Bulgarian B1 level means you can handle everyday life in Bulgarian on your own: you tell a story in the past, explain your plans and opinions, and follow clear speech on familiar topics. The best-known proof is the certificate in Bulgarian as a foreign language from Sofia University's Department for Language Teaching, whose B1 test carries the ALTE Q Mark. From A2, plan on about 150 to 200 more hours.
What can you do at Bulgarian B1 level?
The CEFR describes B1 as understanding the main points of clear speech on familiar matters, dealing with most situations while travelling, and describing experiences, plans and opinions in simple connected text. Bulgarian has a shape of its own that you meet head-on at this level. Nouns have no cases, but the definite article sits at the end of the word (книгата, knigata, the book), and the verb system is rich: two simple past tenses, aspect, and a special form for things you only heard about.
At B1 you can:
- Tell what happened using the aorist, the past tense for completed events.
- Make plans with ще (shte) for the future and да (da) clauses where English uses an infinitive.
- Understand reported information in the renarrative mood, common in news and gossip.
- Read Cyrillic at normal speed and understand short articles and messages.
- Give a reason for an opinion and keep a conversation going.
Typical B1 sentences:
- Миналата година ходих на море с приятели. (Minalata godina hodih na more s priyateli.) Last year I went to the seaside with friends.
- Ако имам време, ще ти се обадя довечера. (Ako imam vreme, shte ti se obadya dovechera.) If I have time, I'll call you tonight.
- Книгата, която ми препоръча, е много интересна. (Knigata, koyato mi preporacha, e mnogo interesna.) The book you recommended to me is very interesting.
- Казват, че новият ресторант бил много добър. (Kazvat, che noviyat restorant bil mnogo dobar.) They say the new restaurant is very good, as reported, not confirmed.
- Според мен трябва да се промени системата. (Spored men tryabva da se promeni sistemata.) In my opinion the system needs to change.
Which exam proves Bulgarian B1 level?
Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski issues certificates in Bulgarian as a foreign language through its Department for Language Teaching and Continuing Education. The tests match CEFR levels A2, B1, B2, C1 and C2, the department has been ALTE's only full member from Bulgaria since 2007, and since 2020 its B1 and B2 tests have held the ALTE Q Mark (Sofia University).
| Exam | Who runs it | Levels | CEFR link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate in Bulgarian as a foreign language | Department for Language Teaching and Continuing Education, Sofia University | A2, B1, B2, C1, C2 | Official; B1 and B2 hold the ALTE Q Mark |
| ECL Bulgarian | ECL Consortium | A2, B1, B2, C1 | Official, levels aligned with CEFR |
The Sofia test covers speaking, listening, reading and writing equally. There are no fixed sessions: candidates usually sit the test individually, at a time that suits them, in front of two examiners. For most purposes in Bulgaria, this certificate is the one to get.
Bulgarian A2 vs B1: what changes?
A2 Bulgarian covers routines and simple needs. B1 adds the past, the future and reported speech in full:
- Past tenses. The aorist четох (chetoh, I read) against the imperfect четях (chetyah, I was reading), plus the perfect чел съм (chel sam, I have read).
- Aspect pairs. Пиша and напиша (pisha, napisha), купувам and купя (kupuvam, kupya).
- The renarrative mood. Бил (bil) and имало (imalo) for things you know only from others.
- Object doubling. Него го няма. (Nego go nyama.) He isn't here.
- The article in full. Градът (gradat) as subject but града (grada) as object, plus -та, -то and -те.
- Connectors. Защото (zashtoto, because), въпреки че (vapreki che, although), затова (zatova, that's why).
