Achievement & Equality Team
Information on Bulgaria and the Bulgarian language
Dear Motherland
Countless fighters fell for our beloved nation
Mother, give us manly strength to carry on their course
National Anthem of Bulgaria
BULGARIA AT A GLANCE
Location – South Eastern Europe
Neighbours – Romania, Turkey, Greece,Serbia, Macedonia
Size – 42,855 square miles
Population– 7,692,600 (98th)
Life Expectancy – 69male, 76 female
Capital city – Sofia
Currency – New Lev
Website – government.bg
Potted History
The first Bulgarian state was formed in the 7th century when the Bulgars merged with the indigenous Slavic inhabitants. The Ottomans ruled Bulgaria for 500 years from the 14th century. After the second world war the country came under Soviet control until the first free elections in 1990. An Orthodox country influenced by Byzantine culture, Bulgaria is now a member of Nato and the EU.
Political pressure points
Corruption and organised crime are still rife, although the socialist coalition promised a crackdown after parliamentary elections in 2005. Membership of the EU was on the proviso of speedy reforms. President Georgi Parvanov won a second term in a landslide victory in 2006, beating a nationalist candidate opposed to EU entry.
Population mix
Bulgarian 83.94%, Turkish 9.42%, Roma 4.68%, others 1.96%
Religious makeup
Orthodox Christian 85%, Islam 13%
Main languages
Bulgarian, Macedonian, Turkish
Living national icons
Georgi Ivanov (politician + cosmonaut) Raina Kabaivanska (opera singer), Dimitar Berbatov (footballer), Grigor Dimitrov (tennis)
The Nottinghamshire Context
Cyprus, the CzechRepublic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia became part of the EU in 2004. Bulgaria and Romania joined in 2007. This has enabled residents from these countries to have freedom of movement and the ability to work anywhere in the EU. This has meant increased migration to the UK for economic reasons. Migrants from these countries may work in low paid unskilled jobs, although be highly skilled in particular industries back in their home country. Some jobs may also involve shift work which can impact on family life and ability for parents to attend meetings.
Education in Bulgaria
- Most schools in Bulgaria belong to the state system but in recent years private schools are beginning to gain in popularity.
- State education is free and the academic standard is high. The school year starts on 15 September, and pupils study in the morning over two terms.
- Nursery school starts at age two and last until seven.
- Primary education starts at age seven and lasts for years.
- Compulsory education is undertaken up to the age of 11 until age of eighteen.
- The top mark in Bulgarian schools is a six, while the lowest, a fail, is a two.
- In 1996 the system of higher education in Bulgaria had 41 higher and 47 semi-higher establishments with a total of 250,309 students studying for further education degrees.
Information about the Bulgarian Language
Bulgarian (Български език, Balgarski ezik) is an Indo-European language, a member of the Southern branch of the Slavic languages. Bulgarian demonstrates several linguistic innovations that set it apart from other Slavic languages, such as the elimination of case declension, the development of a suffixed definite article, the lack of a verb infinitive, and the retention and further development of the proto-Slavic verb system. There are various verb forms to express unwitnessed, retold, and doubtful action.
Bulgarian is a part of the Balkan linguistic union, which also includes Greek, Macedonian, Romanian, Albanian and Torlakian dialect of the Serbian language. Most of these languages share some of the above-mentioned characteristics (for example, definite article, infinitive loss, complicated verb system) and many more.
Bulgarian is spoken by 90 percent of the population of Bulgaria, or some 8 million people. It is one of the Slavic languages and, in fact, played an important role in the historical development of this family. When the first alphabet for the Slavic languages was devised in the 9th century, it was a dialect of Bulgarian that served as the base. Old Bulgarian, or Old Church Slavonic it came to be called, long served as the literary vehicle of the all the Slavic languages. During the Middle Ages it was one of the three major literary languages of Europe.
