🏡 Setting the scene
Family language matters enormously in Bulgaria because family ties remain socially central. It is common to talk about grandparents, cousins, кумове, and who lives in which city. Many Bulgarian families are spread between Sofia, the provinces, and relatives abroad, but major celebrations still pull everyone together.
This lesson is not only about naming relatives. It is about understanding how Bulgarians talk about closeness, obligation, weddings, grief, and life milestones in a way that sounds natural and culturally aware.
Section 1
Extended family vocabulary
Beyond the immediate family — the full Bulgarian family tree.
Bulgarian has a remarkably precise family vocabulary — with distinct words for relationships that English collapses into one. In particular, Bulgarian distinguishes between paternal and maternal grandparents, and between the husband's and wife's relatives. This precision reflects how important family ties are in Bulgarian culture.
| Relationship | Masculine | Feminine | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| grandfather | дядо | баба | баба = grandmother |
| paternal grandfather | дядо по баща | — | Father's father |
| maternal grandfather | дядо по майка | — | Mother's father |
| uncle | чичо | леля | вуйчо = mother's brother |
| aunt | вуйна | леля | стринка = father's brother's wife |
| cousin (m) | братовчед | братовчедка | |
| nephew | племенник | племенница | |
| father-in-law | свекър | свекърва | тъст = wife's father; тъща = wife's mother |
| brother-in-law | девер | зълва | зет = son-in-law / sister's husband |
| daughter-in-law | снаха | — | |
| godfather | кум | кума | Кумовете are the wedding sponsors — an important role in Bulgarian life |
| stepfather | доведен баща | — | |
| stepmother | — | мащеха | |
| half-brother | полубрат | полусестра |
💡 Кум and кума — more than godparents
In Bulgarian tradition, the кум (male) and кума (female) are the official wedding sponsors — they crown the couple during the Orthodox ceremony. This is one of the most important relationships in Bulgarian life, above and beyond just being a godparent. A family's кумове are invited to all major celebrations and are treated almost as family. Choosing good кумове is a serious decision.
Section 2
Relationship status and life stages
Describing where you are in life.
| Bulgarian | Romanised | English |
|---|---|---|
| неженен / необвързан | nezhenen / neobvarzan | single (male) |
| неомъжена / необвързана | neomazhena / neobvarzana | single (female) |
| женен съм | zhenen sam | I am married (male) |
| омъжена съм | omazhena sam | I am married (female) |
| разведен съм / разведена съм | razveden / razvedena sam | I am divorced |
| вдовец съм / вдовица съм | vdovets / vdovitsa sam | I am widowed |
| живея на семейни начала | zhiveya na semeyni nachala | I am in a relationship / living together |
| годеник / годеница | godenik / godenitsa | fiancé / fiancée |
| партньор / партньорка | partnyor / partnyorka | partner |
| приятел / приятелка | priyatel / priyatelka | boyfriend / girlfriend |
Section 3
Life events
The big moments — how to talk about them in Bulgarian.
| Bulgarian | Romanised | English |
|---|---|---|
| раждам се / роден съм / родена съм | razhdam se / roden / rodena sam | to be born / I was born |
| кръщение | krashtenie | christening / baptism |
| сватба | svatba | wedding |
| годеж | godezh | engagement |
| развод | razvod | divorce |
| бременност | bremennost | pregnancy |
| раждане | razhdane | birth / childbirth |
| пенсиониране | pensionirane | retirement |
| погребение | pogrebenie | funeral |
| юбилей | yubiley | anniversary / jubilee |
| Честит рожден ден | Chestit rozhden den | Happy birthday! |
| Честита сватба | Chestita svatba | Congratulations on your wedding! |
| Честито бебе | Chestito bebe | Congratulations on the baby! |
| Съболезнования | Saboleznovaniya | My condolences. |
💡 Честит / Честита / Честито — agreement matters
The congratulations word Честит/а/о agrees with the noun it modifies: Честит рожден ден (M — den is masculine) · Честита сватба (F — svatba is feminine) · Честито бебе (N — bebe is neuter) · Честита Нова година (F — godina is feminine). This is one of the most common places where learners forget agreement.
Section 4
Describing your family
How to talk about your family naturally.
| Bulgarian | Romanised | English |
|---|---|---|
| Произхождам от голямо семейство. | Proizhozhdаm ot golyamo semeystvo. | I come from a large family. |
| Имам двама братя и една сестра. | Imam dvama bratya i edna sestra. | I have two brothers and one sister. |
| Единственото дете съм. | Edinstvenoto dete sam. | I am an only child. |
| Децата ми са на пет и осем години. | Detsata mi sa na pet i osem godini. | My children are five and eight years old. |
| Майка ми е на пенсия. | Mayka mi e na pensiya. | My mother is retired. |
| Баща ми почина преди три години. | Bashta mi pochina predi tri godini. | My father passed away three years ago. |
| Живеем заедно с родителите ми. | Zhiveeme zaedno s roditelite mi. | We live together with my parents. |
| Семейството ни е разпръснато. | Semeystvoto ni e razprasnato. | Our family is spread out. |
Section 5
Dialogue — talking about family
A warm, natural family conversation.
