и
And, Also and Too with И
И means "and": мама и татко (Mom and Dad). Before a word it can mean "too": И аз! (Me too!).
How It Works
1. "And" between words and sentences
- мама и татко — Mom and Dad
- Купих хляб, сирене и домати. — I bought bread, cheese and tomatoes.
- Аз съм студент и работя. — I am a student and I work.
Do not put a comma before a single и that joins two words. In a list, the commas go between the other items and и joins the last two.
2. "Also, too" before a word
- И аз! — Me too!
- И аз не. — Me neither.
- И Мария ще дойде. — Maria is coming too.
This means the same as също: И аз = Аз също.
И or а?
When you turn to someone else or show a contrast, Bulgarian uses а, not и. Казвам се Ана. А ти? means "I'm Ana. And you?" But И ти? means "You too?"
Spelling
The word "and" is always plain и. The accented ѝ is a different word, the short pronoun "her, to her" (see The Pronoun Ѝ Versus the Word И).
Both … and
Repeated и … и means "both … and", with a comma before the second и: И аз, и ти (both you and I).
Examples (6)
- Мама и татко са вкъщи.
Mom and Dad are at home.
Word by Word: Mom and dad are at-home.
- Аз съм студент и работя.
I am a student and I work.
Word by Word: I am student and I-work.
И joins two statements about the same person.
- — Уморен съм. — И аз.
"I'm tired." "Me too."
Word by Word: — Tired I-am. — And I.
Before a single word, и means "too".
- И Мария ще дойде.
Maria is coming too.
Word by Word: Also Maria will come.
- Купих хляб, сирене и домати.
I bought bread, cheese and tomatoes.
Word by Word: I-bought bread, cheese and tomatoes.
In a list, и joins the last two items, with no comma before it.
- — Не обичам кафе. — И аз не.
"I don't like coffee." "Me neither."
Word by Word: — Not I-love coffee. — And I not.
И аз не agrees with a negative statement.
Common Mistakes
Using и instead of а to turn a question back (a meaning mismatch).
Казвам се Ана. И ти?Казвам се Ана. А ти?И ти? means "You too?". To ask "And you?", use а.
Writing the pronoun ѝ instead of the word и.
Мама ѝ татко са вкъщи.Мама и татко са вкъщи.The accented ѝ means "her, to her". The word "and" is always written и.
Putting a comma before a single и between words.
Купих хляб, и сирене.Купих хляб и сирене.A single и that joins two words has no comma before it.
How It Connects
Related Patterns
- аContrastive А
А is the "and" for contrast and for turning a question back: А ти?
Level 1 - същоAlso with Също
Също means "also, too", like и before a word: Аз също = И аз.
Level 1 - ноContrast with Но
Но means "but" and marks a stronger contrast than а.
Level 1 - илиAlternatives with Или
Или offers a choice, while и adds things together.
Level 1 - ѝ / иThe Pronoun Ѝ Versus the Word И
Do not confuse the word и with the pronoun ѝ.
Level 2 - не само..., но иNot Only ... but Also
Later, и appears in not only ..., but also.
Level 3
Words in This Pattern
Practice и in Bubblegum
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