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Grammar · A1

The "⁠да⁠" construction

There's no infinitive, so after "⁠искам⁠", "⁠мога⁠", "⁠трябва⁠" you use "⁠да⁠" + a verb in the right person.

Bulgarian doesn't say I want to drink — it says "⁠Искам да пия⁠" (I want that I drink).

Both verbs change:

  • "⁠Искам да пия кафе.⁠"
  • "⁠Искаш ли да дойдеш?⁠" (Do you want to come?)
  • "⁠Можем да отидем утре.⁠"

"⁠Трябва⁠" (must) has one form for all persons and numbers — only the verb after "⁠да⁠" does: "⁠Трябва да тръгвам.⁠" (I have to go.), "⁠Трябва да вземеш лекарството.⁠" Same with "⁠Може ли да…?⁠": "⁠Може ли да платя с карта?⁠"

Someone else? Just switch the person: "⁠Искам да дойдеш.⁠" (I want you to come.)

Negative: "⁠Не мога да дойда.⁠"

Careful: this "⁠да⁠" doesn't mean yes!

КойИскам + да + глагол
азИскам да пия кафе.
тиИскаш да пиеш кафе.
той / тяИска да пие кафе.
ниеИскаме да пием кафе.
виеИскате да пиете кафе.
теИскат да пият кафе.

Examples

Искам да поръчам, моля.

I'd like to order, please.

Може ли да платя с карта?

Can I pay by card?

Не мога да дойда утре.

I can't come tomorrow.

Трябва да вземеш лекарството.

You need to take the medicine.

Искаш ли да отидем на кино?

Do you want to go to the cinema?

Искам да дойдеш с мен.

I want you to come with me.

For speakers of your language

No to and no infinitive: "⁠Искам да пия⁠" — the second verb also shows who drinks: "⁠Искаш да пиеш⁠".

Quick quiz

Искам ___ пия вода.

Ние можем да ___ утре.

Which is correct?

In "⁠Искам да пия кафе⁠", "⁠да⁠" means yes.

Tell a friend that you want them to come:

Grammar

The future: "⁠ще⁠"

Put "⁠ще⁠" before the present-tense verb to talk about the future; "⁠няма да⁠" makes it negative.

A1

Little words and word order

Short pronouns, "⁠се⁠", "⁠си⁠", "⁠ли⁠" and "⁠съм⁠" never start a sentence and always line up in a fixed order.

A1