5 comments about Teach Yourself Bulgarian Complete Course (Teach Yourself Books).

1. Tapes are good, explains how Cyrillic works, practical information. Not enough to become fluent, but goes beyond the typical tourist phrases. I live in Bulgaria and am fluent, but still found it helpful for improving my pronounciation, understanding some things that I never could figure out from the Bulgarian-only course and textbook I had taken.



2. If one is a native English speaker who speaks Russian too, then this is the book for you. Otherwise, if one does not speak a Slavic language already I think this book might be tough going, especially if used by itself.



3. I am a teacher of English and Bulgarian to people of different nationalities.
   Teach yourself Bulgarian is the textbook that has proved to be og greatest help and value to all of my English speaking students who at a certain time of their life have wanted or needed to get acquainted with the interesting language and culture of Bulgarians. Whether you need the language for doing business, or just because you were fascinated with the sound of it or with the look of Bulgaria, this is an excellent guide into the world of Bulgarian language.



4. I'm pretty familiar with the Teach Yourself series, owning 9 of them. Of course, there are different authors for every language, so you can't judge them by the series. I find this one below average in some aspects. I find the grammatical elements are poorly explained, with the explanation (if any) usually coming a bit too far after the concept is introduced. This results in a fair degree of confusion, and I'm a fairly experienced language student, speaking 3 languages with a moderate level of fluency, and varying levels of familiarity with about 8 others, including Russian and Czech. I also have a Bulgarian friend who I get to help with pronunciation, etc., and he laughs at the book about 90% of the time. I do find that the attempts to make the book interesting and colloquial help keep the learner going. Once I got to the middle of the book, I felt that I had finally gotten enough basic grammar to have some idea of what they were trying to explain (or forgetting to explain). The book includes answers to the exercises, about half of which I found useful. There are examples of handwriting, which I think is really necessary if you are trying to learn the language to visit the country, since it differs markedly from typed, but they are small and a bit difficult to see. Overall I recommend this as a supplement to "Colloquial Bulgarian" by George D. Papantchev. Unfortunately, I have not yet encountered a self-teaching Bulgarian book yet that I would give 5 stars.



5. i gave this book as a present to a friend of mine. he seems to be doing great with it. it seems this is a great book for people who know nothing of the language. some external help with pronounciation would be good though.

No comments about Book2 English - Bulgarian For Beginners: A Book In 2 Languages.

5 comments about Teach Yourself Bulgarian Complete Course Package (Book + 2CDs) (TY: Complete Courses).

1. i prefer the style of michael thomas - but with a little effort this can be rewarding e.g. the aphabet and english phonetic's - effort required - once accross that it gets better. I'm at it with my wife - it helps !!!



2. I have used books to learn 2 foreign languages, Spanish, Italian and a little Dutch all with sucess. I find this book absolutely useless, you need to know some bulgarian to start with and then it teaches you a bunch of useless phases which are only useful in a particular situation. There is also no [english sounds] pronounciation guide with the Bulgarian words, so advance knowledge of the alphabet and phonetics are needed. A complete waste of time and money.



3. There are very few courses on the market teaching Bulgarian, as demand is obviously not very high. Depending upon your reasons for learning the language, this one may well be as good as it gets.
   
   The book is organized into chapters based on central concepts - introductions, directions, the weather, numbers, how you feel, discussing the future and events in the past, etc. It is by no means a linear progression through Bulgarian grammar and vocabulary, and depending upon how you personally are most comfortable learning languages, that may be good or bad. The concept approach does allow one to focus on specific areas and save time and effort by skipping the parts deemed less necessary; if you are driving from Sofia to Plovdiv you need to know how to ask for directions and not have to appreciate the difference between 'like' and 'love' or abstract philosophy. If you want to become fluent enough to carry on at least a light conversation of small talk in Bulgarian, you will be jumping all over the book and gaining insight and grammatical understanding more by osmosis than by design.
   
   As such, for tourists this approach could work well. For business people who intend to stay in country for longer periods or indefinitely, it is not the best or most effective way to learn the language.
   
   The CDs help with pronunciation (the book starts right off in cyrillic and stays there, so proper pronunciation and intonation would be tough to learn off the printed page alone) but the native speakers are speaking at pretty close to normal conversational pace, which will be hard to follow at first.
   
   Finally the dictionary in the back is very skimpy. It will not be enough to use for reading or writing letters, or for much else.



