ,    . " / 6.
%  6    6 /  6 : ,     
6,   6 6    66  . 0 $   8 : 
  6  &    6 – 6666 .
" ? –     $  .

Exercise 6
The following jokes are told in the historical present. Change them
into aorist reported.
Example: > % " +  *  . . .
A Scot was late for work . . .
1 3  7       $  6   .
+ :
– % 8 -     '  :8    /,
       !
 Unit 16: The lost ticket 195

11 2 9         '/    .   6

   .     '. 9       
 :
– .   /: $ )     ?
– ! B  ,      6!

Reading passage

11    ‘Road accidents‘

      "*
  '       O$7,  
$ @ 6 -       . 3 @ 
    ,     &  6.
     '     &7   
 & . .    6/ '    .    
     /    .

#      =

80- $ $ @ . .. 6          :7 
   5  . (       9- $
 / ,      ' . %      
    7      & .

Vocabulary
  lorry
   /  , --; -   to sweep away
 "* =  =  * electricity pylon
-A driver
   / +, --; -  to fall asleep
 (steering) wheel
+  injury
  (f.) danger
 = / , - =-; to drag away
- +
, wire
22   , high voltage
196 Unit 16: )*( *

8=  /=  to come about, happen

(3rd pers. only)
  "% short circuit
 (electric) current
,  old man
-%- xx-year-old
8%( /8%(, -- to hit
%+% grandfather
%* smashed
 17  
1

+  
(
How I spent my summer holiday
1

In this unit you will learn how to:

• Use the pluperfect

• Understand the interplay of verb tenses
• Express disbelief

Dialogue 1 (Audio 2; 32)

Office talk: Albena and Lyuba are discussing their respective holi-
days. Lyuba made a change in her holiday plans – why?

! :   , ,B! ,/       6 . . .

,B: + ? 5 ?
! : " & $     &. +     ,
/      7  $    .
,B: 5 /8    . !    , / 
8  8    . . .
! : !     8 ? *8, / )
 /   .  ,     .
,B: + 8     7 – & 8
     . .      
  &  ) : .
! : (     8&   ,      8  
 ,      ?
,B: . , )   . +      )8  
 ,  8  )  6  . 9    
2    8   %  . C8  6
198 Unit 17:   +   (

  :       7,    

  $   . %   /
 $ , $     ,    
     8. D$8     -
,  '   ,     8 , /
 8.
! : .     –   :/ ? 0 
          / ,    ,
 / .
,B: .  /       $  ) / ?
(  /$  $6   :   ,
 /7   7. 5 8   )
 8&    . - ' 68, $,
/    . . . "   , 8   
 / .
! : 2   8  –    ') .
,B: .     6 . ? 8  ',  8
   ,  8     
: .
! : =,       , )    ' 
  : . . .
 Unit 17: How I spent my summer holiday 199

11 Vocabulary
=  (impf., 3rd pers. only) it tells, one can tell
 8  holiday, vacation
  /(, --; - to admit
 , -  irritable, moody
   lodgings, apartment
 % hike, walk
  tent
%*, -* similar
11  %* nothing of the kind
   (impf. only)  + to visit somebody
 , -  relating to   winter
 sea, ocean %= town, small town
 = entertainment, diversion
=  holiday, rest, break
- , -8  noise
=  , =   (pl.) watch, clock
= clean *8  literally
 +, --/- to fish, hunt for, catch
  swimming
    to miss something
(impf., 3rd pers. only)

Language points 1

The pluperfect tense

This tense uses the same participle as the perfect tense, but uses
the past tense of " ‘to be’ as an auxiliary verb:
 *+  I had said
 *-/*  you (sing.) had said
$/ +/  *-/*  he/she/it had said
 *+   we had said
 *+   you (pl.) had said
 *+   they had said
Its use does not differ much from the use of the pluperfect in
1 English – it is used when you talk about events in the past and
22 need to refer to some event that preceded these past events:
200 Unit 17:   +   (

    %   – %, *+   

  .
That’s what we thought a month ago – we had even reserved
an apartment.

Using  // /

A word of caution about this verb, which usually means ‘to rest’:
the past tenses of the perfective = are often used as a
euphemism for ‘to die’: $ =  1953  ‘He died in 1953’.
For that reason, the variant =  /=  may be used
to express the regular meaning ‘to rest’ in the past: $  =
  =  =   ‘He rested less than an hour and left’.

Exercise 1
Complete the following sentences.
Example: '  .   (    ,
+ *- +.
Milena leaves early. When I looked for her,
she had left.
1 D:   .   _____________ .
2 %       .   ___________ .
3 -& 4 ,     .   ___________ .
4 + $  .   ___________ .
5 *       .   ___________ .
6 * / ,        .   ___________ .
7     ') ')  .   ___________ .
8 +   ')$ ')  .   ___________ .

Exercise 2
Answer the following questions in the way shown.
Example:   +*? – ,    =  *+
.
Did you buy bread? – No, I didn’t (lit. ‘haven’t’),
and I didn’t buy any (lit. ‘hadn’t bought’) yesterday
either.
1 (7, :8   8? – . , _____________ .
2 * , :     „+ : ”? – . , _____________ .
 Unit 17: How I spent my summer holiday 201

11 3 %      '/   /? – . , _____________ .

4         ? – . , _____________ .
5 +  '/  7  / ? – . , _____________ .
6 - 5 ,  :8   8? – . , _____________ .

Overview of tenses (1)

‘The verb is the elephant of Bulgarian grammar’, a Bulgarian
linguist once said. There are many tenses and other categories to
11 keep track of, and we will give you a brief summary of them here.
For each tense, we’ll take into account how the two aspects are
used.

• The present tense is, not surprisingly, used for present events.
There are no systematic means to differentiate what you do
habitually from what you happen to be doing at the moment,
as in ‘I speak’ as opposed to ‘I am speaking’:
0 ( * .
I speak Bulgarian.
    ( F.
I am talking to Ana at the moment.

• Normally, the imperfective aspect is used for the present tense.

In %-clauses (Unit 6, pp. 64–5), however, either aspect may be
used. You should normally use the perfective for something that
will happen once, and the imperfective for something that will
happen many times:
' % = %  *%-.
I waited a long time for you to call.
  *,  %  *,%   
*  + .
I bought a cellphone in order to call my Bulgarian friends.

• In clauses introduced by   ‘when’,   ‘when’, ‘as’, 

‘as soon as’,  ‘if’, %   ‘after’, and % % ‘before’,
we use the perfective present to refer to an event that will
happen in the future.
  %$%- " ,  * ($ %   *%-!
22 When you come to Varna, don’t forget to call me!
202 Unit 17:   +   (

       , "  + .

When you exit on to this road, turn left.
"       $  +  % 
   .
Go along this street and turn left as soon as you pass the
cinema.

.    % %  = ,  8   %

=( .
If you arrive before eight o’clock, you’ll be in time for
supper.

• In the future tense the same rule applies as for %-clauses: once/
perfective; many times/imperfective:

 1         /8 7.30 =.

From 1 September this train will arrive in Burgas at 7.30.

0      #( % %*%.

The guests will arrive in Sofia this afternoon.

Exercise 3
Answer the questions below, following the example.

Example: & -  %  -?

– 1,  % %  (,   %  (
! ".
Do you want to have breakfast?
– Yes, but before I have breakfast, I want to have
a word with Petar.

1 #$    $? – (,  _____________ .

2 #$   $? – (,  _____________ .
3 * / ,       ? – (,  _____________ .
4 -& 4 ,       ? – (,  _____________ .
5 #$    ' $? – (,  _____________ .
6 #$    $? – (,  _____________ .
7 *      ? – (,  _____________ .
 Unit 17: How I spent my summer holiday 203

1 Exercise 4
Complete the sentences below, following the pattern shown in the
example.
Example: F   .    (,     * .
I’m having breakfast. When I’m done, I go to work.
1    ').  _____ ,      .
2 . .  _____ ,    .
3     ').  _____ ,      .
1 4 + '$.  _____ ,   $ /   .
5 * /     .  _____ , /  /  .
6 2 : .  _____ ,     .

Dialogue 2 (Audio 2; 33)

Georgi is back from his summer holiday, and so is his co-worker

Roumen. How does Roumen’s holiday compare with Georgi’s?

D:: ? ,      $   ' $  /!

+:       $  .
 : %    $, /     , 6 
 .
D::    6 ? #   ) ,    
 8$ –    ,    
  ? ! &  :    –   
6    ...
 : *  ,    $,  8   /  
   . 0   6  /  7 
 8  8    – 10    
   „.  6”, '   8  3  
 /      :.  
$  ' 50   .
D::     .   8 /8 :     
 7  &      .
 : ,        8     & .
?   $  30   &. .   
 & $       ,    – 
     :  /  . A
2   7   / $,     8 /
2    ,    . . .
204 Unit 17:   +   (

D:: , /  /    . ( )    

  $?
 : (,         .  
:  ,     8 , : $ 
7. #$   :$,      
 &8  7 ,  /    &8  
        / .
D:: !       . (    
 6  /  7! )   
 8  ') 8 ,     – 
$   ,    , 
  .

Vocabulary
" + (here) to get along, run smoothly
  - enough of these jokes
  ordinary, regular; normal
(, -- /-  to boast of something
* fisherman *  fisherman’s
8  mermaid
8 =  ( travel agency
 % star    full board
  acceptable   sum
  price reduction "  ( lucky fellow
=, --/- to spend  bunch, pile
% , - dissatisfied
(, --; - /- to make an effort
, beach   palm tree
  plant +,  shadow
 , -$ relating to family
,, -- /-  +/ to take care of somebody/
something
* +   to have fun + , -  unpleasant

Language points 2
Percentages
Although Bulgarian has the word  ‘percent’, the phrase
  is more common. The figure ‘40%’ may thus be read either
as = $    or = $   .
 Unit 17: How I spent my summer holiday 205

11 Overview of tenses (2)

To summarise what we said about how to use the past in Unit 13
(pp. 153–4 – have a look at the examples there again): aorists are
usually perfective and convey events in sequence; imperfects are
usually of imperfective aspect and describe states or ongoing
processes. But the converse combinations, imperfective aorists and
perfective imperfects are also possible, though not very frequent.
We should just mention that with some verbs of motion, the imper-
fective aorist conveys the idea of movement to a place and back
11
again:

0 %$% =.

Georgi came yesterday (and he is still here).

0 %  =.
Georgi came yesterday (and left again).

Like the future tense, the perfect and the pluperfect tend to use
the perfective aspect for events that happened a single time and
the imperfect for events that have been repeated in the past.

    .   %   %

  .
They have always invited [imperfect perfect] me. But this year
they invited [perfective perfect] another programmer.

Exercise 5

Translate the following text into Bulgarian.

This year I spent my holiday at Varna. I had made a

reservation at a good hotel close to the beach. I had decided
to travel by train to Varna, but later I understood that it would
be faster to travel by bus. When I arrived at Varna, the sun
was shining and a light wind was blowing. I took a taxi to the
hotel, which was situated four kilometres from the town. I had
supper in the restaurant and after that slept until 8 o’clock the
next day.
22
206 Unit 17:   +   (

Dialogue 3 (Audio 2; 34)

Mary is a guest at Bobby Filaretov’s talk show on television and is

greeted by Bobby and his assistant Todor.

