B1 · Unit 5
They say that…
You'll retell news you only heard from others: "бил"
, "щял да"
.
New words
to hear
"Чух, че…" (I heard that…) — a typical start for retold news.
was
"Тя е болна."
→ "Тя била болна."
= so they say.
will
Retold future: "Ще вали."
→ "Щяло да вали."
supposedly
Shows doubt: "Уж бил болен…"
— but I don't buy it.
witness
according to
Also with a pronoun: "по думите ѝ"
(according to her).
incident
to get hurt
Typical of the news: "Никой не пострадал."
— no one was hurt.
strike
to cancel
"Концертът е отменен."
= the concert is off.
to win
it seems that
apparently
I can't believe it!
piece of news
"Новините"
also means the news bulletin on TV or radio.
пожарpozharfire
crash
Have you heard the news?
Mrs Ivanova, a neighbour
Добро утро! Защо няма никакви автобуси днес?
Good morning! Why aren't there any buses today?
Добро утро, госпожо Иванова! Прочетох, че имало стачка.
Good morning, Mrs Ivanova! I read that there's a strike.
Mrs Ivanova, a neighbour
Стачка ли? До кога?
A strike? Until when?
Според новините щяла да продължи до петък.
According to the news, it's going to last until Friday.
Mrs Ivanova, a neighbour
Леле! А чухте ли за пожара на Витоша?
Oh my! And have you heard about the fire on Vitosha?
Да, но за щастие никой не пострадал.
Yes, but luckily no one was hurt, apparently.
Mrs Ivanova, a neighbour
Слава богу. А има ли и нещо хубаво в новините?
Thank God. Is there anything nice in the news too?
Има! Един пенсионер от Русе спечелил награда за най-хубава градина.
Yes! A pensioner from Ruse has won a prize for the most beautiful garden.
Mrs Ivanova, a neighbour
Не мога да повярвам! Браво на него!
I can't believe it! Good for him!
Grammar
When you retell something you didn't see yourself, use the -л form without "е"
: "Той спечели"
→ "Той спечелил"
. "Е"
becomes "бил / била / било / били"
, and "ще"
becomes "щял да"
: "Ще вали"
→ "Щяло да вали"
.
Чух, че Иван спечелил състезанието по шах.
I heard Ivan won the chess competition.
Утре щяло да има стачка на градския транспорт.
Apparently there's going to be a public transport strike tomorrow.
Dimitar's news
Всяка вечер Димитър чете новините в интернет и после ги разказва на жена си Елена. Тя няма време да ги чете сама, затова слуша с интерес. Ето какво ѝ разказа вчера: „В Пловдив имало голям пожар в един склад. Според свидетелите пожарът започнал около полунощ и пожарникарите го гасили шест часа. За щастие, никой не пострадал. В София утре щяло да има стачка на градския транспорт. Шофьорите искали по-високи заплати. Стачката щяла да продължи до петък. Метрото обаче щяло да работи нормално. В Бургас пък концертът на плажа бил отменен заради силния вятър. Организаторите обещали да го направят следващата събота. И една хубава новина: жена от Варна спечелила първа награда от пет хиляди евро в конкурс за детски приказки. По думите ѝ, написала приказката съвсем случайно, докато чакала на опашка в магазина. С парите щяла да заведе внуците си на море.“ Елена се засмя: „Уж не вярваш на конкурси, а явно вече мечтаеш!“ „Няма ли да напишем и ние една приказка?“ — попита Димитър с усмивка.
Every evening Dimitar reads the news online and then tells his wife Elena about it. She has no time to read it herself, so she listens with interest. Here's what he told her yesterday: "In Plovdiv there was apparently a big fire in a warehouse. According to witnesses, the fire started around midnight and the firefighters fought it for six hours. Luckily, nobody was hurt. In Sofia there's going to be a public transport strike tomorrow. The drivers want higher wages. The strike is supposed to last until Friday. The metro, however, will run normally. In Burgas, meanwhile, the concert on the beach has been cancelled because of the strong wind. The organisers promised to hold it next Saturday. And some good news: a woman from Varna has won first prize — five thousand euros — in a children's story competition. According to her, she wrote the story completely by chance while she was waiting in a queue at a shop. She's going to take her grandchildren to the seaside with the money." Elena laughed: "You supposedly don't believe in competitions, but you're clearly dreaming already!" "So shall we write a story too?" Dimitar asked with a smile.
Examples
Казват, че новият шеф бил много строг.
They say the new boss is very strict.
Според прогнозата утре щяло да е много горещо.
According to the forecast, it's going to be very hot tomorrow.
Уж бил болен, а вчера го видях на мача.
He's supposedly ill, but I saw him at the match yesterday.
По думите на свидетелите пожарът започнал рано сутринта.
According to witnesses, the fire started early in the morning.
За щастие, при произшествието никой не пострадал.
Luckily, nobody was hurt in the incident.
Концертът в събота бил отменен заради лошото време.
Saturday's concert has apparently been cancelled because of the bad weather.
Изглежда, че влаковете днес закъсняват.
It looks like the trains are running late today.
Явно никой не знае какво се е случило.
Apparently nobody knows what happened.
Не мога да повярвам! Съседите ни се местели в Канада.
I can't believe it! Our neighbours are moving to Canada, apparently.
Мария вече имала две деца и живеела във Варна.
Maria apparently has two kids now and lives in Varna.