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Bulgarian to English: Bulgarian for English Speakers
Source text - Bulgarian This is the Introduction to an English-Bulgarian textbook I authored, translated and edited. Many more books and translations are available, I only provide this one, because I want to make learning Bulgarian language easy for anybody.
Translation - English
Bulgarian Alphabet
Pronunciation Table
Bulgarian Alphabet
Pronunciation
Examples of the respective English sounds
А а [a] after, past, path, spa
Б б [b] bit, bright, be, bear
В в [v] vogue, vivid, violin, vision
Г г [g] get, go, glory, tag
Д д [d] day, dream, destiny, devotion
Е е [e] set, bet, tell, let
Ж ж [zh] illusion, vision, division, fusion
З з [z] zero, amazing, Zen, zip
И и [i] grin, inn, sit, hit
Й й [y] boy, toy, yacht, yeoman
К к [k] key, kid, keep, kit
Л л [l] live, light, letter, litter
М м [m] man, miracle, make, almost
Н н [n] night, not, near, on
О о [o] opt, top, stop, dot
П п [p] pet, pall, please, part
Р р [r] (hard) red, rest, read, rubber
С с [s] set, sit, stop, said
Т т [t] top, talk, tell, let
У у [u] put, look, took, pudding
Ф ф [f] fusion, fire, flame, fantasy
Х х [h] (aspirate) hope, hear, had, hut
Ц ц [ts] tsunami, tzar, sits, meets
Ч ч [ch] chair, teach, charity, chat
Ш ш [sh] she, shall, shark, shift
Щ щ [sht] ashtray, fishtail, wished, washed
Ъ ъ [ə] camel, campus, letter, better
ь [~] (softener) (no literal English equivalent)
Ю ю [yu] yurt, you, new, music
Я я [ya] yard, yarn, Yankee, yarrow
ВЪВЕДЕНИЕ
INTRODUCTION
Bulgarian Alphabet consists of 30 letters. They represent the sounds as it is shown below.
There are six vowels:
а о е are wide (open) vowels
ъ у и are narrow (closed) vowels;
and two diphthongal vowels:
ю = й+у
я = й+а
All the rest letters represent consonants:
б в г д ж з дж дз are voiced consonants
п ф к т ш с ч ц are voiceless consonants;
л м н р are resonant (sonorous) consonants;
й is short и;
ь softens the sounds before/after which is placed;
х is aspirate consonant;
щ = ш+т and therefore is a diphthongal consonant.
.
Here are the main rules on
How to read Bulgarian
1. How to read letters.
Each letter has its designation that is used when pronouncing either the whole alphabet or a single letter:
А а (a)
Б б (bə)
В в (və)
Г г (gə)
Д д (də)
Е е (e)
Ж ж (zhə)
З з (zə)
И и (i)
Й й ('i 'kratko)
К к (kə)
Л л (lə)
М м (mə)
Н н (nə)
О о (o)
П п (pə)
Р р (rə)
С с (sə)
Т т (tə)
У у (u)
Ф ф (fə)
Х х (hə)
Ц ц (tsə)
Ч ч (chə)
Ш ш (shə)
Щ щ (shtə)
Ъ ъ ('er go'lyam)
ь ('er 'malək)
Ю ю (yu)
Я я (ya)
2. How to read words. The position of stress.
All the letters in words should be pronounced in the way they are marked in the Pronunciation Table. Some more explanations as well as the special cases and exceptions are given below.
Having in mind that stress of words in Bulgarian language takes different place in each word, there are no rules of learning the position of stress. Therefore, each new word should be learned by itself. For purpose of marking the stress, in this book we accept the sign ['] preceding the stressed syllable.
2.1. Vowels:
When the wide (open) vowels а, о, е are under stress, they should be pronounced clearly:
а [a] о [o] е [e]
Examples:
А а [a]
август ['avgust] – August
град [grat] – a town; a city
млад [mlat] – young
казвам ['kazvam] – to say
подарък [po'darək] – a present
О о [o]
опит ['opit] – experience
пролет ['prolet] – Spring
остров ['ostrof] – an island
спорт [sport] – sports
крило [kri'lo] – a wing
Е е [e]
евтин ['eftin] – cheap
бежов ['bezhof] – beige
без [bes] – without
къде [kə'de] – where
момче [mom'che] – a boy
However, when the vowels а and о are unstressed, they get narrower by reducing their sound:
а becomes [ạ]
(a medial sound of а [a] and ъ [ə])
о becomes [ọ]
(a medial sound of о [o] and у [u]).
