май

Apparently with Май

Level 4Sounds Like maj

Put май before the verb to turn a statement into a guess: Май ще вали. (It looks like rain.) Май си прав. (I think you are right.)

How It Works

1. What май does. Май turns a statement into a cautious guess. English uses "it seems", "I think", "apparently" or "probably":

  • Той е болен. (He is ill.) → Той май е болен. (He seems to be ill.)
  • Забравих ключовете. (I forgot the keys.) → Май забравих ключовете. (I think I forgot the keys.)

2. Where it goes. Май usually stands at the start of the sentence or right after the subject, before the verb and all the short words that go with it:

  • Май ще вали. (It looks like rain.) Май goes before the future group; short pronouns or се can still stand between ще and its verb.
  • Ти май не ме разбра. (I don't think you understood me.)
  • Май се загубихме. (I think we are lost.)

3. Register. Май belongs to relaxed speech and friendly messages. In careful writing, use вероятно or може би or струва ми се instead. You will also hear май че with the same meaning.

4. Май the month. The same word is also the noun май (May). Months are written with a small letter in Bulgarian: през май (in May). Context always shows which one is meant: Май ще дойда през май. (I think I will come in May.)

Compare: уж casts doubt on what someone else claims, while май gives your own cautious impression.

Examples (6)

  1. Май ще вали.

    It looks like rain.

    Май comes before the future group. Short pronouns or се may still intervene between ще and the verb.

  2. Май си прав.

    I think you are right.

  3. Ти май не ме разбра.

    I don't think you understood me.

  4. Май е време да тръгваме.

    I think it's time to go.

  5. Май забравих ключовете вкъщи.

    I think I left the keys at home.

  6. Тя май е болна днес.

    She seems to be ill today.

Common Mistakes

  • Putting май between ще and the verb.

    Ще май вали.
    Май ще вали.

    Ще must stand right before its verb, with only short pronouns or се between them. Put май in front of ще.

  • Writing the month май with a capital letter.

    Май ще дойда през Май.
    Май ще дойда през май.

    Month names are written with a small letter in Bulgarian. Only the first word of the sentence is capitalized here.

How It Connects

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

майLevel 4Apparently with Май

Learn This First

Май follows other probability words.

Words in This Pattern

май