BUL ISO 639-3
Bulgarian
български език (bălgarski ezik) Autonym
A language of Bulgaria
- ISO 639
- bul
- Autonym
- български език (bălgarski ezik)
- Population
- 6,840,000 in Bulgaria (European Commission 2012). Total users in all countries: 8,280,790.
- Language Status
- 1 (National). Statutory national language (1991, Constitution, Article 3).
- Classification
- Indo-European, Balto-Slavic, Slavic, South, Eastern
- Dialects
- Palityan (Bogomil, Palitiani). Palityan dialect is functionally intelligible with standard Bulgarian. The Pomak dialect spoken in Greece is reportedly similar to Serbian [srp] and Bulgarian; geographical dialect variation toward each.
- Typology
- SVO; prepositions; noun head final; gender (masculine/feminine/neuter); vestiges of dual number; definite article affix; verb affixes mark person, number; tense and aspect; comparatives; 35 consonants, 6 vowels, 2 diphthongs; non-tonal; free stress.
- Language Use
- The Sopa are of Petecheneg origin and speak Bulgarian. Some also use English [eng] (European Commission 2006). Some also use Standard German [deu] (European Commission 2006).
- Language Development
- Fully developed. Bible: 1864–1923.
- Language Resources
- OLAC resources in and about Bulgarian
- Writing
- Braille script [Brai]. Cyrillic script [Cyrl], primary usage. Cyrillic script, Old Church Slavonic variant [Cyrs], 19th century, experimental usage.
- Other Comments
- Christian.
Also Spoken in
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Austria
Language Name
Bulgarian
User Population
5,390 in Austria (2003 UNSD).
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Australia
Language Name
Bulgarian
User Population
2,680 in Australia (2016 census).
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Language Name
Bulgarian
User Population
4,100 in Bosnia and Herzegovina (2014 J. Leclerc).
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Belgium
Language Name
Bulgarian
User Population
46,900 in Belgium (2020 census). , based on nationality.
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Canada
Language Name
Bulgarian
User Population
20,000 in Canada (2016 census).
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Cyprus
Language Name
Bulgarian
User Population
18,400 in Cyprus (2013 UNSD).
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Czechia
Language Name
Bulgarian
User Population
5,410 in Czechia (2011 census).
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Germany
Language Name
Bulgarian
User Population
389,000 in Germany (2020 census). , based on nationality.
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Denmark
Language Name
Bulgarian
User Population
9,900 in Denmark (2020 census). , based on nationality.
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Spain
Language Name
Bulgarian
User Population
117,000 in Spain (2020 census). , based on nationality.
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Finland
Language Name
Bulgarian
User Population
2,840 in Finland (2018 census).
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of United Kingdom
Language Name
Bulgarian
User Population
38,500 in United Kingdom (2011 census).
- Location
- Eastern Macedonia and Thrace region: Xanthi and 2 other departments.
- Dialects
- Pomak (Pomakci, Pomakika).
- Language Status
- 5 (Dispersed)
- Other Comments
- Also referred to locally as Macedonian and Vlach. Vlach refers variously to varieties of Bulgarian, Romani, and Romanian in Romania, Greece, Albania, and Serbia. Many Greek [ell] loanwords from ancient Thracean and Illyrian. Viewed as Turks in Greece. Muslim. View other languages of Greece
Language Name
Bulgarian
User Population
75,900 in Greece (2011 census). , based on nationality.
- Location
- Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén and Budapest counties; Miskolc area.
- Dialects
- Palityan.
- Language Status
- 4 (Educational)
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Hungary
Language Name
Bulgarian
User Population
2,900 in Hungary (2011 census). Ethnic population: 3,560 (2011 census).
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Kazakhstan
Language Name
Bulgarian
User Population
7,200 in Kazakhstan (Leclerc 2017e).
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Libya
Language Name
Bulgarian
User Population
3,600 in Libya (2020).
- Location
- Cahul, Cantemir, Chisinau city, Gagauzia, Leova, and Taraclia districts.
- Language Status
- 5 (Dispersed)
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. Christian. View other languages of Moldova
Language Name
Bulgarian
User Population
41,800 in Moldova (2014 census). Ethnic population: 51,900 (2014 census).
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Norway
Language Name
Bulgarian
User Population
8,430 in Norway (2021 census). , based on nationality.
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Poland
Language Name
Bulgarian
User Population
1,700 in Poland (2013 UNSD).
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Portugal
Language Name
Bulgarian
User Population
5,030 in Portugal (2007 J. Leclerc).
- Location
- Arad and Timis counties: Banat region.
- Dialects
- Palityan (Bogomil, Palitiani).
- Language Status
- 5 (Dispersed)
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. Christian. View other languages of Romania
Language Name
Bulgarian
User Population
6,520 in Romania (2011 census). Ethnic population: 7,340 (2011 census).
- Location
- Pčinja district: Bosiljgrad; Pirot district: Dmitrovgrad.
- Language Status
- 2 (Provincial) View other languages of Serbia
Language Name
Bulgarian
User Population
13,300 in Serbia (2013 UNSD).
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Russian Federation
Language Name
Bulgarian
User Population
22,900 in Russian Federation (2010 census). Ethnic population: 24,000 (2010 census).
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Sweden
Language Name
Bulgarian
User Population
7,170 in Sweden (2020 census). , based on nationality.
- Location
- Edirne and other western provinces: scattered.
- Dialects
- Pomak.
- Language Status
- 5 (Dispersed)
- Other Comments
- Muslim. View other languages of Turkey
Language Name
Bulgarian
User Population
395,000 in Turkey (2019). 98% Pomak (Leclerc 2014c).
- Location
- Donetsk, Mykolaiv, Odessa, and Zaporizhia regions.
- Language Status
- 5 (Dispersed)
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Ukraine
Language Name
Bulgarian
User Population
131,000 in Ukraine (2001 census). Ethnic population: 205,000 (2001 census).
- Location
- Scattered.
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of United States
Language Name
Bulgarian
User Population
57,800 in United States (2015 census).
Map
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