4. "TYB" is a very good course. In summer 2005 I lived in Blagoevgrad and found the course to be the best preparation for a lesser-studied Slavic language. It provides dialogues that you will actually find useful everyday when in Bulgaria. Learning to read the Cyrillic is facilitated by the orientation at the beginning and then the gradual exposure to it throughout the 20 lessons. My advice is to work at a steady pace, i.e., a dialogue and grammar exercise each day. All essential grammar is covered admirably without reaching that eyes-glazed-over point. I was in Bulgaria for 8 weeks and only completed up to Lesson 12, but it provided me with the skills needed to converse on all essentials and even some more abstract conversations. In summary, if you work seriously with this book and the 2 CD's, then you'll be at an intermediate level in about 3 months -- what better praise can you give for a course?



5. I purchased this directly from Amazon on December 26, shipped on December 27, and received on December 28 at Standard Shipping. WOW! I bought this for my son who lives in the UK and is home for Christmas and it was vital that it arrive before he leaves in six days.
   
   My son has several conversational and phrases Bulgarian books and says this is the absolute best. He works in the UK with trips to Bulgaria and is thrilled that I found this on Amazon after not being able to find in a local Borders or Barnes and Noble without going to another area of town (Atlanta). Receiving it in two days is FIVE BIG GOLD STARS for Amazon. Also, this is much cheaper on Amazon here as opposed to Amazon UK, about half the price. I bought NEW directly from Amazon. It comes well packaged in a hard plastic case which makes it good for travel.

1 comments about Harrap's Bulgarian Phrasebook (Harrap's Phrasebook Series).

1. The book has a very nicely made and clearly marked map of the center of Sofia, better than any of the three tourist maps I've gotten here.
   
   It gives clear explanations of the language and I am having a great time here using it. But it has an amazingly poor selection of phrases.
   
   Phrases every phrase book should have are missing here: "I speak a little Bulgarian," and "we want two (beers, or banitze, or whatever)," and "Thanks, I'm just looking." You'll either have to figure out the grammer section or just both of you order one beer!
   
   The book has many phrases you will never need: "What do I do if the kayak capsizes," and "Who knows a good card game." Are you learning how to kayak from someone who speaks no English? Better check the Bulgarian for "hey, what is that ahead?" before you set off on the river. Unfortunately that phrase is not in this book. How will you learn a new card game from someone who speaks no English?
   
   Phrases you will need are useless here because the book makes them too complicated. As a beginner you must not try to say "There is something wrong with the computer, it is frozen." No one will understand you the first 18 times you try it. Instead, you point at the computer and say "ne robotni." People will understand: "does not work." This is a vital phrase in many situations.
   
   And think about this one: "I understand Bulgarian but can't speak it." Many people will see very well that you do not understand much Bulgarian, and you just did speak some, so they will suspect they misunderstood what you were saying. Others will take you at your word and start rattling off Bulgarian confident that you "understand" the language. I can assure you that many very kind people in the cosmopolitan city of Sofia do not grasp that not everyone is fluent in their language.
   
   The book wastes a great deal of space on pointless phrases like that.
   
   The introduction to the Cyrillic alphabet will enable you to cope with street signs, which is surely the key thing. But you will be left clueless over menus, and shop signs,and product labels (let alone newspapers). All of those use variant forms of the Cyrillic letters corresponding to our D,G,I,P,T. The variants do not look at all like the `textbook' versions given in this book. The textbook form of the word for "tomatoes" uses characters that I cannot type here but looks roughly like DOMATI. On most menus in Sofia it looks almost exactly like gOMAmu.
   
   Harrap's needs to take a tiny bit of space to show the Cyrillic letters that are actually used, and needs to trim a lot of space wasted on phrases that no one will understand a beginner saying anyway and that you cannot use. If you are trapped in the rain in a youth hostel (as I am right now) and the people around you cannot take the hint when you look eagerly at a Monopoly game and say "eesketeh lee" for "do you want?", then it is simply no use to press the point by asking in newby Bulgarian "Who is up for a game of Monopoly?" That phrase takes up space on page 79.
   
   P.S. I just discovered, this book does not have "I want to check out now." You can make it up using the glossary and the grammar section -- taking several flustered minutes at the hotel desk as you worry whether you left enough time to get to the airport. How can a phrasebook omit "I am checking out now"?

4 comments about Eastern European 12 Language Phrasebook (Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Estonian, Hungarian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Polish, Romanian, Russian, Slovenian and Ukrainian)(Phrasebooks S.).

