Reflexive pronouns
One type of the reflexive pronouns is used to signify that the action returns to the doer – the usage is quite similar to the usage of the English reflexive pronouns.
There are only two forms, resembling the usage of the accusative and dative personal pronouns:
Храня се. – I am eating (literally – I am feeding myself)
Казвам си. – I am telling myself.
When we mention the doer explicitly, we change the word order and the position of the reflexive pronoun:
Аз се храня.
Аз си казвам.
Ти се обличаш. /Обличаш се. – You are dressing yourself.
Те си говорят. / Говорят си. – They are talking to each other.
The second type of reflexive pronouns signifies possession and is similar in usage to the possessive pronouns, but it only changes according to the gender and number of the possession. It only has one short form that is universal.
The definite forms of the possessive reflexive pronouns are more widely used than the indefinite forms.
In the third person singular though, the “regular” possessive pronouns have a different meaning compared to the reflexive possessive pronouns.
Той обича своята жена/ жена си. = He loves his (own) wife.
Той обича неговата жена/ жена му. = He loves his (someone else’s) wife.
Demonstrative pronouns
The Bulgarian demonstrative pronouns have similar meaning and usage to the English demonstrative pronouns, but besides changing in number, they also change to agree with the gender of the noun they are used with:
this:
този – masculine
тази – feminine
това – neutral
that:
онзи – masculine
онази – feminine
онова – neutral
these – тези
those – онези
Този/онзи мъж е англичанин. – This/that man is English.
Тази/онази жена е българка. – This/that woman is Bulgarian.
Това/онова дете е на 5 години. – This/that child is 5 years old.
Тези/онези хора са наши съседи. – These/those people are our neighbours.
You can also use the demonstrative pronouns without an accompanying noun:
Това е мъжът ми. This is my husband.
In this case the most widely used form is това and it can substitute a single word or a whole phrase:
Остави това. (Leave that.)
Това е добра идея. (That‘s a good idea)
Indefinite pronouns
Masculine forms:
някой:
Някой ме търси. = Somebody is looking for me.
Някой мъж трябва да ми помогне. = A man has to help me. (it doesn’t matter which man)
някакъв:
Дай ми някакъв молив. = Give me a pencil. (but някакъв signifies that it doesn’t matter which pencil you will give me)
Имам някакъв компютър. = I have a computer. (but някакъв signifies that I am not sure about the type or condition of the computer)
Feminine forms:
някоя:
Кажи на някоя жена = Tell some woman (the implication is that it doesn’t matter which woman you will tell)
някаква:
Дай ми някаква лъжица = Give me a spoon. (but някаква signifies that it doesn’t matter which spoon you will give me)
Имам някаква рокля = I have a dress. (but някаква signifies that I am not sure about the type or condition of the dress)
Neutral forms:
някое:
Някое дете ще ти каже. = A kid will tell you. (some kid, one of the kids)
някакво:
Дай ми някаквo цвете. = Give me a flower. (but някаквo signifies that it doesn’t matter which flower you will give me)
Имам някаквo бюро = I have a desk. (but някаквo signifies that I am not sure about the type or condition of the desk)
Plural forms:
някои:
Дай го на някои хора. – Give it to some people.
някакви:
Дай ми някакви химикали. = Give me some pens. (but някакви signifies that it doesn’t matter which pens you will give me)
Имам някакви пари. = I have some money. (but някакви signifies that I am not sure about the quantity of the money)
Имам някакви дрехи. = I have some clothes. (but някакви signifies that I am not sure about the type or condition of the clothes)
Forms for indefinite quantity:
няколко – several
Имам няколко компютъра. = I have several computers.
Other forms:
every:
всеки – masculine (всеки мъж = every man)
всяка – feminine (всяка жена = every woman)
всяко – neutral (всяко дете = every child)
всички/всичките – all
всички/всичките хора = all (the ) people
Negative pronouns
For people: the Bulgarian equivalent of nobody OR any/no + noun
masculine:
никой
Никой не ми помага. = Nobody helps me.
Никой човек не знае. = No person knows.
feminine:
никоя
Никоя жена няма да дойде. = No woman will come.
neutral:
никое
Никое дете не обича лекарства. = No child likes medicines.
plural:
никои – none (relatively rarely used on its own)
For attributes:
masculine:
никакъв
Нямам никакъв компютър. = I have no computer.
feminine:
никаква
Нямам никаква рокля. = I have no dress.
neutral:
никакво
Нямам никакво куче. = I have no dog.
plural:
никкави
Не искам никакви подаръци. = I want no gifts.
For quantity:
николко – any/no
николко писма – no letters
Note that double negation is widely used and acceptable in Bulgarian:
Нямам никакви приятели. = I don’t have no friends.