син/синя/синьо

Soft Adjectives Like Син

Level 3Sounds Like meki prilagatelni: sin/sinâ/sinʹo

Most adjectives go нов, нова, ново, but син goes син, синя, синьо, сини.

How It Works

1. The forms. Compare син with an ordinary adjective such as нов (new):

  • masculine: син, синият/синия (compare нов, новият/новия)
  • feminine: синя, синята (compare нова, новата)
  • neuter: синьо, синьото (compare ново, новото)
  • plural: сини, сините (compare нови, новите)

2. Spelling. The soft н before о is written нь: синьо. See writing йо and ьо.

3. The articles. The article is added as for any adjective: articles on adjectives. The masculine has a full form for the subject or a definite complement after съм, and a short form for objects and after prepositions: Синият автобус спира тук. but Качих се на синия автобус. See full versus short article.

4. Do not mix it up with 'son'. The noun син means 'son', and сина is 'the son': Видях сина ѝ. (I saw her son.) The feminine adjective 'blue' is always синя.

5. As a noun. The neuter with the article names the colour: Синьото ти отива. (Blue suits you.) See adjectives used as nouns.

Examples (6)

  1. Тя носи синя рокля.

    She is wearing a blue dress.

  2. Днес небето е синьо.

    The sky is blue today.

    Небе is neuter, so the adjective is синьо.

  3. Детето има сини очи.

    The child has blue eyes.

  4. Синият автобус спира тук.

    The blue bus stops here.

    The subject takes the full article синият.

  5. Ще взема синята риза.

    I'll take the blue shirt.

  6. Синьото много ти отива.

    Blue really suits you.

    With the article, синьото works as a noun, 'the colour blue'.

Common Mistakes

  • Giving син the hard feminine ending -а.

    Купих си сина риза.
    Купих си синя риза.

    The feminine of син is синя. Сина is a form of the noun син, 'son'.

  • Giving син the hard neuter ending -о.

    Морето е сино.
    Морето е синьо.

    The neuter of син ends in -ьо: синьо.

  • Using the short article on the subject.

    Синия автобус спира тук.
    Синият автобус спира тук.

    A subject or definite complement after съм takes the full masculine article, синият. Use short синия for an object or after a preposition.

How It Connects

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син/синя/синьоLevel 3Soft Adjectives Like Син

Learn This First

Soft adjectives need agreement and articles on adjectives.

Words in This Pattern

син