: (  / ,    ! %    7

  ')    –  /  ,   ,
       .
+ : (,  , &  ,   , ' &   . . .
.      ! 2 /    .
: (    , 6      /   
       . 5      7 
/6& 7   6 .    ' -  
& ,   6       
  . ,  )       –
    6  /  / 
,  ,   . . . .    
 8. +      , /
/6& 7    >     . +
   &  / , / '  
  :   / /6& 7     
 7  .
+ : 5       –   &  & 
   „* &'  '  & ' ”!
    8 $6 ,  /   8! 
  , /   :/    , 
     $ . . .
: . '        /6 
'  ,     . 5    ,
)  /       - ' 
  6  /6&.    
6         *  4 !
* :   , ,       . + , )
 $  '     '? C   )
     , )  ' $    , ?
.  '   . . .
: * ,   $6    :  8  
,     ,  8 
   /:   8:  .
* : =, ,   6       :/
8 ,      .
 Unit 17: How I spent my summer holiday 207

11 : .   /  -  7    

  /6&  7 –  $   $    ?
* : +     , / $    $ .
*  $     8,     ,   
   , /   :    6  .
: ( '    .
* :    .  8       
    /6&      /8  
        . 5'  –  
  : ,   –        
11  7      . 2  -  ,
   $  ,   $.
: .     /: $  /6&  :.
* : (,   -  ,    $  , 
 $. %,    7 :, 8
, /          /  
      . 0    
:/    '       . . .
: #$  )   /  '  6  
 ? *  , :!

Vocabulary
% dear
 ,  ( viewer
  / , --  to return
=+, - tanned
"+,  having gained weight
, fried  " impatience
=8,%, =8,% (pl.) foreigner, =8,% (f.)
   / (, -- to come, set in
(mostly 3rd pers.)
, heat 8  tirelessly
  /  , - -;  to photograph
 = handbook, guidebook
   / (, to refute
-; -
"% claim  accent
%  ( /  (, --  to imagine
" triangle = personally
=  / =(, -- to win
22  contest "%"% quail
208 Unit 17:   +   (

  language test

%  broadcast, radio/televison
programme
  /(, -, - to admit
( +  /( +, -- to show, display, manifest
=  sense, feeling    (here) a certain
%*, -* similar   diligently
  , -  intensive 8 lesson
 singing

Language point 3

Reporting the present

If you are talking about the past and using the direct aorist forms,
everyone will assume that you were present at the events that you
recount. If you were not, you must use the forms for retelling.
However, this is less strict for the present tense – you may, for
example, safely report commonly known facts and events with the
direct present. But in other cases it may be in your interest to show
that you have the information from another source and that you
cannot vouch for it personally. Here are the present reported
forms:

Present direct forms Present reported forms

  (   "

  -   /  
$    
+    
     
      
  (  

At first look this might seem like the perfect tense with a few
missing forms of " ; but notice the participle: it is  , not
  as in the perfect tense. This participle is actually only
found in the reported forms. Remember how you could make a
participle from the aorist form   by substituting a  for
 Unit 17: How I spent my summer holiday 209

1 the ? If you do the same with the imperfective form  

instead, you have the participle you need for the present reported.
In actual practice, there is but a small step from not vouching
for the truth of what you report to directly doubting it, and this is
what the talk-show host does here:
+   ",%  =  , = =8,%  
   .
She does not confirm the expectation that foreigners always
talk with an accent.
1
Exercise 6 (Audio 2; 35)

Some outrageous claims are given below. Report them, making it

clear that you don’t agree with them.
Example: '   *   .
–  "% , = '   * 
 ,   +.
Mary speaks Bulgarian with an accent.
– The claim that Mary speaks Bulgarian with an
accent is not true.
1      * .
– +  , / _______________ .
2 *   %      7 .
– +  , / _______________ .
3     .
– +  , / _______________ .
4  E      .
– +  , / _______________ .
5 .  '      .
– +  , / _______________ .
6   $ .
– +  , / _______________ .
7 .     ' .
– +  , / _______________ .

2
Grammar
overview

Nouns
Gender and plural

Ending Singular Plural Exceptions

Masculine
consonant * *
- * *
-    
-, -, - →
-, -, -    
single-     % – %,  –
syllable  , * – *,
 –  , , –
,, * –
* (,  – 
-$ 8$ 8
- * *
Feminine
-   " – "
-( ( 
consonant  
" , " , 
Neuter
-    – =, 8  –
8-
-    %  – %,    –
  +,   –  
-    (
 Grammar overview 211

11 Quantified plural
This is used:
• only for masculine nouns not denoting human beings,
• after numerals,  and +.
The noun takes the ending - or, when the final consonant is -$
or changes to a soft consonant, -(.
For example: %  *, =  (,   ,
11 + 8(. An exception is:  %, + %.

Nouns with definite article

In the singular, the form of definite article is generally determined
by gender. In the plural, it is determined exclusively by the final
vowel of the plural form.

Examples

Singular
Masculine -" in subject position, *" /*,
- (pronounced -") *" /*,
elsewhere "* /"*, * " /
* 
final consonant -( in subject position, 8( / 8(, %+ /%+,
is -$ or changes -( (pronounced -") + ( /+ (,
to soft consonant elsewhere ( /(
ending in - -  * 
Feminine -   , ( ,  ,
" , 
Neuter -   ,  ,    ,
  
Plural
plural forms -  * , * ,
ending in -    , 8 ,
or - * ,  ,  ,
" , = 
plural forms -   ,   ,
ending in -  ( , * ( ,
  ,   + 
22
212 Grammar overview

Adjectives
Adjectives by gender
In their dictionary form (masculine) adjectives end either in a con-
sonant or - . Most, but not all, adjectives with an -- or -"- in the
last syllable drop it in all forms except the masculine indefinite.

Masculine Feminine Neuter Plural

- - -
      
$  $  $  $ 
= = = =
=  =  =  = 
"   
%* %* %* %*
Exception:
 ( A 

Adjectives with definite article

Masculine Feminine Neuter Plural

-()( / -  -  - 
-()(
 ( /         
 (
$ ( / $   $   $  
$ (
=( / = = =
=(
= ( / =   =   =  
= (
%*( / %*  %*  %* 
%*(
( / (  A   
(
 Grammar overview 213

11 Adverbs from adjectives

Many adverbs denoting manner are derived from the neuter form
of adjectives.

Adjective masculine Adjective neuter and adverb

* * 
 +
% %
Exceptions:
11
Adjective masculine Adjective neuter Adverb
%* %* %*
  

Adjectives and adverbs by degree

The comparison of adjectives and adverbs has only one pattern
and one exception from it.

Positive Comparative Superlative

- $-
 - $-
%* -%* $-%*
Exception:
  = $- 

Pronouns
Personal pronouns
Person Subj. form Object form Indirect object form
Long form Short form Long form Short form
1st sing.      
2nd sing.  *   * 
3rd sing.
m. $     8
f. + ( (  ( $
22 n.      8
214 Grammar overview

Person Subj. form Object form Indirect object form

Long form Short form Long form Short form
1st pl.      
2nd pl.      
3rd pl.  +   + 
Reflexive personal
pronoun:
– – *    *  

Possessive pronouns

Long forms

Masculine Feminine Neuter Plural

1st sing. $ (  
( / ( (     
2nd sing. $ (  
( / ( (     
3rd sing.
m.       
 ( /         
 (
f.  $ $ $
$( / $  $  $ 
$(
n.       
 ( /         
 (
1st pl. - - - -
-( /-( -  -  - 
2nd pl. - - - -
-( /-( -  -  - 
3rd pl.   +  +   
 ( /  ( +   +     
Reflexive:
$ (  
( / ( (     
 Grammar overview 215

11 Short forms
The short forms do not change for gender/number of the noun (the
possession), and are always used with the definite (articled) form
of a noun. Exception: many nouns designating close relatives are
used without the article, but only when in the singular and not qual-
ified by an adjective:   ,    , *     .

1st sing.    

2nd sing.    
11 3rd sing.
m. 8   8
f. K   K
n. 8   8
1st pl.    
2nd pl.    
3rd pl.    
Reflexive    

Demonstrative pronouns

Masculine Feminine Neuter Plural

Close objects     

Distant objects     

Interrogative pronouns

Masculine Feminine Neuter Plural

Asking about identity, $ +  

‘which?’
Asking about identity $
of a person, ‘who?’, object form:
‘whom?’ 
Asking about identity  
of an object, ‘what?’
Asking about identity,       
22 ‘what kind of?’
216 Grammar overview

Indefinite pronouns
Masculine Feminine Neuter Plural

‘some’ (before nouns) +$ +( + +

‘somebody’, ‘someone’ +$
(about persons) object form:
+
‘something’ (about objects) 
‘some kind of’ +" +  +  + 

Negative pronouns
Masculine Feminine Neuter Plural

‘nobody’ $
(about persons) object form:

‘nothing’ (about objects) 
‘no’ (before nouns) "      

Generalising pronouns
Masculine Feminine Neuter Plural

‘each’, ‘every’  + +

(before nouns)
‘everybody’, ‘everyone’ 
(about persons) object form:

‘everything’, ‘all’
(about objects) =
‘all’ (before nouns
and about persons) – – – =

Relative pronouns
Masculine Feminine Neuter Plural

‘who’/‘which’/‘that’ $  +     

about a male person $ 
object form:
 
 Grammar overview 217

11 Verbs

Present tense
Three main classes, characterised by the vowel before the person
endings.

-verbs -verbs -verbs ‘to be’

    ( =  "

11
  -  - = - 
$/ +/      =  
      =  
       =   
    ( =  

Future tense, non-negated

? followed by present tense forms.

-verbs -verbs -verbs ‘to be’

      (  =   *%/

 "
   -   -  = -  *%-/
 
$/ +/         =   *%/
 
         =   *% /
 
          =    *% /
 
      (  =   *% /
 

22
218 Grammar overview

Future tense, negated

+  % followed by present tense forms.

-verbs -verbs -verbs ‘to be’

 +  % +  % +  % +  % *%/
   ( =  +  % "
 +  % +  % +  % +  % *%-/
 -  - = - +  % 
$/ +/  +  % +  % +  % +  % *%/
    =  +  % 
 +  % +  % +  % +  % *% /
     =  +  % 
 +  % +  % +  % +  % *% /
      =   +  % 
 +  % +  % +  % +  % *% /
   ( =  +  % 

Future in the past, non-negated

?+ % changing for person and followed by present tense forms.

-verbs -verbs -verbs ‘to be’

 + % + % + % + % *%/
   ( =  + % "
 - % - % - % - % *%-/
 -  - = - - % 
$/ +/  - % - % - % - % *%/
    =  - % 
 +  % +  % +  % +  % *% /
     =  +  % 
 +  % +  % +  % +  % *% /
      =   +  % 
 +  % +  % +  % +  % *% /
   ( =  +  % 
 Grammar overview 219

11 Future in the past, negated

+ - % followed by present tense forms.

-verbs -verbs -verbs ‘to be’

 + - % + - % + - % + - % *%/

   ( =  + - % "
 + - % + - % + - % + - % *%-/
11  -  - = - + - % 
$/ +/  + - % + - % + - % + - % *%/
    =  + - % 
 + - % + - % + - % + - % *% /
     =  + - % 
 + - % + - % + - % + - % *% /
      =   + - % 
 + - % + - % + - % + - % *% /
   ( =  + - % 

Aorist tense
-class keeps vowel from present tense, - and -classes split into
subtypes, some with stress migration or change of final consonant
of stem.

