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Time remaining 60:00

🇩🇬 About this exam — important to read first

This practice exam is modelled on two official Bulgarian language tests: the State Exam for Proficiency in Bulgarian as a Foreign Language (administered by the Centre for Evaluation in Pre-school and School Education, required for citizenship) and the STBFL B1 (Standard Test of Bulgarian as a Foreign Language, University of Sofia). The citizenship exam is 20 questions in 60 minutes, 60% pass. This practice exam doubles that to 40 questions in 60 minutes, covering all five competency areas tested across both exams. A score of 24/40 (60%) is required to pass — the same threshold as the official citizenship test.

📋 Exam structure

This exam has five sections testing the competencies examined in real Bulgarian language proficiency tests. Work through them in order. Do not look at the course notes — this is a closed-book test. The timer counts down from 60 minutes when you press Start.

Grammar questions

Section 1

Vocabulary questions

Section 2

Reading comprehension

Section 3

Culture & history

Section 4

Practical language

Section 5

Progress

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Section 1 — Grammar 10 questions · verb forms, cases, articles, agreement, negation

Q1–10

Choose the correct grammatical form in each sentence. These questions test the grammar structures covered at B1 level: verb conjugation, aspect pairs, definite article, adjective agreement, negation and the да construction.

Question 1 of 40

Choose the correct form: "She is working in the hospital now." — Тя _____ в болницата сега.

Aработи

Bработя

Cработят

Dработим

📋 Group 2 verb работя: тя/той/то form = работи. The -и ending for 3rd person singular is the most tested pattern.

Question 2 of 40

Which sentence uses the correct definite article? "The teacher (male) arrived."

AУчителят пристигна.

BУчителя пристигна.

CУчителте пристигна.

DУчителя пристигна.

📋 Masculine nouns as sentence subjects use -ят: учителят. The short form -а (учителя) is used when the noun is NOT the subject.

Question 3 of 40

Complete: "I don't have a car." — Аз _____ кола.

Aне имам

Bнямам

Cне имам

Dнямам не

📋 нямам is the correct negative of имам. "не имам" does not exist in Bulgarian grammar.

Question 4 of 40

Which adjective form is correct? "She bought a red dress (рокля — F)."

Aчервен рокля

Bчервено рокля

Cчервена рокля

Dчервени рокля

📋 рокля is feminine. Feminine adjectives take the -а ending: червена. Masculine = червен, neuter = червено, plural = червени.

Question 5 of 40

"Nobody knows." — Double negative rule:

AНикой знае.

BНе никой знае.

CНикой не знае.

DНикой не знаят.

📋 Bulgarian always requires double negation. никой (nobody) must be paired with не before the verb: Никой не знае.

Question 6 of 40

Complete the да construction: "She wants to come."

AТя иска да дойде.

BТя иска дойде.

CТя иска да дойда.

DТя иска дойда.

📋 The да construction: искам + да + conjugated verb. The verb must agree with the subject: тя → дойде (3rd person singular).

Question 7 of 40

Past tense (aorist): "He worked yesterday." — Той _____ вчера.

Aработи

Bработеше

Cще работи

Dе работил

📋 The aorist (completed past) of работя for той is работи. Note: same form as present 3rd sg — context (вчера) clarifies it's past.

Question 8 of 40

Which is correct for "a table for two people"?

Aмаса за двама

Bмаса за два

Cмаса за двете

Dмаса за двамата

📋 двама is the masculine/mixed counting form used for people. двата is for objects. двамата = the two of them (specific).

Question 9 of 40

Choose the correct preposition: "I am going to the cinema." — Отивам _____ кино.

Aв

Bна

Cдо

Dпри

📋 Entertainment venues and events use на: на кино, на концерт, на театър. Enclosed spaces like buildings use в.

Question 10 of 40

"I have been living in Sofia for three years." — Живея в София _____ три години.

Aза

Bот

Cпреди

Dслед

📋 от + time period = for (duration up to now). за = for (future/goal). Example: работя тук от 2020 — I have worked here since 2020.

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Section 2 — Vocabulary 8 questions · food, daily life, city, work, emotions, time

Q11–18

Choose the word or phrase that best completes the sentence or correctly answers the question. B1 vocabulary includes food and drink, workplace language, city and transport, emotions and relationships, and compound time expressions.

