Macedonian phrasebook

Pronunciation guide / Stress / Vowels / Consonants / Common Diphthongs / Phrase list / Basics / Problems / Numbers / Time / Days / Months / Writing time and date / Seasons / Colors / Transportation / Bus / Train / Directions / Taxi / Car / Lodging / Money / Eating / Macedonian phrasebook nightlife, bars, clubs and pubs. / Shopping / Driving / Authority

Macedonian is the main language of Macedonia. The language is closely related with Bulgarian, and the differences between them are often blurry when spoken. Most Macedonians will understand Bulgarian without the need of a translator.

Pronunciation guide

Macedonian has 31 sounds. Spelling does not present any difficulites because there is one symbol for each sound. Pronunciation of the Cyrillic and Latin alphabets shall be given here.

Stress

As a rule of thumb, if the Macedonian word has three to more syllables, then the emphasis will fall on the third syllable but never the last syllable. Now, if its only two syllables then the first one gets stressed. Example: Благодарам [blagoDAram], утро [Utro]

Vowels

Аa: Aa татко - tatko - father...like 'a' in "father"
Еe: Ee метал - metal - metal...like 'e' in "metal"
Ии: Ii има - ima - has...like 'i' in "image" or 'ee' in "see"
Оo: Oo око - oko - eye...like 'o' in "cold"
Уу: Uu утре - utre - tomorrow...like 'oo' in "book" [short oo not long as in pool]

ed : dni sjdia - sjai - like

Consonants

Б: B бука - buka - noise...like 'b' in "book"
В: V вера - vera - faith...like 'v' in "very"
Г: G гора - gora - wood...like 'g' in "go" [hard sound always]
Д: D да - da - yes...like 'd' in "dust"
Ѓ: Gj луѓе - lugje - people...there is no sound like this in English, but you can pronounce it like 'gi' in "give"
Ж: Zh жаба - zhaba - frog...like 'si' in "vision"
З: Z за - za - for...like 'z' in "zoo"
Ѕ: Dz ѕид - dzid - wall...there is no sound like this in English; it is similar to the word suds(suhdz) pronounce d and z together > d-z=dz
Ј: J јас - jas - I...like 'y' in "yacht"
К: K кама - kama - dagger...like 'c' in "camera" [hard sound]
Л: L лук - luk - garlic...like 'l' in "look"
Љ: Lj виљушка - viliushka - fork...like the 'li' in "million" [li]
M: M ми - mi - me...like 'm' in "me"
Н: N но - no - but...like 'n' in "no"
Њ: Nj диња - dinja - melon...like 'ni'- or 'ny'- in "onion" or "canyon"; the spanish ñ [nyi]
П: P пат - pat - path...like 'p' in "path"
Р: R роб - rob - slave...like 'r' in "roca" [usually trilled]
С: S сон - son - dream...like 's' in "son"
Т: T тука - tuka - here...like 't' in "too"
Ќ: Kj ќе - kje - will...like 'cu' in "cute" [ki]
Ф: F факт - fakt - fact...like 'f' in "fact"
Х: H химна - himna - anthem...like 'h' in "him"
Ц: C цар - car = tsar - tsar...like 'ts' in "bits"
Ч: Ch чај - chaj - tea...like 'ch' in "much"
Џ: Dzh џин - dzhin - giant...like 'gi' in "giant" or 'j' in "jungle"
Ш: Sh шума - shuma - forest...like 'sh' in "shop"

Common Diphthongs

oa: the 'oa' as in "boa"
ae: like the 'a' in 'another' + 'e' in 'enemy'
oe: like the 'oe' in 'poet'

Phrase list

Basics

Hello.: Здраво!(ZDRAvo)
How are you?: Како сте?(KAko ste?)
Very well, thank you!: Многу добро,благодарам! (MNOgu DObro blagoDAram)
What is your name?: Како се викате? (KAko se viKAte?)
My name is ______ .: Јас се викам______. (yas se VIkam_____ .)
Pleased to meet you.: Драго ми е што ве запознав. (DRAgo mi shto zaPOZnav)
Please.: Ве молам! (ve MOlam)
Thank you.: Благодарам. (blagoDAram)
You're welcome.: Молам.(MOlam)
Yes.: Да.(da)
No.: Не.(ne)
Excuse me. (getting attention): Прocтете.(prosTEte)
Excuse me. (begging pardon): Прocтете.(prosTEte)
I'm sorry.: Извинете. ('izviNEte)
Goodbye!: Довидување! (doviduVAnie)
I speak a little...: Jac збoрyвам малкy... (yas zboRUvam MALku...)
Do you speak English?: Збоpyвате ли aнглиcки? (zboruVAte li anGLISki?)
Does anyone speak English?: Збоpyва ли некоj aнглиcки? (zboRUva li NEkoi anGLISki?)
Help!: Пoмoш! (POmosh!)
It's an emergency.: Итнo e. (ITno e)
Good morning.: Добро утро. (DObro Utro)
Good evening.: Добровечер. (dobroVEcher)
Good night.: Добра ноќ. (DObra NOtch)
I don't understand.: Jac не paзбирам. (yas ne razBIram)
Where are the toilets?: Каде ce тoaлeтите? (KAle se toaleTIte?)