-verbs -verbs/-- -verbs/-(- -verbs/--

     " + 

     " + 
$/ +/      " + 
       " +   
       " +   
       " +   

22
220 Grammar overview

e-verbs/-/- e-verbs/-- e-verbs/-- e-verbs/- ‘to be’

change , to (no aorist
, - to vowel)

=      *+
=      */*-
=      */*-
=          *+ 
=          *+ 
=          *+ 

Imperfect tense
-class keeps vowel from present tense, - and -classes both use
alternating /(. Stress and final consonant of stem as in present
tense.

-verbs -verbs

     +
  -  - -
$/ +/   -  - -
       + 
       + 
       + 

-verbs ‘to be’

= + -  *+
= - -- - */*-
= - -- - */*-
= +  -    *+ 
= +  -    *+ 
= +  -    *+ 
 Grammar overview 221

11 Perfect tense
#" in the present tense, followed by the past participle (see
below), changing for gender and number.

-verbs -verbs -verbs ‘to be’

 "  /-  "  /-  "  /-  " */-

   /-    /-    /-   */-
$    $    $    $  *
11
+    +    +    +  *
              *
              *
              *
              *

Pluperfect tense
#" in the past tense, followed by the past participle (see below),
changing for gender and number.

-verbs -verbs -verbs ‘to be’

 *+  /-  *+  /-  *+  /-  *+ */-

 *-/*  *-/*  *-/*  *-/*
 /-  /-  /- */-
$ *-/* $ *-/* $ *-/* $ *-/*
      *
+ *-/* + *-/* + *-/* + *-/*
      *
 *-/*  *-/*  *-/*  *-/*
      *
 *+   *+   *+   *+  *
     
 *+   *+   *+   *+  *
     

22  *+     *+     *+     *+  *

222 Grammar overview

Other tenses
Two more tenses exist. They are the future perfect:  "  
‘I shall have said’ and the future perfect in the past: + % "
  ‘I would have said’, but they are not much used in everyday
language.

Reported forms
In principle, all tenses have reported forms. In practice, knowing
the reported forms for the present and the imperfective (they are
the same) as well for the aorist, and possibly the future, will get
you far.

Present and imperfect reported

#" in the present tense, except in 3rd person sing. and pl.,
followed by the present-stem participle (see below), changing for
gender and number.

-verbs -verbs -verbs ‘to be’

 "  /-  "  /-  " -/-  " */-

   /-    /-   -/-   */-
$   $   $ - $ *
+   +   + - + *
       -  *
          -   *
          -   *
       -  *

Future tense reported, non-negated

#" in the present tense, except in 3rd person sing. and pl.,
followed by the participle +, changing for gender and number
+ % + present tense form.

 " +/- %  (

  +/- %  -
$ + %  
 Grammar overview 223

11 + + %  
 + %  
   %  
   %   
  %  (

Future tense reported, negated

11 Unchanging +  + % + present tense form.

 +  %  (
 +  %  -
$ +  %  
+ +  %  
 +  %  
 +  %  
 +  %   
 +  %  (

Aorist reported
#" in the present tense, except in 3rd person sing. and pl.,
followed by the past participle (see below), changing for gender
and number.

-verbs -verbs -verbs ‘to be’

 "  /-  "  /-  "  /-  " */-

   /-    /-    /-   */-
$   $   $   $ *
+   +   +   + *
          *
              *
              *
22           *
224 Grammar overview

Imperative
Endings Imperative Imperative plural
singular and polite

-verbs -$, -$ 

   $  $ 
-verbs -, - 
 (     
e-verbs -, - 
=  =  =  
with a vowel
before the
ending -$, -$ 
( $ $ 
Exceptions:
%$%   
 % % % 
+   
+   
+ +, +, 
% %$ %$ 
%( , , 
%", %, %, 
" *"% *"% 

Conditional
As the pluperfect, but with * as an auxiliary.

 * /-
 * /-
$ * 
+ * 
 * 
 *  
 *  
 *  
 Grammar overview 225

11 Participles

Past active participle

Used in forming the perfect tense and the pluperfect, changes for
gender and number and may be used as an adjective. Ends in -
plus gender/number ending; the rest of the form in most cases
corresponds to the aorist.

11 -verbs -verbs/-- -verbs/-(- -verbs/-- -verbs/--

Masc.     " +  
Fem.     " +  
Neut.     " +  
Plural     "   

-verbs/-/- -verbs/-/- -verbs/-- -verbs/ ‘to be’

with a or % with a or  change (no aorist
before the before the , to , vowel)
ending (= , ending - to
% , + ) ( +, % )

Masc. = +"    *

Fem. = +    *
Neut. = +    *
Plural =     *
Irregular forms:
%$%  %
Masc. %-  -"/ -
Fem. %-  -
Neut. %-  -
Plural %-  -

22
226 Grammar overview

Past active participle from present stem

Used only in forming the present/imperfect reported form. Ends
in - plus gender/number ending; the rest of the form corresponds
to the imperfect.

-verbs -verbs -verbs ‘to be’

Masc.     + = + -  *

Fem.     + = + -  *
Neut.     + = + -  *
Plural      =  -  *

Past passive participle

Used as an adjective. It is only formed from verbs that may take
a direct object (transitive verbs), and most frequently from perfec-
tive verbs. Ends in - r - plus gender/number ending; the rest of
the form corresponds to the aorist.

-verbs -verbs/-- -verbs/-(-

Masc.     " +

Fem.     " +
Neut.     " +
Plural     " 

-verbs/-/- e-verbs/-- e-verbs/-- e-verbs/

change , to , (no aorist
- to vowel)

Masc. =     

Fem. =       
Neut. =       
Plural =       
 Grammar overview 227

11 Word order
The order for the main elements of a sentence is:

Subject – verb – direct object – indirect object

' %     ! ".

Mary gives the book to Petar.

Adverbial phrases indicating time, place or manner, may occur at

11 several positions in the sentence:

= ' %%    ! ".

Yesterday Mary gave the book to Petar.

' = %%    ! ".

Mary gave the book to Petar yesterday.

' %%    ! " =.

Mary gave the book to Petar yesterday.

In questions, the question-word is usually at the beginning of the

sentence, but it may be preceded by a preposition connected with
it. In Bulgarian, a preposition is not a word one can end a sentence
with.

 ' %%    ! "?

When did Mary give the book to Petar?

  ' %%  ?

Who did Mary give the book to?

Yes/no-questions are formed using the question particle . The

particle may be attached to any element you want to question, and
that element is put at the beginning of the sentence:

'  %%    ! "?

Was it Mary who gave the book to Petar?

 ! "  ' %%  ?

Was it to Petar Mary gave the book?

See below for ordering rules when the question particle is attached
22 to the verb.
228 Grammar overview

Word order for unstressed words

The word order rules for unstressed word that cluster around the
verb are strict and without exceptions. The main rules are:
1 The present tense of the verb " to be and the short accusative
and dative (object and direct object) pronouns stand in prin-
ciple before the verb:
F " 8  %.
I have given them to him.
2 However, they may never stand at the beginning of the sentence
or after a pause – instead, they are placed after the verb:
1 " 8 .
I have given them to him.
3 When dative and accusative pronouns are found with the same
verb, the order is always dative first, then accusative – see exam-
ples above.
4 In the perfect tense, the forms of the verb " ‘to be’ precede
the pronouns (see examples above), except the 3rd person
singular, which follows them:
1 8  .
He has given them to him.
5 The negation particle  may stand at the beginning of the
sentence. It carries with it a stress that is transferred to the
immediately following word, leaving the particle itself without
stress:
  8  %.
I haven’t given them to him.
$     %.
He hasn’t given them to him.
6 The question particle  is placed immediately after the first
stressed word within the group formed by the verb and the
unstressed words. This may be the verb itself or the word that
has received the stress transferred from the negation particle :
     %?
Hasn’t he given them to him?
1  8  ?
Has he given them to him?
11
Key to
exercises

11 Unit 1
Exercise 1
1     . 2       .
3    ,        ? 4   
   ,    ?

Exercise 2
–  ?
–   ,    . ! ?
– "   .

Exercise 3
1       . 2 # $   % . 3 " 
  . 4     & . 5 '     ? #( 
% . 6 )      ?

Exercise 4
1    (. 2      (. 3 #  *(.
4      ) . 5 #  % . 6 )  
+  (. 7    & .

Exercise 5
1 ,  . 2 ,  . 3 O %   . 4 ,   . 5 O
)  . 6 ,  .

Exercise 6
1 ,  . 2 , , -  . 3 ,   . 4 , ,
22   .  . 5 ,   (.
230 Key to exercises

Exercise 7
 ,  7  ? – .,  '  7.
 , /  ? – .,  ' /.
 ,  7  ? – .,  '  7.
 , : /  ? – .,  ' : /.
 ,  7  ? – .,  '  7.
 , '   ? – (, '  '.

Exercise 8
* ,     ? – . ,  '  .
* , /   ? – (, / '.
* ,     ? – .,  '  .
* , 6    ? – .,  ' 6 .
* ,     ? – .,  '  .
* , '    ? – .,  ' ' .

Exercise 9
1   ' ? 2 + $ ? 3 2 '  ,   &
!  ? 4 + $   ? 5 + ' $ ? 6 2 
'   ,    ?

Unit 2

Exercise 1
   . %  '&. 4   .   8 .

Exercise 2
1 #$   ? 2 #$   6 ? 3 #$ 
  ? 4 #$    ?

Exercise 3
1      . 2 +     '   .
3       . 4 +   $   ? 5 .   
 ,  *      :.
 Key to exercises 231

11 Exercise 4
1 ,  . 2 ,  . 3 ,   . 4 , . 5 ,
  . 6 , .

Exercise 5
1        ? 2   .
3  ,     ? 4 !   
".

11 Exercise 6
#  ? – ,  .
#   ? – ,  .
#  "? – ,  .
#   ! ? – ,  .
#   ? – ,  .

Exercise 7
1 $ !   % . 2       
!. 3 #     . 4     
? 5 &       .

Unit 3
Exercise 1
1 #  ". – ' %( " ! 2 #  .
– ' %( ! 3 #  (. – ' %(  !
4 #  ). – ' %( )! 5 #   .
– ' %(  ! 6 #   . – ' %(
  !

Exercise 2
1 ,  !  . 2 ,  !  . 3 ,  !  . 4 ,
 !  . 5 ,  !  . 6 ,  !  . 7 ,
 !  .

Exercise 3
1 ,    ! . 2 ,    ! . 3 ,  
 ! . 4 ,    ! . 5 ,    ! . 6 , 
22   ! . 7 ,  %  ! .
232 Key to exercises

Exercise 4
1  ! 2  ! 3  ! 4  ! 5  ! 6  ! 7 
!

Exercise 5
1   ? 2   ? 3   ?
4  ? 5   ? 6    ?
7  ?

Exercise 6
1       - ! . 2    /
  #$ !  %  % „ ”. 3   
& '    %, %    % . 4    /
     % ! . 5 ( '   %)  %  
   % .

Exercise 7
1 *  # $%/$% . +  %   . 2    !%.
+ ' , #$ !  . 3  ,   ! $% ?   
   . 4     !%. +  % %    %
%! %. 5    , & ,   ?   !
$%? 6   % !%,   $%. +  %    %
%! %.

Exercise 8
1 -%,    !% . – ,  ,   . 2 -%,   .
– ,  ,   . 3 -%,   %). – ,  ,   .
4 -%,    !% . – ,  ,   . 5 -%,  #$ ! .
– ,  ,   . 6 -%,  . – ,  ,   .