Question 11 of 40

What is кисело мляко?

ASour cream

BBulgarian yoghurt

CButtermilk

DYellow cheese

📋 кисело мляко literally means "sour milk" — it is Bulgarian yoghurt, made using Lactobacillus bulgaricus and thicker than Western yoghurt.

Question 12 of 40

"I am very tired." — Аз съм много _____.

Aщастлив

Bуморен

Cгладен

Dядосан

📋 уморен/уморена = tired. щастлив = happy. гладен = hungry. ядосан = angry. All are B1 emotion adjectives.

Question 13 of 40

Which word means "train station"?

Aлетище

Bпристанище

Cгара

Dспирка

📋 гара = train station. летище = airport. пристанище = port/harbour. спирка = bus/tram stop.

Question 14 of 40

"Please give me the receipt." — Дайте ми _____, моля.

Aменюто

Bсметката

Cбележката

Dразписката

📋 разписка = receipt (proof of payment). сметка = bill (restaurant/utilities). бележка = note/slip. менюто = menu.

Question 15 of 40

What does "ще" indicate before a verb?

APast tense

BFuture tense

CConditional

DImperative

📋 ще + present tense verb forms the future tense in Bulgarian. Example: ще отида = I will go. This is one of the most important B1 grammar points.

Question 16 of 40

"The day after tomorrow" in Bulgarian:

Aвчера

Bутре

Cвдругиден

Dслед два дни

📋 вдругиден is the single-word Bulgarian equivalent of "the day after tomorrow". утре = tomorrow. вчера = yesterday. онзи ден = the other day.

Question 17 of 40

What does "боли ме глава" mean?

AI have a headache

BMy head is tired

CI need sleep

DMy head is heavy

📋 боли ме глава = literally "head hurts me" = I have a headache. This impersonal construction (боли ме + body part) is the standard Bulgarian way to express pain.

Question 18 of 40

Choose the correct word: "He speaks Bulgarian _____ (fluently)."

Aдобре

Bбързо

Cтихо

Dгладко

📋 говори добре = speaks well/fluently in everyday usage. бързо = quickly. тихо = quietly. гладко is used but less common than добре for informal "fluent".

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Section 3 — Reading comprehension 8 questions · two passages, 4 questions each

Q19–26

Read both passages carefully before answering. The passages use B1-level vocabulary and grammar. Answer from the text only — do not use outside knowledge.

📖 Passage A — Maria PetrovaRead carefully

Мария Петрова е родена в Пловдив, втория по големина град в България. Тя работи като учителка по история в местно основно училище. Мария обича своята работа, защото смята, че историята помага на децата да разберат света. В свободното си време тя обича да готви традиционни български ястия — баница, мусака и боб чорба. Всяка неделя тя посещава родителите си, които живеят в съседното село. Те имат голяма градина с домати, краставици и чушки.

Question 19 of 40

Passage A: Where was Maria born?

ASofia

BVarna

CPlovdiv

DBurgas

📋 The passage states: "Мария Петрова е родена в Пловдив" — Maria Petrova was born in Plovdiv.

Question 20 of 40

Passage A: What subject does Maria teach?

ABulgarian language

BMathematics

CGeography

DHistory

📋 "Тя работи като учителка по история" — she works as a history teacher.

Question 21 of 40

Passage A: What does Maria do every Sunday?

ACooks traditional dishes

BVisits her parents

CWorks in the garden

DGoes to the market

📋 "Всяка неделя тя посещава родителите си" — every Sunday she visits her parents.

Question 22 of 40

Passage A: What do Maria's parents grow in their garden?

AApples, plums and grapes

BTomatoes, cucumbers and peppers

CPotatoes, onions and garlic

DCarrots, cabbage and spinach

📋 "Те имат голяма градина с домати, краставици и чушки" — they have a large garden with tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers.

📖 Passage B — BulgariaRead carefully

България е страна с богата история. Първото Българско царство е основано през 681 година. Столицата на съвременна България е София — град с повече от 1,2 милиона жители. Страната се намира в Югоизточна Европа и е членка на Европейския съюз от 2007 година и на НАТО от 2004 година. Официалният език е български, а азбуката е кирилица. Националният празник е Трети март — денят, в който България освобождава от Османска империя през 1878 година с помощта на Русия.

