Language/Bulgarian/Grammar/How-to-Use-Have
Hi Bulgarian learners! π
In this lesson, we are going to learn how to use "have" in Bulgarian. This topic is crucial for those who want to improve their speaking and writing skills.
Don't hesitate to look into these other pages after completing this lesson: Give your Opinion & Conditional Mood.
What does "have" mean in Bulgarian?[edit | edit source]
In Bulgarian, "have" has two translations: "ΠΈΠΌΠ°ΠΌ" (imam) and "ΠΏΠΎΡΠ΅Π΄ΡΠ²Π°ΠΌ" (posedyavam). "ΠΠΌΠ°ΠΌ" is the main one and means "to possess." For example:
Bulgarian | Pronunciation | English |
---|---|---|
ΠΠΌΠ°ΠΌ ΠΊΠΎΠ»Π° | ImΠ°m kola | I have a car |
"ΠΠΎΡΠ΅Π΄ΡΠ²Π°ΠΌ" is used in the context of sitting down, for example:
Bulgarian | Pronunciation | English |
---|---|---|
Π©Π΅ ΠΏΡΠ΅ΠΊΠ°ΡΠ°ΠΌ ΡΠ°ΡΠΎΠ²Π΅, Π΄ΠΎΠΊΠ°ΡΠΎ ΠΌΠ°ΠΌΠ°ΡΠ° ΠΌΠΈ ΠΏΠΎΡΠ΅Π΄Π½Π΅. | Shte prekaram chasove, dokato mamata mi posedne. | I will spend hours waiting for my mother to sit down. |
From now on, we will focus on the first translation - "ΠΈΠΌΠ°ΠΌ."
How to conjugate "ΠΈΠΌΠ°ΠΌ"[edit | edit source]
Just like in English, "ΠΈΠΌΠ°ΠΌ" changes depending on the subject of the sentence. Here is how it looks like in the present tense:
Bulgarian | Pronunciation | English |
---|---|---|
ΠΠ· ΠΈΠΌΠ°ΠΌ | Az imam | I have |
Π’ΠΈ ΠΈΠΌΠ°Ρ | Ti imash | You have |
Π’ΠΎΠΉ/Π’Ρ/Π’ΠΎ ΠΈΠΌΠ° | Toi/Tya/To ima | He/She/It has |
ΠΠΈΠ΅ ΠΈΠΌΠ°ΠΌΠ΅ | Nie imame | We have |
ΠΠΈΠ΅ ΠΈΠΌΠ°ΡΠ΅ | Vie imate | You have (formal or plural) |
Π’Π΅ ΠΈΠΌΠ°Ρ | Te imat | They have |
Let's see some examples:
- ΠΠ· ΠΈΠΌΠ°ΠΌ ΠΌΠ΅ΡΡΠ°. (Az imam mechta.) - I have a dream.
- Π’ΠΈ ΠΈΠΌΠ°Ρ ΠΊΡΡΠ΅. (Ti imash kuche.) - You have a dog.
- Π’Ρ ΠΈΠΌΠ° ΡΠΎΠΏΠ»Π° Π΄ΡΠ΅Ρ Π°. (Tya ima topla dreha.) - She has warm clothes.
- ΠΠΈΠ΅ ΠΈΠΌΠ°ΠΌΠ΅ Π±ΡΡΠΎΠ»Π°. (Nie imame busola.) - We have a compass.
- ΠΠΈΠ΅ ΠΈΠΌΠ°ΡΠ΅ ΠΊΠ»ΡΡ. (Vie imate klyuch.) - You have a key.
- Π’Π΅ ΠΈΠΌΠ°Ρ ΠΊΠ½ΠΈΠ³Π°. (Te imat kniga.) - They have a book.
It's essential to memorize these conjugations since they are used in many essential conversations.