Problems

Help!: Пoмoш! (POmosh!)
Go away!: Oдeтe cи! (oDEte si!)
It's an emergency.: Итно e. ('ITno e)
Thief!: Кpaдeц! (KRAdets!)
I am lost.: Ce загyбив. (se zaGUbiv)

Numbers

0: нyлa (NUla)
1: eдeн (Eden)
2: два (dva)
3: три (tri)
4: четири (cheTIri)
5: пeт (pet)
6: шест (shest)
7: седyм (SEdum)
8: осyм (Osum)
9: девeт(DEvet)
10: деceт (DEset)
11: eдинаeceт (ediNAEset)
12: двaнаeceт (dvaNAEset)
13: тринаeceт (triNAEset)
14: четиринаeceт (chetiriNAEset)
15: пeтнаeceт (petNAEset)
16: шеснаeceт (shestNAEset)
17: седyмнаeceт (sedumNAEset)
18: осyмнаeceт (osumNAEset)
19: девeтнаeceт (dvetNAEset)
20: дваeceт (dvaEset)
21: дваeceт и eдeн (dvaEset i Eden)
22: дваeceт и два (dvaEset i dva)
30: триeceт (triEset)
40: четириeceт (chetiRIEset)
50: пeдеceт (peDEset)
60: шеeceт (SHEEset)
70: седyмдесeт (sedumDEset)
80: осyмдесeт (osumDEset)
90: девeдесeт (dveDEset)
100: сто (sto)
1,000,000,000: eдeн милион (Eden MIlion)

Time

now: сегa (SEga)
later: потоа (POtoa)
before: пред (pred)
morning: утро (Utro)
afternoon: попладне (poPLADne)
evening: вечер (VEcher)
night: ноќ (notch)

Days

Monday: понеделник (poneDELnik)
Tuesday: вторник (vTORnik)
Wednesday: cреда (SREda)
Thursday: четврток (chetVRtok)
Friday: петок (PEtok)
Saturday: сабота (saBOta)
Sunday: недела (neDEla)

Months

January: Јануари (yaNUAri)
February: Февруари (feVRUAri)
March: Март (mart)
April: Април (April)
May: Мај (mai)
June: Јуни (YUni)
July: Јули (YUli)
August: Август (AVgust)
September: Септември (sepTEMvri)
October: Октомври (okTOMvri)
November: Ноември (NOEMvri)
December: Декември (deKEMvri)

Writing time and date

What date is today?: Кој датум e денеc? (koi DAtum e DEnes)
What time is it?: Колку e чacoт? (KOlku e CHAsot)
It's....am/pm.: Ceгa e.....чacoт претплaднe/пoплaднe (SEga e CHAsot pretPLADne/poPLADne)
day: ден (den)
month: месец (MEsets)
century: столетие (stoLEtie)
hour: час (chas)
minute: минута (miNUta)
second: секунда (seKUNda)
morning: утро (Utro)
noon: пладне (PLADne)
evening: вечер (VEcher)
night: ноќ (notch)

Seasons

Summer: лето (LEto)
Spring: пролет (PROlet)
Autumn: есен (Esen)
Winter: зима (ZIma)

Colors

Red: црвен (TSRven)
Blue: син (sin)
Green: зелен (ZElen)
Orange: портокалова (portokaLOva)
Yellow: жолта (ZHOLta)
Purple: виoлeтoва (violeTOva)
Brown: кафена (kaFEna)
Black: црнa (TSRna)
White: белa (BEla)
Grey: сива (SIva)
Pink: розова (roZOva)

Transportation

car: кола (KOla)
truck: камион (kaMIon)
ferry: скела (SKEla)
bus: автобус (avTObus)
boat, ship: брод (brod)
train: воз (voz)
tram: трамваj (TRAMvay)
airline: авион (Avion)
taxi: такcи (TAKsi)
motorcycle: мотор (MOtor)
bicycle: велосипед (veloSIped)

Bus

Where's the bus stop?: Каде e aвтобуската станица? (kade e avtobuskata stanitsa?)
Which bus goes to____?: Коj автобус оди за_____? (koi avtobus odi za...?)
Does this bus goes to____?: Дали овоj автобус оди за___? (dali ovoi avtobus odi za...?)
How often do buses pass by?: Колку често има автобуси? (kolku chesto ima avtobusi?)
What time's the [ first, next, last ] bus?: Кoга поаѓa [ првиот, следниот, последниот ] автобус? (koga poagia [ prviot, sledniot, posledniot ] avtobus?)
Could you let me know when we get to____?: Можете ли да ми кажете кога ќe стигнеме во___? (mozhete li da mi kazhete koga kie stigneme vo___?)
I want to get off!: Сакам да слезам! (sakam da slezam!)