Question 23 of 40

Passage B: When was the First Bulgarian Empire founded?

A681 AD

B864 AD

C1018 AD

D1878 AD

📋 "Първото Българско царство е основано през 681 година" — founded in 681 AD.

Question 24 of 40

Passage B: When did Bulgaria join the European Union?

A2000

B2004

C2007

D2010

📋 "членка на Европейския съюз от 2007 година" — Bulgaria joined the EU in 2007. It joined NATO in 2004 (different organisation).

Question 25 of 40

Passage B: What does the national holiday on 3rd March commemorate?

AThe founding of the First Bulgarian Empire

BLiberation from the Ottoman Empire

CBulgaria joining the European Union

DThe adoption of the Cyrillic alphabet

📋 "Денят, в който България се освобождава от Османска империя" — the day Bulgaria was liberated from the Ottoman Empire in 1878.

Question 26 of 40

Passage B: Which country helped Bulgaria gain liberation in 1878?

AFrance

BGermany

CAustria

DRussia

📋 "с помощта на Русия" — with the help of Russia. The Russo-Turkish War of 1877–78 led to Bulgarian liberation.

🇩🇬

Section 4 — Culture, history & geography 8 questions · the content tested in the citizenship exam

Q27–34

This section directly mirrors the citizenship exam content. The official exam focuses on Bulgarian history, geography and culture. These eight questions represent the most commonly examined topics across all recorded exam sittings.

Question 27 of 40

What is the capital city of Bulgaria?

AПловдив

BВарна

CБургас

DСофия

📋 София is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria, with a population of over 1.2 million.

Question 28 of 40

What is the highest mountain in Bulgaria?

AВитоша

BРила

CПирин

DРодопи

📋 Рила is the highest mountain range in Bulgaria and the Balkans. Мусала peak in Rila is 2,925 m — the highest point in Bulgaria and the Balkan Peninsula.

Question 29 of 40

The Cyrillic alphabet was created by:

ATsar Boris I

BSaints Cyril and Methodius

CPatriarch Evtimiy

DKhan Asparuh

📋 Saints Cyril and Methodius created the Glagolitic alphabet in the 9th century. Their disciples later developed the Cyrillic script. Their feast day (24 May) is Bulgaria's national cultural holiday.

Question 30 of 40

Bulgaria's national holiday — 3rd March — commemorates the Treaty of:

ABerlin

BNeuilly

CSan Stefano

DBucharest

📋 The preliminary Treaty of San Stefano (3 March 1878) ended the Russo-Turkish war and established a large Bulgarian state. It is celebrated as Liberation Day (Ден на Освобождението).

Question 31 of 40

Which sea borders Bulgaria to the east?

AАдриатическо море

BСредиземно море

CЧерно море

DЕгейско море

📋 Черно море (the Black Sea) borders Bulgaria to the east, providing over 350 km of coastline. Bulgaria's major seaside resorts — Слънчев бряг and Zlatni Pyasatsi — are on the Black Sea coast.

Question 32 of 40

What is the currency of Bulgaria since 1 January 2026?

AЛев

BЕвро

CЛира

DСтотинка

📋 Bulgaria adopted the euro on 1 January 2026 at the fixed rate of 1.95583 BGN = €1. Before 2026 the currency was the лев.

Question 33 of 40

The Bulgarian rose oil industry is centred in which valley?

AДолина на Тунджа

BДолина на Марица

CРозова долина

DДолина на Искър

📋 Розовата долина (Rose Valley) near Казанлък is the centre of Bulgaria's rose oil production — one of the largest in the world. The annual Rose Festival is held in Kazanlak each June.

Question 34 of 40

Which is the second largest city in Bulgaria?

AВарна

BБургас

CПловдив

DСтара Загора

📋 Пловдив (Plovdiv) is the second largest city in Bulgaria and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in Europe, founded over 6,000 years ago. It was European Capital of Culture in 2019.

💬

Section 5 — Practical language 6 questions · real-world scenarios, polite register, social language

Q35–40

These questions test practical communicative competence — the ability to use Bulgarian correctly in real-world situations. This includes polite register, social formulas, and appropriate responses in everyday scenarios.

