Bulgarian

Bulgarian refers to the language spoken in Bulgaria as well as to the people and culture of the country. It is the official language of Bulgaria and is used in education, government, media, and daily life. The term can also describe things related to Bulgaria or its inhabitants.

Bulgarian is an Eastern South Slavic language within the Balkan Sprachbund. It is distinguished by features such as a postposed definite article, where definiteness is expressed by a suffix attached to the noun, and a relatively reduced noun case system compared with many other Slavic languages. The verbal system includes a range of tenses and moods and varies across dialects, with a long-standing tradition of aspect and aspectual prefixes.

Geographic distribution and dialects: Bulgarian is spoken primarily in Bulgaria, where most people are native speakers. There are minority communities in neighboring countries and a global diaspora. A standardized form, based largely on Central Bulgarian dialects, is used in education and media. Numerous regional dialects exist, some of which show close relations to Macedonian.

Historical background and writing: Bulgarian descends from Old Church Slavonic and emerged as a distinct literary language in medieval times. It has been written in the Cyrillic script since its early development, and the Bulgarian Cyrillic alphabet consists of 30 letters. The modern standard language was shaped through ongoing standardization efforts in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Cultural and linguistic ties: Bulgarian is closely related to Macedonian and shares features with other South Slavic languages. It plays a central role in Bulgarian literature, folklore, music, and national identity.