Alphabet in Bulgarian Language

Learning the Bulgarian alphabet is vital in learning the Bulgarian Language. Bulgarian alphabet configuration is applied in a day-to-day conversation. With out the Bulgarian alphabet, it is difficult to say the Bulgarian words and phrases properly even if you learn how to write those terms in Bulgarian. Learn More

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As with any language, the better you articulate a letter in a word, the better grasped you’ll be in speaking the Bulgarian language. Here are some website links which directs you to the Bulgarian alphabet and how it can be pronounced in English.

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Vowels in Bulgarian Alphabet

Unstressed "а" and "ъ", "о" and "у", "е" and "и" tend to be shorter and weaker compared to their stressed counterparts, approaching each other, though without merging completely,
presenting a challenge for Bulgarian learners. You shall hear the 'ти' as a 'tchee' sound. Because the 't' becomes palatal and not said behind the teeth like in "ten"
like in father or car (when stressed); when at the end of the word sounds like stub. Sounds like "uh" as in the Bulgarian letter 'ъ' when unstressed.	a ah [a]
like in pen or attend (when stressed); Sounds like a weak 'ee' when unstressed.	e eh [e]
like in machine or to be(when stressed); Sounds like a weak 'eh' as in the Bulgarian letter 'e' when unstressed.	и ee [i]
like in more or score (when stressed); Sounds like a weak 'oo' when unstressed.	o oh [כ]
like in rule or moon (when stressed); Sounds like a weak 'oh' when unstressed.	у oo [u]
like in about (unstressed) or stub (when stressed). Sounds like a strong 'ah' when unstressed. This letter never appears at the start of a word, other than for the word "ъгъл", the Bulgarian word for "corner".	ъ uh [ə]
Before a vowel (after another vowel or at the beginning of a word) denotes a diphthong like in "crayon" or "yes". After a vowel at the end of the word similar to English 'y' as in "play" or "fly".
Can be used only next to vowels and not before or after a consonant.

like in yes or play

й y (i-kratko/short i)

Consonants in Bulgarian Alphabet

Voiced consonants at the end of a word are pronounced as voiceless.
like in boy or rubbish, on the end of a word pronounced "p"	б bə
like in ever or vineyard, on the end of a word pronounced "f"	в və
like in gull or legacy, on the end of a word pronounced "k"	г gə
like in deal or madness, on the end of a word pronounced "t"	д də
like in pleasure or conclusion, on the end of a word pronounced "sh"	ж zhə
like in zoo or freezing, on the end of a word pronounced "s"	з zə
like in kite or rock	к kə
like in leak or look. Becoming (younger generations in some areas) closer to weak "w" as in saw (cf. Polish ł).	л lə
like in mine or ham	м mə
like in note or monkey	н nə
like in pork or comply	п pə
slightly to moderately rolled "r" as in Spanish, etc. Like in Spanish pero or otro	р rə
like in spit or cast	с sə
like in time or lightning [ at times becoming palatal with 'ти' and 'тя' ]	т tə
like in feed or left	ф fə
like in hotel or coherent [ usually aspirated similar to 'ck' in "lick"]	х hə
like in tsunami	ц tsə
like in cheap or kitchen	ч chə
like in sheep or mishap	ш shə
Sht, as in German "Still" or "Stettin" NOT shch like in Russian.	щ shtə
not a sound itself, denotes softening (palatization) of preceding consonant; unlike Russian and other Slavic languages, this is very rarely used and the softening is less dramatic in Bulgarian than in other Slavic languages;	ь [']
like in join or edge. Mainly used for foreign loan words.	дж dzhə

Semi Vowels/ Diphthongs in Bulgarian Alphabet

In the middle or end of words, they are я-ia, йе-ie, йо/ьo-io and ю-iu	NOTE
like in yacht or German Ja (when stressed); Sounds like 'yuh' when unstressed.	я yah
like in yes or yellow	йе yeh
like in yogurt or coyote. The latter is usually stressed	йо/ьo yoh
like in you or cute	ю yoo
Note that 'ю' and 'я' denote diphthongs [yoo] and [yah] after a vowel and at the beginning of a word, and tend to be pronounced 'ia' or 'io' in the middle or end of the word.
The soft sign will not be included here as it is very rarely used since 1945.

Bulgarian Grammar is very challenging and very demanding for an English speaker. Fortunately, speakers of Russian and other Slavic languages will understand the grammar in no time as Bulgarian grammar is almost similar to Russian grammar. For trivia bluffs, 90
of Bulgarian vocabulary is similar to Russian and Ukrainian, giving native speakers of those languages a great advantage into learning Bulgarian or even speaking it.
Bulgarian has three genders: Masculine, Feminine and Neuter. Identifying gender is easier than in Russian or Ukrainian. Masculine nouns end in a consonant,
Feminine nouns end in a or я, and neuter nouns end in o or e. There are no soft signs in Bulgarian, so Gender is pretty simple.
following three forms Positive, Comparative, and Superlative, each following the four categories Indefinite, Subject Definite, Object Definite and the Extended (Vocative).

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Alphabet in Bulgarian Language