Capital and Small Letters

Level 4Sounds Like golema i mala bukva

Capitals go on names: Ана, Охрид, Македонец. Small letters go on days, months and adjectives: понеделник, јануари, македонски.

How It Works

Capital letter:

  • the first word of a sentence
  • names of people: Марија, Петровски
  • names of places: Скопје, Охрид, Македонија, Вардар
  • people from a country or region: Македонец, Македонка, Македонци, Англичанец, Европеец
  • Вие, Ве, Ваш when you write politely to one person; see formal letters

Small letter:

  • days: понеделник, среда, недела
  • months: јануари, мај, октомври
  • seasons: пролет, лето, есен, зима
  • adjectives, including those made from names of countries and towns: македонски, англиски, скопски, охридски
  • people from a town or village: скопјанец, штипјанка
  • titles in front of a name: господин Петровски, професор Илиевска
  • other pronouns: јас, ти, вие. Unlike English "I", јас is small inside a sentence.

Language or person? Македонски is an adjective ("Macedonian"), so it stays small even when it names the language: Зборувам македонски. The person is a noun and takes a capital: Тој е Македонец. See nationalities and speaking a language.

Examples (6)

  1. Тој е Македонец, а жена му е Англичанка.

    He is Macedonian, and his wife is English.

    Word by Word: He is Macedonian-man, and wife to-him is English-woman.

  2. Зборувам македонски и англиски.

    I speak Macedonian and English.

    Word by Word: I-speak Macedonian and English.

  3. Во јануари одиме во Охрид.

    In January we're going to Ohrid.

    Word by Word: In January we-go in Ohrid.

    The month is small, the town is capital.

  4. Се гледаме во понеделник.

    See you on Monday.

    Word by Word: Self we-see in Monday.

  5. Сакам македонско вино.

    I like Macedonian wine.

    Word by Word: I-like Macedonian wine.

  6. Мислам дека и јас ќе дојдам.

    I think I'll come too.

    Word by Word: I-think that also I will I-come.

    Јас is written with a small letter inside a sentence.

Common Mistakes

  • Writing a language adjective with a capital.

    Зборувам Македонски.
    Зборувам македонски.

    Македонски is an adjective, and adjectives start with a small letter.

  • Writing a day of the week with a capital.

    Се гледаме во Понеделник.
    Се гледаме во понеделник.

    Days, months and seasons are written with a small letter.

  • Writing a nationality noun with a small letter.

    Тој е македонец.
    Тој е Македонец.

    Nouns for people from a country start with a capital letter.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

Capital and Small LettersLevel 4

Learn This First

Capital letters follow nationalities and months.