— Имате ли братя и сестри?
— Да, имам по-голям брат. Той е женен и има две деца.
— А вие — женен ли сте?
— Не още. Живея с приятелката си от три години. Мислим за сватба догодина.
— Чудесно! А родителите ви живеят ли в София?
— Майка ми — да. Баща ми почина преди пет години. Много ми липсва.
— Съжалявам. Моят баща е болен, но е силен човек.
— Дядо ви и баба ви живеят ли?
— Баба ми живее в Пловдив. На осемдесет и две е, но е много жизнена. Дядо ми почина преди години.
— Хубаво е да имаш баба наблизо.
— Imate li bratya i sestri?
— Da, imam po-golyam brat. Toy e zhenen i ima dve detsa.
— A vie — zhenen li ste?
— Ne oshte. Zhiveya s priyatelkata si ot tri godini. Mislim za svatba dogodina.
— Chudesno! A roditelite vi zhiveyat li v Sofiya?
— Mayka mi — da. Bashta mi pochina predi pet godini. Mnogo mi lipsva.
— Sazhalyavam. Moyat bashta e bolen, no e silen chovek.
— Dyado vi i baba vi zhiveyat li?
— Baba mi zhivee v Plovdiv. Na osemdeset i dve e, no e mnogo zhiznena. Dyado mi pochina predi godini.
— Hubavo e da imash baba nablizo.
— Do you have brothers and sisters?
— Yes, I have an older brother. He is married and has two children.
— And you — are you married?
— Not yet. I have been living with my girlfriend for three years. We are thinking about a wedding next year.
— Wonderful! And do your parents live in Sofia?
— My mother — yes. My father passed away five years ago. He is greatly missed.
— I'm sorry. My father is ill, but he is a strong person.
— Are your grandparents alive?
— My grandmother lives in Plovdiv. She is eighty-two, but she is very lively. My grandfather passed away years ago.
— It's wonderful to have a grandmother nearby.
Section 6
Writing task
✏️ Writing task — Day 33
- Write a short paragraph (8 sentences) describing your family or an imaginary family.
- Translate: "My parents are retired. They live in Varna near the sea. I visit them every summer."
- What is the difference between кум and кума, and why are they important in Bulgarian culture?
- Write congratulations phrases for: a wedding, a new baby, a birthday, and condolences.
Show answers
1. Free answer — use имам, живея, омъжена/женен съм, на X години съм, работи/пенсионер е.
2. Родителите ми са на пенсия. Живеят във Варна близо до морето. Посещавам ги всяко лято.
3. кум (m) and кума (f) are wedding sponsors who crown the couple in the Orthodox ceremony. They become lifelong family friends, invited to all celebrations — a uniquely important Bulgarian social role.
4. Честита сватба! · Честито бебе! · Честит рожден ден! · Съболезнования.
Day 33 Quiz
8 questions · score 6+ to mark day complete
Question 1 of 8
"I am married" — said by a woman:
Question 2 of 8
What is a "кум" in Bulgarian culture?
Question 3 of 8
"Happy birthday!" in Bulgarian:
Question 4 of 8
"My condolences" in Bulgarian:
Question 5 of 8
Which word means "nephew"?
Question 6 of 8
"Congratulations on the baby!" — correct agreement:
Question 7 of 8
"I am an only child" in Bulgarian:
Question 8 of 8
"My father passed away" in Bulgarian:
Day 33 Recap
Review before Day 34. Every point builds on the last.
| Topic | Key point | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Extended family | братовчед · племенник · свекър · кум · зет · снаха · мащеха | Bulgarian distinguishes paternal/maternal |
| Кум/кума | Wedding sponsors — crown the couple, lifelong role, invited to all celebrations. | More than just godparent |
| Relationship status | женен/омъжена · разведен/а · годеник/а · партньор/ка · живея на семейни начала | M and F forms always differ |
| Life events | сватба · годеж · раждане · пенсиониране · погребение | |
| Congratulations | Честит (M) · Честита (F) · Честито (N) — agrees with noun! | Most common error at A2 |
| Condolences | Съболезнования. / Съжалявам. + Баща ми почина. | почина is preferred over умря in polite speech |
| 🌎 Culture | Кум/кума is a lifelong wedding sponsor role — far deeper than godparent; Bulgarian distinguishes чичо (paternal uncle) vs вуйчо (maternal uncle) | Extended family bonds are central to Bulgarian social life |