ѓ / ќ

The Letters Ѓ and Ќ

Level 1

Ѓ is a soft g (Ѓорѓи, George) and Ќ is a soft k (куќа, house; ќе, will).

How It Works

Ќ, the soft k: ќе (will), куќа (house), ноќ (night), среќа (luck, happiness), ќерка (daughter).

Ѓ, the soft g: Ѓорѓи (George), ѓубре (trash), меѓу (between), туѓ (someone else's).

Speakers vary: the standard sounds are made with the tongue flat against the hard palate. Many speakers, especially in the north, say them closer to a soft ch and a soft j. Both are understood everywhere.

Why it matters: ќе is the word for talking about the future, so you will write ќ every day. See the future with ќе. And кука is a different word from куќа.

At the end of a word, ѓ sounds like ќ, so туѓ ends with a ќ sound, but it is still written ѓ. See final devoicing.

Examples (6)

  1. Ќе дојдам утре.

    I'll come tomorrow.

    Word by Word: Will I-come tomorrow.

    Ќе marks the future.

  2. Нашата куќа е мала.

    Our house is small.

    Куќа has ќ in the middle.

  3. Ѓорѓи живее во Скопје.

    George lives in Skopje.

    Ѓорѓи has two soft g sounds.

  4. Фрли го ѓубрето, те молам.

    Take out the trash, please.

    Word by Word: Throw it the-trash, you I-beg.

    Ѓубре starts with the soft g.

  5. Добра ноќ!

    Good night!

    Ноќ ends with the soft k.

  6. Среќен роденден!

    Happy birthday!

    Среќен (happy) comes from среќа, with ќ.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the Serbian letters ћ and ђ.

    Ова е мојата кућа.
    Ова е мојата куќа.

    Macedonian writes these sounds with ќ and ѓ. Ћ and ђ are Serbian letters and are not part of the Macedonian alphabet.

  • Writing ке for the future word ќе.

    Ке дојдам утре.
    Ќе дојдам утре.

    The future word is ќе. Ке is not the standard spelling, even though people sometimes type ke when they chat in Latin letters.

How It Connects

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

ѓ / ќLevel 1The Letters Ѓ and Ќ

Learn This First

The soft letters are learned once the whole alphabet is familiar.