# Bulgarian: minimal pairs



## SmilingInPrague

Hello, all. I am a linguistics student looking for some help. I am charged with the task of finding minimal pairs in Bulgarian.

If you are not familiar with minimal pairs, these are words that differ by one sound and having different meanings. These are some English examples: bead and bed; kale and pale; human and lumen. Note that sound, not spelling, determines whether they are pairs.

Any that you can provide would shave hours off of a project I have been assigned.

Thanks in advance,
MF


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## Orlin

I think the question is too broad because there's a very large number of minimal pairs in any language, incl. Bulgarian. I'll give an example from a Bulgarian-language school textbook (published ca. 20 years ago) in which 3 pairs differ by the 1st, the 2nd and the 3rd sound respectively:
1. *д*ам-*т*ам (I give-there);
2. д*а*м-д*о*м (I give-a home);
3. да*м*-да*р* (I give- a present, gift).
Btw, Bulgarian spelling is very close to present-day pronunciation and all these words have 3 letters and 3 distinct sounds.


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## Arath

Here's a minimal pair for the six vowels:

*тапа* - stopper, cork
*тъпа* - stupid (feminine of *тъп*)
*топа* - the cannon (definite of *топ*)
*тупа*- he/she/it beats (third person singular of *тупам*)
*тепа* - he/she/it fulls (third person singular of *тепам*), here to full means to make cloth denser and firmer by soaking, beating and pressing,
*типа* - as in *два типа* (two types)

for the consonants:

