What's Your Trade?

Unit 4, “What is Your Trade?”, presents a conversation between Петър and Борис about their families, occupations, and health. You will learn vocabulary for professions (адвокат, докторка, търговец, чиновник), family members (син, дъщеря, брат, баща, майка), and expressions of sympathy and concern. The grammar notes introduce the perfective/imperfective verb distinction, past tense forms (perfective, imperfective, and indefinite), impersonal verbs (може, трябва, има/няма), and defective verbs (боли).

Basic Sentences

Петър

English	Bulgarian (Cyrillic)
new	ново
Well, Boris, what’s new?	Е Борисе, какво има ново?

Борис

English	Bulgarian (Cyrillic)
did I tell you? (familiar)	казах ли ти?
my son Angel	моят син Ангел
(he) finished	свърши
the university	университета
law	право
(he) became	стана
lawyer	адвокат
Did I tell you that my son Angel has finished law school and is now a lawyer?	Казах ли ти, че моят син Ангел свърши университета /право/ и стана адвокат?
and on the other hand	а
my daughter	дъщеря ми
is studying medicine (‘following’)	следва медицина
that (she) become	да стане
a woman doctor	докторка
And my daughter is studying medicine. She wants to become a doctor.	А дъщеря ми следва медицина, иска да стане докторка.

Петър

English	Bulgarian (Cyrillic)
your brother	брат ти
is doing	прави
And what’s your brother doing?	А брат ти, какво прави?

Борис

English	Bulgarian (Cyrillic)
he	той
business man, tradesman	търговец
He’s a business man. He’s fine.	Той е търговец. Добре е.
my older brother	другият ми брат
official, clerk	чиновник
he is working	работи
in a business office	в една кантора
And my other brother is a clerk. He works in an office.	А другият ми брат е чиновник. Работи в една кантора.
[I’m] sorry	жалко
my father	баща ми
[I’m] sorry my father is not here.	Жалко, че баща ми не е тук.
he went	отиде
to the tailor	при шивача
He went to the tailor’s.	Отиде при шивача.

Петър

English	Bulgarian (Cyrillic)
your mother	майка ти
sick	болна
Is your mother still sick?	Майка ти още ли е болна?

Борис

English	Bulgarian (Cyrillic)
she	тя
in bed	на легло
Yes, she is still in bed.	Да, тя е още на легло.
one has to…, must, it is necessary	трябва
is lying down	лежи
at least	поне
week	седмица
She has to stay in bed for at least a[nother] week.	Трябва да лежи поне една седмица.

Петър

English	Bulgarian (Cyrillic)
I’m sorry, I sympathize with	съжалявам
may it be, I hope	дано
get well	оздравее
sooner	по-скоро
I’m very sorry [to hear that], I hope she gets well [even] sooner.	Много съжалявам, но дано оздравее по-скоро.
I forgot	забравих
that I tell you	да ти кажа
a tooth was hurting her	зъб я болеше
this morning	тази сутрин
we sent	пратихме
to a dentist	на зъболекар
I forgot to tell you Ivanka had a toothache this morning and we sent her to a dentist.	Забравих да ти кажа, че Иванка я болеше зъб тази сутрин и я пратихме на зъболекар.

Борис

English	Bulgarian (Cyrillic)
come on!	хайде!
that we take her	да я вземем
from the dentist	от зъболекаря
Let’s go get her at the dentist’s.	Хайде да отидем да я вземем от зъболекаря.

Grammar Notes

Note 4.1 — Verbs: Perfective and Imperfective

The verbs for ‘go’ and ‘look at’ have two different stems: /otide/ and /otiva/, /razgleda/ and /razglezhda/. All of these have present-dependent endings, so there are actually four different verbs: /otide/ and /otivam/, /razgledam/ and /razglezhdam/. Nearly all Bulgarian verbs occur in pairs of this kind. In each pair one verb indicates the termination of the action (perfective), the other simply indicates the doing of the action (imperfective).

The usage is roughly equivalent to that of the English ‘progressive’ tenses (imperfective) as against the ‘simple’ tenses (perfective). Since a perfective verb indicates the end of the action, it cannot be used in the sense of a present tense, such as ‘I am going’ or ‘I am looking at’. In most cases the perfective ‘present’ is used after such words as ‘if’, ‘when’, ‘after’, ‘that’, etc. The imperfective freely occurs in the present tense in independent clauses.

In general, we have these correspondences:

English	Bulgarian	Example
I take	Perfective	взема
I take (as general statement)	Imperfective	взимам
I’ll take	Perfective	ще взема
I took	Perfective	взех
I’m taking	Imperfective	взимам
I’ll be taking	Imperfective	ще взимам
I was taking	Imperfective	взимах

The most frequently used forms are the imperfective present, the perfective future and the perfective past.

