The verb „to have“ in Bulgarian („имам“)

When learning Bulgarian, one of the first verbs you will probably learn is „имам“ (imam), which means „to have“. It is a useful verb to know, as it is used in many everyday situations. In this article, we will go over the conjugation the verb „to have“ in Bulgarian („имам“)  in the present tense, as well as how to use it in positive, negative, and interrogative sentences.

Conjugation of the verb „to have“ in Bulgarian / „имам“ in the present tense

The present tense of „имам“ is conjugated as follows:

аз имам (az imam) – I have
ти имаш (ti imash) – you have (informal singular)
той/тя/то има (toy/tya/to ima) – he/she/it has
ние имаме (nie imame) – we have
вие имате (vie imate) – you have (formal singular/plural)
те имат (te imat) – they have

Note that the verb „имам“ is a member of the third group of Bulgarian verbs, which means that it is conjugated like other verbs that end in „-ам“, such as „харесвам“ (haresvam – to like) and „искам“ (iskam – to want).

Using „имам“ in positive sentences

To use „имам“ in a positive sentence, simply conjugate the verb according to the subject and add the object you have.

Here are some examples of positive sentences with the verb „имам“ in present tense:

• Аз имам куче. (Az imam kuche) – I have a dog.
• Ти имаш красива къща. (Ti imash krasiva kashta) – You have a beautiful house.
• Той има голяма кола. (Toy ima golyama kola) – He has a big car.
• Ние имаме много приятели. (Nie imame mnogo priyateli) – We have many friends.
• Вие имате интересни хобита. (Vie imate interesni hobita) – You have interesting hobbies.
• Те имат умения за готвене. (Te imat umeniya za gotvene) – They have cooking skills.

Using the verb „to have“ in Bulgarian „нямам“ in negative sentences

In negative sentences, you will use the verb „нямам“ (nyamam), which means „not to have“.

Here are some examples:

Аз нямам брат. (Az nyamam brat) – I don’t have a brother.
Ти нямаш време. (Ti nyamash vreme) – You don’t have time.
Той няма пари. (Toy nyama pari) – He doesn’t have money.
Ние нямаме кола. (Nie nyamame kola) – We don’t have a car.
Вие нямате търпение. (Vie nyamate tarpenie) – You don’t have patience.
Те нямат много опит. (Te nyamat mnogo opit) – They don’t have much experience.

Using „имам“ in interrogative sentences

To form a question using „имам“, simply put the verb before the subject. Note that in Bulgarian, a question can also be formed by adding the particle „ли“ (li), usually added after the verb, especially when asking yes/no questions. Here are some examples:

„Има ли котка?“ (Ima li kotka?) – Is there a cat?
„Имаш ли телефон?“ (Imash li telefon?) – Do you have a phone?
„Има ли тук магазин?“ (Ima li tuk magazin?) – Is there a store here?

„Той има ли книга?“ (Toy ima li kniga?) – Does he have a book?
„Ние имаме ли кола?“ (Nie imame li kola?) – Do we have a car?

In conclusion, „имам“ is a useful verb to know when learning Bulgarian, as it is used frequently in everyday situations. By understanding its conjugation and how to use it in positive, negative, and interrogative sentences, you will be able to communicate more effectively in Bulgarian.

You can find more lessons and exercises in our Bulgarian language courses for foreigners! Contact us if you need help!