*бор* - *пор *(a pine-tree - a polecat)
*бал *- *бял *(a ball [a large formal party with dancing] - white)
*вас* - *фас* (accusative form of *вие* [you] - fag-end)
*вал* - *вял *(a bank [a raised area of ground] - apathetic)
*бар* - *вар *(a bar - lime)
*гол* - *кол *(naked - a post)
*гол *- *гьол *(naked - a puddle)
*газ* - *бас** (a gas - a bet)
*газ *- *вас** (a gas - accusative form of *вие* [you])
*дам* - *там* (I give - there)
*дал* - *дял *(past aorist participle of *дам *[I give] - а share/part)
*дар* - *бар* (a gift/present - a bar)
*дар *- *вар *(a gift/present - lime)
*дол* - *гол* (a ravine - naked)
*жал* - *шал* (pity - а shawl)
*жар* - *бар* (embers - a bar)
*жар* - *вар *(embers - lime)
*жаден* - *гаден* (thirsty - nasty)
*жар* - *дар *(embers - a gift/present)
*зея *- *сея *(to gape - to sow)
*тормоза - тормозя *(the harassment - to harass)
*зар* - *бар *(dice - a bar)
*зар *- *вар *(dice - lime)
*заден - гаден *(hind - nasty)
*зар - дар* (dice - a gift/present)
*зар - жар *(dice - embers)
*куп - кюп *(a heap/pile - a jar/pot)
*кал - бал *(mud - a ball [a large formal party with dancing])
*кал - вал *(mud - a bank [a raised area of ground])
*кал - дал *(mud -past aorist participle of *дам *[I give])
*кал - жал* (mud - pity)
*кит - зид* *(a whale - a wall)
*луд - лют* *(crazy - hot/peppery)
*лос - бос *(an elk - barefooted)
*лик - вик *(an image - a cry)
*лъска - гъска *(he/she/it polishes - a goose)
*лен - ден *(linen - a day)
*легна - жегна *(to lie down - to burn)
*лея - зея *(to pour - to gape)
*лак - как *(varnish - how)
*марка - мярка *(a stamp - а measure)
*мас - бас *(fat/lard - a bet)
*мас - вас *(fat/lard - accusative form of *вие* [you])
*мас - газ* *(fat/lard - a gas)
*мол - дол *(a mole[unit for measuring]/mall - a ravine)
*малък - жалък *(small - pitiful)
*малък - залък *(small - a bite/mouthful)
*мит - кит *(a myth - a whale)
*мек - лек* (soft - light/not heavy)
*нам - ням *(dative form of *ние* [we] - dumb/mute)
*нар - бар *(a pomegranate - a bar)
*нар - вар* (a pomegranate - lime)
*нас - газ** (accusative form of *ние* [we] - a gas)
*нар - дар *(a pomegranate - a gift/present)
*нар - жар *(a pomegranate - embers)
*нар - зар *(a pomegranate - dice)
*нит - кит* (a rivet - a whale)
*нос - лос *(a nose - an elk)
*нит - мит *(a rivet - a myth)
*купа - купя *(a bowl - to buy)
*пас - вас *(a pass - accusative form of *вие* [you])
*пол - гол *(sex/gender - naked)
*пол - дол *(sex/gender - a ravine)
*пак - жак *(again - a jack)
*пея - зея* (to sing - to gape)
*пол - кол *(sex/gender - a post)
*пак - лак* (again - varnish)
*пак - мак* (again - a poppy)
*пас - нас* (a pass -accusative form of *ние* [we])
*мокра - мокря *(feminine form of *мокър* [wet] - to wet/moisten)
*роб - **боб *(slave - bean)
*рид - вид *(hill/elevation - kind/type)
*рид - гид *(hill/elevation - a guide)
*ръб - дъб *(an edge - an oak-tree)
*рак - жак *(a crab - a jack)
*ръб - зъб* (an edge - a tooth)
*рак - как *(a crab - how)
*ред - **лед *(a row - ice)
*ред - мед *(a row - honey)
*ров - нов *(a ditch - new)
*род *- *под *(family/kin - floor)
*сал - сял *(a raft - past aorist participle of *сея* [to sow])
*със - бъз* *(with - elder [tree])
*сън - вън* (a dream - outside)
*сол - гол* (salt - naked)
*сух - дух *(dry - spirit/ghost)
*сив - жив *(grey - alive)
*съм - към *(to be - towards)
*сак - лак *(a sack - varnish)
*сеч - меч *(felling - sword)
*сит - нит *(satisfied/satiated - a rivet)
*съд - път* *(a vessel/court - a road)
*сом - ром *(sheatfish - rum)
*та - тя *(and/even/so that - she)
*тор - бор *(manure - a pine-tree)
*таз - вас* *(pelvis - accusative form of *вие* [you])
*тъст - гъст* (father-in-law - thick/dense)
*тест - жест* (a test - a gesture)
*тор - зор *(manure - effort)
*тон - кон *(a tone/ton - a horse)
*тук - лук *(here - onions)
*тил - мил *(back of the neck - dear/kind/nice)
*таз - нас* *(pelvis - ccusative form of *ние* [we])
*тъп - пъп *(stupid - navel)
*тъст - ръст *(father-in-law - height/stature)
*там - сам *(there - alone)
*фон - фьон *(background - foehn wind)
*фас - бас* (a fag-end - a bet)
*фас - газ* *(a fag-end - a gas)
*фар - дар* (a lighthouse - a gift/present)
*фар - жар* (a lighthouse - embers)
*фар - зар* (a lighthouse - dice)
*фал - кал* (a foul - mud)
*фес - лес* (a fez - a forest)
*фас - мас* (a fag-end - fat/lard)
*фар - нар* (a lighthouse - a pomegranate)
*факт - пакт *(a fact - a pact)
*фас - раз** (a fag-end - once)
*фин - син* (fine - blue/son)
*фас - таз** (a fag-end - pelvis)
*Ху - Хю* (The Who - Hugh)
*хал - бал *(state/condition - ball [a large formal party with dancing])
*хал - вал *(state/condition - a bank [a raised area of ground])
*хол - гол* (living-room - naked)
*хол - дол* (living-room - a ravine)
*хал - жал *(state/condition - pity)
*хор - зор* (choir - effort)
*хъс - къс *(flair - short)
*исках - искал* (I wanted - past aorist participle of *искам* [to want])
*исках - искам *(I wanted - I want)
*исках - искан* (I wanted - past passive participle of *искам* [to want])
*хор - пор* (choir - a polecat)
*хъш - ръж* *(an exile/an outcast - rye)
*хъс - със *(flair - with)
*хор - тор *(choir - manure)
*хал - фал *(state/condition - a foul)
*цар - цяр *(king/tsar - a cure/remedy)
*цар - бар* (king/tsar - a bar)
*цар - вар* (king/tsar - lime)
*цел - гел *(purpose/goal - gel)
*цар - дар *(king/tsar - a gift/present)
*цар - жар *(king/tsar - embers)
*цар - зар *(king/tsar - dice)
*цол - кол *(inch - a post)
*цев - лев *(tube/reed/barrel - a lev)
*цол - мол *(inch - a mole[unit for measuring]/mall)
*цар - нар* (king/tsar - a pomegranate)
*цол - пол *(inch - sex/gender)
*цев - рев *(tube/reed/barrel - a roar)
*цол - сол *(inch - salt)
*цел - тел *(purpose/goal - wire)
*цар - фар *(king/tsar - a lighthouse)
*цол - хол *(inch - living-room)
*чар - бар *(charm - a bar)
*чест - вест *(frequent/honour - a piece of news)
*час - газ* *(an hour - a gas)
*чар - дар *(charm - a gift/present)
*чар - жар *(charm - embers)
*чар - зар *(charm - dice)
*чак - как *(not till/until/before - how)
*чук - лук *(hammer - onions)
*час - мас *(an hour - fat/lard)
*чар - нар *(charm - a pomegranate)
*чак - пак *(not till/until/before - again)
*чак - рак *(not till/until/before - a crab)
*чам - сам *(pine - alone)
*чук - тук *(hammer - here)
*чар - фар *(charm - a lighthouse)
*чуквам - хуквам *(to knock - to bolt/to dart)
*чар - цар *(charm - king/tsar)

