Bulgarian for foreigners

If you are an expat in Bulgaria or just have a holiday home here and would like to chat with your friends, colleagues and neighbours;
If you are in love with a Bulgarian and would like to surprise him/her with some romantic phrases in Bulgarian language;
If you are engaged to Bulgarian partner and would like to understand what your mother-in-law murmurs;
If you would like to acquire a driving licence or apply for Bulgarian citizenship and have to pass the language test;
If you are running a business in Bulgaria and don`t want to rely on interpreters anymore;
If your kids were born abroad and have no chance to learn and practice their mother tongue;
If you are a professional translator, a linguist or just have a passion for foreign languages and would like to go deep into the lingo;
If you are planning holidays in Bulgaria and would like to be able to cope with waiters, receptionists and taxi drivers;
If you are a missionary, sent by your church on a mission to Bulgaria and you need to preach in Bulgarian language;
If you would like to study at Bulgarian university and don`t want to waste a whole academic year in expensive group tuition;
If you have fallen in love with our fascinating folk songs and chain dances, amazing nature and world-famous yoghurt, traditional customs and delicious cuisine;
If you have been struggling in vain to learn the lingo alone with teach-yourself books and CDs, Byki flashcards and Livemocha language exchange,

Mastylo Language School provides both intensive and long-term individual practical classes plus distance learning (online lessons) in Bulgarian language for foreigners. Our experience has proved to be outstandingly successful with students and adults from all over Europe, North and South America, Australia, New Zealand and Asia. The guarantee for fast and reliable results is truly grounded as Testimonials can verify. Our basic course in contemporary Bulgarian as a foreign language is founded on a brand new textbook and modern methods of teaching. Moreover, classes are always consistent with your spare time! [back]

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Fees and payments for individuals: The tuition fee for one one-to-one lesson is 12 EUR per lesson for two levels (80 classes*); and 13 EUR per lesson for one level only (40 classes*), Monday to Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Bulgarian time. The fee is 16 EUR per lesson if you pay before each class, Monday to Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Bulgarian time. The fee is 14 EUR per lesson for 80 classes and 15 EUR per lesson for 40 classes during the holidays, before 9:00 a.m. and after 6:00 p.m. Bulgarian time. Otherwise the fee is 18 EUR per lesson if you pay before each class. We offer 24 hours services! Students outside Bulgaria can pay via PayPal, bank transfer, postal order or Money Gram and Western Union. The tuition fee for online lessons on Skype and for traditional lessons in our office is the same.

Discounts for individuals: The first online lesson is always free of charge! 100% discount for family members and 50% discount for groups. The more students in a group, the lower is the fee - 8 EUR per lesson for 2 learners, 6 EUR for 3 learners, 5 EUR for 4 learners, etc.

*The prepaid packages of 80 and 40 classes should be used within 12 months. The tuition fees are non-refundable.

Why does it cost so much? The person who would ask such a question obviously is not familiar with tutoring prices. They can vary between 20 - 95  €/hour. When assessing the fair price of a tutoring hour, you must consider some factors, among which: the tutor's competence (Is that an experienced teacher or a needy student? Is that a professional or an amateur?), the rarity of the specialists (tutors) in that field, the teacher's ability to handle modern technology and provide online tutoring, the tutor's supplementary expenses (such as Internet traffic), the time zone differences leading to unusual teaching times for the tutor. By all these factors, the "fair price" would break the upper barrier! For an easier calculation of a fair price, consider the average salary of a teacher in EU or North America, of about 1500 - 2000 €/month, and the average number of working hours per month, about 80 - 100. The average "fair" wages a teacher would get is about 19 - 20 €/hour. However, a freelance tutor's schedule is scattered and not constant and less loaded than the norm of a regular teacher. An adjustment coefficient of 1.4 would be reasonable, so the average "fair" fee for this sort of private tuition would be around 26 - 28 €/hour! You can take a look at the charges of our "rivals" in Sofia (17.95 EUR per lesson), Varna (14.53 EUR per lesson) or Blagoevgrad (22 EUR per lesson), and also at the fees for an individual lesson in English as a foreign language in the UK, Europe and the USA.

