Meaning
Describing an urban area.
Cultural Background
The 'Yellow Cobblestones' (Жълтите павета) in Sofia are a symbol of the 'голям град' and political power. The phrase often carries a connotation of 'opportunity' in developing nations, including Bulgaria. Many Bulgarian cities were 'fortresses' (градове) during the Ottoman period, which influenced the word's meaning. On Bulgarian social media, #голямград is often used for aesthetic photos of urban architecture.
Gender Check
Always remember 'град' is masculine. If you forget, just think of 'Mr. City'.
The 'Hail' Trap
Don't say 'Вали град' unless you mean it's raining cities! Use 'градушка' for hail.
Meaning
Describing an urban area.
Gender Check
Always remember 'град' is masculine. If you forget, just think of 'Mr. City'.
The 'Hail' Trap
Don't say 'Вали град' unless you mean it's raining cities! Use 'градушка' for hail.
Definite Articles
Use 'големият' when it's the subject and 'големия' when it's the object. This makes you sound like a pro.
Sofia is 'The' City
If someone says 'Отивам в града' without naming it, they usually mean Sofia.
Test Yourself
Fill in the correct form of the adjective 'голям'.
София е ______ град.
'Град' is masculine, so we use 'голям'.
Which sentence is grammatically correct for a subject?
The big city is beautiful.
In the subject position, the masculine definite article is '-ят'.
Match the Bulgarian phrase with its English meaning.
Match the following:
These are the four main types of settlements in Bulgarian.
Complete the dialogue.
A: Харесваш ли Пловдив? B: Да, той е много ______ ______.
Plovdiv is a masculine noun (implied by 'той'), so 'голям град' is correct.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Settlement Sizes
Practice Bank
4 exercisesСофия е ______ град.
'Град' is masculine, so we use 'голям'.
The big city is beautiful.
In the subject position, the masculine definite article is '-ят'.
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
These are the four main types of settlements in Bulgarian.
A: Харесваш ли Пловдив? B: Да, той е много ______ ______.
Plovdiv is a masculine noun (implied by 'той'), so 'голям град' is correct.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questionsYes, Plovdiv is the second largest city in Bulgaria and is always referred to as a 'голям град'.
You say 'Аз съм от голям град'.
The plural is 'големи градове'. Note the irregular plural of 'град'.
No, Bansko is a 'малък град' (small town).
In Bulgarian, voiced consonants at the end of words become voiceless. 'Д' becomes 'Т'.
It is neutral. You can use it in any situation.
The opposite is 'малко село' (small village) or 'малък град'.
Yes, in some contexts 'град' can mean hail, but 'градушка' is more common to avoid confusion.
Say 'най-големият град'.
Not a direct one, but people often use 'джунгла' (jungle) or 'лудница' (madhouse).
Related Phrases
малък град
contrastSmall town
столица
specialized formCapital city
център на града
builds onCity center
градски транспорт
similarPublic transport
метрополис
synonymMetropolis
