йо / ьо

Writing Йо and Ьо

Level 1Sounds Like jo i ʹo

Bulgarian has no single letter for the sound "yo". It is written йо or ьо, depending on the letter before it.

How It Works

Rule 1 – йо: at the start of a word or after a vowel.
йога (yoga), йод (iodine), район (district), майонеза (mayonnaise)

Rule 2 – ьо: after a consonant.
шофьор (driver), актьор (actor), фризьор (hairdresser), синьо (blue, neuter), Петьо (a man's name)

The letter ь: Its name is ер малък. It has no sound of its own. It only shows that the consonant before it is soft, and in modern Bulgarian it is written only before о. So, unlike in Russian, it never ends a word: Bulgarian writes учител (teacher).

Other soft sounds: Before the sounds a and u, softness is already built into the letters я и ю: дядо (grandfather), ключ (key). Only "yo" needs two letters.

Where you will meet ьо: in borrowed words for jobs (шофьор, актьор, режисьор), in short forms of names (Петьо, Васьо) and in the neuter of soft adjectives (see меки прилагателни: син/синя/синьо).

Examples (6)

  1. Тя прави йога всяка сутрин.

    She does yoga every morning.

    Word by Word: She does yoga every morning.

    Йо at the start of a word.

  2. Живеем в тих район.

    We live in a quiet district.

    Word by Word: We-live in quiet district.

    Йо after the vowel а.

  3. Шофьорът кара бавно.

    The driver drives slowly.

    Word by Word: Driver-the drives slowly.

    Ьо after the consonant ф.

  4. Небето е синьо.

    The sky is blue.

    Word by Word: Sky-the is blue.

    Ьо after the consonant н.

  5. Петьо е актьор.

    Petyo is an actor.

    Word by Word: Petyo is actor.

  6. Отивам на фризьор.

    I'm going to the hairdresser's.

    Word by Word: I-go to hairdresser.

Common Mistakes

  • Writing йо after a consonant.

    шофйор
    шофьор

    After a consonant, the sound yo is written ьо.

  • Writing ьо after a vowel.

    раьон
    район

    After a vowel, and at the start of a word, write йо. The letter ь never follows a vowel.

  • Ending a word with ь, as in Russian.

    учитель
    учител

    In Bulgarian, ь is written only before о, so it never ends a word.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

йо / ьоLevel 1Writing Йо and Ьо

Learn This First

Writing йо and ьо builds on the letters я and ю.