Examples:
А а [ạ]
азбука ['azbukạ] – an alphabet
чета [che'tạ] – to read
книга ['knigạ] – a book
блока ['blokạ] – the block
човека [cho'vekạ] – the man
О о [ọ]
орел [ọ'rel] – an eagle
обувка [ọ'bufkạ] – a shoe
море [mọ're] – sea
поле [pọ'le] – a field; ground
ориз [ọ'ris] – rice
All the rest vowels should be pronounced in the way they are marked in the Pronunciation Table.
Examples:
Ъ ъ [ə]
път [pət] – way
ъгъл ['əgəl] – an angle; a corner
пръст [prəst] – soil
пък [pək] – but; yet
такъв [tạ'kəf] – such
У у [u]
ум [um] – mind
уча ['uchạ] – to study; to learn
учител [u'chitel] – a teacher
ураган [urạ'gan] – a hurricane
другар [dru'gar] – a mate; a friend
И и [i]
мил [mil] – dear; kind
или [ili] – or
кино ['kinọ] – cinema
приятел [pri'yatel] – a friend
идеално [ide'alnọ] - perfectly
! N.B. Alteration of а to [ạ] is most commonly observed.
а becomes [ạ] especially at the end of some words.
The other above-mentioned vowel reductions are not so noticeable.
The diphthong vowels ю [yu] and я [ya] are each made of two letters/sounds:
ю=й+у
я=й+а
Nevertheless, they should be read as single sounds.
The diphthong vowel ю should be pronounced [yu]:
Ю ю [yu]
юг [yuk] – south
южен ['yuzhen] – southern
юфка [yuf'ka] – noodles
юнак [yu'nak] – a hero
юноша ['yunọshạ] – a teenager
The diphthong vowel я should be pronounced in two ways depending on the position of the letter and its stress. If я is under stress, it should be pronounced [ya]:
Я я [ya]
ябълка ['yabəlkạ] – an apple
ястреб ['yastrep] – a hawk
ядка ['yatka] – a kernel
обява [ọb'yavạ] – an ad(vertisement)
ягода ['yagọdạ] – a strawberry
However, when я is not under stress and especially if я is placed at the end of a given word, it should be pronounced [yạ]:
Я я [yạ]
правя ['pravyạ] – to do
мисля ['mislyạ] – to think
Англия ['angliyạ] – England
пея ['peyạ] – to sing
учителя [u'chitelyạ] – the teacher
! N.B.
The vowel alterations
а [ạ] and
я [yạ]
are most commonly observed.
а becomes [ạ] and я becomes [yạ] especially at the end of some words.
The other vowel reductions are not so noticeable.
2.2. Consonants.
Voiced consonants should be pronounced in two ways:
When a voiced consonant is placed in any position of a given word except the last letter, it should be pronounced in the common way as a voice consonant.
Examples:
Б б [b]
баба ['babạ] – grandmother
бяла ['byalạ] – white (f)
брой [broy] – number; a copy
България [bəl'gariyạ] – Bulgaria
хубост ['hubost] – beauty
В в [v]
врата [vrạ'ta] – a door
вътре ['vətre] – in
вън [vən] – out
вярвам ['vyarvạm] – to believe
Варна ['varnạ] – Varna (Bulgarian city)
Г г [g]
гарван ['garvạn] – a raven
много ['mnogọ] – much; many
герой [ge'roy] – a hero
голям [go'lyam] – big
грешка ['greshkạ] – a mistake; an error
Д д [d]
дърво [dər'vo] – a tree
ден [den] – a day
добър [do'bər] – good
дете [de'te] – a child
да [da] – yes
Ж ж [zh]
жена [zhe'na] – a woman
южен ['yuzhen] – Southern
Женева [zhe'neva] – Geneva
жито ['zhito] – wheat
жив [zhif] - alive
З з [z]
зебра ['zebrạ] – a zebra
извинявам [izvi'nyavạm] – to excuse
зора [zo'ra] – dawn
известен [iz'vesten] – well-known
звезда [zvez'da] – a star
When the last letter of the word represents a voiced consonant, the voiced consonant devocalizes and becomes voiceless. Each devocalized voiced consonant obtains the sounding of the respective voiceless consonant. Therefore
б [b] becomes п [p]
в [v] becomes ф [f]
г [g] becomes к [k]
д [d] becomes т [t]
ж [zh] becomes ш [sh]
з [z] becomes с [s]
Examples:
Б б [p]
хляб [hlyap] – bread
дъб [dəp] – an oak
гълъб ['gələp] – a pigeon
боб [bop] – beans
груб [grup] – rude
В в [f]
във [vəf] – in
молив ['molif] – a pencil
никакъв ['nikakəf] – none; any; no
какъв [ka'kəf] – what
хубав ['hubaf] – beautiful; pretty
Г г [k]
дълъг ['dələk] – long
влог [vlok] – a bank deposit
друг [druk] – other; another
драг [drak] – dear
юг [yuk] – south
Д д [t]
глад [glat] – hunger
обед ['obet] – lunch
блед [blet] – pale
град [grat] – a city; a town
над [nat] – above
Ж ж [sh]
таралеж [tara'lesh] – a hedgehog
валеж [vạ'lesh] – rainfall; snowfall
виж [vish] – look
дръж [drəsh] – hang it!
