Learning to express agreement and disagreement in Bulgarian is a crucial skill for anyone trying to master the language. Not only does it help you engage in more meaningful conversations, but it also allows you to understand the subtleties of Bulgarian culture and communication. In this article, we will delve into various expressions used to agree or disagree in Bulgarian. We’ll cover both formal and informal contexts, providing you with a comprehensive toolkit for effective communication.
Basic Expressions of Agreement
When you want to express agreement in Bulgarian, there are several words and phrases you can use depending on the formality of the situation.
Да (Da) – Yes
The most straightforward way to agree with someone is by saying да (yes). This is a simple, universally understood word that can be used in almost any context.
Example:
– A: “Искаш ли кафе?” (Iskash li kafe?) – “Do you want coffee?”
– B: “Да.” (Da.) – “Yes.”
Разбира се (Razbira se) – Of course
When you want to show enthusiastic agreement, you can say разбира се. This phrase translates to “of course” and shows a higher level of commitment to the statement.
Example:
– A: “Ще дойдеш ли на партито?” (Shte doydesh li na partito?) – “Will you come to the party?”
– B: “Разбира се!” (Razbira se!) – “Of course!”
Точно така (Tochno taka) – Exactly
When you want to emphasize that you agree with someone completely, you can use точно така, which means “exactly.”
Example:
– A: “Трябва да бъдем по-внимателни.” (Tryabva da budem po-vnimatelni.) – “We need to be more careful.”
– B: “Точно така.” (Tochno taka.) – “Exactly.”
Informal Expressions of Agreement
When you’re among friends or in a casual setting, you might want to use more informal phrases to agree with someone.
Абсолютно (Absolyutno) – Absolutely
To show strong agreement in an informal context, you can use абсолютно, which means “absolutely.”
Example:
– A: “Този филм е страхотен!” (Tozi film e strahoten!) – “This movie is amazing!”
– B: “Абсолютно!” (Absolyutno!) – “Absolutely!”
Точно (Tochno) – Precisely
A shorter version of “точно така,” точно can be used to agree informally.
Example:
– A: “Ще отидем на плажа утре.” (Shte otidem na plazha utre.) – “We will go to the beach tomorrow.”
– B: “Точно.” (Tochno.) – “Precisely.”
Напълно съгласен (Napulno suglasen) – Totally agree
If you want to express that you totally agree with someone in an informal manner, you can say напълно съгласен (for males) or напълно съгласна (for females).
Example:
– A: “Тази песен е толкова добра!” (Tazi pesen e tolkova dobra!) – “This song is so good!”
– B: “Напълно съгласен!” (Napulno suglasen!) – “Totally agree!”
Basic Expressions of Disagreement
Just as important as agreeing is knowing how to disagree. Here are some fundamental ways to express disagreement in Bulgarian.
Не (Ne) – No
The simplest way to disagree is by saying не, which means “no.”
Example:
– A: “Ще отидеш ли на концерта?” (Shte otidesh li na kontserta?) – “Will you go to the concert?”
– B: “Не.” (Ne.) – “No.”
Не мисля така (Ne mislya taka) – I don’t think so
To express a mild disagreement, you can use не мисля така, meaning “I don’t think so.”
Example:
– A: “Това е най-добрият ресторант в града.” (Tova e nay-dobriyat restoran v grada.) – “This is the best restaurant in town.”
– B: “Не мисля така.” (Ne mislya taka.) – “I don’t think so.”
Не съм съгласен (Ne sum suglasen) – I disagree
For a more direct way of disagreeing, you can say не съм съгласен (for males) or не съм съгласна (for females), meaning “I disagree.”
Example:
– A: “Трябва да направим това.” (Tryabva da napravim tova.) – “We should do this.”
– B: “Не съм съгласен.” (Ne sum suglasen.) – “I disagree.”
Informal Expressions of Disagreement
In informal settings, you might want to use more relaxed or colloquial phrases to express your disagreement.
Няма начин (Nyama nachin) – No way
A strong, informal way to express disagreement is by saying няма начин, which translates to “no way.”
Example:
– A: “Мисля, че мога да спечеля това състезание.” (Mislya, che moga da spechelya tova sustezanie.) – “I think I can win this competition.”
– B: “Няма начин.” (Nyama nachin.) – “No way.”
Абсурд (Absurd) – Absurd
When you strongly disagree and think something is ridiculous, you can use абсурд, meaning “absurd.”
Example:
– A: “Той каза, че ще работи 24 часа без почивка.” (Toy kaza, che shte raboti 24 chasa bez pochivka.) – “He said he will work 24 hours without a break.”
– B: “Абсурд.” (Absurd.) – “Absurd.”
Шегуваш се (Sheguvash se) – You must be joking
A more playful way to express disagreement informally is by saying шегуваш се, which means “you must be joking.”
Example:
– A: “Ще се преместя в Антарктида.” (Shte se premestya v Antarktida.) – “I will move to Antarctica.”
– B: “Шегуваш се.” (Sheguvash se.) – “You must be joking.”
Polite Disagreement
In situations where you need to be more tactful, there are polite ways to express disagreement in Bulgarian.
Не съм сигурен (Ne sum siguren) – I’m not sure
To softly disagree without causing offense, you can say не съм сигурен (for males) or не съм сигурна (for females), which means “I’m not sure.”