1. This guidebook is a handy, compact reference for simple survival and simple courtesy-based conversation. It is suited for the traveler who intends to visit the countries that feature these 12 languages, but not for the student who is trying to learn one particular language. Alternatively, the book will serve well the student of a language who needs a quick reference for simple phrases, should he stumble.
   
   The book features simple greetings and situational phrases, such as at the airport or the restaurant, along with a brief history of each language. It also has a section devoted to telling time, which I found lacking, since it did not cover all the times of the day (just the times within 9 o'clock, and how to say "noon," "afternoon," and "evening," for example). One of the book's strengths is its phonetic pronunciations for each translated phrase. Although I found some pronunciations were incorrect (in the Lithuanian section), it will help you in a bind.



2. Well-organized list of phrases in twelve languages. It would be ideal for a trip through several different countries in eastern and central Europe, but if you were going to spend any serious time in a single country, you would want more. It has the drawbacks common to all phrasebooks -- the phrases may not be the ones you actually need. Because this one is so compact, there is no room for glossaries or any advice on customs or grammar.
   
   Still, it has a lot of phrases in a compact, easy-to-use package.
   
   I bought this for a short trip to Romania, where I socialized largely with Hungarian speakers. Didn't need it urgently, and so rarely tested it "under fire" -- doctor, train connections, etc. But it helped me learn a few basic phrases in two different languages at the same time, which allowed me to at least seem polite. (Of course, I kept using Romanian phrases among Hungarians and vice-versa, which defeated the purpose a little, but that's not the book's fault!)



3. This is a quick way to make your needs know as you travel through a number of countries which speak other languages especially Latvian, Estonian, Lithuanian and 9 others. The basic transliteration used in the book is the same throughout the book. Familiarity of the basic outline of the 350 phrases should be done, some of which are compounded therefore you have to count the words to point to the correct one. I don't know if an audio transcript has ever been done of the book-it would be useful!The book is pocket size and fits into the back pocket of my jeans. You may want to use a removeable tab to the language in demand for easier use



4. Item as described. I haven't used it yet, but will take it on a trip to Central Europe in a couple of weeks. I'm sure it will be helpful.

No comments about Teach Yourself Bulgarian Complete Course with Audio CDs, New Edition (TY: Complete Courses).

5 comments about Intensive Bulgarian, Vol. 1: A Textbook & Reference Grammar.

1. Ronelle Alexander's "Intensive Bulgarian" is the finest language textbook I have ever used. Chapter by chapter, vocabulary and grammatical concepts are introduced in a logical sequence, with extraordinarily lucid explanations, examples and dialogues. Each chapter has two grammar sections: The first gives the basic usage of the new constructs, and the second goes into greater linguistic detail. The second section could be skipped by the casual learner, but is very useful to the more dedicated student or anyone interested in the more technical aspects of Bulgarian grammar. Insightful cultural notes in each chapter give the student a better understanding of contemporary Bulgarian culture and help to put the language into context, something often lacking in foreign language textbooks.
   
   I would highly recommend "Intensive Bulgarian, Vol. 1" for any instructor teaching an intensive course or any motivated student who wants to learn Bulgarian on her own, particularly if she wants a deeper linguistic appreciation of the language.



2. this is one of the best introductory books ever written on such a topic.clearly written, superbly arranged in chapters, a step-by-step introduction to a superb language.for those who have access to other Slavic languages or to PIE background this book is a blessing.one can finally learn Bulgarian by him/herself.a final remark: I would say that some linguistic background(a 101 class) might be necessary, but I do think that even w/o it one can easily learn Bulgarian from this superb textbook.
   congratulations to the author.



3. I received the book quickly and at a great price since I purchased it in combination with Vol. 2. The book has been very useful in my study of the Bulgarian language. It is a college level study, so keep in mind that you'll need a good understanding of English to learn Bulgarian with this book.



4. This is a very good book to study the bulgarian language. Step by step you can adcquire a basic knowledge of this language with exercises and well explained grammar.



5. Unfortunately, it seems that materials for learning Bulgarian are far and few between. I have found limited (adequate) sources online for learning Bulgarian (on both English and German websites), and this book seems to be the best of its kind. Although I am only on chapter 2 of the book, I find the grammar explanations to be simple, and for the most part, easy to follow. I also find the format of the book to be very user-friendly. Each chapter begins with a short dialogue, which introduces the new grammatical concepts and vocabulary for the chapter. I find it useful to read through this dialogue a few times before reading through the chapter, and then reading it again before moving to the next chapter, to make sure that I understand its contents. In addition, a nice glossary of vocabulary words and phrases is included with the conclusion of each chapter. The inclusion of verb conjugations for numerous persons (1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc) is nice as well.
   