The modern Bulgarian alphabet is virtually the same as the Russian, except that Ѣ serves as a vowel. It is pronounced something like the u in the English word “fur” and is, in fact, the second letter in the word Bulgaria. Bulgarian also differs from the other Slavic languages in that it makes use of articles, both definitive and indefinite, the former being suffixed to the noun. The verb has no infinitive form like the English infinitive, which is formed by placing the word “to” in front of the verb.
Here is an example of Bulgarian text.
Sample text
Bсички хора се раждат свободни и равни по достойнство и права. Tе са надарени с разум и съвест и следва да се отнасят помежду си в дух на братство.
Translation in English
All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
Words, Phrases and Numbers
English / Bulgarian easy pronunciationhello / dobur den
What is your name? / Kak se kazvash?
My name is... / Kazvam se….
How are you? / Kak si?
Fine thanks, and you? / Blagodarya dobre, ah veee?
I understand. / razbeeram
I don't understand. / Ne razbeeram
Do you speak English? / Govoreete lee ahngleeyskee
How old are you? / nakolko si godini?
Can you say it again? / Moje li da go povtorish
Can you speak slowly? / Moje li da govorisho-bavno.
Write it down please! / Molia npishete.
How do you say "please" in Bulgarian? / Kak e "please" na Balgarski?
alphabet / ´azbuka
book / ´kniga
bye / dovijdane
Bulgaria / bal´garia
Bulgarian / ´balgarski
cat / ´kotka
chair / stol
day / den
dictionary / ´rechnik
English / an´gliiski
good evening / ´dobu ´vecher
good morning / do´bro ´utro
good night / ´leka ´nosht
literature / litera´tura
mother / ´mayka
pencil / ´moliv
page / ´stranitz
translation / ´prevod
translators / prevo´dachi
write / ´pisha
written / ´pismen
yes / da
no / ne
please / ako obichate
Thank you. / Blagodarya
You are welcome. / molya
Excuse me. / Izvinete/izvinyavayte
Do you speak... / Dovorish li…
I do not understand. / Ne razbiram
How would you say this in Bulgarian? / Kak shte kazhesh tova na Bulgarski
English / Angliyski
we / nie
you / vie
they / te
mother / mayka
father / bashta
son / sin
daughter / dushterya
wife / supruga
husband / suprug
don't be afraid / njama strashno
its ok / tova e dobre
don't cry / ne plachi
What is this? / Kakvo e tova?
What do you want? / Kakvo iskash?
Do you like it? / Haresva li ti?
Are you ok? / Dobre li si?
Do you need help? / Iskash li pomosht?
stop / stay here / spri / chahkeh
go there / come here / idi tam / ella tuk
sit down / stand up / sedni dolu / stani gore
it is time to go to bed / vreme e da si liagash
don't do that / ne pravi taka
don't run / ne tichai
don't touch / ne pipai
don't push / ne se butai
be quiet / tiho
be careful / vnimavai
get down / slez doly
later, not now / po kasno, ne sega
i / we don't have time now / nyama vreme sega
water / juice / milk / voda / sok / mliako
oatmeal / bread / soup / kasha / hliab / supa
breakfast / lunch / dinner / zakuska / obed / vecheria
hat / shirt / coat / shapka / riza / palto
leggings / pants / dress / chorapogashnik / gashti / roklia
comb / brush / shoes / greben / chetka / obyvki
socks / chorapi
Monday / Ponedelvik
Tuesday / Vtornik
Wednesday / Srieda
Thursday / Chetvurtuk
Friday / Petuk
Saturday / Subota
Sunday / Nedelya
head teacher / director
teacher / uchitel (male)
teacher / uchitelka (female)
register / dnevnik
books / knigi
pen / himikalka
home work / domahno
class / klas
lunch / obiad
read / cheta
write / pishta
speak / govoria
listen / slushay
Is there anything bothering you at school? / Ima li neshto koeto d ate pretesniana v uchilishte?