уж [ush] – as if
З з [s]
през [pres] – through
влез [vles] – come in
излез [iz'les] – go out
слез [sles] – come down
без [bes] – without
The above-mentioned devocalization of the voiced consonants can be noticed in another case as well. This is when a voiced consonant is placed (in the middle of the word) before a voiceless consonant (or before the aspirate consonant х):
тетрадка [te'tratka] – a notebook
сладко ['slatkọ] – jam; sweet(ly)
бивш [bifsh] – ex
градски ['gratski] – of the town/city
дръжка ['drəshkạ] – a handle
гледка ['gletkạ] – a view
изпит ['ispit] – an exam
целувка [tse'lufkạ] – a kiss
колежка [ko'leshkạ] – a colleague (f); a mate (f)
рядко ['ryatkọ] – rare(ly)
предхождащ [pret'hozhdạsht] – previous
всичко ['fsichko] – everything; all
Voiceless consonants should always be pronounced in the way they are marked in the Pronunciation Table.
Examples:
П п [p]
пиша ['pishạ] – to write
правя ['pravyạ] – to do
песен ['pesen] – a song
памет ['pamet] – memory
Плевен ['pleven] – Pleven (Bulgarian city)
Ф ф [f]
филтър ['filtər] – a filter
филм [film] – a film; a movie
фантазия [fạn'taziyạ] – fantasy
фаворит [fạvọ'rit] – a favourite; a pet
фалшив [fạl'shif] – false; fake
К к [k]
край [kray] – an end
крия ['kriyạ] – to hide
кърпа ['kərpạ] – a towel
касета [kạ'setạ] – a cassette (tape)
искам ['iskạm] – to want
Т т [t]
трябва ['tryabvạ] – must
търпя [tər'pyạ] – to bear
търпение [tər'penie] – patience
тиква ['tikvạ] – a pumpkin
толерантност [tọle'rantnọst] – tolerance
Ш ш [sh]
шега [she'ga] – a joke
пиша ['pishạ] – to write
шанс [shans] – a chance
шеф [shef] – a boss; a chief
Шотландия [shọt'landiyạ] – Scotland
С с [s]
стоя [sto'yạ] – to stay
стая ['stayạ] – a room
истина ['istinạ] – truth
истински ['istinski] – true, real
София ['sofiyạ] – Sofia
Resonant (sonorous) consonants л, м, н, р should always be pronounced in the way they are marked in the Pronunciation Table. Nevertheless, we should mention that they should be articulated clearly, and especially the letter р [r] which is much harder than the English [r].
Examples:
Л л [l]
лампа ['lampạ] – a lamp
лодка ['lotkạ] – a boat
лилав ['lilaf] – lilac
любов [lyu'bof] - love
лед [let] – ice
М м [m]
мама ['mamạ] – Mum
много ['mnogọ] – much; many
малко ['malkọ] – a few; a little
миризма [miriz'ma] – a smell
мляко ['mlyakọ] – milk
Н н [n]
някой ['nyakọy] – somebody
някъде ['nyakəde] – somewhere
никой ['nikọy] – nobody
не [ne] – not
надежда [nạ'dezhdạ] – hope
Р р [r]
роза ['rozạ] – a rose
риба ['ribạ] – fish
пред [pret] – before; in front
при [pri] – at
приятел [pri'yatel] – a friend
The pronunciation of the short sound represented by the letter й is [y]. The letter й is never used alone. It is either combined with the vowel о in the syllable йо [yo] in the beginning of a word, or used with some other vowel placed at any position of the word except the beginning.