Question 35 of 40

You are meeting your boss's spouse for the first time. You say:

AЗдравей! Как си?

BЗдравейте! Приятно ми е да се запознаем.

CЧао! Как се казваш?

DЕй, здравей!

📋 With a stranger in a formal context, always use the formal Вие. "Здравейте! Приятно ми е да се запознаем" = Hello! Pleased to meet you. Never use чао or informal как си in this situation.

Question 36 of 40

A colleague sneezes. The correct Bulgarian response is:

AНаздраве!

BПриятен апетит!

CДобре дошли!

DМного здраве!

📋 Наздраве! (To health!) is said after someone sneezes — the same word used as a toast. Context determines meaning. "Добре дошли" = welcome. "Много здраве" is not standard.

Question 37 of 40

You want to ask politely if the seat next to someone is free:

AТук ли седиш?

BСвободно ли е тук?

CЗащо не се местиш?

DСтани оттам.

📋 "Свободно ли е тук?" = Is it free here? This is the standard polite question. Свободно = free/available (also means free/liberated in another context).

Question 38 of 40

How do you say "I am sorry" (apology for a mistake) to a stranger?

AСъжалявам.

BИзвини.

CПардон.

DНе ме вини.

📋 Съжалявам = I am sorry (expressing genuine regret or apology for a mistake). Извинете (formal) / Извини (informal) = excuse me (asking for pardon or attention). With a stranger, Съжалявам is the appropriate apology.

Question 39 of 40

The phrase "Добре дошли!" means:

AHave a nice day!

BWelcome!

CEnjoy your meal!

DGood luck!

📋 "Добре дошли!" = Welcome! (formal/plural). The singular informal is "Добре дошъл/дошла". Used when welcoming guests to your home, a hotel, a shop, or an event.

Question 40 of 40

You want to say you do not understand. The correct phrase is:

AНе знам.

BНе говоря.

CНе разбирам.

DНе чувам.

📋 "Не разбирам" = I don't understand. Не знам = I don't know. Не говоря = I don't speak. Не чувам = I can't hear. These four are all commonly confused but each has a distinct meaning.

–/40

After the exam

Understanding your results

What different score bands mean and what to do next.

Score	Band	Level	What to do next
0–15 / 40	Below A2	❌ Not ready	Return to Days 1–15 and complete the A1 foundation. Focus on verb conjugation, gender and articles.
16–19 / 40	A2	❌ Developing	Good foundation. Complete Days 16–25 before retaking. Review grammar sections carefully.
20–23 / 40	Pre-B1	⚠︎ Nearly there	Close to passing. Focus on culture/history (Section 4) and practical language (Section 5).
24–29 / 40	B1 Pass	✅ Pass	Meets the citizenship exam threshold. Strengthen weak sections to reach a comfortable margin.
30–35 / 40	Strong B1	✔︎ Strong pass	Comfortable B1 level. You are well prepared for the citizenship exam. Consider aiming for B2.
36–40 / 40	B1+	🏆 Excellent	Outstanding. You are operating above B1. The citizenship exam will be very straightforward for you.

🏆 The citizenship exam — what to expect on the day

The official State Exam for Bulgarian Language Proficiency (administered by the Centre for Evaluation in Pre-school and School Education) consists of 20 multiple-choice questions completed in 60 minutes. The pass mark is 12/20 (60%). Examinations are held monthly. Candidates who fail may resit no earlier than 3 months after their previous attempt. The exam focuses primarily on language comprehension, grammar, vocabulary, Bulgarian history, culture and geography. A score of 24/40 on this practice exam demonstrates you meet and exceed the B1 standard required.

📝 The STBFL B1 exam — for the formal certificate

The Standard Test of Bulgarian as a Foreign Language (University of Sofia) is the recognised CEFR-aligned certificate. The B1 level test has 4 parts: Listening (40 min / 95 pts), Speaking (60 pts), Reading (30 min / 55 pts), and Writing (100 min / 155 pts) — 180 minutes total, 365 points, pass at 184 (50%). This practice exam covers the written components. For full STBFL preparation including listening and speaking, visit the University of Sofia's language centre.

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