Exercise 9
&    % !   .    & '  %.
 %    %).    .  .    
 %.  '   & . /%    
   %.
 Key to exercises 233

11             . 0  

:  . .     /. 0   . .
8   /     . 2 / :/   . - 
        .

Unit 4
Exercise 1
–  , :$ .
11
– 5 ')  ?
– . ,   & ?
–    %  ,     5 .
– +  :,    . +    .
–    ! ( /:.
– ( /:!

Exercise 2
1 5  . – 5 &, ! 2 %:$ :. –
5 &, :$! 3 5  . – 5 & ,  !
4 O/ . – 5 &, 6/! 5 O/  . –
5 & , 6/ ! 6 -  . – 5 & ,
/ !

Exercise 3
1 #    . – !     . 2 #  
 /. – !     /. 3 #    . – !
    . 4 ?     : . – !  8   
:  . 5      . – !      . 6
      . – !       . 7 
    . – !      . 8     /.
– !     / .

Exercise 4
1 5       /    . 2 2/  
     /     . 3 *  : 
   /     /     . 4 0    
22    /    . 5 ! :      
2   /     . 6 E /    
22    /       .
234 Key to exercises

Exercise 5
1 -'     . 2 -'     . 3 -'  
  . 4 -'     . 5 -'  $    . 6 -'
 / / .

Exercise 6
(    –     –    .
%     –  – :, $  .
%      – /   –   .
%    $  –  –  .
5    –  –   .
(     – /     –     $  .

Exercise 7
1        „ :”. 2 +  
  7    /. 3 +     - %   
 /. 4 + /         /   
 . 5 2  /    )  - %  . 6 + 
 )  2   /      /$    .

Exercise 8
2  /   :    . 2  /
  )     %    . 2   /
   7. 2     /  
  . 2 /      /$   
  )      . 2      /  
  /       7 .

Unit 5
Exercise 1
1 # :  ) :$   . 2 # :  ) :  /. 3 #
:  : '). 4 # :  ) : '). 5 # :  )
    8 /. 6 # :  )     7 /. 7 # :  )
: ').

Exercise 2
1 . :    :$   . 2 . :    :
 /. 3 . :    : '). 4 . :   
 Key to exercises 235

11 : '). 5 . :        8 /. 6 . : 

      7 /. 7 . :    : ').

Exercise 3
1 . ,  . 2 .,   . + 6    . 3 .
,  . +     . 4 . ,   . 5 .
,   . 6 . ,   :. 7 . ,  . +  
 ').

Exercise 4
11
1       8:. 2     
  8:. 3    /7   8:. 4 
    /    8:. 5   
6/ 7   8:. 6      7  
8:. 7       8:.

Exercise 5
1    ? – +    . 2  ' $?
5       /. 3  $? – 2 7  . 4  
)   $? – 2 8 /. 5       „Sofia Today”?
– 2   . 6 0   * ? – 0 . 7  
 8 ? – +   6  . 8   $? – 2   
 .

Exercise 6
2    5 ) :$    :  /
 /. 2    ,     / ' 5 
 :$    :,     ) :$    
  / / /     
/. 2 '       :$    :.
 ) :$   :      
  / / /      / 
 / '    /. 2 '   )
:$ „2 /    ” $       /
     /.  ) :$
      '  $  $     
/ /     /.
 ) :$ „E 6”  / '    
$  /   /.
22
236 Key to exercises

          

     /       
 ,            /
         .     3
  –         ,      
  /          
     /       
 .
!  "             
    .
#             
    /         .

Unit 6
Exercise 1
1 $         . 2 $     . 3 $  
   . 4 $      % . 5 $     
 .

Exercise 2
1 &,     ' . 2 &,      
. 3 &,       . 4 &,    
% . 5 &,       .

Exercise 3
1 ()       . 2 *       .
3 +)     ,    ! 4     
    . 5 , -     .

Exercise 4
1 & ) . 2 &  . 3 &  .
4 & . . 5 &  .

Exercise 5
1 (     -      . (   
 -      .
2 /     -      . / 
   -      .
 Key to exercises 237

11 3 D    -     . D    

-     .
4     -      .  
   -    .
5 +     -      . +    
 -      .

Exercise 6
1 2 '      /   .
11 2 !    2 .
3 *   3 .
4 2 '     )    /    .
5 2      4  – 2 6/   2 /.
6 . )   2  /.
7    $  :?
8  7     ?
9 2   6: 3   .

Exercise 7
1 #$     $? 2 #$     $? 3 #$
    $? 4 #$     $? 5 #$   
 $?

Exercise 8
1 . ,   ,      . 2 . ,   , 
    . 3 . ,   ,      .
4 . ,   ,      . 5 . ,   , 
    . 6 . ,   ,      .

Unit 7
Exercise 1
1 *  , / &    „# ”. 2 * &' , /
'  (. 3 %  , /   . 4 * 
  , /       . 5   
*   , / ' . 6     , /  
22  8:    .
238 Key to exercises

Exercise 2
1         . 2    
       . 3         
 8 . 4          8 . 5   
       8 . 6        
    8 .

Exercise 3
1        . 2     
. 3      !  . 4  
 "  . 5 #     $.

Exercise 4
1 % &  ! 2 % &  ! 3 % &  ! 4 % &  ! 5 % & '
! 6 % & ( ! 7 % &  ! 8 % &  ! 9 % &  ! 10 % &
 !

Exercise 5
1   '  . 2  (  . 3    )  '
 . 4    . 5    . 6 * 
 . 7 %   . 8 %   . 9 %  ' .
10    .

Exercise 6
1     " . 2     . 3 +
  !  ? 4  !      ?
5 +   $  ? 6 #  
    . 7        , .
8 +   ',  , ?

Unit 8
Exercise 1
1 *   $  ? 2 )"   
   '  „-  . ”. 3  , 
$ . 4 *     "   .
5 /     0 ' &. 6 + &   $
  . 7         ,.
 Key to exercises 239

11 8 (  /     . 9 (   -'    $

 $. 10 0   : 7 . 11 2 %  2 
   3:.

Exercise 2
1  :    5 . 2 % )  : /
6  '  9 /. 3 *       
„! ”. 4 (  /     7 . 5 #   
    ) „%  ”? 6 C     * 
  .    / . 7 0    :  
11
% 6 .

Exercise 3
1 C        ,   '  :  
2 . 2 #   ,   :/  . 3 +    ,
     . 4 O    ),   / 
8 /. 5 * ,    6: 8,   7  .
6 %  ,  6:  ,  -' .
7   6: $   ,   )   /   
 .

Exercise 4
a – 5. b – 1. c – 4. d – 3. e – 2.

Exercise 5
1 2    ,     . 2 2     , 
   . 3 2     ,     . 4 2  
  ,    .

Exercise 6
These are just some examples – there are many ways to solve this
exercise.
1 (a) +  /C '   67 „5 ”.  
   8  „Q ”,  /)     ,
 6. „2 , ”.     6 /
     , /  ):  .
(b) +    6. „(:”.       ,
 /)     .    6. „2
22 , ”, /  ):  .
240 Key to exercises

2 +  /C '   6. „(:”.     

 ,  /)     . 5 & /C
 &     .       / 6.
„2 , ”,  /)    . 2  /C
    6. „2 , ”   )  6.
„?   ”.  /C      & /
)  &    6 . Q'       .
3 +  /C '   6. „?   ”.  
     )  6. „2 , ”,  /)
       /)      . % )
   ) . ?   /  ):  .
4 2  /)       6. „+'  ”. .
  )  6. „  ”  /)     .
2  /C        )  6. „(:”.
 /)     )    ) .
5 +  /C '     6. „+'  ”. .
  )  6. „  ”  /)    .
5 & /C  &      6
  )  6. „(:”. 5)      .

Unit 9
Exercise 1
1 (,    8: . 2 (,     . 3 (,
   N  . 4 (,      . 5 (,    
  . 6 (,     8:. 7 (,     .
8 (, /7    '. 9 (,        .

Exercise 2
1 +   :  . 2 +   :    . 3 + 
 :$ /. 4 +   :  . 5 +   :
8. 6 +   :  .

Exercise 3
1 . &     ' . #  .
2 +       * . * &      $
?
3 .     )  $   :$  B .
4 *      )    ,  &  
 '  .
 Key to exercises 241

11 5 +:       /:7. . &$/& 

:$    :.
6 *&       $   /   ?

Exercise 4
1 %  /7    ,    . 2 % 
   8,    . 3 %     8,
   . 4 %       ,   . 5 %
   7   ,    . 6 %  $   
   ,    .
11
Exercise 5
1   , ! 2 *    ,    ! 3 *  
5 ,    ! 4    ,  &7 4 ! 5 ! ,
  ! 6    ,  & "! 7   , * ! 8
   ,    "!

Exercise 6
1 2    /            .
2 (  /  )   /        .
3 #    ,   /      '&. 4 + 
 /    7     
:$. 5 .     /   /.

Unit 10
Exercise 1
1     .    / .    6  .   
 8 .     ' .      .   
 .    7 .     ' .    68 .
   6$ .
2     .    / .    6  .   
 8 .     ' .      .   
 .    7 .     ' .    68 .
   6$ .
3      ?     / ?     6  ?
     8 ?      ' ?    
  ?      ?     7 ?   
22   ' ?     68 ?     6$ ?
242 Key to exercises

Exercise 2
1 V   . 2 V    . 3 V      .
4 5    //. 5 V     .

Exercise 3
1  2 /   / '   7   . 2 "
    7   . 3   * /   / ' 
 7   . 4 . .  '   7 
 . 5 E +    7   . 6 *  
%&     7   . 7 5     
 7   . 8    !       7 
 . 9 *$ 3   2  '   7   .
10 2      / '   7   .

Exercise 4
1 +         . 2 +       8. 3 +
      . 4 +       . 5 #$
    $   ? 6 #$     $  8? 7 # 
       ? 8 +         .

Exercise 5
1 *      . 2 .      . 3 .    .
4 .      . 5 .     . 6 +8     .

Exercise 6
1 "      . 2 "      . 3 "    . 4 "
     . 5 "     . 6 " 8    .

Unit 11
Exercise 1
1  8 8     *   8 8. 2 .
   8        8 . 3   5
8     8   . 4         
 8. 5 +   8 '      8 '  . 6 +
           . 7 . 8
    8  . 8   /8    /.
 Key to exercises 243

11 Exercise 2
1      . 2      . 3     .
4       . 5      . 6   
 . 7        .

Exercise 3
           .    
       . !      " . #
 $   %&$  7 . '  "      
11  "   $  $  $($.

Exercise 4
1    $ . 2     $ .
3    $ . 4    " .
5     $ . 6     $ $
. 7     $ .

Exercise 5
1 ) $ $    *. 2 +    $  $ ,
 $ %$    $ . 3   $     
   $  . 4  , $  *    .
5 '- ,  $  $ $  - . $  .

Exercise 6
1  -    $  . 2 / ,  0
  $   1 $ ? 3 +  
 %$$. 4  -, ,        1, .
5 +   0-$ $ .0 .  $ $ .

Exercise 7
 
 %     ,  $    . 3  
,  „$ ” $ –   ,   $(, *$ 
      . +    $
   $   $ & $ . 4 $.    .
  $  ,   $ .$      .
22   5$ .
244 Key to exercises

 II
0 /      & , : ')  
  : . +  /      $     .
C  '        ) '   '
 ?
! (  
%    &  : &) . + '
               .  )
 &    ' ? #  road movie.

