Bulgarian Letter Б: How to Say Б (b)
The Bulgarian letter Б is the second letter of the alphabet and a consonant pronounced [b], like the ‘b’ in ‘bed’. Its name is бъ (buh). At the end of a word or before a voiceless consonant it is pronounced [p]. It is transliterated as b.
The Bulgarian letter Б is the consonant ‘b’, and it is the first letter in the alphabet that English readers have to learn from scratch. Its capital looks like a squared-off 6 or a B with the top loop opened out. The sound itself is easy; the shape and one pronunciation rule are where people slip.
Shape: why Б is not B
Capital Б has a flat top stroke that sticks out to the right and a single closed bowl at the bottom. Lowercase б looks like a 6 with a little flick at the top. English B, confusingly, is the shape of a different Bulgarian letter: В, which sounds like ‘v’. Keep this pair straight early, because it causes more misreadings than any other in the first week.
In Bulgarian and Russian typefaces the lowercase б looks the same. Both descend from the same 18th-century civil type model.
How to pronounce the Bulgarian letter Б
At the start of a word or between vowels, Б is a normal [b] with the lips closed and the voice on. English speakers already have this sound.
| Word | Transliteration | Meaning | Hear |
|---|---|---|---|
| баба | baba | grandmother | |
| брат | brat | brother | |
| бира | bira | beer | |
| хляб | hlyab | bread (said ‘hlyap’) | |
| зъб | zab | tooth (said ‘zup’) |
Final devoicing: when Б sounds like П
Bulgarian, like German and Russian, removes the voice from consonants at the end of a word. Б therefore becomes [p] word-finally: хляб (hlyab, bread) is pronounced ‘hlyap’, and зъб (zab, tooth) sounds like ‘zup’. The spelling does not change, because the plural хлябове and зъби bring the ‘b’ back.
The same thing happens inside a word when Б stands before a voiceless consonant such as К, С or Т. The rule works in reverse for П, which can sound like ‘b’ before a voiced consonant. The phonology overview gives the full pattern, and our pronunciation guide shows it across all six letters that devoice.
A quick way to spell correctly: if you hear a final ‘p’, try the plural or another form of the word. If a ‘b’ appears there, write Б.
The name бъ
Bulgarian consonant names add the vowel Ъ to the sound, so Б is called бъ, said like ‘buh’. Russian speakers call the same letter ‘бэ‘ (be). When Bulgarian children spell out a word, or when you spell a name over the phone, you will hear ‘buh’. The letters hub lists every name.
Transliteration of Б
The 2009 Transliteration Act writes Б as b in every position. A final devoiced Б is still written b, so гроб (grave) is grob, and a surname like Зъбов would be Zabov, never Zapov. Transliteration follows letters, not sounds.
Frequency
Б is a fairly rare letter in running text. A corpus count published by Sttmedia ranks it 20th of 30, at around 1.25% of letters. It still turns up in many everyday words, including благодаря (blagodarya, thank you) and добър (dobar, good).
Common mistakes with the Bulgarian letter Б
- Confusing Б with В. Б is ‘b’; В, which looks like English B, is ‘v’.
- Reading lowercase б as the digit 6 in handwritten notes or on menus.
- Pronouncing a full ‘b’ at the end of хляб. Native speakers say ‘p’.
- Writing ‘p’ in transliterated names because that is what you hear. The Streamlined System keeps ‘b’.
Before Б comes А; after it comes В.
Frequently asked questions
What sound does the Bulgarian letter Б make?
Б sounds like English ‘b’. At the end of a word or before a voiceless consonant it is pronounced ‘p’.
Is Б the same as English B?
In sound, yes. In shape, no: the Bulgarian letter that looks like B is В, which sounds like ‘v’.
Why is хляб pronounced ‘hlyap’?
Bulgarian devoices consonants at the end of words, so Б becomes ‘p’. The spelling keeps Б because other forms of the word, such as хлябове, have a clear ‘b’.
What is the name of the letter Б?
It is called бъ, pronounced ‘buh’. Russian calls the same letter ‘be’.
Sources
- Bulgarian alphabet (Wikipedia)
- Bulgarian phonology (Wikipedia)
- Transliteration Act, SG No. 19/2009 (Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works)
- Bulgarian letter frequency (Sttmedia corpus count)