откакто

Since a Point in Time

Level 4Sounds Like otkakto

Откакто means "since" in time: Откакто се премести, не сме се виждали. (Since he moved, we haven't seen each other.)

How It Works

1. The starting point. The откакто clause says when something began:

  • Откакто живея в София, карам колело. (Since I have lived in Sofia, I have been cycling.)
  • Откакто спря да пуши, се чувства по-добре. (Since he quit smoking, he has felt better.)

2. Tense in the main clause. Bulgarian often uses the present where English says "have been": Откакто живея тук, карам колело. To say that something has or has not happened since then, use the perfect: Откакто се премести, не сме се виждали. (Since he moved, we haven't seen each other.) In a past story, the past works too: Откакто се ожени, той беше друг човек. (Since his wedding, he had been a different person.)

3. Откакто or от? Откакто needs a whole clause with a verb. Before a noun or a length of time, use от:

  • Откакто започнах работа ... (Since I started work ...)
  • От понеделник ... (Since Monday ...) От три години живея тук. (I have lived here for three years.)

4. Counting the time. To say how long ago something started, put the time first: Мина една година, откакто започнах да уча български. (A year has passed since I started learning Bulgarian.)

5. "Since" meaning "because". English "since" can also mean "because". Bulgarian откакто is only about time; for a reason, use понеже or тъй като.

Set phrase: откакто се помня (for as long as I can remember). Punctuation: separate the откакто clause with a comma.

Examples (5)

  1. Откакто се премести, не сме се виждали.

    We haven't seen each other since he moved.

    The perfect не сме се виждали describes the time since then.

  2. Откакто живея в София, карам колело.

    Since I have lived in Sofia, I have been cycling.

    The present tense covers a state that still holds.

  3. Откакто спря да пуши, се чувства много по-добре.

    Since he quit smoking, he has felt much better.

  4. Мина една година, откакто започнах да уча български.

    A year has passed since I started learning Bulgarian.

  5. Откакто се помня, обичам да рисувам.

    For as long as I can remember, I have loved drawing.

Common Mistakes

  • Using от before a clause.

    От се премести, не сме се виждали.
    Откакто се премести, не сме се виждали.

    От is a preposition and needs a noun. A clause with a verb needs откакто.

  • Using откакто before a length of time.

    Откакто три години живея тук.
    От три години живея тук.

    Before a noun or a length of time, use от. Откакто always introduces a clause with a verb.

  • Using откакто to give a reason.

    Откакто вали, ще си стоим вкъщи.
    Понеже вали, ще си стоим вкъщи.

    With the intended meaning "Since it is raining, we will stay at home", "since" means "because". Откакто is only about time, so use понеже or тъй като.

How It Connects

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

откактоLevel 4Since a Point in Time

Learn This First

Since combines time clauses and the perfect.

Words in This Pattern

откакто