Unit 12
Exercise 1
1 2 8   ,   8  . 2  / 8   ,  
/ 8  . 3  '8  7 /.,  '8  8 /. 4 
   :8 ,    8   . 5 +  8 / ,
   8  . 6 . '8  2 ,   '
 D:. 7 2/   8   ,       .
8  8  ,      .

Exercise 2
1 +  / '. 2   ,   /   / 8. 3 +  /
 8. 4 +   / /. 5 +  /  8.

Exercise 3
9  &  -        . 8 N, / 
 , /:$, : – / /:7    8: $
 . !  , /     ,  :    :.
8 N       &  / . +   ,
/     &. 5     / $.  N 8, /
/ $      B  B. .    N  2
    .

Exercise 4
1 . ,  /  8  . 2 . ,  /  (N) )8. 3 . ,
 /   8. 4 . ,  /   8. 5 . ,  /  (6)
). 6 . ,  /   8.
 Key to exercises 245

11 Exercise 5
%   : „! , $ , / .   & 
  ?” – „. ,”  ! , „    ') 
&  . +    :       ,  
. .”

Exercise 6
2/   8  7 /. :8   8     8 /. +
 8    B    8 12. +   8 
11 * . %    )8    . 2 6 /. /   ' 8
'), / 8   8    .

Unit 13
Exercise 1
1 5-    8  . 2 5-   / $  .
3 5-     $  . 4 5-   8  .
5 5-    8  . 6 5-    :8   .
7 5-   6:8  .

Exercise 2
1 !     – /   8   :  )  
 . 2 !     '  – /    8 ' 
 :  )    ' . 3 !     – / 
8   :  )   . 4 !    –
/      :  ) )  . 5 !   :
– /   :8  :  )  : . 6 !   $
 $ – /     $  :  ) )  $  $. 7 ! 
 '& – /   '&  :  ) )  '& .

Exercise 3
2     5 $8     : 
%  . 2 '  /    8    -
: . + $      , ) 8 
                 .
" ,  7.30   / /8    . O  $
/6  .  $ '7. 5 8 /8 , / )
22    8:    % .  $    
246 Key to exercises

    6  :      :.

/8   / 8    &,   / 
 :8    . /8   .  ) , $
     . .  8    8   : .
5              ) . .-
 '8,   15 :    .

Exercise 4
1 2   / . 2 2   '/ /  '7/
%'7  . 3 2 '& . 4 2 . 5 2  
  // / ' /  .

Exercise 5
2 %        ) '  '/ .
2 %  /      ) '    /)
 ' /  .
2 W  /    ) '  / .
2 W      )  '& .

Exercise 6
1 %      6 . 2     
 B ,. 3 2        5 . 4 5 
      5 . 5 %    
  5 . 6 %         >  
2 . 7 6      >   5 .
8       >  D:. 9 5  
   >   ,.

Unit 14
Exercise 1
1 . ,  ' 8  . 2 . ,   8  . 3 . , 
8  . 4 . ,  8  . 5 . ,   8  . 6 . ,
  8  .

Exercise 2
1     :  2 . 2 .  / 
   . 3 * ,   :  :?
 Key to exercises 247

11 4          . 5     

       . 6   -  
    !"  !

Exercise 3
1 #    $. 2 %   !   .
3 %     . 4        .
5       . 6 #      
 .
11
Exercise 4
1 $     /$  
  . 2 $    /$   
. 3 $    &  '     /
$  &  '     .

Exercise 5
1 (  '   " . 2 (  '   " . 3 (
    " . 4 (     " . 5 (  !
 " .

Exercise 6
1 )' /'    *   . 2 )' /'     
 . 3 )'   *   . 4 )'       .
5 +"   *   . 6 +"       .

Unit 15
Exercise 1
1 ,  -,    . 2 ,  !-,    .
3 ,    ,    . 4 ,   ,  
 . 5 ,     ,     . 6 , 
',    .

Exercise 2
1 , .  '. 2 , .  '. 3 , .
  ". 4 , .    . 5 , .    .
22 6 , .   ' .
248 Key to exercises

Exercise 3
1 8  :,    . 2 8 $ / $, 
  . 3 8  ,    . 4  $ ,
   . 5 8  ,      . 6 8  ,
   .

Exercise 4
1 8      - ? 2    :/:
  $   ? 3 8   /  ? 4    
 /   : ? 5 8       ? 6  
  /     ? 7 8        ?
8    /  :?

Exercise 5
1 ! 8  , )8   '/   . 2 ! 8
 , )8   '/   . 3 !   $ '& ,
)8  '  /. 4 !   $  6  , $ 
  '). 5 ! $   :  ,  
$   : '  . 6 !   $  ,
  ) $  :   .

Exercise 6
1 ! 8  , 8   : '  . 2 ! 8
 , 8   )   . 3 !   $ '& ,
 8  /   '). 4 !  8  
  /,  8   / . 5 !   $
 6  , 8   . 6 !   $  ,
      :.

Unit 16
Exercise 1
1 .   ),  5  / . 2 .   
),      / . 3 .    ),  $ 
      . 4 . $ ),      
: . 5 .  $ ),  $       .
6 .    ),      / . 7 . ' 
),   &'    / .
 Key to exercises 249

11 Exercise 2
1 .     ). 2 .     ). 3 .   
). 4 . :    ). 5 . '    ). 6 .
    ). 7 .      ). 8 . '   / 
).

Exercise 3
5     : (' *  :  
11 . +  :  ('         , .
.  )  %  :/         
   . 5    '   / // 
6     &    7. 2  6   , 
     &  &         ,
     7 . 5 :/   ,     
.

Exercise 4
2/  *     7 /. :   ,   
8   '   . %   
     :   . 2    ) 
       . .  $ 
         &. U      
   . 2'        3 /.

Exercise 5
1 D$    &       )
 &    :     . -  7
. +   / / .
– )    ? –    /.
– !          $  : „"  
   !”
2 % :   '& ':  ,    . " / 6.
%  6    6 /  6 : ,    
6, ) 6 6   66  . 0   8 :  
 6      6 – 6666 .
22 " ? –     $  .
250 Key to exercises

Exercise 6
1 3  7       $  6  
 . + :
– % 8 -     '  :8    /,
        !

2 9          '/    .  

6    .     '. 9     
    :
– .   /: $ )     ?
– ! B  ,      6!

Unit 17

Exercise 1
1     ' 8,   $  . 2     ' 8,
8  . 3   2  ' 8, 2 8   .
4     ' 8,   $  /. 5   
 ' 8,   $ $   . 6     ' 8,
 8  $   . 7     ' 8,   $
 ' . 8     ' 8,   $  ' /' .

Exercise 2
1 . ,    /   8 :. 2 . ,  '  /  
8 :. 3 . ,   /    $  '/. 4 . , 
 /    $   . 5 . ,  '  /   8
 '// '/. 6 . ,  '  /   8 :.

Exercise 3
1 (,       ,        5 . 2 (, 
    ,        5 . 3 (,    
  ,        5 . 4 (,     
 ,        5 . 5 (,       ' ,
       5 . 6 (,      ,  
     5 . 7 (,       ,      
5 .
 Key to exercises 251

11 Exercise 4
1   ' ,      . 2   
   . 3   ' ,      .
4  '$,   $ /   . 5    ,
/  /  . 6  : ,     .

Exercise 5
+     8 6 /7     2 .
8  /   7  8: 8  
11 &. 8 $/ $   :   2 ,
 -'  8, /  -'    :   :.
    8   2 , '7  $  :8$
 /  . 2 8  8 ,    $ 
4      . 2/ 8        8
8 /   ) .

Exercise 6
1 +  , /      * ,    .
2 +  , / *   %      7 ,
   . 3 +  , /     ,    .
4 +  , /  E       , 
  . 5 +  , /   '      ,
   . 6 +  , /   $ , 
  . 7 +  , /       ' , 
  .

22
Bulgarian–English
glossary

Pronouns, numerals, names of days and months, and compass direc-

tions are not listed in the vocabulary. Look for these in the index.
Adverbs formed regularly from the neuter form of adjectives are
not listed separately. Grammar information is normally given only
for nouns and verbs that deviate from standard patterns. These are
defined as follows.

Noun gender by ending

consonant, including -$: masculine
-/-(: feminine
-, -: neuter

Plural endings for nouns:

masculine single-syllable: - 
masculine more syllables: -
feminine: -
neuter ending in -: -
neuter ending in -: - 
neuter ending in -: -(

Verbs
The dictionary form is first person singular.
Aspect pairs are separated by a slash:
e.g. imperfective verb/perfective verb
If the perfective verb is formed by adding a prefix, only the prefix
is given after the slash.
 Bulgarian–English glossary 253

11 Present tense is indicated for -verbs and -verbs, but not for
-verbs, which are always recognised by their first person ending
- /-( .
Aorist tense is not indicated for -verbs, -verbs that show an
-- in the aorist, or for -verbs ending in -, which always show
an -- in the aorist. The aorist tense is given after the present tense
and separated by a semicolon (;).

Abbreviations used
11
adj. adjective m. masculine
adv. adverb p. person
coll. collective part. (past active) participle
colloq. colloquial pf. perfective
conj. conjunction pl. plural
f. feminine prep. preposition
imp. imperative sing. singular
impers. impersonal voc. vocative
impf. imperfective

.  hello
  but, why
 and; but   (m.), American
* but; why   (f.)
* D  absolutely   er, well
  ( airline    " amphitheatre
  =, authentic  painkiller
-= (a degraded
  bus station brand name,
  author like aspirin)
( agency $  English
% address = Englishman
 airport = Englishwoman
 if;    apartment,
 *=  please, flat;
if you please    apartment to
 A actor %  let
 accent   appetite
22 * album ,  arrangement
254 Bulgarian–English glossary

    architecture * ticket

   , architectural * herbal;
- * =$ herbal tea
* beer
*%+ thank you
/
*% pale
** grandmother * +, -- to shine,
*, luggage glisten
*, luggage * close by, near;
compartment, * % close to,
trunk near to
* bazaar *", - close; used as a
/  (pl.) the Balkans noun: close
*  relating to the relative or
Balkans friend
/ ( the Balkan * block of flats
8  peninsula * blouse
* balcony *$ water heater
* banana *, - sick, ill
*( bathroom, * to ache;
facilities *  to have a
* bar    headache
* bas-relief * pain
*  bartender * hospital
* $ pool * pine
*  - basketball *%   boarding card
* (m.), player *  bravo
*  - * , * ( (pl.) brother
*  (f.) *  =% (m.), cousin
* (m., voc. father *  =% (f.)
 ) * (adj.) bronze
* without *8  literally
*+ , to worry *8 bunch, bouquet
--  *8 % boulevard
* see *+ *8 jar
* petrol *8  boutique
**  bookshelf; *8  bottle
library **(, -- to chat
* -, -, -, -, former * (m.), Bulgarian
* business; * (pl.),
* business * (f.)
 8  consultant *  (adj.) Bulgarian
 Bulgarian–English glossary 255