Why does it cost so little? We can afford now to offer this small price. So, consider it as a promotional price. It will rise in the near future, as Bulgaria has joined the EU and the "Bulgarian" prices must match the "European Union" prices.

Cancellation policy: Lesson cancellations must be made at least 24 hours prior to the time of class. Cancellations made less than 24 hours will be charged 100% of the class rate. It applies to the tutors too, but we "pay" with free classes. [back]

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Instructors in Bulgarian as a Foreign Language

Our qualified and experienced tutors are:

Boris Angelov used to be an assistant professor in Bulgarian language and literature at the University of Plovdiv “Paisii Hilendarski” (2000-2006). He is a PhD candidate in Methodology of Literary Education at the same university. He is the author of “Critical Stories”. He speaks English and Russian.

Erna Angelova has a Master’s Degree from the University of Plovdiv “Paisii Hilendarski” in Bulgarian philology with a specialization in linguistics. She speaks English, Russian and Armenian. [back]

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Learn Bulgarian online on Skype

Syllabi for Learning Bulgarian Language

 

Bulgarian Course for Beginners

The purpose of the distance course “Bulgarian for foreigners – beginners` level” is to give basic knowledge on the contemporary Bulgarian grammar and also to master vocabulary, used in the everyday oral and written communication. Lessons are consisted of short texts, dialogues, vocabulary, grammar drills and exercises for reading, writing, listening and comprehension. It starts from scratch at real beginner level, assuming no previous language knowledge. Intermediary languages are English, French, German, Polish, Portuguese, Armenian and Russian. [back]

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Online group Bulgarian classes from 5 EUR

We provide online group tuition in Bulgarian for foreigners, starting from 5 EUR. Learning the lingo in a small group has several benefits. You can: role-play with other learners instead of practicing with the tutor only; study from others` mistakes and achievements; compare your progress with the other students; discuss problems with the rest participants; exchange ideas and tips with the members of the group; improve your skills in a friendly, but still competitive surroundings; enjoy speaking to people with the same interests and hobby; meet strangers from all over the world and learn about their countries; share your Bulgarian experience with people, who are also keen on Bulgaria; make new friends, etc. On top of everything, you can save money! Find a language partner and begin learning Bulgarian today for 7EUR only! The more students in a group, the lower is the fee - 8 EUR for 2 learners, 6 EUR for 3 learners, 5 EUR for 4 learners, etc. There is just one requirement – all members of the group must have similar level. The number of the lessons per week and the best time for all of us will be easily arranged. The first lesson is always free of charge! There is also 100% discount for family members. We can share a conference call with up to 25 people, anywhere in the world, and if everyone’s on Skype it’s completely free. However, the reasonable number of students in a group is 2 to 5. If you wish to sign up for an online group course, please contact us on Skype or send an e-mail containing your name, level and the best time for the free online Bulgarian lesson. [back]

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Intensive Bulgarian Lessons

This course is designed for foreigners who need to learn the lingo quickly and can afford an intensive tuition. It is not suitable for busy learners, since they have to have enough free time to devote to the learning process. "Intensive Bulgarian" course is based on "Learn quickly Bulgarian" textbook, published by Bogorov Publishing house. It consists of two parts, each of them containing a Student`s Book and a Practice Book. Presenting in full the Bulgarian grammar, it is designed for intensive teaching Bulgarian as a foreign language. The first part includes grammar material and lexis, meeting the requirements of Level A2 of the Common European Framework. The second part includes grammar material and lexis, meeting the requirements of Level B2 of the Common European Framework. [back]

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Business Bulgarian Classes

This course is designed especially for businessmen. Although English is the business language all over the world, speaking the lingo is an enormous advantage. It allows you to control the whole process of negotiation and it`s no longer necessary to rely on translators/interpreters. You have to bear in mind also that it`s hard to find English speakers in all public institutions and even in some private banks or companies. Special attention will be paid to all kind of documents: contracts, forms, invoices, receipts, offers etc. This course will prepare you for the driver license test or for the Bulgarian citizenship exam. "Business Bulgarian" course is based on "Bulgarian for business partners" textbook, published by Sema RSh Publishing house. [back]