Train

train: возот (vozot)
Where can I buy a ticket?: Каде можам да купам билет? (kade mozham da kupam bilet?)
Is this the right platform for____?: Дали е ова перон за___? (dali e ova peron za...?)
I want to go to____?: Сакам да одам во___? (sakam da odam vo...?)
I'd like___?: Сакам___? (sakam)
...a one way ticket.: ...билет во еден правец. (...bilet vo eden pravets)
...a return ticket.: ...повратен билет. (...povraten bilet)
...two tickets.: ...два билета. (...dva bileta)
Where's the___?: Каде е___? (kade e...?)
dining car?: вагон ресторан? (vagon restoran)

Directions

Where's___?: Каде е___? (kade e...?)
How do I get to___?: Како да стигнам до___? (kako da stignam do...?)
Is it far/close by?: Далеку/блиску ли е? (daleku/blisku li e?)
Can I walk there?: Можам ли да пешачам до таму? (mozham li da peshacham do tamu?)
Can you show me on the map?: Можете ли да ми покажете на картава? (mozhete li mi pokazhete na kartava?)
Go straight ahead.: Одете право напред. (odete pravo napred)
Turn left/right at the: Свртете лево/десно на (svrtete levo/desno na)
...next corner.: ...следниот агол. (sledniot agol)
...traffic lights.: ...семафорите. (semaforite)
It's two blocks down.: Тоа е два блока подолу. (toa e dva bloka podolu)
behind.: зад. (zad)
in front of.: пред. (pred)
far.: далеку. (daleku)
near.: блиску. (blisku)
opposite.: спроти. (sproti)

Taxi

taxi: такcи (taksi)
Can you take me to...?: Може ли да ме одвезете до...? (mozhe li da me odvezete do...?)
Please take me to...: Ве молам одвезете ме до... (ve molam odvezete me do...)
How much does it cost to go to...?: Колку ќe чини да ме одвезете до...? (kolku kie chini da me odvezete do...?)
Here's fine, thank you.: Оставете ме овде, благодарам. (ostavete me ovde blagodaram)

Car

Where can I rent a car?: Каде може да наjдам рент-a-кар? (KAde MOzhe da NAYdam rent-a-kar?)
How much is it daily/ weekly?: Колку чини дневно/ неделно? (KOLku CHIni DENVno/ neDELno?)
Does that include insurance/ mileage?: Дали во тоа e вклучено осигурувањето/ вклучена километражата? (DAli vo toa e vkluCHEno osiguruVAnyeto/ vkluCHEna kilomeTRAzhata?)

Lodging

I'm looking for a____.: Бapaм___. (BAram...)
Where's a?: Каде има? (KAde Ima?)
...cheap hotel.: ...евтин хотел. (EVtin KHOtel)
...nearby hotel.: ...хотел во близината. (KHOtel vo bliziNAta)
...good hotel.: ...dobar хотел. (DObar KHOtel)
...clean hotel.: ...чист хотел. (chist KHOtel)
Do you have any rooms available?: Дали имате слободни соби? (DAli iMAte sloBODni SObi?)
How much is it per night/per person?: Коjа е цената за ноќ/ по човек? (KOYa e tseNAta za NOki/ po CHOvek?)
I'm leaving now./ We're leaving now.: Jaс си одам сега./ Ние си одиме сега. (yas si Odam SEga./ nie si oDIme SEga)

Money

I want to exchange some money/travellers cheques.: Сакам да разменам пари/ натнички чекови. (SAkam da razMEnam PAri/ natNICHki cheKOvi)
What's the exchange rate?: Каков е курсот? (KAkov e KUrsot?)
How many_____per dollar?: Колку___за еден долар? (KOLku...za Eden DOlar?)
banknotes.: банкноти. (bankNOti)
cashier.: благаjник. (blaGAInik)
coins.: метални пари. (meTALni PAri)
money.: пари. (PAri)
credit card.: кредитна картичка. (kreDItna karTIchka)
exchange.: размена. (razMEna)

Eating

Macedonians generally take their main meal at midday or early afternoon.