📰 Setting the scene
Bulgarian media matters if you want to understand the country beyond tourist conversations. It is where you hear how elections are framed, how public broadcasters sound, how everyday political language works, and how cultural life is discussed. This lesson is not just a list of media words. It is a guide to reading, listening, and judging what you hear in Bulgarian more intelligently.
Section 1
Media vocabulary
Every type of media and the words around it.
| Bulgarian | English | Use | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|
| медия / медиите | media / the media | general term | |
| вестник | newspaper | print and online news | |
| списание | magazine | periodical | |
| новини | news | general news term | |
| новинарска емисия | news bulletin | TV or radio programme | |
| телевизия | television | broadcast medium | |
| радио | radio | audio broadcast | |
| онлайн издание | online publication | digital media | |
| социални мрежи | social media | fast-moving online content | |
| подкаст | podcast | spoken long-form media | |
| репортаж | report / feature | journalistic report | |
| журналист | journalist | profession | |
| редактор | editor | newsroom role | |
| заглавие | headline | first thing you read | |
| статия | article | written news piece | |
| интервю | interview | question-and-answer format | |
| пресконференция | press conference | official statements |
Section 2
News topic vocabulary
The subjects that appear in every bulletin.
| Bulgarian | English | Where you hear it | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|
| политика | politics | elections, parliament, parties | |
| икономика | economy | budgets, prices, growth | |
| здравеопазване | healthcare | hospitals, reform, services | |
| образование | education | schools, universities | |
| екология | environment | nature, pollution | |
| климатични промени | climate change | weather, policy, energy | |
| международни отношения | international relations | diplomacy, EU, NATO | |
| криза | crisis | politics, economy, weather | |
| избори | elections | campaigns and results | |
| правителство | government | cabinet and ministers | |
| опозиция | opposition | parliamentary debate | |
| скандал | scandal | political and media talk | |
| протести | protests | public demonstrations | |
| инфлация | inflation | prices and wages | |
| безработица | unemployment | labour market | |
| бедност | poverty | social issues |
Section 3
Discussing news — phrases for reaction and analysis
How to talk about what you have read or heard.
| Bulgarian | English | Use | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Чул съм, че... | I have heard that... | spoken report | |
| Чела съм, че... | I have read that... | quoted reading | |
| Според последните новини... | According to the latest news... | neutral introduction | |
| Според БТА... | According to BTA... | agency source | |
| Говори се, че... | It is being said that... | rumour or public talk | |
| Смята се, че... | It is thought that... | shared opinion | |
| Тревожно е, че... | It is worrying that... | critical reaction | |
| Добра новина е, че... | The good news is that... | positive reaction | |
| Не мога да повярвам, че... | I cannot believe that... | strong reaction | |
| Трябва да се направи нещо за... | Something needs to be done about... | problem framing | |
| Следя ситуацията отблизо. | I am following the situation closely. | ongoing interest | |
| Не съм достатъчно запознат с темата. | I am not familiar enough with the topic. | careful opinion |
Section 4
Bulgarian media landscape
What to read and watch in Bulgaria.
If you follow Bulgarian news, it helps to distinguish public-service media, commercial broadcasters, and the news agency that other outlets cite. That way, you are not only learning words, but also learning where information comes from.
| Outlet | Role | Why learners should know it | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|
| БНТ | Bulgarian National Television, public broadcaster | important for formal standard Bulgarian and national coverage | |
| БНР | Bulgarian National Radio, public radio | excellent for listening practice and spoken news rhythm | |
| Хоризонт | main BNR news and current-affairs programme | high-value listening source for B1 learners | |
| БТА | Bulgarian Telegraph Agency | core reference point cited by other news outlets | |
| bTV | major private television broadcaster | widely watched TV news brand | |
| Nova | major private television broadcaster | common in everyday media talk | |
| Дневник | digital news outlet | often referenced in urban and political discussion |
💡 Media literacy note
A useful Bulgarian habit is to notice the source phrase, not just the headline: Според БТА..., съобщи БНТ, по информация на БНР. These source markers help you follow how a story moves through Bulgarian media.
Section 5
Grammar note — perfect tense for recent news
Using съм + past participle to report recent events.
When reporting news that has just happened or is relevant now, Bulgarian uses the perfect tense: съм/е/са + past participle. This is distinct from the aorist (completed past) and imperfect (ongoing past). It is especially common in news headlines and oral reports.
| Bulgarian | English | Why it matters | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Правителството е решило да предложи нов закон. | The government has decided to propose a new law. | recent decision with current relevance | |
| Президентът е пристигнал в Брюксел. | The president has arrived in Brussels. | recent movement, still relevant now | |
| Обявени са резултатите от изборите. | The election results have been announced. | headline-style passive | |
| Цените са се повишили през последния месец. | Prices have risen over the last month. | trend with present effect | |
| Министърът е заявил, че реформата продължава. | The minister has stated that the reform is continuing. | reported statement |
Section 6
Dialogue — discussing the morning news
A natural conversation about current events.