school / uchilishte
i need help / as se nujdaya ot pomosht
one / edno
two / dve
three / tree
four / chetyry
five / pet
six / shest
seven / sedem
eight / osem
nine / devet
ten / deset
eleven / edynayeset
twelve / dvanayset
thirteen / trynayset
fourteen / chetyrynayset
fifteen / petnayset
sixteen / shestnayset
seventeen / sedemnayset
eighteen / osemnayset
nineteen / devetnayset
twenty / dvayset
Useful guidance is available from:
New Arrivals Excellence Programme Guidance
(2007) Ref 00650 – 2007BKT- EN
This resource is for primary and secondary schools and contains guidance on admission and developing classroom practice.
A language in common: assessing English as an additional language
QCA (2000) (QCA/00/584).
This document sets out steps used in assessment of EAL, linked to English National Curriculum levels. It provides guidance and exemplifications
Aiming High: guidance on supporting the education of asylum seeking and refugee children (DfES 0287 – 2004)
This guidance helps explain the value of an inclusive ethos and curriculum to all pupils.
Aiming High: meeting the needs of newly arrived learners of EAL
(DfES 1381 -2005)
Information on working with newly arrived isolated EAL pupils in settings that have little or no access to EAL support.
Excellence and enjoyment: learning and teaching for bilingual children in the primary years (DfES 0013 – 2006PCK- EN)
Key Stage 3 National Strategy: Access and engagement in English:teaching pupils for whom English is an additional language (DfES 0609 – 2002)
Publications/Catalogues are available from:
MUNDI Tel: 0115 8546418
Mundi
Global Education Centre
Foxhall Lodge
Foxhall Road
Nottingham
NG7 6LH
(under construction/Aug 2010)
Mundi loan resources to schools in Nottinghamshire free for up to half a term
e-mail:
GRANT AND CUTLERTel: (44) 020 7734 2012
55-57 Great Marlborough Street,
London'
England
W1F 7AY
Web:
A one-stop shop for foreign language resources including language-learning material, reference books, technical dictionaries, literature, history, politics etc.
MILET PUBLISHING LTDTel +44 20 7603 5477
6 North End Parade
London W14 0SJ
England
Web:
Milet publishers a wide range of bilingual picture dictionaries, including board books for use in early years settings.
TRENTHAM BOOKS Tel: +44 (0) 1782 745567
Westview House,734 London Road,
Stoke on Trent,
UKST4 5NP Web:
Trentham publishes 'a wide range of titles plus seven professional journals, mainly in the field of education and social policy.
MANTRA LINGUATel: 0044 (0)208 44 55 123
Global House
303 Ballards Lane
London
N12 8NP
UK
Web:
Mantra Lingua creative learning resources Audio CDs, Big Books, e-books, fun tales, folk tales, friezes, games, language learning, packs posters, story props, toys videos and so on.
Classroom Resources are available from:
Interactive video clips showing children teaching their home languages.
The following website translates words, phrases and short paragraphs from English to Bulgarian available at
The Dingle Granby Toxteth Education Action Zone website; Useful letters for parents translated into Bulgarian available at
DLTK's Crafts for Kids features a variety images that can be used for creating pupils own subject-specific dictionaries.
Activities for ESL Students can be adapted for EAL pupils in primary and secondary schools. Has bilingual quizzes in large number of languages, available at;
Omniglot writing systems and languages of the world available at,
EMA Online resource base for teachers has been developed by Birmingham, Leeds and Manchester LAs with funding from the DfES, available at
Racist bullying, Advice designed for schools to dip in and out as appropriate for them and offers discussion topics and activities to stimulate debate and spark activity involving everyone in the school community, available at;
Teachernet states that a successful home–school relationship can be a key element in making a school stronger and more effective. In particular, it can make a real difference to groups of underachieving pupils and their families, available at
Nottinghamshire Achievement & Equality Team