казвам се
Saying Your Name
Казвам се Мария. means "My name is Maria", literally "I call myself Maria". To ask, say Как се казваш? (What is your name?)
How It Works
Forms:
аз се казвам – my name is
ти се казваш – your name is
той/тя се казва – his or her name is
ние се казваме, вие се казвате, те се казват
Where се goes: Се is a short word that leans on the verb and never opens a sentence.
At the start: Казвам се Иван.
After a subject: Аз се казвам Иван. Тя се казва Ана.
After a question word: Как се казваш?
After не: Не се казвам Иван.
More about this in място на кратките местоимения.
Asking politely: Use Как се казвате? with a stranger or with a group (see ти и Вие).
Things have names too: Кучето се казва Рекс. (The dog is called Rex.) Как се казва това на български? (What is this called in Bulgarian?)
Other ways: You can also say Аз съм Мария. (I'm Maria.) Without се, казвам means "I say" or "I tell": Казвам истината. (I'm telling the truth.) Other verbs with се are in възвратни глаголи със се.
Examples (6)
- Казвам се Мария.
My name is Maria.
Word by Word: I-call myself Maria.
- Как се казваш?
What's your name?
Word by Word: How yourself you-call?
- Как се казвате?
What's your name?
Word by Word: How yourselves you-call?
The polite form, used with a stranger or with a group.
- Той се казва Георги.
His name is Georgi.
Word by Word: He himself calls Georgi.
- Кучето се казва Рекс.
The dog is called Rex.
Word by Word: Dog-the itself calls Rex.
- Как се казва това на български?
What is this called in Bulgarian?
Word by Word: How itself calls this in Bulgarian?
Common Mistakes
Starting the sentence with се.
Се казвам Иван.Казвам се Иван.Се can never be the first word of a sentence. When nothing comes before the verb, се goes right after it.
Keeping се after the verb in a question.
Как казваш се?Как се казваш?After a question word, се moves in front of the verb.
Leaving out се.
Казвам Иван.Казвам се Иван.Without се, казвам means "I say", so Казвам Иван sounds like "I say Ivan".
How It Connects
Learn This First
Saying your name needs the а-verb present endings.
Related Patterns
- какAsking How
Bulgarian asks for a name with как, not какво.
Level 1 - Reflexive Verbs With се
Казвам се is one of many verbs that come with се.
Level 2 - ти / ВиеFamiliar Ти and Polite Вие
Explains when to ask Как се казваш? and when to ask Как се казвате?
Level 1 - Placement of Short Pronouns
Gives the full rules for where се and other short words go.
Level 2 - здравей/здравейтеSaying Hello
Greetings usually come just before you give your name.
Level 1
Words in This Pattern
Practice казвам се in Bubblegum
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