"ΠΠΌΠ°ΠΌ" in the past[edit | edit source]
The past tense of "ΠΈΠΌΠ°ΠΌ" is "ΠΈΠΌΠ°Ρ " (imah). Just like in English, it means the action of possessing already happened in the past. Here is the conjugation:
Bulgarian | Pronunciation | English |
---|---|---|
ΠΠ· ΠΈΠΌΠ°Ρ | Az imah | I had |
Π’ΠΈ ΠΈΠΌΠ°ΡΠ΅ | Ti imashe | You had |
Π’ΠΎΠΉ/Π’Ρ/Π’ΠΎ ΠΈΠΌΠ°ΡΠ΅ | Toi/Tya/To imashe | He/She/It had |
ΠΠΈΠ΅ ΠΈΠΌΠ°Ρ ΠΌΠ΅ | Nie imahme | We had |
ΠΠΈΠ΅ ΠΈΠΌΠ°Ρ ΡΠ΅ | Vie imakhte | You had (formal or plural) |
Π’Π΅ ΠΈΠΌΠ°Ρ Π° | Te imaha | They had |
Let's see some examples:
- ΠΠ· ΠΈΠΌΠ°Ρ ΠΊΡΡΠ΅ Π΄ΠΎΠΊΠ°ΡΠΎ Π±ΡΡ ΠΌΠ°Π»ΡΠΊ. (Az imah kuche dokato byah malak.) - I had a dog when I was little.
- Π’ΠΈ ΠΈΠΌΠ°ΡΠ΅ ΠΆΠ΅Π»Π°Π½ΠΈΠ΅ Π΄Π° ΠΏΠΎΡΠ΅ΡΠΈΡ ΡΠ°Π·ΠΈ Π΄Π΅ΡΡΠΈΠ½Π°ΡΠΈΡ. (Ti imashe zhelanie da posetish tazi destynatsiya.) - You had a desire to visit this destination.
- Π’ΠΎΠΉ ΠΈΠΌΠ°ΡΠ΅ ΡΡΠ΅Π±Π½ΠΈΠΊ ΠΏΠΎ ΡΠΈΠ»ΠΎΡΠΎΡΠΈΡ. (Toi imashe uchebnik po filosofiya.) - He had a textbook on philosophy.
- ΠΠΈΠ΅ ΠΈΠΌΠ°Ρ ΠΌΠ΅ Π²ΡΠ΅ΠΌΠ΅ Π·Π° ΠΊΡΠ°ΡΠΊΠ° ΠΏΠΎΡΠΈΠ²ΠΊΠ°. (Nie imahme vreme za kratka pochivka.) - We had time for a short break.
- ΠΠΈΠ΅ ΠΈΠΌΠ°Ρ ΡΠ΅ Ρ ΡΠ°Π½Π° Π·Π° ΡΡΠ» ΡΠ΅Π·ΠΎΠ½. (Vie imakhte hrana za tsyal sezon.) - You had food for the entire season.
- Π’Π΅ ΠΈΠΌΠ°Ρ Π° Π΄ΠΎΡΡΠ°ΡΡΡΠ½ΠΎ ΠΏΠ°ΡΠΈ Π΄Π° ΠΊΡΠΏΡΡ ΠΊΡΡΠ°. (Te imaha dostatychno pari da kupyat kashta.) - They had enough money to buy a house.
It's important to notice that, just like in English, the past tense can indicate completed actions, but it can also mean interrupted actions. For example, "Π’ΠΈ ΠΈΠΌΠ°ΡΠ΅ ΡΠ°Π±ΠΎΡΠ° ΠΏΠΎ ΡΠΎΠ·ΠΈ ΠΏΡΠΎΠ΅ΠΊΡ, Π½ΠΎ Π½Π°ΠΉ-ΠΏΠΎΡΠ»Π΅ Π½Π΅ ΠΏΡΠΎΠ΄ΡΠ»ΠΆΠ°Π²Π° ΡΠ°Π±ΠΎΡΠ° Π² ΠΊΠΎΠΌΠΏΠ°Π½ΠΈΡΡΠ°." (Ti imashe rabota po tozi proekt, no nai-posle ne prodalzhava rabota v kompaniyata.) - "You had a job on this project, but in the end, you didn't continue working in the company." Here, the past tense of "ΠΈΠΌΠ°ΠΌ" indicates that the job "had" but it doesn't exist anymore.