Example:
– A: “Трябва да направим това веднага.” (Tryabva da napravim tova vednaga.) – “We should do this immediately.”
– B: “Не съм сигурен.” (Ne sum siguren.) – “I’m not sure.”
Може би, но… (Mozhe bi, no…) – Maybe, but…
Another polite way to disagree is by using може би, но…, which translates to “maybe, but…”
Example:
– A: “Трябва да променим плана.” (Tryabva da promenim plana.) – “We need to change the plan.”
– B: “Може би, но нека го обсъдим първо.” (Mozhe bi, no neka go obsudim purvo.) – “Maybe, but let’s discuss it first.”
Не съм напълно съгласен (Ne sum napulno suglasen) – I don’t fully agree
To indicate partial disagreement, you can say не съм напълно съгласен (for males) or не съм напълно съгласна (for females), meaning “I don’t fully agree.”
Example:
– A: “Това е най-добрият начин да го направим.” (Tova e nay-dobriyat nachin da go napravim.) – “This is the best way to do it.”
– B: “Не съм напълно съгласен.” (Ne sum napulno suglasen.) – “I don’t fully agree.”
Expressions of Partial Agreement
Sometimes, you might agree with certain aspects of a statement but not entirely. Here are some phrases to express partial agreement.
Да, но… (Da, no…) – Yes, but…
To show that you agree to an extent but have reservations, you can use да, но…, which means “yes, but…”
Example:
– A: “Трябва да тренираме всеки ден.” (Tryabva da trenirame vseki den.) – “We should train every day.”
– B: “Да, но трябва и да почиваме.” (Da, no tryabva i da pochivame.) – “Yes, but we also need to rest.”
Вярно е, но… (Vyano e, no…) – It’s true, but…
Another way to express partial agreement is by saying вярно е, но…, which translates to “it’s true, but…”
Example:
– A: “Заслужава си да опитаме.” (Zasluzhava si da opitame.) – “It’s worth trying.”
– B: “Вярно е, но трябва да сме подготвени за рисковете.” (Vyano e, no tryabva da sme podgotveni za riskovete.) – “It’s true, but we need to be prepared for the risks.”
Съгласен съм до известна степен (Suglasen sum do izvestna stepen) – I agree to some extent
To show that you partially agree, you can say съгласен съм до известна степен (for males) or съгласна съм до известна степен (for females), meaning “I agree to some extent.”
Example:
– A: “Този метод е ефективен.” (Tozi metod e efektiven.) – “This method is effective.”
– B: “Съгласен съм до известна степен.” (Suglasen sum do izvestna stepen.) – “I agree to some extent.”
Expressions of Strong Agreement
Sometimes, you may want to express strong agreement to emphasize your point of view.
Напълно съгласен (Napulno suglasen) – Completely agree
For strong agreement, you can use напълно съгласен (for males) or напълно съгласна (for females), meaning “completely agree.”
Example:
– A: “Трябва да се подготвим добре.” (Tryabva da se podgotvim dobre.) – “We need to prepare well.”
– B: “Напълно съгласен.” (Napulno suglasen.) – “Completely agree.”
Без съмнение (Bez sumnenie) – Without a doubt
To express that you have no doubt in your agreement, you can say без съмнение, which translates to “without a doubt.”
Example:
– A: “Това е най-доброто решение.” (Tova e nay-dobroto reshenie.) – “This is the best decision.”
– B: “Без съмнение.” (Bez sumnenie.) – “Without a doubt.”
Абсолютно вярно (Absolyutno vyarno) – Absolutely true
Another way to show strong agreement is by saying абсолютно вярно, meaning “absolutely true.”
Example:
– A: “Трябва да бъдем отговорни.” (Tryabva da budem otgovorni.) – “We need to be responsible.”
– B: “Абсолютно вярно.” (Absolyutno vyarno.) – “Absolutely true.”
Expressions of Strong Disagreement
In some cases, you might want to express strong disagreement. Here are some phrases to do so.
Категорично не (Kategorično ne) – Categorically no
To strongly disagree, you can use категорично не, meaning “categorically no.”
Example:
– A: “Ще приемем ли това условие?” (Shte priemem li tova uslovie?) – “Will we accept this condition?”
– B: “Категорично не.” (Kategorično ne.) – “Categorically no.”
Изключено (Izklučeno) – Out of the question
Another way to strongly disagree is by saying изключено, which translates to “out of the question.”
Example:
– A: “Може ли да направим компромис?” (Može li da napravim kompromis?) – “Can we make a compromise?”
– B: “Изключено.” (Izklučeno.) – “Out of the question.”
Абсолютно не (Absolyutno ne) – Absolutely not
To express strong disagreement, you can use абсолютно не, meaning “absolutely not.”
Example:
– A: “Ще променим ли плана?” (Shte promenim li plana?) – “Will we change the plan?”
– B: “Абсолютно не.” (Absolyutno ne.) – “Absolutely not.”
Conclusion
Mastering expressions of agreement and disagreement in Bulgarian will significantly enhance your communication skills and help you navigate various social situations more effectively. Whether you’re in a formal setting or chatting with friends, knowing the right phrases to use will make your interactions smoother and more meaningful.
Remember, the key to mastering any language is practice. So, don’t hesitate to use these expressions in your daily conversations. With time and practice, you’ll find yourself becoming more comfortable and confident in expressing your opinions in Bulgarian. Happy learning!
