Doubling Across Registers
In every style you say Ја прочитав книгата (I read the book): a definite object is always doubled. In relaxed speech you may also hear Ја видов една жена што ја знам, doubled even though една жена is indefinite.
How It Works
Always doubled, in every style.
- Definite direct objects: Ја прочитав книгата. (see doubling a definite object)
- To-someone objects with на: Му реков на директорот. (I told the director.)
- An object in a што-clause: жената што ја знам (the woman I know)
In an ordinary sentence, leaving these out is a mistake in any style.
Never doubled. An object without an article or another pointing word is not doubled: Купив нова кола. (I bought a new car.) The question word што is not doubled either: Што сакаш?
Where style decides.
- еден: In relaxed speech, a particular person or thing introduced with еден is sometimes doubled: Ја видов една жена што ја знам. This is not part of the standard norm, and careful writing says Видов една жена што ја знам.
- некој: The same holds for некој: careful style says Видов некого пред вратата.
- секој: An object with секој is usually doubled: Секого го поздрави со насмевка. See doubling with сите and секого.
Кого takes го. The question word кого normally comes with го, just as кому comes with му: Кого го барате? (Who are you looking for?)
Examples (6)
- Ја прочитав книгата.
I read the book.
Word by Word: It I-read book-the.
A definite object is doubled in every style.
- Му реков на директорот.
I told the director.
Word by Word: To-him I-said to director-the.
A to-someone object is always doubled.
- Ја видов една жена што ја знам.
I saw a woman I know.
Word by Word: Her I-saw one woman that her I-know.
Relaxed speech: the first ја doubles една жена. Careful writing leaves it out.
- Видов една жена што ја знам.
I saw a woman I know.
Word by Word: I-saw one woman that her I-know.
Careful style: no doubling with една, but ја inside the што-clause is still needed.
- Секого го поздрави со насмевка.
She greeted everyone with a smile.
Word by Word: Everyone him she-greeted with smile.
- Кого го барате?
Who are you looking for?
Word by Word: Whom him you-seek?
Кого normally takes го, just as кому takes му.
Common Mistakes
Leaving out the doubling of a definite object.
Прочитав книгата.Ја прочитав книгата.A definite direct object is doubled in every style, from a chat to formal writing.
Doubling an object that has no article.
Ја купив нова кола.Купив нова кола.Without an article, нова кола is indefinite, so nothing is doubled. With the article, say Ја купив новата кола.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Doubling across registers follows doubling with сите.
Related Patterns
- Doubling a Definite Object
The basic rule that every style follows.
Level 2 - Putting the Object First
A definite object moved to the front is doubled too.
Level 4 - на + PersonIndirect Objects with На
To-someone objects are always doubled.
Level 2 - Relative штоRelative Clauses with Што
The object pronoun inside a што-clause is needed in every style.
Level 3 - еден / една / едноOne and a
Еден is the word whose doubling depends on style.
Level 1
Practice Doubling Across Registers in Bubblegum
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