Note 4.2 — Verbs: Past

Note 4.2.1 — Perfective Past

Examples from the text:

Bulgarian (Cyrillic)	English
Казах ли ти?	Did I tell you?
Какво казахте?	What did you say?
Пристигнахме вчера.	We arrived yesterday.
Забравих да ти кажа.	I forgot to tell you.
Ние я пратихме.	We sent her.
Той отиде при шивача.	He went to the tailor’s.

As in the present-independent, stem vowels vary in the past. Full paradigms:

казах	I said	пристигнах
каза	you said	пристигна
каза	he, she, it said	пристигна
казахме	we said	пристигнахме
казахте	you said	пристигнахте
казаха	they said	пристигнаха

забравих	пратих	отидох
забрави	прати	отиде
забрави	прати	отиде
забравихме	пратихме	отидохме
забравихте	пратихте	отидохте
забравиха	пратиха	отидоха

Note 4.2.2 — Imperfective Past

Bulgarian (Cyrillic)	English
Взимахме уроци.	We took lessons.
Иванка я болеше зъб.	As for Ivanka, a tooth was hurting her.

The ending for the third person (which is the same as the second) is /-ше/. Otherwise the endings are the same as for the perfective. The difference lies in the shape of the verb stem. Full forms:

взимах	I was taking	взимахме	we were taking
взимаше	you were taking	взимахте	you were taking
взимаше	he, she, it was taking	взимаха	they were taking

(/bolеше/ is used impersonally, so would normally occur in the third person only.)

Note 4.2.3 — Verbs having both Perfective and Imperfective Pasts

Most simple imperfective verbs (those without a prefix) have two pasts — one imperfective and the other perfective. Compare:

Imperfective past		Perfective past
пиех	I was drinking	пих	I drank (at that precise moment)
пиеше	you were drinking	пи	you drank
пиеше	he, she, it was drinking	пи	he, she, it drank
пиехме	we were drinking	пихме	we drank
пиехте	you were drinking	пихте	you drank
пиеха	they were drinking	пиха	they drank

лежех	I was laying down	лежах	I lay (for a definite period of time)
лежеше	you were lying down	лежа	you lay
лежеше	he, she, it was lying down	лежа	he, she, it lay
лежехме	we were lying down	лежахме	we lay
лежехте	you were lying down	лежахте	you lay
лежеха	they were lying down	лежаха	they lay

работех	I was working	работих	I worked (until a certain time)
работеше	you were working	работи	you worked
работеше	he, she, it was working	работи	he, she, it worked
работехме	we were working	работихме	we worked
работехте	you were working	работихте	you worked
работеха	they were working	работиха	they worked

Note 4.2.4 — Indefinite Past

Bulgarian (Cyrillic)	English
Къде сте отседнали?	Where have you put up?
От къде сте научили да говорите български?	Where have you learned to speak Bulgarian?
Добре заварил!	Well met!
Добре дошел, Петре.	Welcome, Peter.
Добре дошла, госпожо.	Welcome, madam.
Петър и жена му са разгледали музея.	Peter and his wife looked through the museum.

The forms in /л/ are verbal adjectives (more specifically past active participles) meaning ‘having done so-and-so’. As adjectives they have different forms for masculine, feminine and neuter, singular and plural.

The /л/ participle is used for past action with the precise time being indefinite. It is also used for statements based on hearsay.

Bulgarian (Cyrillic)	English
Аз съм разгледал музея.	I’ve seen the museum.
Ние сме разгледали музея.	We’ve seen the museum.
Той е разгледал музея.	He’s seen the museum.
Той казва, че аз съм разгледал музея.	He says that I’ve seen the museum.
Тя казва, че той разгледал музея и отишел на кино.	She says that he’s seen the museum and gone to the movies.
Петър отишел в хотела.	Peter went into the hotel (so I’m told).
Петър е отишел в хотела.	Peter went into the hotel (at some indefinite time in the past).

In the third person the participle alone is used (without ‘is, are’) for hearsay or unattested narrative.

Note 4.2.5 — Verb List Showing Past Forms

A list of all verbs occurring in the first four units, giving the present-dependent, the past and the /л/ participle. In the list the imperfective verb is given first, the perfective second. Where only one occurs, it is imperfective (except for /zavaril/ and /došel/).