"ΠΠΌΠ°ΠΌ" in the future[edit | edit source]
The future tense of "ΠΈΠΌΠ°ΠΌ" is "ΡΠ΅ ΠΈΠΌΠ°ΠΌ" (shte imam). Unlike English, Bulgarians usually use the present tense when talking about future events. For example:
- Π’Π°Π·ΠΈ Π²Π΅ΡΠ΅Ρ ΠΈΠΌΠ°ΠΌ ΡΡΠ°ΡΡΠΈΠ΅ Π² ΠΊΠΎΠ½ΡΠ΅ΡΡ. (Tazi vecher imam uchastie v koncert.) - Tonight I have a concert. (Instead of "Tonight I will have a concert.")
However, to avoid confusion, we can use the marker "ΡΠ΅" (shte) to denote that we are talking about a future event. Here is the conjugation:
Bulgarian | Pronunciation | English |
---|---|---|
ΠΠ· ΡΠ΅ ΠΈΠΌΠ°ΠΌ | Az shte imam | I will have |
Π’ΠΈ ΡΠ΅ ΠΈΠΌΠ°Ρ | Ti shte imash | You will have |
Π’ΠΎΠΉ/Π’Ρ/Π’ΠΎ ΡΠ΅ ΠΈΠΌΠ° | Toi/Tya/To shte ima | He/She/It will have |
ΠΠΈΠ΅ ΡΠ΅ ΠΈΠΌΠ°ΠΌΠ΅ | Nie shte imame | We will have |
ΠΠΈΠ΅ ΡΠ΅ ΠΈΠΌΠ°ΡΠ΅ | Vie shte imate | You will have (formal or plural) |
Π’Π΅ ΡΠ΅ ΠΈΠΌΠ°Ρ | Te shte imat | They will have |
Let's see some examples:
- Π£ΡΡΠ΅ ΡΠ΅ ΠΈΠΌΠ°ΠΌ ΡΠΎΠΆΠ΄Π΅Π½ Π΄Π΅Π½. (Utre shte imam rozhden den.) - Tomorrow I will have a birthday.
- Π’ΠΈ ΡΠ΅ ΠΈΠΌΠ°Ρ Π²ΡΠ·ΠΌΠΎΠΆΠ½ΠΎΡΡ Π·Π° ΠΈΠ·Π»Π΅Ρ. (Ti shte imash vozmozhnost za izlet.) - You will have the opportunity for a trip.
- Π’ΠΎΠΉ ΡΠ΅ ΠΈΠΌΠ° Π»Π΅ΠΊΡΠΈΡ ΡΠ°Π·ΠΈ Π½Π΅Π΄Π΅Π»Ρ. (Toy shte ima lektsiya tazi nedelya.) - He will have a lecture this Sunday.
- ΠΠΈΠ΅ ΡΠ΅ ΠΈΠΌΠ°ΠΌΠ΅ ΠΏΡΠ°Π·Π½ΠΈΠΊ ΡΡΡΠ΅. (Nie shte imame praznik utre.) - We will have a holiday tomorrow.
- ΠΠΈΠ΅ ΡΠ΅ ΠΈΠΌΠ°ΡΠ΅ ΠΏΡΠΈΠ²ΠΈΠ»Π΅Π³ΠΈΡΡΠ° Π΄Π° ΡΠ°Π±ΠΎΡΠΈΡΠ΅ ΠΎΡ Π²ΠΊΡΡΠΈ. (Vie shte imate priviliegiyata da rabotite ot vkashti.) - You will have the privilege to work from home.
- Π’Π΅ ΡΠ΅ ΠΈΠΌΠ°Ρ Π²ΡΠ΅ΠΌΠ΅ Π΄Π° Π½Π°ΠΏΡΠ°Π²ΡΡ ΡΠ΅ΠΌΠΎΠ½Ρ. (Te shte imat vreme da napravyat remont.) - They will have time to make repairs.
