съм/си/е/сме/сте/са
Present Tense of Съм
Съм means to be. Its present forms are съм, си, е, сме, сте, са: Аз съм лекар (I am a doctor), Те са в София (They are in Sofia).
How It Works
- аз съм (I am)
- ти си (you are, one friend)
- той / тя / то е (he / she / it is)
- ние сме (we are)
- вие сте (you are, several people or polite)
- те са (they are)
Never first. These words are unstressed, so something must come before them. If you leave out the pronoun, put another word first: Лекар съм. Тук сме. Уморена съм. See пропускане на личното местоимение.
Not dropped. Some languages leave out is. In ordinary sentences Bulgarian does not: Той е учител. Къде е гарата?
Negatives and questions. Put не in front. After не, the short form takes the stress, so the pair can open a sentence: Не съм лекар. See не + съм. For a yes-no question, add ли after the word you ask about: Студент ли си? See въпросителна частица ли.
Polite Вие takes сте, like the plural: Вие откъде сте? See ти и Вие.
Other times. The past forms are бях, беше and the future is ще бъда/ще съм.
Examples (6)
- Аз съм лекар.
I am a doctor.
Word by Word: I am doctor.
- Студент съм.
I am a student.
Word by Word: Student I-am.
Without аз, the noun comes first and съм follows it.
- Ти откъде си?
Where are you from?
Word by Word: You from-where are?
- Тя е в офиса.
She is in the office.
Word by Word: She is in office-the.
The third-person е is never left out.
- Ние сме приятели.
We are friends.
Word by Word: We are friends.
- Те са от Пловдив.
They are from Plovdiv.
Word by Word: They are from Plovdiv.
Common Mistakes
Starting a sentence with съм.
Съм студент.Студент съм.Съм is unstressed and cannot come first. Put the noun first, or say Аз съм студент.
Leaving out е, as some languages do.
Той учител.Той е учител.Bulgarian needs the verb here. The third-person singular form is е.
How It Connects
Related Patterns
- не + съмNegating Съм
How to say I am not: Не съм лекар.
Level 1 - лиYes-No Questions with Ли
Questions with съм use ли: Студент ли си?
Level 1 - Leaving Out Subject Pronouns
Without the pronoun, another word must come before съм.
Level 1 - това еIdentifying with Това Е
Това е (this is) uses the third-person form е.
Level 1 - бях/бешеPast Tense of Съм
The past tense of съм.
Level 2 - ще бъда/ще съмThe Future of Съм
The future of съм.
Level 2
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice съм/си/е/сме/сте/са in Bubblegum
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