Examples:
Й й [y]
най [nay] – most
мой [moy] – my
йод [yot] – iodine
Йонко ['yonkọ] – Yonko (a proper name)
стой [stoy] – stay
The letter ь is not used alone as well. This letter softens the sounds before/after which is placed. ь is almost always used in the combination ьо that is being pronounced [~o]=[yo].
Examples:
ь [~]
актьор [ạk'tyor] – an actor
фантазьор [fạntạ'zyor] – a dreamer
синьо ['sinyọ] – blue
Ваньо ['vanyọ] – Vanyo (a proper name)
шофьор [shọ'fyor] – a driver
There isn’t any difference in the pronunciation of the sound combinations йо [yo] and ьо [~o]=[yo]. The only difference is in writing when йо is used in the beginning of a word or after a vowel in contrast to ьо that is used only after a consonant.
The letter х represents the aspirate consonant [h]. This consonant should be pronounced clearly aiming aspiration.
Examples:
Х х [h]
хайде ['haide] – come on
хваля ['hvalyạ] – to praise
хора ['horạ] – people
християнин [hristi'yanin] – a Christian (m)
храст [hrast] – a bush
The letter щ [sht] is made of two separate consonants – ш [sh] and т [t] that link in the way they are pronounced as one.
Examples:
Щ щ [sht]
щурец [shtu'rets] – a cricket
щука ['shtukạ] – a pike
щастие ['shtastie] – happiness
щампа ['shtampạ] – a print
щаб [shtap] – staff; headquarters
The letter ц [ts] should be pronounced as one single sound.
Examples:
Ц ц [ts]
цар [tsar] – tsar; king
циганин ['tsigạnin] – a tzigane, a gypsy
цирк [tsirk] – circus
цял [tsyal] – whole
църква ['tsərkvạ] – church
The letter ч [ch] should be pronounced as a single sound as well.
Examples:
Ч ч [ch]
чета [che'tạ] – to read
число [chis'lo] – number; figure
четири ['chetiri] – four
чистя ['chistyạ] – to clean
чудо ['chudọ] – a wonder
There also are two sounds дж and дз that are not included in the alphabet but regardless of their two-letter structure should be pronounced as single vowels.
Examples:
дж [dzh]
джоб [dzhop] – a pocket
джаз [dzhas] – jazz
джин [dzhin] – gin
джентълмен ['dzhentəlmen] – a gentleman
джип [dzhip] – a jeep
дз [dz]
дзен [dzen] - Zen
дзън [dzən] - ting
! N.B. These are the main rule on reading Bulgarian. For purpose of facilitation, we shall simplify some of them, what you will see in the pronunciation examples that are shown further on.
3. How to read phrases, sentences and a whole text.
When reading phrases, attention should be paid on some voiced consonants situated next to voiceless – in that case, voiceless consonants reduce their sounding:
в тетрадката [fte'tratkata] – in the notebook
над полето [natpo'leto] – over the field
Attention should be paid to the opposite case as well – when some voiceless consonants increase their sounding if a voiceless consonant is situated next to a voiced one (and especially if the voiceless consonant precedes the voiced one):
със зеленчуци [səzelen'chutsi] – with vegetables
с баба ['zbaba] – with grandmother
All other letters in the words should be pronounced in the way they are printed/written.
4. Learn to read Bulgarian language correctly. Some examples.
1.
- Здравей! Приятно ми е да се запознаем.
[zdra'vey! pri'yatno mi e da se zapo'znaem.]
- Hello! Nice to meet you!
2.
- Добър ден!
- Добър ден! Приятно ми е. Казвам се Иван.
['dobər den!
'dobər den! pri'yatno mi e. 'kazvam se i'van.]
- Good afternoon!
- Good afternoon! Nice to meet you. My name is Ivan.
3.
- Добър вечер!
- Добър вечер!
- Аз съм Мария. Ти как се казваш?
- Казвам се Ана.
- Името ти е Ана? Сестра ми също се казва Ана. Откъде си, Ана?
- От България съм, аз съм българка. Добре дошли в България!
['dobər 'vecher!
'dobər 'vecher!
'as səm ma'riya. ti kak se 'kazvash?
