Section 1
How spoken Bulgarian differs from written Bulgarian
The gap every learner must bridge.
Spoken Bulgarian sounds very different from written Bulgarian. Key features of natural speech:
| Feature | Written / formal | Spoken / informal | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vowel reduction | Full vowels throughout | Unstressed vowels weakened or dropped | добре → добре (fast) sounds like "dobre" |
| Word reduction | Не е — два words | Contracted in speech | не е → "née" in fast speech |
| Particle ма | Formal: нали? | Informal: ма? (right? / isn't it?) | "Хубаво е, ма?" / "Ще дойдеш, ма?" |
| Бе / бе | Not in writing | Softener / filler particle | "Не знам, бе." / "Ела, бе!" |
| Де | Not in writing | Encouragement / mild insistence | "Хайде, де." / "Кажи, де." |
| Ли drop | Ти ли си? | Ти си ли? / Ти ли? | Question word order varies |
| Ся (dialectal) | Rare in standard | Heard in some regions for себе си | Regional variation |
💡 Бе, де, ма — the particles of authentic Bulgarian
These three particles are invisible in dictionaries but ubiquitous in real speech. Бе softens statements and mild frustration — "Не знам, бе!" (I don't know!). Де adds mild insistence or encouragement — "Кажи, де!" (Go on, tell me!). Ма is a tag particle seeking confirmation — "Хубаво е, ма?" (It's nice, right?). Using these naturally is a major marker of spoken fluency.
Section 2
Filler words and hesitation phrases
What Bulgarians say while they think.
| Bulgarian | Romanised | English equivalent | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ами... | Ami... | Well... / Um... | Most common filler — starts sentences |
| Значи... | Znachi... | So... / That means... | Bridges ideas |
| Всъщност... | Vasashnost... | Actually... / In fact... | Corrects or clarifies |
| Нещо като... | Neshto kato... | Something like... / Kind of... | Approximating |
| Как да кажа... | Kak da kazha... | How shall I say... / How to put it... | Searching for words |
| Нали? | Nali? | Right? / Isn't it? / You know? | Tag question — seeking agreement |
| Разбираш ли? | Razbirash li? | Do you understand? / You know? | Checking comprehension |
| Горе-долу... | Gore-dolu... | More or less... / Roughly... | Approximating |
| В общи линии... | V obshti linii... | In general... / Broadly speaking... | Summarising vaguely |
| Така де... | Taka de... | Well, you know... / That kind of thing. | Trailing off |
Section 3
Conversation strategies — keeping it flowing
What to say when you get stuck.
| Situation | Bulgarian phrase | Romanised | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| Didn't hear | Можеш ли да повториш? | Mozhesh li da povtorishвопрос? | Can you repeat that? |
| Didn't understand | Не разбрах. Можеш ли по-бавно? | Ne razbrah. Mozhesh li po-bavno? | I didn't understand. Could you speak more slowly? |
| Don't know the word | Как се казва на български...? | Kak se kazva na balgarski...? | What's the Bulgarian for...? |
| Buying time | Интересен въпрос... | Interesen vapros... | Interesting question... (thinking time) |
| Asking to explain | Можеш ли да обясниш по-подробно? | Mozhesh li da obyasnish po-podrobno? | Could you explain in more detail? |
| Checking understanding | Значи имаш предвид, че...? | Znachi imash predvid, che...? | So you mean that...? |
| Changing topic | Между другото... | Mezhdu drugoto... | By the way... / Incidentally... |
| Returning to topic | Да се върна на темата... | Da se varna na temata... | Going back to the subject... |
| Agreeing to disagree | Да кажем, че и двамата имаме точка. | Da kazhem, che i dvamata imame tochka. | Let's say we both have a point. |
Section 4
Speaking strategies for the oral exam
How to perform at your best.
The STBFL oral exam (B1 level) asks candidates to: (1) introduce themselves, (2) describe a photograph or image, (3) discuss a topic, (4) roleplay a situation. Here are strategies for each:
| Task | Opening phrase | Structure tip |
|---|---|---|
| Self-introduction | Казвам се... Произхождам от... Живея в... Работя като... | Name → origin → current life → interests |
| Photo description | На снимката виждам... В центъра е... На заден план... | Overall → details → foreground/background → speculation |
| Topic discussion | Мисля, че... От една страна... От друга страна... | Opinion → argument → counter → conclusion |
| Roleplay | Бих искал/а да... Имате ли...? Колко струва...? | Start with politeness → state need → question → react |
| Photo description vocabulary | English |
|---|---|
| На снимката виждам... | In the photo I can see... |
| В центъра е/са... | In the centre is/are... |
| На преден план... | In the foreground... |
| На заден план... | In the background... |
| Вляво/вдясно се вижда... | On the left/right you can see... |
| Изглежда като... | It looks like... |
| Вероятно е/са... | It/they are probably... |
| Снимката е направена в... | The photo was taken in... |
Section 5
Extended dialogue — natural conversation
A flowing, realistic exchange using all today's strategies.