— Видя ли новините тази сутрин?
— Да, но само заглавията. Какво е станало?
— Според последните новини правителството е подало оставка и се очакват нови избори.
— Честно казано, това не ме изненадва.
— И мен. Тревожно е, че пак ще има период на несигурност.
— А за икономиката какво казват?
— Чела съм, че инфлацията е намаляла малко, но безработицата е нараснала в някои райони.
— Това вече е сериозен проблем. Трябва да се направи нещо за по-малките градове.
— Съгласен съм. Аз следя темата по БНР и БТА, а после чета и анализи.
— Добре е да се гледат няколко източника, не само едно заглавие.
— Vidya li novinite tazi sutrin?
— Da, no samo zaglaviyata. Kakvo e stanalo?
— Spored poslednite novini pravitelstvoto e podalo ostavka i se ochakvat novi izbori.
— Chestno kazano, tova ne me iznenadva.
— I men. Trevozhno e, che pak shte ima period na nesigurnost.
— A za ikonomikata kakvo kazvat?
— Chela sam, che inflatsiyata e namalyala malko, no bezrabotitsata e narasnala v nyakoi rayoni.
— Tova veche e seriozen problem. Tryabva da se napravi neshto za po-malkite gradove.
— Saglasen sam. Az sledya temata po BNR i BTA, a posle cheta i analizi.
— Dobre e da se glyadat nyakolko iztochnika, ne samo edno zaglavie.
— Did you see the news this morning?
— Yes, but only the headlines. What happened?
— According to the latest news, the government has resigned and new elections are expected.
— Honestly, that does not surprise me.
— Me neither. It is worrying that there will be another period of uncertainty.
— And what are they saying about the economy?
— I have read that inflation has fallen a little, but unemployment has risen in some regions.
— That is already a serious problem. Something needs to be done for the smaller towns.
— I agree. I follow the topic on BNR and BTA, and then I read analysis as well.
— It is good to look at several sources, not just one headline.
| Dialogue line | English | Audio |
|---|---|---|
| Видя ли новините тази сутрин? | Did you see the news this morning? | |
| Какво е станало? | What has happened? | |
| Според последните новини правителството е подало оставка. | According to the latest news, the government has resigned. | |
| Тревожно е, че пак ще има период на несигурност. | It is worrying that there will be another period of uncertainty. | |
| Инфлацията е намаляла малко. | Inflation has fallen a little. | |
| Безработицата е нараснала в някои райони. | Unemployment has risen in some regions. | |
| Трябва да се направи нещо за по-малките градове. | Something needs to be done for the smaller towns. | |
| Добре е да се гледат няколко източника. | It is good to look at several sources. |
Section 7
Writing task
✏️ Writing task — Day 41
- Write a short paragraph (6 sentences) about a news story — real or imaginary — using vocabulary from today.
- Translate: "According to the latest news, the government has decided to increase the minimum wage. It is thought that this will help reduce poverty."
- Name three Bulgarian TV or radio channels and describe what each is known for.
- What is the difference between "Правителството реши" and "Правителството е решило"? When would you use each?
Show answers
1. Free answer — use Според последните новини..., Говори се, че..., Тревожно е, че..., Добра новина е, че...
2. Според последните новини правителството е решило да увеличи минималната заплата. Смята се, че това ще помогне за намаляване на бедността.
3. Example: БНТ (public broadcaster), БНР/Хоризонт (public radio and spoken news), БТА (news agency used as a source by other outlets).
4. Реши = aorist, a completed event in a narrative or report. Е решило = perfect, a recent decision with present relevance, common in news language.
Day 41 Quiz
8 questions · score 6+ to mark day complete
Question 1 of 8
"Newspaper" in Bulgarian:
Question 2 of 8
"According to the latest news" in Bulgarian:
Question 3 of 8
"It is worrying that..." in Bulgarian:
Question 4 of 8
What is БТА?
Question 5 of 8
"Elections" in Bulgarian:
Question 6 of 8
"I am following the situation closely" in Bulgarian:
Question 7 of 8
The perfect tense in news uses which structure?
Question 8 of 8
"Unemployment" in Bulgarian:
Day 41 Recap
Review before Day 42. Every point builds on the last.
| Topic | Key point | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Media types | вестник · новини · новинарска емисия · телевизия · радио · подкаст | Core media vocabulary |
| News topics | политика · икономика · избори · правителство · инфлация · безработица | High-frequency news domains |
| Discussing news | Чул съм, че · Според последните новини · Според БТА · Тревожно е, че | Useful reaction language |
| Key outlets | БНТ · БНР · Хоризонт · БТА · bTV · Nova | Know what kind of source each one is |
| Perfect in news | е решило · е пристигнал · са обявени | Recent events with current relevance |
| Media literacy | Check the source, not only the headline. | Добре е да се гледат няколко източника. |
| 🌎 Culture | Bulgaria has a vibrant media landscape: БНТ, bTV, Nova TV plus strong online outlets like Дневник and Капитал | Media literacy matters — check the source, not just the headline |