на + Place

Place and Direction with На

Level 1Sounds Like na za mâsto i posoka

На means on, at or to: на масата (on the table), на работа (at work or to work).

How It Works

Bulgarian has two main prepositions for places: в (in, into) and на (on, at, to). Nouns do not change after either one.

1. On a surface. на масата (on the table), на пода (on the floor), на стената (on the wall).

2. At or to activities and events. на работа (at/to work), на училище (at/to school), на концерт (at/to a concert), на кино (at/to the cinema), на гости (visiting someone).

3. Open places and some buildings. на гарата (at the station), на летището (at the airport), на пазара (at the market), на улицата (in the street), на плажа (on the beach).

4. Holiday places. на море (at/to the seaside), на планина (in/to the mountains), на село (in/to the village, the countryside).

One word for at and to. На does not change between being somewhere and going there: Децата са на училище. (The children are at school.) Децата отиват на училище. (The children are going to school.) To ask about either, use къде.

With or without the article. Many set phrases have no article: на работа, на море. A specific object or place usually has it: на масата, на гарата.

на or в? Cities and countries take в: в София, в България. So does the inside of a room or building: в стаята. Compare на училище (attending school) with в училището (inside the school building). На also marks indirect objects and possession, which are separate uses: see на for indirect objects.

Examples (6)

  1. Книгата е на масата.

    The book is on the table.

    Word by Word: Book-the is on table-the.

  2. Отивам на работа.

    I am going to work.

    Word by Word: I-go on work.

  3. Децата са на училище.

    The children are at school.

    Word by Word: Children-the are on school.

  4. През лятото ходим на море.

    In the summer we go to the seaside.

    Word by Word: During summer-the we-go on sea.

  5. Чакам те на гарата.

    I am waiting for you at the station.

    Word by Word: I-wait you on station-the.

  6. Довечера сме на концерт.

    Tonight we are at a concert.

    Word by Word: Tonight we-are on concert.

Common Mistakes

  • Using в with work and other activities.

    Отивам в работа.
    Отивам на работа.

    Work, school, concerts and similar activities take на: на работа, на училище, на концерт.

  • Using в to say that something is lying on the table.

    Телефонът е в масата.
    Телефонът е на масата.

    В масата would mean inside the table. For something lying on top of it, use на.

  • Using на with a city or country.

    Живея на София.
    Живея в София.

    Cities and countries take в: в София, в България.

How It Connects

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

на + PlaceLevel 1Place and Direction with На

Learn This First

На for place and direction follows в/във.

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Words in This Pattern