Surprise With the L-Form

Surprise at a discovery. You believed or expected one thing, then found out another. The l-form shows that the news is new to you:

• Ти си бил многу висок! You're so tall! (I only see it now.)
• Ова било вкусно! This is delicious! (I just tasted it.)
• Тука имало убава плажа! There's a nice beach here! (I didn't know.)

Compare three sentences.

• Ти си многу висок. You are very tall. (a plain fact)
• Ти беше многу висок. You were very tall. (back then)
• Ти си бил многу висок! You're so tall! (and I had no idea)

Form. With ти and вие, the forms of сум stay: ти си бил, ти си била, вие сте биле. With he, she and it, the l-form stands alone: Ана била твоја сестра! The l-form agrees with the subject: бил for a man, била for a woman, било for it.

Which verbs? In practice it is most common with сум and with имало (there is). Other verbs that describe a state also work: Па ти си знаел македонски! (So you know Macedonian!)

Tone. Small words like па and е often come first: Е, тоа било лесно! (Oh, that's easy!) The same forms can also pass on news (see reported forms) or mock a claim (see doubting a claim). The voice and the situation tell you which one is meant. For surprise at something you did yourself without noticing, see сум бил + л-форма.