Verbs Listed in the First Person

Level 1Sounds Like rečnikova forma v pʺrvo lice

In a dictionary, чета = to read. It literally means I read. To find четеш or чете, look up чета.

How It Works

What you see in a dictionary.

  • чета — read (literally: I read)
  • говоря — speak
  • пиша — write
  • чакам — wait
  • съм — be

Finding the entry. Change the form you meet back to the I form: четеш → чета, говорят → говоря, чакаме → чакам.

Verb pairs. Many verbs come in pairs for aspect, and dictionaries list both I forms: купувам / купя (buy). See aspect.

Instead of to + verb. Use да with a present form that has its own person ending: Искам да чета. (I want to read.) Тя иска да чете. (She wants to read.) Можем да говорим. (We can talk.) Both verbs change for the person. See искам да and мога да.

In translation. When you translate a dictionary entry into English, use the English to-form: пиша = to write.

Examples (5)

  1. Чета книга.

    I am reading a book.

    Word by Word: (I)-read book.

    Чета is also the dictionary form for to read.

  2. Искам да чета.

    I want to read.

    Word by Word: (I)-want that (I)-read.

    English to read becomes да чета.

  3. Тя иска да говори с теб.

    She wants to talk to you.

    Word by Word: She wants that (she)-talks with you.

    Говори matches тя. The dictionary entry is говоря.

  4. Можеш ли да чакаш?

    Can you wait?

    Word by Word: (You)-can question-particle that (you)-wait?

    Чакаш matches ти. The dictionary entry is чакам.

  5. Обичам да пиша писма.

    I like to write letters.

    Word by Word: (I)-love that (I)-write letters.

Common Mistakes

  • Putting two verbs together without да.

    Искам чета.
    Искам да чета.

    Bulgarian has no to-form, so the second verb needs да in front of it.

  • Keeping the dictionary form for every person (intended: She wants to read).

    Тя иска да чета.
    Тя иска да чете.

    After да the verb matches its own subject. Тя иска да чета means She wants me to read.

  • Using the I form with another subject.

    Той чета.
    Той чете.

    Чета means I read. For he or she, use the ending -е: чете.

How It Connects

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Verbs Listed in the First PersonLevel 1

Words in This Pattern