Capitalization Rules in Bulgarian for English Speakers

Understanding Capitalization in Bulgarian

Capitalization in Bulgarian differs in some ways from English. Knowing these rules will help English speakers write correctly and understand Bulgarian texts better.

When to Capitalize in Bulgarian

In Bulgarian, capitalization is generally used for proper nouns, the first word of a sentence, and certain official names, similar to English. However, there are notable differences in usage.

Capitalizing Proper Nouns

Proper nouns such as names of people, cities, countries, and organizations are capitalized in Bulgarian, just like in English. For example, София (Sofia) and България (Bulgaria) are capitalized.

Days of the Week and Months

Unlike English, days of the week and months are not capitalized in Bulgarian unless they start a sentence. For example, понеделник (Monday) and януари (January) are written in lowercase.

Languages and Nationalities

Names of languages and nationalities are also written in lowercase in Bulgarian, unlike English. For example, английски (English language) and български (Bulgarian language) are lowercase.

Titles and Headings

In Bulgarian titles and headings, only the first word and proper nouns are capitalized. This contrasts with English title case where most words are capitalized.

The Pronoun 'I' Equivalent

In English, the pronoun 'I' is always capitalized. In Bulgarian, the equivalent pronoun аз (I) is not capitalized unless it starts a sentence.

Summary of Key Differences

• Proper nouns are capitalized, similar to English.
• Days of the week and months are lowercase unless at sentence start.
• Languages and nationalities are lowercase.
• Only the first word and proper nouns are capitalized in titles.
• The pronoun 'аз' (I) is lowercase unless at the beginning of a sentence.