11 * quick = already

* to hurry = (adv.) in the evening,
*C desk, writing evenings
table; = (f.) evening;
agency %*" = good evening
*+, -, -, * white =( supper, evening
meal
=( to have
supper
(before and in; at  (f.) thing, object;
11 : " ) belonging
 (railway)   mutually
carriage   /  , to take
,, -, important --; 
, precipitation % type, sort
(usually pl.)    + to feel dizzy
; + to precipitate, ,% / %(, to see
(3rd p. only) rain --; %+ ,
 , -  relating to imp. ,
foreign  $  Byzantine
currency;  always
   rate of  wine
exchange   high, tall
 bath(tub)  joke
 variant,   / drive in,
option  put in;
%% the day after insert
tomorrow D=  / to include;
%+  to/at the right D=, -- switch on
% immediately  taste
%, once  , -  tasty, delicious
,   century  at home;
 great homewards
, grandiose, ,, -, humid, damp
- marvellous  train
, +, true, faithful  (f.) power,
-, -  authority
+  probably  / +, to come in,
 +, --  to party, have -; + , enter
fun imp. 
  newspaper +(, -+-; to influence
22    see + " + /
256 Bulgarian–English glossary

D* in love, "  exciting,

infatuated thrilling
+  to the left   outside
  instead of " question
   to pay attention; " +, --; to go, walk
(impf. only) take care - +
  attention   see  
   carefully, "  on, upon
attentively  -, interior,
% water -- internal
% vodka +  / to believe
%(, -- to lead, carry  + 
out + see 
$ war + ", wind
= +  impressive    (pl.)
  /  , to get into,
--   engage in
0
something
,  enemy % nausea
  door %   to be nauseous
   necktie $% bagpipe
  (1) weather ( gallery
(sing. only)  station, train
  (2), time station
  (pl.) %* dresser,
 connection wardrobe
 ( )/ to return ,  gene
, -- ( )   (m.), German
 return trip   (f.)
  after all, still 0 ( Germany
 actually -, see  ,
% entrance   head
= yesterday  * headache
" see %, -% hungry
%8 air % to watch; see
" , possible % view
" , possibility * fine; fee
"  +  / restore  stupid
"  +, - see  %
--  (, -- to speak
"   to worry, be (impf. only)
(impf. only) disturbed % year
 Bulgarian–English glossary 257

11 + , -, -, large, big  group

  * mushroom
  relating to 0( Greece
 forest,
wood
1
=  to taste bitter
 %, Mister % (1) yes
 % (pl.) % (2) introduces
 , Madam, clauses, serving
Ma’am instead of
11  , Miss infinitives
 (m.), guest %  /% , to give
  (pl.), %%-; %% ,
  (f.) imp. %$
   to visit %, even
(impf. only)  somebody %= far away
+ % (conj.) whether
 ,   (pl.) Goth %  lady
 = (m.), chef, cook %  , -( engine
 = (f.) % , movement;
 (, -- to cook traffic
(impf. only) %  castle, palace,
  ready %  (pl.) hall
%, % , town, city %  relating to
%  (pl.) % 
% garden % $ girl, young
%8 degree woman
%= town, small %$  functioning,
town working
   grammar %$   really, in fact
 schedule %, %+ , day
 (sing. only) peas % (pl.)
-, -- to err %  pudding,
- error dessert
(/( to shine, % , % (pl.) child
warm %  childhood
,, -- / to take care of %, jazz
-  somebody/ %,* pocket
+/ something %  couch, sofa
 flu %  diet
% (sing. grapes %$ designer
22 only, coll. noun) %( watermelon
258 Bulgarian–English glossary

% , -  direct % () even

%   disco, club %  much, a lot; very
% today %  "= sufficiently,
%-, -- today’s, enough
contemporary %  / to reach
% next to, by, % , --
beside; until %  there, to that
%* fine, well; place
%* %- welcome! %=  goodbye,
%* , voluntary au revoir (on
- the telephone)
%*, %*, good; %- see % 
%* % dear
%*" % good morning, %* change (small
good afternoon coins), pl. of
% ,% / to take along, %* small,
% %, --; bring (a person) tiny
% % %  piece of clothing,
% = tonight (pl.) clothes
% ,% goodbye, % other
au revoir %  about wind:
% , - content, (3rd p. only) to blow
satisfied %- shower
%$% see %  %- (pl. only) people (when
%  until; while used with a
%  doctor numeral)
%8  document, paper %,% rain
% dollar % (adv.) long
%8 (adv.) below, down %",, -- to hold;
under (impf. only)
% , %  home, house  %", to attach
%   to do household   great import-
chores ance to
% ( hostess; something
housewife %"+ daughter
%  tomato
% -, -- relating to home,
2
home-made;
% - home phone  ,   (pl.) euro
 I  Europe
% ( /% , to bring   cheap,
-- inexpensive
 Bulgarian–English glossary 259

11 %  () hardly , alive

%=, -= unique, single; , (, --; to live, dwell
%= single room - +
( ,  life
%  single, only ,  , animal
% , -$ one-room ,   (pl.)
%= horseman, , home,
rider dwelling
 lake , yellow
 language; tongue
11   language test

  exotism
 =, exotic  towards, in the
-= direction of;
 ( trip, excursion for, for the
  - to experiment benefit of
 (impf. * +   to have fun
only) (impf. only)
  expert; * ( / to be delayed
  an expert on * (, -- 
  something * ( / to forget
 see %  /%$% * (, --
 , -  elegant *+  / to forbid
 ( electroenergy *+, --
 , emotional  + /  to start raining
- (3rd p. only)
 8  enthusiast  % place of
 , floor, storey entertainment;
  label restaurant
  here is . . . ,  ,% / to take
here it is  % -- somewhere,
take along
(about
3
persons)
,%, -% thirsty    / (, to turn
, heat --
,(, --; to wish;  $ turn, curve
- (impf. desire   / to return
only)  , -- 
, woman; wife  ( / to start talking
, married  (, --
22 ,  sacrifice % (prep.) behind
260 Bulgarian–English glossary

% together %   see %  

 busy % for . . . sake, on
  / drive, give account of
 a ride ,% / to fill, replenish
  / (, to have %+, --
-- breakfast    therefore
  breakfast;    electric
light meal supply
"% where to  why
"  delay   because
" +  / to be late  % star
" (,   (pl.  ) musical sound;
--; -+ (pl.   ) any sound
 /,, to bet  8=, -- to sound
-- (impf. only)
   / to depart  "+, --/- to ring
 , -- % healthy,
   / to be (become) in good
 (, -- occupied with health
  something, %  health
do something % $ hi, hello
*( / to surround %  hi there
*+, --  cabbage
  /(, to preserve;  green;
-- reserve   spring
  /(, to ignite, set fire onions;
-- to; start    lettuce;
  / t write down, green salad
-, --; make a note;  greenery
-  = vegetables
  = to set up an (pl. only)
appointment  , -  relating to
  / to inquire, ask  
  winter
 +%$ here you are!    to be ill
  / to become = meaning;
(, -; acquainted importance;
-  (  = it doesn’t
  acquaintance, matter
introduction = thus; so that
=  / to begin means.;
=, -- therefore
 Bulgarian–English glossary 261

11 ( or  , to know (a fact) *  / to lose

- (impf. *(, --
only) %  /% , to publish,
 , viewer -%%-; -%% release
 ( %, / to hold out,
*, * (pl.) tooth %",, -- stand
"* (m.), dentist   / to spend (time,
"* (f.)  period of time
etc.)
=  / to ascend, climb
)
11 =, --  up
 and =  ascent, climb;
 game; play; climbing
acting  /+, to exit, go out
(, --; to play (games --; -+
 (impf. etc.)   / +, to fly out
only) --;  +
%  /%$%, to come; % surprise
--; -% , part. * at all
%-, --,   /(, to drink up
imp.  --, -
%  /%$% to visit; come = /, to bake
   as a visitor -=-; -
%, - ideal  / to send
%( idea  (, --
%, %  see    /   / to miss, skip
 %  , --
 in, around " performance,
* wine cellar rendering
* /*, to choose, select   +  / to sober up
--; -*  (,
* choice --;  +
 %, suddenly    / to wipe
  , -  known, well-  (, --;
known - 
 +  / to excuse   / to stain
 +, - 
  outside =  / wait, hold on
 "% extraordinary, =
unscheduled +  manifestation,
,% to appear, look field of activity
22 (impf. only) + see +
262 Bulgarian–English glossary

 icon % calendar

  economy  " stone
 or (, --/- to invite
  (3rd p. there is, there  lid, bonnet
sing. only) exists  (impf. to drive
  (impf. to have only)
only)  career
 ,   (pl.) name   map; card;
  %, name-day *%   boarding card
 ( %,   picture
  % (pl.)   cash-desk; box
 %, image office
   emperor    road accident
  , intensive   as, like
-   café; coffee
  , -  interesting + brown
    to be interested  /, to land
   in something --
 , relating to  landing
-  ( =  to ascend,
information /=, climb up;
  /- to want --  mount
   Spanish -  yellow cheese
 =  historical    city region,
 ( history quarter
  (m.), Italian    lodgings,
  (f.) apartment
*= grilled meatball
 kilo

   kilometre
   to be called;  cinema
(impf. only)   sour;
   . . . my name is . . .   + yogurt
  /,, to say; speak;   class
--;  tell  ( ranking
$  minced meat   classics
 how;  customer
 ? how are you?;  clinic
  . . . ? what do you  branch;
mean with . . . ?  (pl.) of a tree;
  like, as, just as   (pl.) of a business
 (f. or m.) mud etc.
 Bulgarian–English glossary 263

11  book , -$ last, final;

, bookshop  as a last
 when, at which =$ resort
time $,  land, region
  when, at the ,  (pl.) leg; foot
time which   beautiful
 car    beauty
, - Coca-Cola,    cucumber
 Coke  ", -  short, brief
 (m.), colleague = step
11 , (f.) % credit
% Christmas  - Frankfurter,
( collection hot dog
 how many; how  fortress
much   crypt
 *( combination  krone/krona
   to comment (monetary
  % , CD unit)
  -   blood
%   (pl.) + pressure
 ( company, (for short:
companionship  )
  compound, "   crossroads
complex "    crossword
  set 8  culture
 ( composition 8 , - relating to
 D " computer culture;
, ( , horse cultural
 (pl.)  bunch, pile
 contest 8 party,
 horseman, (coll q.) gathering;
rider 8" = the party
 8   (office) supplies goes on
(usually pl.) 8  /(, to buy
  contact --
( conference 8 resort, holiday
 concert village
 lance  course; class
" dill (of a given
 (book) cover year)
 (f.) bone 8 ( can; box
22  D costume; suit  ( kitchen; cuisine
264 Bulgarian–English glossary

= dog  +, --/- to fish, hunt for;

"% where, at what catch
place - bad
"%  where, at which -   to feel ill
place  onion
" towards, in the 8 , - luxurious
direction of, to  , "  lion
"  ( lucky fellow =, "= ray
  late C*  amateur,
 house enthusiast
C* (f.) love
C* , -  curious
5
+ ,   (pl.) summer
 . see 
 lev, Bulgaria’s
'
monetary
unit  shop,
 bed department
 (adj.) light store
, ( doctor $ it seems
( (maternal) aunt $ mother
 , -  easy   , maximal, high
 , + , summerly, -
  relating to  a little
summer ", - small
  airport   marketing
 question ( cos lettuce
particle - route, itinerary
  lack   table
   to miss   butter
 (impf., something = football (soccer)
3rd p. only) match
  to be lacking; % medal
(impf. only) ,% between
 -  I miss you %( melody
 pound; D menu
$   pound sterling   month
 " litre   meat
 cable car   see + 
=  (impf., it tells, one can =  dream, reverie
3rd p. only) tell = (, --; to dream,
= personally -  daydream
 Bulgarian–English glossary 265