Dialogue[edit | edit source]
To see "ΠΈΠΌΠ°ΠΌ" in context, let's see a dialogue between two friends:
- ΠΠ²Π°Π½: Π ΠΊΠ°ΠΊΠ²ΠΎ ΠΏΠ»Π°Π½ΠΈΡΠ°Ρ Π΄Π° Π½Π°ΠΏΡΠ°Π²ΠΈΡ ΡΠΈΠΊΠ΅Π½Π΄Π°? (Ivan: I kakvo planirash da napravish uikenda?) - And what are you planning to do this weekend?
- ΠΠ΅ΡΡΡ: ΠΠΈΡΠΎ ΠΎΡΠΎΠ±Π΅Π½ΠΎ. ΠΠΌΠ°ΠΌ Π·Π°Π³ΠΎΡΠΎΠ²ΠΊΠΈ Π·Π° ΡΡΠ΅Π½Π΅. (Petyr: Nishto osobeno. Imam zagotovki za uchene.) - Nothing special. I have some studying to do.
- ΠΠ²Π°Π½: Π Π°Π· ΠΈΠΌΠ°ΠΌ Π±ΠΈΠ»Π΅ΡΠΈ Π·Π° ΡΠΈΠ»ΠΌΠ° Π½Π° "ΠΠ°Π²ΡΡΡΠ°Π½Π΅ΡΠΎ Π½Π° Π΄ΠΆΠ΅Π΄Π°ΠΈΡΠ΅." ΠΠ΄Π΅Π΅Ρ Π»ΠΈ Ρ ΠΌΠ΅Π½? (Ivan: A az imam bilet za filma na "Zavryshtaneto na dzhedayte." Idesh li s men?) - Well, I have tickets to the "Return of the Jedi" movie. Will you come with me?
- ΠΠ΅ΡΡΡ: Π Π°Π΄Π²Π°ΠΌ ΡΠ΅ Π΄Π° ΡΠ΅ ΠΏΡΠΈΠ΄ΡΡΠΆΠ°. (Petyr: Radvam se da te pridruzhΠ°.) - I would be happy to join you.
Conclusion[edit | edit source]
In this lesson, we learned how to use "have" in Bulgarian. We saw the present, past, and future tenses of "ΠΈΠΌΠ°ΠΌ" and how they work in different contexts. Remember to practice your knowledge with native speakers. Find native speakers and ask them any questions about what you've learned today!
To improve your Bulgarian Grammar, you can also use the Polyglot Club website.
β‘ If you have any questions, please ask them in the comments section below.
β‘ Feel free to edit this wiki page if you think it can be improved. π
Congratulations on finishing this lesson! Explore these related pages to keep learning: Plurals & Cases.
Other Lessons[edit | edit source]
- CARDINAL NUMERALS β ΠΡΠΎΠΉΠ½ΠΈ ΡΠΈΡΠ»ΠΈΡΠ΅Π»Π½ΠΈ
- Questions
- NUMBER OF NOUNS β Π§ΠΈΡΠ»ΠΎ Π½Π° ΡΡΡΠ΅ΡΡΠ²ΠΈΡΠ΅Π»Π½ΠΈΡΠ΅
- Give your Opinion
- SHORT POSSESSIVE PRONOUNS β ΠΡΠ°ΡΠΊΠΈ ΠΏΡΠΈΡΠ΅ΠΆΠ°ΡΠ΅Π»Π½ΠΈ ΠΌΠ΅ΡΡΠΎΠΈΠΌΠ΅Π½ΠΈΡ
- Nouns
- GENERALIZING PRONOUNS β ΠΠ±ΠΎΠ±ΡΠΈΡΠ΅Π»Π½ΠΈ ΠΌΠ΅ΡΡΠΎΠΈΠΌΠ΅Π½ΠΈΡ
- DEFINITE ARTICLE OF NOUNS β Π§Π»Π΅Π½ΡΠ²Π°Π½Π΅ Π½Π° ΡΡΡΠ΅ΡΡΠ²ΠΈΡΠ΅Π»Π½ΠΈΡΠ΅
- Plurals
Sources[edit | edit source]
- Bulgarian grammar - Wikipedia
- Grammar Matters: Bulgarian Grammar in Charts ... - Amazon.com
- Bulgarian language - Wikipedia