— Ами, разкажи — как ти е?
— Горе-долу добре. Значи, бях болен миналата седмица, но вече съм по-добре.
— А, бедника! Тежко ли беше?
— Как да кажа... средно. Три дни вкъщи. Ама вече е минало.
— Работата как върви?
— Всъщност, доста добре напоследък. Имаме нов проект — интересен е, нали?
— Интересен? Разкажи повече, де.
— Ами, не мога да казвам много. Значи — нов клиент, голяма компания от Германия.
— Ооо. Значи имаш предвид, че ще работите международно?
— Горе-долу. Да се върнем — ти как си? Как е семейството?
— Добре, добре. Децата вече са в ново училище, нали ти казах.
— А, да — как им е там?
— По-добре, отколкото очаквахме. Нека поговорим по-подробно — заповяй да седнем.
— Ami, razkazhi — kak ti e?
— Gore-dolu dobre. Znachi, byah bolen minalata sedmitsa, no veche sam po-dobre.
— A, bednika! Tezhko li beshe?
— Kak da kazha... sredno. Tri dni vkashti. Ama veche e minalo.
— Rabotata kak varvi?
— Vasashnost, dosta dobre naposledak. Imame nov proekt — interesen e, nali?
— Interesen? Razkazhi poveche, de.
— Ami, ne moga da kazvam mnogo. Znachi — nov klient, golyama kompaniya ot Germaniya.
— Ooo. Znachi imash predvid, che shte rabotite mezhdunarodno?
— Gore-dolu. Da se varnem — ti kak si? Kak e semeystvoto?
— Dobre, dobre. Detsata veche sa v novo uchilishte, nali ti kazah.
— A, da — kak im e tam?
— Po-dobre, otkolkoto ochakvaхme. Neka pogovorim po-podrobno — zapovyay da sednем.
— Well, tell me — how are you?
— More or less fine. So, I was ill last week, but I'm better now.
— Oh, poor thing! Was it bad?
— How shall I say... middling. Three days at home. But it's passed now.
— How's work going?
— Actually, quite well lately. We have a new project — it's interesting, right?
— Interesting? Tell me more, go on.
— Well, I can't say much. So — a new client, a big company from Germany.
— Ooh. So you mean you'll be working internationally?
— More or less. Let's go back — how are you? How is the family?
— Fine, fine. The children are in a new school now, I told you, didn't I.
— Ah, yes — how are they getting on there?
— Better than we expected. Let's talk in more detail — come and sit down.
Section 6
Writing task
✏️ Writing task — Day 51
- Write a self-introduction (8 sentences) as you would give it in a Bulgarian oral exam.
- Write five sentences that each begin with a different filler word: ами, значи, всъщност, горе-долу, как да кажа.
- What are the three spoken particles бе, де and ма used for? Give one example of each.
- Describe a room or place you know well using the photo-description vocabulary from Section 4.
Show answers
1. Free answer — use Казвам се · Произхождам от · Живея в · Работя като · Уча · Обичам да · Интересувам се от.
2. Free answer — each sentence must begin with the named filler and be grammatically natural.
3. Бе = softener/mild frustration (Не знам, бе!) · Де = encouragement (Кажи, де!) · Ма = tag seeking agreement (Хубаво е, ма?)
4. Free answer — use На снимката/В стаята виждам · В центъра · На преден/заден план · Вляво/вдясно.
Day 51 Quiz
8 questions · score 6+ to mark day complete
Question 1 of 8
"Well..." / "Um..." — most common Bulgarian filler:
Question 2 of 8
The particle "бе" in spoken Bulgarian is used for:
Question 3 of 8
"Can you repeat that?" in Bulgarian:
Question 4 of 8
"By the way..." in Bulgarian:
Question 5 of 8
"More or less" in Bulgarian:
Question 6 of 8
In a photo description, "In the background" is:
Question 7 of 8
The particle "де" expresses:
Question 8 of 8
"So you mean that...?" — checking understanding:
Day 51 Recap
Review before Day 52. Every point builds on the last.
| Topic | Key point | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Spoken particles | Бе (softener) · Де (encouragement) · Ма (tag) — ubiquitous in natural speech | Learn these 3 for authentic fluency |
| Fillers | Ами · Значи · Всъщност · Горе-долу · Как да кажа... · Нали? | Use fillers to buy thinking time |
| Recovery phrases | Не разбрах · По-бавно, моля · Как се казва на български...? · Можеш ли да повториш? | Essential for maintaining conversations |
| Photo description | На снимката виждам · В центъра · На преден/заден план · Вляво/вдясно · Изглежда като | Oral exam task type |
| Conversation flow | Значи имаш предвид · Между другото · Да се върна на темата · Интересен въпрос | |
| Oral exam tasks | Self-introduction · Photo description · Discussion · Roleplay | Day 59 = full oral exam practice |