Bulgarski - Phonology - Word Stress

Word Stress

Stress usually isn't signified in written text. When it is necessary to indicate it, a grave accent is placed on the vowel of the stressed syllable. (note – the following examples are also shown with a grave accent)

Bulgarian word stress is dynamic. Stressed syllables are louder and longer than unstressed ones. Stress, like Russian and other East Slavic languages, is also lexical rather than fixed as in French, Latin or the West Slavic ones. It may fall on any syllable of a polysyllabic word, and its position may vary depending on the inflection and derivation, for example –

• nouns – мъ̀ж /mɤʃ/ (man), мъжъ̀т /mɤˈʒɤt/ (the man), мъжè /mɤˈʒɛ/(men), мъжèте /mɤˈʒɛtɛ/(the men)
• verbs – отѝвам (otìvam – I am going), отидѝ (otidì – go!)

Bulgarian stress is also distinctive: the following examples are only differentiated by stress –

• nouns
  • въ̀лна /ˈvɤɫnɐ/ ('wool'), вълна̀ /vɤɫˈna/ ('wave')
  • па̀ра (pа̀ra – steam), пара̀ (parа̀ – coin)
• verbs
  • когато дòйде (kogato dòyde – when he comes), когато дойдè (kogato doydè – when he came)
  • взрѝвен (vzrìven – explosive), взривèн (vzrivèn – exploded)

Stress usually isn't signified in written text, even in the above examples, if the context makes the meaning clear. However, the grave accent may be written if confusion is likely. The single case where it is imperatively used is –

• и ('and'), ѝ ('to her')

The stress is often written in order to signify a dialectal deviation from the standard pronunciation –

• kazà mi – he told me (instead of kàza mi)
• iskà da doyde – he wanted to come (instead of ìskashe da doyde)

The stress is sometimes placed earlier in the word than it should be for emphasis (this is considered rude) –

• èla – "come here" (instead of elà)
• kàzhi – "tell me" (instead of kazhì)
• òstavi me na mira – "leave me alone" (instead of ostavì me)