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Colloquial Bulgarian Course

This course is designed for foreigners who are interested in conversational Bulgarian. It will be very useful for those, engaged to a Bulgarian partner or/and own properties in small towns or villages where people don`t speak English. We know how difficult is to get by if you can`t speak with the neighbours or order a meal in the restaurant. This course is based on "Bulgarian for Foreigners. Communicative course" textbook, published by Bogorov Publishing house. It includes the most typical structures in the Bulgarian language, which are most usable in the speech. The content covers all the Levels A1, A2 and B1 of the European verbal frame, as its main task is the building of communication skills. [back]

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Bulgarian Language Classes by Telephone

We also provide Bulgarian classes over the telephone. Many foreigners own property in small towns and villages, where ADSL or Broadband Internet connections are not available. Mobile phone companies do provide Mobile Internet connection, but its quality is too poor for Skype calls. You can get a fast satellite Internet connection, but it still costs a fortune. That`s why we decided to offer Bulgarian lessons over the phone. All you need is a landline or a Bulgarian cell phone SIM card, hands-free earphones, a Bluetooth headset, or speakers. Bulgarian GSM operators such as Mtel, Globul and Vivacom offer very cheap tariff plans between 2 SIM cards with 2000 free minutes and 200 SMS at the average monthly fee of 6 EUR only. It works exactly in the same way like on Skype, since we can hear each other and have the textbook on the desk. If you have a dial-up or a mobile internet connection, we can also use Skype, MSN, Google Talk, Yahoo IM, and ICQ for exchanging messages. The first telephone lesson is always free of charge! No matter where you live in Bulgaria, now you can study Bulgarian with our qualified tutors by telephone. [back]

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Survival Bulgarian Lessons for Travelers

This practical and exciting course is designed for people who need Bulgarian for work or travel. It is based around real-life situations and gives you everything you need to survive in Bulgaria. You will be able to make simple everyday conversations, introductions, order meals, change travelers checks, check in to a hotel, booking rooms, have meetings, getting through customs, conducting bank transactions or exchanging money, visiting the doctor, giving directions, shopping, purchasing tickets, mailing letters and parcels, etc. It starts from scratch at real beginner level, assuming no previous language knowledge. Whether you need Bulgarian for business trips, vacations, or work with Bulgarian speakers, Survival Bulgarian course is right for you! [back]

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Intermediate Level Distance Learning On-line Instruction

This on-line course is intended to address all areas of language learning in order to achieve an intermediate level. The course has several basic sections:

1. Listening and Speaking: Confirming and enriching of the spoken Bulgarian language in different formal and informal situations. Special attention will be paid to the stylistic use of the language, in order to achieve better orientation in varied lexical situations and an adequate use of the marked lexis. In the course the accent will be placed on the contemporary conversational Bulgarian, however the possibility of familiarizing with the miscellaneous levels of the formal communication will not be neglected. This basic section will be fulfilled by many dialogues at subjects, proposed by the teachers and by the students themselves. In the structure of the lessons we follow the principles of the Communicative Language approach.
2. Reading: Expanding the knowledge of Bulgarian grammar, which provides an opportunity for the students to use freely and effectively the vocabulary mastered in the process of working. Familiarizing with the specifics of the Bulgarian language grammatical characteristics and paying special attention to the exceptions of the grammatical rules that function in the language.
3. Writing: Introducing varied ways of preparing documents in formal style. The students will be well grounded in the models and the specific terminology applied in composing a CV, motivational letter, application, etc. This will allow them to communicate effectively with the Bulgarian institutions of any kind in accordance with their specific needs and expectations for realizing in the sphere of the public life chosen by them.
4. Culture: Introduction to the culture and history of Bulgaria. We pay special attention to this component because it combines the linguistic use for the students with the ability to adopt the spirit of any nation. We believe that presenting examples of Bulgarian art in all genres will enrich the culture and will expand the horizons of the students. We can proudly present unique cultural examples that not only possess exceptional art value but also exemplify various aspect of the Bulgarian society. For that purpose we will be using miscellaneous and accessible resources at the Internet - virtual libraries, galleries, museums, sites dedicated to the folklore art, modern music, movies etc. /Translated in English by Mira Deliyska/

The on-line course "Bulgarian for foreigners" will be conducted through video conference in Skype [back]

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