; NO ENTRY : ЗАБРАНЕТ ВЛЕЗ (''zah-BRAH-neht vlehz'')
; NO ENTRY : ЗАБРАНЕТ ВЛЕЗ (''zah-BRAH-neht vlehz'')
; EXIT : ИЗЛЕЗ (''EEZ-lehz'')
; EXIT : ИЗЛЕЗ (''EEZ-lehz'')
−
; TOILET : ТОАЛЕТНИ (''twah-LEHT-nee'')
+
; TOILET : ТОАЛЕТ (''twah-LEHT'')
; NO SMOKING : ЗАБРАНЕТО ПУШЕЊЕ (''zah-brah-NEH-toh poo-SHEH-nyeh'')}}
; NO SMOKING : ЗАБРАНЕТО ПУШЕЊЕ (''zah-brah-NEH-toh poo-SHEH-nyeh'')}}
Revision as of 11:57, 17 January 2013
Macedonian is the main language of the Republic of Macedonia situated between Serbia, Greece and Albania in Southeastern Europe. The language is very similar to Bulgarian, and the differences between them are often blurry even in the spoken language.
Most Macedonians will understand Bulgarian and Serbian/Croatian/Bosnian without the need of a translator. Two other languages widely spoken in Macedonia are Albanian and, to some extent, Greek. There are also Macedonian language speakers among the Slavic Macedonian minority in northern Greece that is, however, not recognized by the Greek national authorities.
The Macedonian language is an easy language as each letter contains its own sound with no letter change. The vowels are similar to the Spanish vowels and give out the same sounds at all times.
Macedonian has 31 sounds. Spelling does not present any difficulties as there is one symbol for each sound. Pronunciation of the Cyrillic and Latin alphabets will be given here. No letter in Macedonian Cyrillic is silent.
Stress
As a rule of thumb, if the Macedonian word has three or more syllables, the emphasis will fall on the third syllable counted from the end of the word. If the word has less then three syllables, the first from the beginning is stressed. Examples: Благодарам [bla-GO-daram], утро [UT-ro].
Vowels
The Macedonian vowels are similar to the Spanish 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]
Consonants
Б
B бука - buka - noise...like 'b' in "book" [end of a word 'p' sound]
В
V вера - vera - faith...like 'v' in "very" [end and middle of a word 'f' sound]
Г
G гора - gora - wood...like 'g' in "go" [end or middle of a word 'k' sound]
Д
D да - da - yes...like 'd' in "dust" [end of a word like 't' sound]
Ѓ
Gj луѓе - lugje - people...like the 'dg' in "fudge" [at the end of the word like a 'tch' sound]
Ж
Zh жаба - zhaba - frog...like 'si' in "vision" [end of a word is 'sh' sound]
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 [end of a word is 'ts' sound]
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" [lyeh]
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 [nyeh]
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 'tch' in "watch"
Ф
F факт - fakt - fact...like 'f' in "fact"
Х
H химна - himna - anthem...like 'h' in "him" [an aspirated sound]
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" [end or middle of a word 'ch' sound]
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'
Other Sounds
aa
is a long 'a' sound similar to the 'a' in "far"
ee
long 'e' sound like the 'e' in "bled"
Phrase list
Basics
Common signs
OPEN
ОТВОРЕНО (oht-voh-REH-noh)
CLOSED
ЗАТВОРЕНО (zah-voh-REH-noh)
ENTRANCE
ВЛЕЗ (vlehz)
NO ENTRY
ЗАБРАНЕТ ВЛЕЗ (zah-BRAH-neht vlehz)
EXIT
ИЗЛЕЗ (EEZ-lehz)
TOILET
ТОАЛЕТ (twah-LEHT)
NO SMOKING
ЗАБРАНЕТО ПУШЕЊЕ (zah-brah-NEH-toh poo-SHEH-nyeh)
Hello.
Здраво!(ZDRAH-voh)
How are you?
Како сите?(KAH-koh sit-eh?)
Very well, thank you!
Многу добро,благодарам! (MNOH-goo DOH-broh blah-goh-DAH-rahm)
What is your name?
Како се викате? (KAH-koh seh vee-KAH-teh?)
My name is ______ .
Јас се викам______. (yahs seh VEE-kahm_____ .)
Pleased to meet you.
Драго ми е што ве запознав. (DRAH-goh mee eh shtoh veh zah-POHZ-nahv)
On the signboards there are no translations so it will be good to know this words when you are traveling:
Village-село(on the signboards you will see "selo")
Town\City-град(grad)
River-река(reka)
Lake-езеро(ezero). Yet other signs will only show pictures not words. So its best you get a road sign information before you travel any foreign country in case you have to rent a car.
Common signs
OPEN
ОТВОРА (otvora)
CLOSED
ЗАТВОРЕНО (zatvoreno)
ENTRANCE
ВЛЕГУВА (vleguva)
EXIT
ИЗЛЕЗ (izlez)
GAS
БЕНЗИН (benzin)
YIELD
ДАВА (dava)
NO PARKING
НЕМА ПАРКИНГ (nema parking)
PARKING
ПАРКИНГ (parking)
STOP
СТОП (stop)
SPEED LIMIT
БРЗИНА (brzina)
Can I rent a car?
Можам да Rent A Car? (MOzham da Rent a Car?)
Can I get insurance?
Може да се добие за осигурување? (MOzhe da se DObie za osiguruVAnye?)
gas (petrol) station
бензинска пумпа (benZINska PUMpa)
road map
патот на сајтот (PAtot na SAItot)
petrol
бензин (BENzin)
diesel
дизел (DIzel)
Authority
I haven't done anything wrong.
Не сум сторил ништо погрешно. (ne sum STOril NISHto pogRESHno)
It was a misunderstanding.
Тоа беше недоразбирање. (toa BEshe nedorazBIRanye)
Where are you taking me?
Каде си земајќи ме? (KAde si zeMAIki me?)
Am I under arrest?
Јас сум под апсење? (yas sum pod apSEnye?)
I am an American/Australian/British/Canadian citizen.
Јас сум Американец / австралиски / британски / канадски државјанин. (yas sum ameriKAnets/ awstraLIski/ briTANski/ kaNADski drzhaVIAnin)
I want to talk to the American/Australian/British/Canadian embassy/consulate.
Сакам да разговара со американскиот / австралиски / британски / канадска амбасада / конзулат. (SAkam da razgoVAra so amerikanSKIot/ briTANski/ kaNADSka ambaSAda/ konZUlat)
I want to talk to a lawyer.
Сакам да разговара со адвокат. (SAkam da razgoVAra so adVOkat)
Can I just pay a fine now?
Може ли само плати глоба во моментов? (Mozhe li SAmo PLAti GLOba vo moMENtof)
This is a guide phrasebook. It covers all the major topics for traveling without resorting to English. But please Plunge forward and help us make it a star!
