Possessive Reflexive Pronoun 'Си'
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use 'си' when the possessor is the subject of the sentence to mean 'one's own'.
- Use 'си' when the subject owns the object: 'Той мие ръцете си' (He washes his own hands).
- Do not use 'си' if the object belongs to someone else: 'Той мие ръцете му' (He washes his hands - someone else's).
- It is invariant, meaning it never changes regardless of gender or number.
Usage of 'си' across persons
| Person | Bulgarian | English |
|---|---|---|
|
1st Sing
|
Аз мия си ръцете
|
I wash my hands
|
|
2nd Sing
|
Ти миеш си ръцете
|
You wash your hands
|
|
3rd Sing
|
Той/Тя мие си ръцете
|
He/She washes his/her hands
|
|
1st Plural
|
Ние мием си ръцете
|
We wash our hands
|
|
2nd Plural
|
Вие миете си ръцете
|
You wash your hands
|
|
3rd Plural
|
Те мият си ръцете
|
They wash their hands
|
Meanings
The particle 'си' is a reflexive possessive pronoun used to indicate that the object of the sentence belongs to the subject.
Possession of own items
Indicates ownership by the subject.
“Той взе чантата си.”
“Тя забрави ключовете си.”
Body parts
Used when referring to one's own body parts.
“Мия си ръцете.”
“Среснах си косата.”
Idiomatic/Dative reflexive
Used to add a sense of 'for oneself' or 'at one's own pace'.
“Пия си кафето.”
“Вървя си по улицата.”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
Subject + Verb + си + Object
|
Аз пия си кафето
|
|
Negative
|
Subject + не + Verb + си + Object
|
Аз не пия си кафето
|
|
Question
|
Verb + ли + си + Object?
|
Пиеш ли си кафето?
|
|
Imperative
|
Verb + си + Object!
|
Пий си кафето!
|
|
Past Tense
|
Subject + Verb + си + Object
|
Пиех си кафето
|
|
Future Tense
|
Subject + ще + Verb + си + Object
|
Ще си пия кафето
|
Espectro de formalidade
Консумирам кафето си. (Morning routine)
Пия си кафето. (Morning routine)
Пия си кафето. (Morning routine)
Цоцам си кафето. (Morning routine)
The 'Си' Mirror
Action
- Мия Wash
Reflexive
- Си Own
Object
- Ръцете Hands
Possessive Adjective vs. Reflexive 'Си'
Exemplos por nível
Аз мия си ръцете.
I am washing my hands.
Той взе чантата си.
He took his bag.
Тя чете книгата си.
She is reading her book.
Ние пием кафето си.
We are drinking our coffee.
Не си забравяй ключовете си!
Don't forget your keys!
Отвори си очите.
Open your eyes.
Те си купиха нова кола.
They bought themselves a new car.
Среши си косата.
Comb your hair.
Вървя си по улицата и мисля.
I am walking down the street and thinking.
Той си организира времето добре.
He organizes his time well.
Тя си намери нова работа.
She found herself a new job.
Ние си говорим за плановете.
We are talking about our plans.
Той си позволи да бъде искрен.
He allowed himself to be sincere.
Трябва да си пазиш здравето.
You must protect your health.
Те си изградиха репутация.
They built themselves a reputation.
Сложи си палтото, студено е.
Put on your coat, it's cold.
Той си приписа всички заслуги.
He attributed all the merits to himself.
Тя си навлече неприятности.
She brought trouble upon herself.
Всеки си носи кръста.
Everyone carries their own cross.
Той си остана верен на принципите.
He remained true to his principles.
Той си е самодостатъчен.
He is self-sufficient.
Тя си знае работата.
She knows her job (well).
Той си отиде без да каже дума.
He left without saying a word.
Те си живеят живота.
They are living their lives.
Fácil de confundir
Learners use these when they should use 'си'.
Learners confuse 'си' (possessive) with 'себе си' (reflexive object).
Learners use these to indicate possession.