'kazvam se 'ana.
'imeto ti e 'ana? se'stra mi 'səshto se 'kazva 'ana. otkə'de si, 'ana?
ot bəl'gariya səm, 'as səm 'bəlgarka. dobre doshli vbəl'gariya!]
- Good evening!
- Good evening!
- I am Maria. What is your name?
- My name is Ana.
- Your name is Ana? My sister's name is Ana too. Where are you from, Ana?
- I am from Bulgaria, I'm Bulgarian. Welcome to Bulgaria!
4.
- Добро утро!
- Добро утро, Христо!
- Как си?
- Благодаря, добре. А ти, Джон, как си?
- И аз съм добре, благодаря.
[do'bro 'utro!
do'bro 'utro, 'hristo!
'kak si?
blagoda'rya, do'bre. a 'ti, dzhon, 'kak si?
i 'as səm do'bre, blagodar'ya.]
- Goog morning!
- Good morning, Hristo!
- How are you?
- Fine, thanks. And you, John, how are you?
- Thank you, I'm fine, too.
5.
- Здравейте, вие сте Ханс, нали?
- Да, аз съм Ханс.
- И сте от Германия, нали?
- Да, от Германия съм. Аз съм немец. И приятелите ми са немци.
- А откъде е приятелката ти?
- Тя е от Франция, французойка е. Казва се Мари.
- Довиждане, Ханс. Приятен ден!
- Довиждане, Христо. Приятен ден и всичко хубаво!
[zdra'veite, 'vie ste hans, na'li?
da, 'as səm hans.
i ste ot ger'maniya, na'li?
da, ot ger'maniya səm. 'as səm 'nemets. i pri'yatelite mi sa 'nemtsi.
a otkə'de e pri'yatelkata ti?
'tya e ot 'frantsiya, frantsu'zoika e. 'kazva se ma'ri.
do'vi dane, hans. pri'yaten den!
do'vi dane, 'hristo. pri'yaten den i 'vsichko 'hubavo!]
- Hello! You are Hans, aren't you?
- Yes, I am Hans.
- And you are from Germany, aren't you?
- Yes, I am from Germany. I am German. And my friends are German too.
- And your girlfriend, where is she from?
- She is from France, she's French. Her name is Marie.
- Goodbye, Hans! Have a nice day!
- Goodbye, Hristo! Have a nice day and all the best!
6.
- Христо, ти ли си?
- Да, аз съм, Георги. Каква приятна изненада!
- Кой е този млад мъж с тебе?
- Той е от един приятел грък. Сега е в България и учи български език.
- А момичето? Кое е момичето с тебе? Как се казва?
- Тя е Моника, от Швеция е. Запознайте се.
- Приятно ми е, Христо.
- Приятно ми е, Моника.
- Довиждане, приятели.
- До скоро, Христо.
['hristo, 'ti li si?
'da, 'as səm, 'georgi, ka'kva pri'yatna izne'nada!
'koi e 'tozi mlad 'məzh 'stebe?
'toi e e'din pri'yatel 'grək. se'ga e v bəl'gariya i 'uchi 'bəlgarski e'zik.
a mo'micheto? ko'e e mo'micheto 'stebe? 'kak se 'kazva?
'tya e 'monika, ot 'shvetsiya e. zapo'znaite se.
pri'yatno mi e, 'hristo.
pri'yatno mi e, 'monika.
do'vizhdane, pri'yateli.
do 'skoro, 'hristo.]
- Hristo, is that you?
- Yes, Georgi, it's me.
- Who is that young man together with you?
- He is a friend of mine, he's Greek. He is in Bulgaria now. He studies Bulgarian.
- What about the girl? Who is the girl with you? What's her name?
- She is Monika, from Sweden. Get acquainted.
- Nice to meet you, Hristo.
- Nice to meet you, Monika.
- Goodbye, friends.
- See you soon, Hristo.
7.
- Как си, мамо?
- Добре съм.
- Желая ти приятен ден!
- Благодаря. И на теб също.
[kak si, 'mamo?
do'bre səm.
zhe'laya ti pri'yaten den!
blagoda'rya. i na tep 'səshto.]
- How are you, Mum?
- I’m fine.
- Have a nice day!
- Thanks. You too.
8.
- Здравей, Момчиле! Как си?
- Добре, благодаря.
- Какво правиш, учиш ли?
- Да, уча.
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