11 * van 8  moussaka

 dear, beloved  8 muscle
  / , to pass ,, ", , man; husband
-- ", (pl.)
 (adj.) past "=, --, to be silent
,- mineral "=
* minibar "= silence
8 minus + , place
  minute   (pl.)
  smell
11  (, -- to think,

(impf. only) consider
% young  at; on; to
%, boy, young man * close by
+ milk   habit
 much, a lot;    in time
very  ( / to cook
* mobile phone,  (, -- (in great
 or cellphone quantities)
* % prize
, ,-; to be able to % over
, %8 down;
% model downwards
%, -% fashionable, %+   to hope
fashion (impf. only)
%, - modern %+  to the right
, (3rd p. it is possible that  rent;
sing. only) %  for rent
 pencil %  cheers!
( please; you’re  by heart
welcome, don’t   really, in fact
mention it ( at last, finally
  moment   to become
 = girl (3rd p. only) necessary
 = boy  for forming
 ocean; sea tag questions:
 bridge isn’t it,
=, -= dark; sinister doesn’t it
8$ museum   /(, to pour (liquids)
 music --; +
8, - musical +  to the left
22 8 musician + pressure
266 Bulgarian–English glossary

   to be located  exhortative

(impf. only) particle, let’s
  / to find   German
 (, -- =  unexpected
  drink,  , wrong, incorrect
beverage -
- see -  =, impractical;
  straight ahead -= clumsy
 ( see  (   definitely,
  for instance absolutely
 completely, + , -  unpleasant
fully 8-= non-smoker
"+, - having gained  , -  irritable,
weight moody
% people,  " impatience
nationality 8  tirelessly
%, -% folk, people’s; ,  (pl.) thing, matter
%   folk song  never
+ cut-up, "% nowhere
chopped;   neither
+  finely  but
  chopped  new
  this way,   piece of news
hither  , size; number
 =  / to point, direct   (pl.)
 =, --   to number
 +  / to lodge, (impf. only)
 +, -- accommodate  , Norwegian
  mood   ordinary,
   / to come, set in regular;
 (, -- normal
(mostly 3rd p.)  ,   , nose
= see =    (pl.)
, national  (, -- to bring, carry
-  (f.) night
= beginning ,% need
= manner, ,, -, necessary
way  nil, zero
 no; not + some, a number
*, *  (pl.) sky; heaven of
% , - dissatisfied +"% somewhere, to
%  " flaw, defect somewhere
 Bulgarian–English glossary 267

11 +  (3rd p. there isn’t; * , -  opposite

sing. only) * ,% / to discuss
+   there is no * %(, --
  reason to . . . *  shoe
+  not to have, * common
negative form *  / to get mixed up
of   to * , get lost
have; *+% r *% lunch; midday
+   to have no *+%  to have lunch
  objections (impf. only)
11 *(  explanation
*( +  / to explain

*( +, --
*,% / to call, make a %+  / to become
*%(, --  call on %(, hungry
*% see *+% --; -%+
*% union,   / to turn out
unification ,, -- ; to be
*%+  / to unite, join  
*%+, --  ocean
* object , = (pl.) eye
*  / to promise   omelette
*(, --; - queue
-  opera
* % furnished , - relating to
*( / to walk around, opera
*+, -- circle   / to try, test
*  common, plain,  
ordinary   / to complain
*  usually =, --;
* round, round - 
trip    / to get to know
*= to love, like   one another
* cloud (usually pl.)
*=, -= cloudy % certain, definite
*= (f.) cloud cover    / to refute
*  / to lick one’s  (,
*,, --; fingers, lick -; -
-  one’s chops    (m.), optimist
       (f.)
*% exhilarated,  to organise
22 elated (impf. and pf.)
268 Bulgarian–English glossary

   to find one’s   price reduction

(impf. only) way   from there
  except   from here
 *,% liberation   offer
  , blinding  office
- , - official
   / , to remain, stay =   to be expected
-- behind (3rd p., impf. only)
  ( /  (, to leave behind =  expectation
-- = % apparently
 from, out of; by = see 
 ( / (, to open  more; still, yet
--
  ( / to answer, reply
!
  (, --
 %( / %+, to set aside,  market
-- reserve   to shop
   / %, to go (impf. only)
--, - , part.  again
 -", --,  carton, package
imp. %   tent
   trip out   palm tree
   / to give up; (, -- to ignite
 ,, --; refuse, decline    memorial
-    board;
   than    full board
 % stolen   pair of trousers
   / to discover; open  (pl.) money
 (, --;  park
-  car park
   opening  central heating
   open-hearted, = piece, chunk
sincere   passport
 "% from where    * toothpaste
 =, -= excellent  %, aubergine,
 +  from the left eggplant
   again, anew  (m.), patient
 - relation,   (f.)
relationship  , singer
 % feeble, weak   (pl.)
 8  holiday, vacation  singing
  opposite $ bench
 Bulgarian–English glossary 269

11 , =-; to roast, bake; *% victory

 /-  = more
   to sunbathe    / call, send for
  
% (time) period   vomiting
 ,   (pl.)song ,% / to take a look
- r - on foot % at, glance at
(, -; to sing % under
( /- %  /% , to hand over
 drink, drinking -%%-; -%%
11   play, stage play %" gift
- (adj.) chicken % ( / to prepare
-  chicken soup % (, --
  letter % , -  underground
  /  to ask % (pedestrian)
 pizza underpass
( pizza restaurant %*, -* similar;
-, --; to write  %* nothing of the
  /- kind
(, -;  to drink %  spice,
, beach condiment
 plan %* in detail
 mountain % /%  to blow
 (impf. to plan (3rd p. only)
and pf.) % %+ matching,
  plateau, high suitable
plain , fire
 +, --/- to pay   to know, be
 ,   tribe acquainted
% fruit with
(pl. %   (m.), acquaintance
corresponds to   (f.)
the English (, --; to guess
coll. noun)  (pf. only)
% (city) square   see  
  swimming   / to show
D plus ,, --;
 according to; -
along;  invited
 = according to $ along
order;  flight
22   in principle   politician
270 Bulgarian–English glossary

  politics; policy   ( / to put, place

 =  political   (, --
  half, one half;  + continuously
  half a kilo  +  / to build
  +, --;
  half, half part; -+
-  half past six    / to act, take
   (, -- action
8  peninsula  ",%  / to confirm
8=  / to receive, get  "%+, --
=, -- =  /=, to begin
  / to help -- (= =  /
 , =)
-- =+, - tanned
  ( / to think over =  /=, to rest
  (, -- --
 (, -- to remember = , -  relating to rest;
(impf. only) =  % holiday, day off
  (f.) help =  holiday, rest,
 at least break
+ sometimes =   devotee
,  pop music =  almost
 =   see =  
%   enjoy;  mail
(pf. only) ( +  / to appear,
%    to enjoy ( +, come about
 something -- 
  orange (fruit)  right, correct
=  / to order     Orthodox
=  (, --/- to make, do
= order, request  holiday;
   / to visit celebration
  +, -- =, -= relating to
  visit holidays;
-  sooner, festive
rather   to celebrate
  later (impf. only)
 %, -% last  washing
  direction    peach
  / to meet  powder; dust;
 , -- (someone    washing
arriving) powder
 Bulgarian–English glossary 271

11  / (, to send, % / to suppose

-- dispatch; %,,
   I’m being led --
 $  up the garden %=  / to prefer
path (lit. %= ,
‘I’m being sent --; -= 
out for green %  ( / to imagine
caviar’)   (,
 + / to rain -- 
  (3rd occasionally, %  ( / to introduce
11 p. only) in the form of %  (,
showers --
   / to bend over % +, -- to be
 (, --; (impf. only) imminent,
-   at hand
 % translation %8,%  to warn
 %, -% translated /%8%+,
% examination --
,% / to look  through,
% through, in (when used
review; in time
examine expressions)
% in front of, % president
before !% - the Presidential
%  broadcast,   offices
radio/televison  too, too highly
programme    to measure,
% %: / (, -- try on for
  % % to have in size
mind    / to move house
% ,% / to foresee   (,
% %(, -- 
--  , + , fresh
% % (conj.) before  
% (adv., earlier; before  = / to cross
prep.)  ,
%  mostly - =-;
% / to offer, - +
%,, suggest  ( / to weigh
--  (, (something)
%, offer, --
22 suggestion 8  over-exhaustion
272 Bulgarian–English glossary

 % hike, walk +  friend;

+  / to assess, judge +  girlfriend
+, -- +   friendly
 at + , -  pleasant
* / to retire, go +    pleased to meet
*, --; home you (stock
-*  phrase at
*,  to near, introductions)
/*,, approach *  /- to try, try on
--  * problem
  , attractive  +  / check, try out
-  +, --
 ( / to prepare  forecast,
 (, -- prognosis
  / to accept   programme
 , --;   programmer
 %  / to sell
  acceptable % ,
  / to admit -%%-; -%% ,
(, imp. -%$
--; - % = saleslady, shop
    to get a desire assistant
/  for %",  / to continue
  %",,
D=  / to come to an --
D=, end ,( showing
-- (of a film)
D=  finishing,  window
completion  (f.) spring,
C= adventure springtime
 principle  , -  relating to
% / to faint, swoon spring
%,  ( / to change
--  +, --
% nature  +, change
  / to arrive   (pl.)
 ,   / to miss, skip
--  , --
  +  to worry, feel   simply
/  (, nervous about   against
--   percent
= reason =  see = 
 Bulgarian–English glossary 273

11 ( +  / to show, display, * / to understand;

( +, -- manifest *, --;
 , finger; toe *
  (pl.) *  of course,
+, +, direct, straight naturally
+,   ( / to spoil
+ cross street  +, --
8*  to publish    development
(impf. only)  = entertainment,
8  sweater diversion
11 -, --/- to smoke ,% / to have a look
* pub % at, inspect
"%"% quail   conversation
 on the other  short story
hand   / to tell
, - full ,, --;
- honeydew melon -
"   championship   scattered; torn
, fried  difference
", cutlet =, -= different,
 (1), time; various
  (pl.)   schedule
   for the first   / to question,
time   interrogate
 (2),  ( , road 8-  / destroy
  (pl.) 8-, --
  traveller;  ( distracted
passenger  % stroll, walk
"   to travel  ,% / to stroll, go for
(impf. only)  %(, awalk
-- 
  flourishing
6
=  to rely ( n )
*  work (impf. only)
* , -  relating to work -+  / to expand, widen
* (, --/- to work -+,
%  /- to be happy --
about $ area
something; ( fruit brandy
%    to enjoy ,  early
 something  early
22 % radio   plant
274 Bulgarian–English glossary

 (impf. to react  rock, rock and

and pf.) roll
(  reaction ( dress
,  real, realistic   novel
%  regularly    romance
, A film director  % rotunda
  reserve, preserve 8 ruin
 ( booking 8 roll
  to book, reserve  fair-haired
  tank 8  mermaid
 river   Russian
  advertisement ", " (pl.) hand; arm
  advertise, +% seldom
promote
 relief
#
, religious;
- ( " before with
 religious r )
,* service  sausage
( religion   salad
8*  republican;   napkin
nationwide  ,  , alone, by oneself
(as relating to  ,  
Bulgaria)   airplane
  change, amount   + , independent,
returned - self-contained
  restaurant % = (toasted)
= dictionary sandwich
-  /-, to decide; solve  soap
--  * wedding
- decision , fresh
* fish  , saint
* fisherman;   (pl.)
*  fisherman’s  ,  , holy;
  Roman  ,  
   /- to paint, draw #   ' St Marina
 8 ritual  - light (as in
% family, kin   
% born light blue
% motherland etc.)
%  parent   , -  worldwide
,% % birthday   traffic light
 Bulgarian–English glossary 275