Erros comuns
Аз мия моите ръце
Аз си мия ръцете
Той мие си ръцете
Той си мие ръцете
Аз мия сито ръцете
Аз си мия ръцете
Аз мия ръцете
Аз си мия ръцете
Тя взе нейната чанта
Тя си взе чантата
Ние пием нашето кафе
Ние си пием кафето
Те си купиха тяхната кола
Те си купиха кола
Той си мисли неговите мисли
Той си мисли мислите
Тя си счупи крака си
Тя си счупи крака
Аз си направих моята работа
Аз си свърших работата
Той си е негов собствен шеф
Той си е сам шеф
Тя си говореше със себе си
Тя си говореше сама
Всеки си носи неговия кръст
Всеки си носи кръста
Padrões de frases
Аз ___ си ___.
Ти ___ ли си ___?
Той си ___ ___.
Ние ще си ___ ___.
Real World Usage
Пътувам си към морето! 🌊
Пия си кафето, чакай ме.
Организирам си задачите ефективно.
Търся си хотела.
Поръчвам си пица.
Мия си зъбите.
The Mirror Rule
Don't Decline!
Clitic Position
Sounding Local
Smart Tips
Always use 'си' for body parts to sound natural.
Use 'си' instead of 'мой/моята'.
Place 'си' after the verb, even in negatives.
Place 'си' after the verb.
Pronúncia
Stress
'Си' is an enclitic and never carries stress.
Statement
Аз си пия кафето ↘
Neutral declarative statement.
Question
Пиеш ли си кафето ↗
Yes/No question.
Memorize
Mnemônico
Think of 'си' as a 'Self-Indicator'. It points back to the subject like a boomerang.
Associação visual
Imagine a person looking in a mirror while brushing their hair. The mirror reflects the action back to them, just like 'си' reflects the ownership back to the subject.
Rhyme
When the subject is the owner, use 'си' to be the boner (of grammar).
Story
Ivan is washing his face. He uses 'си' because it is HIS face. If he washed his brother's face, he would not use 'си'. He looks in the mirror and says 'Мия си лицето'.
Word Web
Desafio
For the next 5 minutes, describe every action you do using 'си' (e.g., 'Пия си водата', 'Отварям си лаптопа').
Notas culturais
Bulgarians use 'си' to express a sense of comfort and ownership in daily life.
In urban settings, 'си' is often used to add a casual, relaxed tone to activities.
Used in traditional proverbs to emphasize personal responsibility.
Derived from the Old Church Slavonic reflexive pronoun 'sę'.
Iniciadores de conversa
Какво си правиш?
Пиеш ли си кафето всяка сутрин?
Защо си купи тази кола?
Как си организираш времето?
Temas para diário
Erros comuns
Test Yourself
Аз ___ мия ръцете.
Which sentence is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
Аз мия моите ръце.
Той мие ръцете на Иван.
'Си' changes for gender.
А: Какво правиш? Б: ___ кафето си.
си / ръцете / мия / Аз
Which uses 'си'?
Score: /8
Exercicios praticos
8 exercisesАз ___ мия ръцете.
Which sentence is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
Аз мия моите ръце.
Той мие ръцете на Иван.
'Си' changes for gender.
А: Какво правиш? Б: ___ кафето си.
си / ръцете / мия / Аз
Which uses 'си'?
Score: /8
Perguntas frequentes (8)
No, 'си' is invariant. It is the same for men, women, and neuter nouns.
Yes, it works for both singular and plural objects.
Usually, yes. It is a clitic and prefers to be near the verb.
Your sentence might sound like you are talking about someone else's belongings.
Yes, it is standard in all registers of Bulgarian.
'Си' is possessive (my own), while 'се' is reflexive (myself).
No, that is redundant. Just use 'си'.
It is a very efficient way to express personal involvement.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
se / suyo
Bulgarian 'си' is invariant, while Spanish reflexive pronouns change with the subject.
se
French 'se' is restricted to third person, while Bulgarian 'си' is used for all persons.
sich
German 'sich' is strictly for reflexive verbs, whereas Bulgarian 'си' is a broader possessive marker.
jibun no
Japanese is a separate word, while Bulgarian 'си' is a clitic attached to the verb.
nafs
Arabic requires a noun-based construction, unlike the Bulgarian clitic.
zìjǐ de
Chinese is analytic and lacks the clitic nature of Bulgarian 'си'.
