Adjectives Used as Nouns
Leave out the noun and let the adjective carry the article: бедните (the poor), болният (the patient), новото (what is new). Важното е, че си здрав. (The important thing is that you are well.)
How It Works
1. People. A plural adjective with -те names a group: бедните (the poor), богатите (the rich), младите (young people), възрастните (older people, also adults). A singular form names one person, and its gender shows whether it is a man or a woman: болният (the male patient), болната (the female patient).
Without the article, such an adjective can still mean a person after words like един or всеки: Един непознат ме попита за пътя. (A stranger asked me the way.)
2. Ideas and things. The neuter singular names an idea or a quality in general: Новото винаги плаши. (The new is always frightening.) Доброто побеждава злото. (Good defeats evil.) It often means the ... thing or what is ...: Важното е да опиташ. (The important thing is to try.) Най-трудното мина. (The hardest part is over.)
3. The article. Masculine forms follow the full and short article rule: Болният спи (the subject) but Лекарят прегледа болния (the object). Feminine takes -ата, neuter -ото and plural -ите.
4. Adjectives that became nouns. Some are now ordinary nouns and appear without the article as well: учен (scientist), дежурен (person on duty), дневна (living room, from дневна стая). Той е учен. (He is a scientist.)
Examples (6)
- Бедните и богатите живеят в различни квартали.
The poor and the rich live in different neighbourhoods.
Plural adjectives with the article name groups of people.
- Новото винаги плаши.
The new is always frightening.
The neuter новото names an idea.
- Важното е, че всички са живи и здрави.
The important thing is that everyone is safe and well.
Важното means the important thing.
- Болната се чувства по-добре днес.
The patient feels better today.
The feminine form shows that the patient is a woman.
- Младите заминават за големите градове.
Young people are leaving for the big cities.
Младите means young people in general.
- Най-хубавото тепърва предстои.
The best is yet to come.
A superlative can stand as a noun too.
Common Mistakes
Using the masculine for an idea.
Важният е, че си тук.Важното е, че си тук.An idea or a thing in general takes the neuter: важното, the important thing.
Leaving out the article when talking about a group in general.
Бедни трябва да получават помощ.Бедните трябва да получават помощ.Without a noun, the adjective needs the article to mean the poor as a group.
Using the full article on an object.
Лекарят прегледа болният.Лекарят прегледа болния.Болния is the object here, so in writing it takes the short article -я, like any masculine noun.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Adjectives used as nouns need articles on adjectives.
Related Patterns
- Adjective Agreement
Gender and number show whether the adjective means a man, a woman, a group or an idea.
Level 1 - The Article in General Statements
The article here often refers to a whole group, as in бедните.
Level 5 - най- + Adjective or AdverbSuperlatives with Най-
Най-хубавото and най-важното often stand as nouns.
Level 2 - Abstract Nouns in -ост and -ство
Another way to name a quality: новост (novelty) beside новото (what is new).
Level 4
Practice Adjectives Used as Nouns in Bubblegum
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