река / рекох
The Old Verb Река
Река is an older word for "say". You meet it in stories and fixed phrases: Рекох си: стига толкова. (I said to myself: that's enough.)
How It Works
1. The main forms. The present has -ч- except in the first person singular and the third person plural. The aorist has -к- except in the second and third person singular:
- Present: река, речеш, рече, речем, речете, рекат
- Aorist: рекох, рече, рече, рекохме, рекохте, рекоха
- Л-participle: рекъл, рекла, рекло, рекли
- Imperative: речи, речете; passive participle: речен
2. It is perfective. Like кажа, its present form cannot stand alone in a main clause. It appears after да, ще, ако and similar words: Какво ще рече съседът? (What will the neighbour say?) See perfective verbs after да.
3. "Say", "think" and "decide". In storytelling, рече introduces speech: — Ела утре — рече баба. ("Come tomorrow," said Grandma.) Рекох си means "I said to myself, I thought", and рекох да means "I decided to": Рекох да ви видя. (I thought I'd come and see you.)
4. Fixed phrases. Several common phrases keep the old verb:
- така да се рече (so to speak)
- Какво ще рече ...? (What does ... mean?)
- ще рече (that means, so)
- речено-сторено (no sooner said than done)
- гък не рекох (I didn't say a word)
5. Register. Река sounds colloquial, folksy or literary. In neutral speech and writing, use кажа (казах, казал). Do not confuse the verb with the noun река (river): Той рече ... (He said ...) versus Реката е дълбока. (The river is deep.)
Examples (6)
- — Ела утре — рече баба.
"Come tomorrow," said Grandma.
- Рекох си: стига толкова.
I said to myself: that's enough.
- Рекох да ви видя, че отдавна не сме се виждали.
I thought I'd come and see you, since we haven't seen each other for a long time.
Рекох да ... means "I decided to ..." in friendly speech.
- Това е, така да се рече, нашата малка тайна.
This is, so to speak, our little secret.
- Какво ще рече „носталгия“?
What does "nostalgia" mean?
- Речено-сторено: на другия ден тръгнахме.
No sooner said than done: the next day we set off.
Common Mistakes
Using the first-person aorist for he or she.
Той рекох, че ще дойде.Той рече, че ще дойде.Рекох means "I said". The second and third person singular aorist is рече.
Using the perfective present alone in a main clause.
Сега река нещо важно.Сега ще река нещо важно.Река is perfective, so its present needs ще, да or a similar word in front. In neutral style, Сега ще кажа нещо важно is more usual.
How It Connects
Learn This First
The old verb река needs the aorist.
- The -л ParticipleThe Л-Participle
The active л-participle supplies рекъл alongside the aorist рекох.
Level 2 - The Past Passive Participle
The passive participle supplies речен among the irregular forms of река.
Level 3 - The Imperative
The imperative supplies речи and речете.
Level 2 - The Perfective Present
Perfective-present rules explain why река and рече need a dependent clause or future particle.
Level 3
Related Patterns
- Perfective and Imperfective Aspect
Река is a perfective verb, like кажа.
Level 2 - да + Perfective VerbPerfective Verbs After Да
The present of река appears after да and ще, as other perfective presents do.
Level 2 - The Aorist (Simple Past)
Рекох, рече and рекоха are irregular aorist forms.
Level 2 - Fixed Participle Expressions
Речено-сторено is one of the fixed phrases built on an old participle.
Level 5 - Reported Forms in Folk Tales
Folk tales often use рекъл and рекла in reported narration.
Level 4
Words in This Pattern
Practice река / рекох in Bubblegum
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