* At the end of words the opposition betwen voiced and voiceless consonants is neutralized. 

Continues -->


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## Arath

... Continues from previous post:


*шал - бал *(shawl - a ball [a large formal party with dancing])
*шал - вал *(shawl - a bank [a raised area of ground])
*шише - гише *(bottle - booking-office)
*шал - дал *(shawl - past aorist participle of *дам *[I give])
*шала - зала *(the shawl - a hall)
*шум - кум* (noise - best man)
*шеф - лев* *(boss - lev)
*шир - мир *(expanse/space - peace)
*шокът - нокът *(the shock - finger/toe nail)
*шир - пир *(expanse/space - feast)
*шеф - рев* *(boss - a roar)
*шал - сал* (shawl - a raft)
*шок - ток *(shock - current/electricity)
*шал - фал *(shawl - a foul)
*шал - хал *(shawl - state/condition)
*шип - цип *(a prickle/thorn - zipper)
* шест - чест *(six - honour/frequent)
*джанта - чанта *(wheel rim - bag)
*джаз - бас* *(jazz - a bet)
*джаз - вас* *(jazz - accusative form of *вие* [you])
*джаз - газ *(jazz - a gas)
*джам - дам *(window-pane - I give)
*Джак - жак *(Jack - a jack)
*джоб - зоб *(pocket - grain/feed)
*джука - кука *(lip - hook)
*джапам - лапам *(to wade - to gobble)
*джаз - мас* *(jazz - fat/lard)
*джаз - нас* *(jazz - accusative form of *ние* [we])
*джоб - поп* *(pocket - priest)
*джоб - роб *(pocket - slave)
*джин - син *(gin - blue/son)
*джам - там *(window-pane -there)
*джин - фин *(gin - fine)
*джурка - хурка *(he/she/it mashes - distaff)
*джип - цип *(jeep - zipper)
*джип - шип *(jeep - a prickle/thorn)

for the semivowel /j/:

*ял - бал *(past aorist participle of *ям* [to eat] - ball [a large formal party with dancing])*
ял - бял *(past aorist participle of *ям* [to eat] - white)
*йена - вена *(yen - vein)
*ял - вял *(past aorist participle of *ям* [to eat] - apathetic)
*яд - гад *(anger - vermin)
*гьон - йон *(sole-leather - ion)
*ял - дал *(past aorist participle of *ям* [to eat] - past aorist participle of *дам *[I give])
*ял - дял* (past aorist participle of *ям* [to eat] - а share/part)
*ял - жал *(past aorist participle of *ям* [to eat] - pity)
*яд - зад *(anger - behind)*
пая - пазя *(the pie - to keep)
*як - как *(strong - how)
*як - лак *(strong - varnish)
*ято - лято *(flock - summer)
*як - мак *(strong -poppy)
*ярка - мярка *(feminine form of *ярък* [bright] - a measure)
*яд - над *(agner - above)
*ям - ням *(to eat - dumb/mute)
*як - пак *(strong - again)
*ял - пял *(past aorist participle of *ям* [to eat] - past aorist participle of *пея* [to sing])
*як - рак *(strong - a crab)
*ядка - рядка *(kernel - feminine form of *рядък* [rare])
*як - сак *(strong - a sack)*
ял - сял *(past aorist participle of *ям* [to eat] - past aorist participle of *сея* [to sow])
*ям - там *(to eat - there)
*ям - тям* (to eat - dative form of *те *[they])*
йон - фон *(ion - background)
*йон - фьон* (ion - foehn wind)
*ял - хал *(past aorist participle of *ям* [to eat] - state/condition)
*яка - цака *(feminine form of *як* [strong] - he/she/it trumps)
*ял - цял *(past aorist participle of *ям* [to eat] - whole)
*як - чак *(strong - not till/until/before)
*ял - шал *(past aorist participle of *ям* [to eat] - shawl)
*ям - джам *(to eat - window-pane)
*яд - ад *(anger -hell)
*йод - от** (iodine - from)

* At the end of words the opposition betwen voiced and voiceless consonants is neutralized. 

For the rare consonant /d͡z/ I found only one minimal pair:

*дзифт - чифт *(pitch/bitumen - a pair)

And for the semivowel /w/ I couldn't find anything.


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## SmilingInPrague

Wow, thank you very much. To explain for the broadness, we were to find minimal pairs in any language we are not familiar with - thus the difficulty. Thanks again.




Orlin said:


> I think the question is too broad because there's a very large number of minimal pairs in any language, incl. Bulgarian. I'll give an example from a Bulgarian-language school textbook (published ca. 20 years ago) in which 3 pairs differ by the 1st, the 2nd and the 3rd sound respectively:
> 1. *д*ам-*т*ам (I give-there);
> 2. д*а*м-д*о*м (I give-a home);
> 3. да*м*-да*р* (I give- a present, gift).
> Btw, Bulgarian spelling is very close to present-day pronunciation and all these words have 3 letters and 3 distinct sounds.


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## SmilingInPrague

HOLY S-! Thanks a lot, Arath. You are a huge help. I might be coming to Bulgaria for a Fulbright in about a year. I owe you a beer!


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## DiegoAlatriste

чукал - чакал - чáкал  (разни ударения)
пиян - пиано 
патка - п_тка
майка - гайка
казак - капак
важен - въжен
мирен - морен
народен - наровен - нарочен - наточен  (ударението е важно, формално един звук но още и смяна на ударението, напр. нероден - народен)


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## Orlin

DiegoAlatriste said:


> пиян - пиано


Това не е минимална двойка. Такава може би би било пи*я*но-пи*а*но, където различието _de facto _е *в наличието или отсъствието на звук: тук я=[йа]. *Не знам дали тези случаи попадат под дефиницията за минимални двойки.


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## DiegoAlatriste

Да. Така е. Затова и  смайлито. 
SIP might choose right to Fulbright in BG, нек се учи.   Там хората общо взето са по-, нали?  DA


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## Orlin

DiegoAlatriste said:


> Да. Така е. Затова и  смайлито.
> SIP might choose right to Fulbright in BG, нека се учи.   Там хората общо взето са по-, нали?  DA


Извинявам се, но не разбирам какво имате предвид, но във всеки случай не изглежда свързано с темата. Тук не е форум за чат.


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