Present	Past	/л/ Participle	Meaning
благодаря	благодарех / благодарих	благодарел / благодарил	thank
боя се	боех се / боях се	боел се / боял се	be afraid
бързам	бързах	бързал	hurry up
[побързам	побързах	побързал]
взимам	взимах	взимал	take
взема	взех	взел
виждам	виждах	виждал	see, look up
видя	видях	видял
говоря	говорех / говорих	говорел / говорил	speak, talk
забравям	забравях	забравял	forget
забравя	забравих	забравил
		заварил	met
заминавам	заминавах	заминавал	leave, depart
замина	заминах	заминал
започвам	започвах	започвал	start, begin
започна	започнах	започнал
затварям	затварях	затварял	close
затворя	затворих	затворил
зная	знаех	знаел	know
		дошел	come (P)
извинявам се	извинявах се	извинявал се	apologize
извиня се	извиних се	извинил се
имам	имах	имал	have
искам	исках	искал	want
[поискам	поисках	поискал]
казвам	казвах	казвал	say
кажа	казах	казал
лежа	лежех / лежах	лежел / лежал	lie, be laid up
мога	можех / можах	можел / можал	can, be able
моля	молех / молих	молел / молил	ask, beg
нямам	нямах	нямал	have not
обичам	обичах	обичал	like, love
оздравявам	оздравявах	оздравявал	get well
оздравея	оздравях	оздравял
оставам	оставах	оставал	stay, remain
остана	останах	останал
отивам	отивах	отивал	go
отида	отидох	отишел
отсядам	отсядах	отсядал	put up
отседна	отседнах	отседнал
питам	питах	питал	ask (about)
[попитам	попитах	попитал]
пия	пиех / пих	пиел / пил	drink
потеглям	потеглях	потеглял	start
потегля	потеглих	потеглил
правя	правех	правел	do, make
направя	направих	направил
пращам	пращах	пращал	send
пратя	пратих	пратил
пристигам	пристигах	пристигал	arrive
пристигна	пристигнах	пристигнал
пътувам	пътувах	пътувал	travel
работя	работех / работих	работел / работил	work
разбирам	разбирах	разбирал	understand
разбера	разбрах	разбрал
развеждам	развеждах	развеждал	take around
разведа	разведох	развел
разглеждам	разглеждах	разглеждал	look at
разгледам	разгледах	разгледал
свършвам	свършвах	свършвал	finish, end
свърша	свърших	свършил
следвам	следвах	следвал	study
сменям	сменях	сменял	change
сменя	смених	сменил
смятам	смятах	смятал	think, consider
сметна	сметнах	сметнал
спирам	спирах	спирал	stop
спра	спрях	спрял
ставам	ставах	ставал	become, get up
стана	станах	станал
съжалявам	съжалявах	съжалявал	regret
съжаля	съжалих	съжалил
уча	учех	учел	learn
науча	научих	научил

The prefix /по-/ sometimes has the function of being a mere perfectivizer. It as often has the meaning of ‘doing the action a little bit’. Examples: поблагодаря (thank a little), побоя се (be a bit afraid), побързам (hurry a bit), поговоря (speak a bit), помоля (beg a bit).

The form /došel/ is perfective. The other perfective and imperfective forms of this verb, present and past, will be taken up later. /zaváril/ is also perfective and has been used here only in the expression ‘welcome!’.

Note 4.3 — Impersonal Verbs

Note 4.3.1 — може, трябва

Bulgarian (Cyrillic)	English
Може ли да отидем по-късно?	Can we go later?
Може ли да ми кажеш къде е Народната банка?	Can you tell me where the National Bank is?
Тя трябва да лежи поне една седмица.	She has to stay in bed at least another week.

The verbs /може/ and /трябва/ are used ‘impersonally’ in these sentences, something like English ‘is it possible’, ‘it is necessary’. They are therefore in the same form whatever the subject of the following verb may be. Compare:

Bulgarian (Cyrillic)	English
Ние трябва да лежим.	We have to stay in bed.
Вие трябва да лежите.	You have to stay in bed.

Impersonal verbs may be used in the past:

Bulgarian (Cyrillic)	English
Аз трябваше да лежа три седмици.	I had to stay in bed for three weeks.

Note 4.3.2 — има, няма

Bulgarian (Cyrillic)	English
Има ли ресторант тук?	Is there a restaurant here?

/има/ is used impersonally for ‘there is, there exists’. The negative is /няма/ ‘there isn’t, there does not exist’. Used personally, the same forms mean ‘he has’ and ‘he doesn’t have’.

Note 4.4 — Verbs: Defective — боли

Bulgarian (Cyrillic)	English
Иванка я болеше зъб.	Ivanka had a toothache.

Although used only in the third person, the verb ‘hurt’ is not impersonal but has the subject ‘tooth’. The above sentence is literally ‘(As for) Ivanka a tooth was hurting her’. This is the normal way of saying one has a pain. Compare:

Bulgarian (Cyrillic)	English
Боли ме зъб.	My tooth hurts. I have a toothache.
Болеше ме зъб.	I had a toothache. (‘a tooth was hurting me’)
Боля ме зъб.	My tooth hurt me.

The perfective past describes a pain which stopped or perhaps a sharp, sudden pain. Verbs occurring only in the third person are ‘defective’ verbs. An impersonal verb may be a defective verb.

Drills

The drill exercises for Unit 4 are not included in the available page images. They would typically include substitution drills, transformation drills (converting between perfective and imperfective verb forms), and translation exercises practicing the past tense forms and impersonal verbs introduced in the grammar notes.