   This book also seems to be great, from a cultural standpoint. I am fortunate enough to have the help of a Bulgarian woman, who works through the book with me. She helps me correct my pronunciation (though I think that audio Cds may be available for purchase as well), and also points out the significance of the inclusion of certain words in the book. To learn how to say "There's a draft" in chapter 1 is not as strange as it seems for an American, she told me, as culturally, this comes up a lot in Bulgaria. The only downside is that my tutor has found a few mistakes so far in the book (or so she believes), but this sort of thing occurs with 99% of language books on the market.
   
   Overall, one gets what he or she pays for, and in terms of Bulgarian textbooks, this one seems to be the best on the market for the serious student. For those people who just want to learn a few phrases for a vacation, the Teach Yourself Bulgarian book might be a better match. However, for someone who does not just want to learn how to put together a limited number of set phrases on "survival" topics, and for someone who wants to get his or her hands dirty and gain an understanding of the grammar behind the language, then this is definitely the better book.

5 comments about Bulgarian-English-English Bulgarian Practical Dictionary (Hippocrene Practical Dictionary).

1. The best thing about this dictionary is its small size.
   However, it doesn't list any of the perfective verbs E-B or B-E.
   Whenever I come across a Bulgarian perfective verb I simply cannot look it up in the dictionary because it's not listed.
   If I want to translate from English to Bulgarian using a perfective verb, I'm out of luck if I try to use this dictionary.
   In fact, the dictionary in the back of the "Intensive Bulgarian" textbook is more comprehensive than this stand-alone dictionary.
   Very disappointing!!!



2. This dictionary is simply inadequate for serious study of Bulgarian. It would be more suitable for a tourist, used in combination with a basic grammar.



3. This is a very simple, basic dictionary. Does not separate meanings. Small vocabulary. Works well in restaurant environment for making small talk in both languages :) For serious study, use something bigger.



4. I am an American who learned Bulgarian at a fairly rigorous pace. I lived in Bulgaria and became fairly fluent in the language. This book was useful for about the first week of my study. Bulgarian verbs have two forms to all verbs and this book seemed oblivious to that as it only listed one. The translations were horrible and sometimes even hilarious. There are much better dictionaries out there do not settle for this one.



5. Great value for the price. This little dictionary is very handy for a beginner in Bulgarian. What I especially like is the accent marks to help you pronounce the words.

2 comments about Teach Yourself Bulgarian Conversation (3CDs + Guide).

1. This product is good for basic travel needs. It is good for use in the car and will teach the needed skills for leisure travelers. If you need s more complete understanding of Bulgarian the book based version would be better.



2. I am a huge fan of Pimsleur language courses, but this rather different approach is extremely engaging. Like Pimsleur it is very much audio oriented although there is a written booklet with it.
   
   The speaker is engaging, and the lessons move very fast. To make the CDs more compact, they often tell you to go back and replay some parts if you think you should. Pimsleur would just repeat the part on the CD if they think you should hear it again.
   
   As advertised, it is a course on conversation and not on survival as a traveler. I don't think they ever tell you how to say "I am an American," or how to say you need to find someone who speaks English. Fair enough, phrasebooks will tell you those things. This course does cover many travel skills by the end. But it embeds them in a basic conversational context.
   
   In general this approach expects you to make a lot of decisions yourself about how to absorb the material. The advantage is shorter CDs and maybe more control, the disadvantage if this is your first foreign language is that you must be a good judge of whether or not you have gotten what you need out of a given lesson.
   
   They explain more points of grammar than Pimsleur would, and they give some extremely nice pointers in the second part of the course about how to hear Bulgarian as it is actually spoken, with dropped sounds and words blended together.
   
   Overall it is more demanding than Pimsleur, and faster, and relies more on your ability to guide yourself. Pimsleur is great. But I'm not sure they offer Bulgarian. Kovatcheva and Holman's approach may just be greater -- of course a lot will depend on you!

1 comments about Bulgarian (Lonely Planet Phrasebooks).

1. I love the Lonely Planet phrasebooks. Everything is color coded and catagorized by possible need. I listen to audio and look at many language books and these are the best and most fun.