Bulgarian 60-by-60
Module 6 – Family and Relationships
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Module 6 – Family and Relationships
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This module helps you talk about the people in your life, your emotions, and how you present yourself to the world. We'll cover everything from family members to social etiquette, giving you the language for deeper conversations.
Family (семейство) is the cornerstone of Bulgarian society. It's common for multiple generations to live together or very close by, and family ties are extremely strong. Let's learn the vocabulary to describe these important relationships.
This table includes the immediate family and some common extended relatives.
| English | Bulgarian |
|---|---|
| family | семейство |
| parents | родители |
| mother / father | майка / баща |
| sister / brother | сестра / брат |
| grandmother / grandfather | баба / дядо |
| daughter / son | дъщеря / син |
| husband / wife | съпруг / съпруга |
| aunt / uncle | леля / чичо (or вуйчо) |
| cousin (m/f) | братовчед / братовчедка |
| nephew / niece | племенник / племенница |
Bulgarian can be more precise than English with family terms. While English uses the general term "uncle," Bulgarian distinguishes between:
Similarly, there are specific terms for in-laws that don't exist in English. This shows the detailed importance placed on family structures.
To talk about *your* family, you need possessives. Remember, these change to agree with the gender and number of the noun they describe (not the owner).
Listening to Bulgarians talk about their families is a great way to learn. Check out this video:
Don't get lost in the family tree! Just focus on the main people first.
Your Core Four:
How to say "my"? The word for "my" has to match the family member you're talking about.
For a "boy" word like брат, you say моят брат.
For a "girl" word like сестра, you say моята сестра.
The Big Idea: Learn the names for your immediate family. To introduce them, use the pattern: "Това е моят/моята [family member]." (This is my...). That single sentence is incredibly useful!
Being able to talk about your feelings is key to connecting with people. The verb чувствам се (chuvstvam se - I feel) is your best friend here, but often you can just use the verb 'to be' (съм).
These adjectives describe common emotional states. Remember, their endings change to match who you're talking about!
| English | Bulgarian (m/f) |
|---|---|
| happy | щастлив / щастлива |
| sad | тъжен / тъжна |
| tired | уморен / уморена |
| hungry / thirsty | гладен / гладна / жаден / жадна |
| worried | притеснен / притеснена |
| calm / angry | спокоен / ядосан |
Here are the most common ways to talk about feelings.
You don't need fancy words to say how you feel. Two simple patterns are all you need.
Method 1: The "I am" method.
You already know the verb "to be" (съм, си, е...). Just combine it with a feeling word!
Аз съм щастлив. (I am happy.)
Тя е уморена. (She is tired.)
Method 2: The "I feel" method.
This sounds a bit more natural for feelings. Use the phrase Чувствам се... (I feel...) and add the feeling word.
Чувствам се добре. (I feel good.)
Чувствам се зле. (I feel bad.)
The Big Idea: Learn 3-4 basic feeling words (щастлив, тъжен, уморен). Then just pop them into the "I am..." or "I feel..." sentence pattern. Remember to make the ending of the feeling word match you!
Describing what people are wearing is a practical skill for shopping and daily conversation. This combines your knowledge of nouns (clothing items) and adjectives (colours).
| Item | Bulgarian |
|---|---|
| shirt / t-shirt | риза / тениска |
| trousers / jeans | панталон / дънки |
| dress / skirt | рокля / пола |
| jacket / coat | яке / палто |
| shoes | обувки (plural) |
| hat | шапка |
Remember that colours are adjectives, so their endings must agree with the noun they describe!
| English | Bulgarian (masc. form) |
|---|---|
| white / black | бял / черен |
| red / blue | червен / син |
| green / yellow | зелен / жълт |
| brown / grey | кафяв / сив |
Agreement in action:
син панталон (blue trousers)
синя риза (blue shirt)
сини обувки (blue shoes)
Describing clothes is just a matching game!
You learned about adjective agreement in Module 3, and this is the perfect place to practice it. Just follow this recipe:
What about plural things like shoes? Plural nouns always get the plural adjective ending, which is -и.
черни обувки (black shoes).
The Big Idea: Put the colour before the clothing item, and make sure the colour's ending matches the clothing's gender and number. That's all there is to it!
Now let's expand beyond clothing to describe people's general appearance, like their hair and eyes. This is useful for describing friends, family, or even yourself.
| Feature | Bulgarian Adjectives (m/f) |
|---|---|
| height | висок / висока (tall); нисък / ниска (short) |
| hair (коса) | къса (short); дълга (long) |
| hair colour | руса (blond); кестенява (brown); черна (black) |
| eyes (очи) | сини (blue); зелени (green); кафяви (brown) |
To describe someone, you use the verb "to be" (съм) for general qualities and the verb "to have" (имам) for specific features like hair and eyes.
This is another simple recipe. You just need two verbs: "to be" and "to have".
Step 1: Use "to be" (съм/си/е...) for overall descriptions.
This is for things like height or build.
Той е висок. (He is tall.)
Step 2: Use "to have" (имам/имаш/има...) for features.
This is for things like hair and eyes.
Тя има сини очи. (She has blue eyes.)
Remember the matching game! Adjectives must still match. Коса (hair) is a "girl" word, so hair colours get a girl's ending: руса коса (blond hair). Очи (eyes) is plural, so eye colours get a plural ending: сини очи (blue eyes).
The Big Idea: He **is** tall. He **has** brown hair. Just translate that pattern directly into Bulgarian!
Knowing a few cultural rules and having some go-to conversation starters can make social interactions much smoother and more enjoyable.
These are safe and friendly questions to ask when you meet someone new.
| English | Bulgarian (Formal) |
|---|---|
| How are you? | Как сте? |
| What is new? | Какво ново? |
| Where are you from? | Откъде сте? |
| Do you like Bulgaria? | Харесва ли Ви България? |
| Pleased to meet you. | Приятно ми е да се запознаем. |
Don't be nervous about small talk! People will appreciate you trying.
Your Goal: Just to be friendly and show interest. You don't need to have a deep conversation.
Your Three Easiest Questions:
The Golden Rule: When in doubt, use the polite/formal version of "you" (Вие forms). It's always safe and respectful.
The Big Idea: A smile and a simple "Как сте?" is all you need to start. Listen to their answer and smile back. You've just had a successful interaction!