Signification
Cleaning one's teeth.
Contexte culturel
Bulgarians often use the diminutive 'зъбки' (zubki) when talking to children about brushing, making the routine feel like a game. There is a strong culture of visiting the dentist for 'cleaning' (почистване), but the daily 'миене' is seen as the primary defense against the high sugar/coffee diet common in the region. Expats in Bulgaria often find 'мия' confusing because they expect a word for 'brush'. Understanding that 'wash' covers all hygiene is a key milestone. In the past, people used 'хума' (a type of clay) or ash to 'wash' their teeth before modern toothpaste became available.
The 'SI' Rule
Always add 'си' (si) after the verb to sound like a native. 'Мия си зъбите' is 100% more natural than 'Мия зъбите'.
Avoid 'Pera'
Never use 'пера' for teeth. It's a common mistake for English speakers who think 'wash' is universal.
Signification
Cleaning one's teeth.
The 'SI' Rule
Always add 'си' (si) after the verb to sound like a native. 'Мия си зъбите' is 100% more natural than 'Мия зъбите'.
Avoid 'Pera'
Never use 'пера' for teeth. It's a common mistake for English speakers who think 'wash' is universal.
Use the Definite Article
Don't forget the '-те' at the end of 'зъбите'. It shows you're talking about your specific set of teeth.
Diminutives
Use 'зъбки' (zubki) when talking to kids or pets to sound warm and encouraging.
Teste-toi
Fill in the missing reflexive pronoun for a natural sentence.
Аз мия ___ зъбите.
In Bulgarian, we use the short dative reflexive pronoun 'си' when performing an action on our own body parts.
Which verb is correct for cleaning teeth?
Всяка сутрин аз ______ зъбите си.
'Мия' is the correct verb for washing/brushing teeth. 'Пера' is for clothes, 'готвя' for cooking, and 'пия' for drinking.
Complete the dialogue.
Майка: Иди да си измиеш зъбите! Дете: ________.
The child is responding to a command to wash their teeth, so 'Yes, mom, immediately' is the logical answer.
Match the phrase to the situation.
You are at the dentist and he asks about your habits.
This is the appropriate response regarding dental hygiene habits.
🎉 Score : /4
Aides visuelles
Wash vs. Brush
Banque d exercices
4 exercicesАз мия ___ зъбите.
In Bulgarian, we use the short dative reflexive pronoun 'си' when performing an action on our own body parts.
Всяка сутрин аз ______ зъбите си.
'Мия' is the correct verb for washing/brushing teeth. 'Пера' is for clothes, 'готвя' for cooking, and 'пия' for drinking.
Майка: Иди да си измиеш зъбите! Дете: ________.
The child is responding to a command to wash their teeth, so 'Yes, mom, immediately' is the logical answer.
You are at the dentist and he asks about your habits.
This is the appropriate response regarding dental hygiene habits.
🎉 Score : /4
Questions fréquentes
14 questionsYes, 'четкам си зъбите' is correct, but 'мия' is much more common in daily speech.
It's a linguistic preference shared by many Slavic languages, focusing on the cleansing action of water.
It's a reflexive pronoun indicating that the action is performed on one's own body.
It is neutral. You can use it in any context, from home to the doctor's office.
Say 'В момента си мия зъбите'.
No, the 'си' already implies 'my'. Adding 'моите' is redundant and sounds foreign.
Четка за зъби (chetka za zabi).
Паста за зъби (pasta za zabi).
'Мия' is the ongoing process; 'измивам' implies finishing the task.
That means 'I wash my mouth'. It's usually used for rinsing or gargling.
Then you drop the 'си' and say 'Мия зъбите на бебето'.
Yes, 'чене' (chene), but it's usually used for dentures or in a joking/rude way.
Забравих да си измия зъбите.
Usually just morning and night, but it's becoming more common to brush after lunch too.
Expressions liées
Мия си ръцете
similarTo wash one's hands
Мия си лицето
similarTo wash one's face
Четка за зъби
builds onToothbrush
Паста за зъби
builds onToothpaste
Зъбобол
contrastToothache
Почистване на зъбен камък
specialized formScaling/Professional cleaning