11   pork chop, cutlet   to symbolise

", (impf. only)
*%, -% free, available   =, appealing,
  / to connect -= attractive
,, --; ,  , son
-   (pl.)
-  / to come to an , (, blue
-, -- end, finish A, 
+ ,   (the) world   meteorologist
% building (, --;  to pour (solids),
11  now, at the (impf. only) serve
moment  feta cheese
% seat  , -  fine,
%  week fine-grained
% see +%  (mostly ski
%+, --/- to sit, be seated plural )
 season  skier
  (f.) secretary  soon
 settlement, =, -= boring
township  expensive;
,  (pl.) village dear
 , -$ relating to * weak, slight
family; * (f.) weakness
married  / ,, to put, place
 $  family --
 see + %   (conj.) after
  repair shop % (prep.) after
  to serve %  to follow
  A waiter %  following
, - serious %*% afternoon; in the
  sister afternoon
 /  (, to recall, have  / +, to get off
--  something -; (bus, train),
dawn on + descend
oneself , see 
 grey ,* duty, service
 signal 8,  (m.), civil servant
8, - safe, sure, 8,  (f.)
certain 8=, -$ (by) chance,
8 (adv.) surely coincidental
, - strong, potent =$ occasion,
22   symbol opportunity
276 Bulgarian–English glossary

=    something  " list, register

/ = happens to me , -$ quiet
     memory,
 sun recollection
= sunny  ( / to remember,
+ see   (, --  recollect
( / +, to change, switch  quarrel;
-- discussion
  see + % according to
-, -- funny, comical  sport
(, --; to laugh  , -  sporting, relating
+  (impf. to sport;
only)   sports
+ change, shift  career
+ ,   laughter    to do sports
 see + (impf. only)
  /  , to photograph  = handbook,
- -;  guidebook
  photograph +, -;  to sleep
 last night *", - silver
+,  snow (adj.)
*  one’s own, % amidst
private % surroundings,
 juice milieu
 (f.) salt %, % mean, median,
8 sunbed salon middle
  spaghetti  meeting; date
(pl. only)  / , to meet (by
  sleeper, sleeping -- appointment)
wagon  opposite, facing;
( bedroom against
 especially . see  
=  / to win   (3rd p. to happen
=(, -- only)
- urgency,   / , to become;
emergency -- to get up,
 / , to stop stand up
-; + ( station
 (bus, tram)  old
stop   diligently
  journal, (, --; to make an
magazine - /- effort
 Bulgarian–English glossary 277

11 *  Old Bulgarian  soup

 8( statue   (f.) morning;
( room (adv.) in the
  enough of these morning,
- jokes mornings;
 / , to reach, arrive 8   in the morning,
-- at this morning
 style  dry
 goods,  stage
merchandise =, -= relating to stage;
11  chair = stage image
  = dental clinic  %,
 "* / to collect;
  , stomach "*, --;
   (pl.) "*
, centipede "*   (1st p. plural)
  1/100th of a  , to get together
"*= / to undress
the currency of
"*, -=-;
Bulgaria
"*( 
+, --, -+ to stand; remain
"  (piece of) advice
(impf. only)
"   /- to advise
 side; country
"  , contemporary,
, - strange, peculiar
- modern
 page
" , -  to agree
  , -  terrible
"
(frequently:
"%* fate, destiny
formidable,
", regret;
colloq.)  ", regrettably,
- awfully; very unfortunately
 stress ",+  / to be sorry,
   , = I think that, it ",(, --; regret
seems to me -+
that "%  creation,
   % . . . it’s worth it making
to . . . " +   to doubt
  to cost (impf. only)
(usually 3rd p., , "+ , dream
impf. only)  (pl.)
8% cold "  (impf. to dream
8% (m.), student only) (about)
8%  (f.) " (m.), husband, spouse;
22   sum " (f.) wife, spouse
278 Bulgarian–English glossary

", " heart   terrace

" see  test
" %, -% neighbouring  % notebook,
() (adj.) same exercise book
"   to exist   mechanic
(impf. only)  =  technical
"D union  = squash
+% / %, to sit down =, -= typical
--  quiet
+,  shadow - silence,
tranquillity
 attire

  toilet
* sign   then, in that
 so, in that way; case
  is that so?;   that much, to
 = s , conse- that degree;
quently, thus that many
  cab, taxi ", - warm, hot
 ,  , such, of such   cake
 ,   character or = exactly;
kind =  right, exactly
 there %( tradition
,  (pl.) dance,  $ tram, streetcar
dancing   grass
  to dance A (m.), coach, trainer
(impf. only) A (f.)
  daddy " triangle
% rather, much, $ trolleybus
very %, - difficult
"% claim   /  to leave,
 ", theatre set off
  (pl.) +*  (imprs., must, have to
 text 3rd p. sing. only)
 see + +*  /- to be necessary
 ( TV, television for someone
  television set  here
 telephone 8" , tourism
, relating to 8 "
- telephone 8 tourist
   temperature 8 =  travel agency
 tan (
 Bulgarian–English glossary 279

11 8 =  relating to 8, exercise

tourist 8 lesson
8( Turkish woman 8  /8  (, to feel, sense
=, Turk --
 (pl.) 8  success
,, -, sad 8 +  to set one’s
  just, exactly /8 +, mind at ease
", - thin -- 
 silly 8 +  /8 (, to manage to
" patient --; 8 +
11  (, --/- to look for, seek 8  mouth
 mother-in-law   tomorrow
(wife’s mother)   morning
+,  body 8 , 8- (pl.) ear
=, --/- to learn;
7 study
8=* textbook;
8 at, to (usually 8=*  textbook of
about a person
*  Bulgarian
or his/her
= scientist, learned
home)
person
8 =   to increase
/8 =,
--; -  9
8 +  / to become  fax (machine,
8 +, --  convinced of message)
 something 8 figure
8%* convenient  , film, movie
8%   pleasure   (pl.)
8, , -  terrible   firm, company
8% weekend  folklore
8  whisky  relating to
8. see  folklore
 street 8 forum
8  moderate   French
8  /8 , to die   fresco
--; 8 +
8  tired
:
8, - unique
8%" decline $  caviar
8-  / to become $% let’s, come on
8-, frightened  ring, wedding
22 --  band
280 Bulgarian–English glossary

 khan  ", centre

  / , to snack, have a    (pl.)
-- bite  ( civilisation
  character  cigarette
  / to like   church
  +, -, -,  whole, entire
 ( paper
=, --/- to spend
<
(, -- / to boast of
-  something =. see =
, chalet =% umbrella
% hippodrome, =$ tea
race track = only, not until
 hit, pop song = /- to wait
+* bread; loaf of =  bag, briefcase
bread = (colloq.) bye!
%(, -- to go; = , =  , hour
%(   to go to =   (pl.)
lessons =   watch, clock
 sitting room = (f.) part
 (pl.) people =  part, particle
  horoscope =- glass, cup
  hotel = (conj.) that
 cathedral =  red
 -  , memorial =, - black;
 - cathedral = =$ plain tea
  " =- cherry
 food <   the Black Sea
 +  Christian coast
* beautiful, fine =(, --/- to treat someone
8%,  relating to art to something
8%, artist =  ,% happy birthday!
  humour %
,  (pl.) Hun =   congratulations!
=  often
= " garlic
;
= , = -; to read
  ,   + (pl.)flower =  /-
 + ,   colour = " quarter (part)
 price = crisps
, - valuable =  number, figure
 , - central = clean
 Bulgarian–English glossary 281

11 = ,  (pl.) man, human -8 show

being - , -8  noise
=  /=(, to hear - ham
=-; =
=  /- to feel
?
=  sense; feeling
=8% ,   wonderful % shop counter,
=%(, -- / to wonder stall
=8,* abroad   happiness
=8,% (m.), foreigner   happy
11 =8,% (pl.),   % US dollar
=8,% (f.) %", -% generous
=- pepper fruit, bell  as soon as
pepper

+
>
",  (pl.) corner
- carp
- %, Swede
E
- % (pl.)
- jest, joke +*" apple
-  /- to joke, jest + , -  obvious
- boss +% strawberry
- cupboard (usually pl.)
-% chocolate +% food; eating
-    farmer’s salad (  dam
(with feta + , (%-; +% , to eat
cheese) imp. +,/-
-  (pl. only) shorts +    it is clear to me;
- % Scotsman I understand
> %( Scotland +  dish, course

22
Index

The numbers given against each entry refer to the unit(s) where
the relevant information is given.

Grammar negation 1
double 3
adjectives 2 in future tense 5
plural 5 in the future in the past 15
with articles 7 negation particle 1, 3, 7
comparison 6 nouns 2
adverbs 5 plurals 4, 5, 6
comparison 6 vocative form 9
aorist 11, 12, 13, 16, 17 numerals 3, 4
article for masculine nouns denoting
definite 3 persons 9
indefinite 5 ordinal 10
with adjectives 7 Roman 14
aspect 5, 13, 17
passive 12, 14
comparative 6 past participles, formation 14, 16
conditional 15 perfect 14, 16, 17
pluperfect 17
future tense 5 possessive pronouns 9, 11
aspect usage 17 prepositions 3, 5, 8
future in the past 15 present tense
formation 1, 2, 3, 7
imperative 4 usage 11, 15, 16, 17
with indirect speech 7 pronouns
imperfect 13, 15, 17 deictic 2, 9
impersonal constructions interrogative 8
10, 12 personal, direct object 3, 10
indirect speech 7, 12 personal, indirect object 6
infinitive, lack of 1, 2, 6 personal, subject 1
 Index 283

11 personal, word order 7  8

possessive 9  1, 2, 13
reflexive 11, 15
relative 8   . . . 8
  17
questions 1, 3   17
in indirect speech 7  8
 8
reflexive pronouns 11   8
reflexive verbs 12   10
11 reported verb forms 16, 17
 1
superlative 6 $   10

/ 8
 9
Words and expressions
& 9
 15, 17  8
   17
8 15  1
   10 ) 3
  5
,   3, 8  1, 2, 5, 13
 13
  8   3
 9
 /  10 8
/   8
 (conjunction) 6
 6    10
6  8
8 / 6
   8
  5    6
3    6
 / ()/ / () 17
 8     17
: 3   8
   10  8
 6  7  17
' 6
22  10  : 8
284 Index

 10 Topics
,   3, 8 apartment 2
 10
books 5
 11
 12, 15 cinema 11
 (pronoun) 15
  17 days of the week 5
 6    10
family 9
  1, 3, 11, 13
aorist 11 health 10
imperative 4 hotel 2
imperfect 13
perfect 14 jokes 16

market 7
   10
months of the year 7
/ 10
name-day celebration 12
'/ ' 8
names 12
 9, 16
nationalities 1
newspapers 5
8  7
polite address 1
/ 6, 12
restaurant 3
) 5
shopping 6, 7
)  17
telephone 4
   10 time 4
 3 tipping 3
tourism 14, 17
travel 8, 14, 16

weather 13