Bulgarian Classes Online for Busy Adults 2026-2027
We understand that as busy adults, our students’ time for homework and practice outside of class is limited. We conduct our classes live over Zoom, with the cameras on – think of it as a friendly group of grown ups who get together to practice in a casual and engaging environment. We use Google Classroom to keep track of class notes and homework. All enrolled students are eligible to drop in on all of our other classes during the year. Give us a try – the link to the first class will be emailed to all interested.
Register here by Oct. 1, 2026: Registration Form
Enroll to secure your spot by Oct. 11, 2026 by submitting your tuition payment below.
Group A1 – Beginner Bulgarian for Busy Adults (A1)
(Former Gr. 1)
Sundays, 1–2:30 p.m. EST
An introductory practice course in Bulgarian as a foreign language. In this 80-minute course we will start with a detailed introduction to the Cyrillic alphabet and very basic vocabulary. We will practice together as we strengthen students’ knowledge of the alphabet and get comfortable with using every-day phrases. Our hope is that at the end of the semester students will be able to use the Cyrillic alphabet with ease, to understand basic everyday phrases, to introduce themselves and other people; to speak and write about themselves and their environment in basic terms. Suggested practice at home: between 2 and 6 hours weekly.
Group A2 – Beginner Bulgarian for Busy Adults (A2)
(New group)
Tuesdays, 7–8:30 p.m. EST
A practice course in Bulgarian as a foreign language for students with some background in Bulgarian who already know and use the Cyrilic alphabet. This is a great option for students who would like to gain confidence practicing reading and speaking beyond the very basics. In this 80-minute course we will start with a review of beginner phrases and grammar (First review lesson p.77). We will practice together as we strengthen students’ knowledge of every-day phrases. Our hope is that this year students will grow their passive and active vocabulary to understand and express themselves better in the present and future tense. We will also lay the groundwork to understand habitual and one-time actions in Bulgarian. Suggested practice at home: between 2 and 6 hours weekly.
Textbook for Group A1 and A2:
“Здравейте! Учебник по български език за чужденци А1 – А2 + CD”:
The textbooks were preordered by the instructor and are available for purchase from her for $40 (cash, check or Venmo). Please add $10 for shipping and handling, or arrange in-person pick-up. Alternatively, you can order online at the link above.
Group B1 – Intermediate Bulgarian for Busy Adults
(Former Group 2)
Sundays, 11–12:30 p.m. EST
This practice course is for those who are comfortable reading and speaking in everyday terms in the present and future tenses, and have a basic understanding of Bulgarian verbs for habitual and one-time actions. In this class, we will take your Bulgarian to the next level. In this 80-minute course we will dive right into more substantial vocab and the past tenses, using a new book, “Здравейте B1-B2.” Our hope is that at the end of the semester students will be comfortable speaking, as well as understanding in more detail general conversations and a variety of readings. A special focus for the year will be using the past tenses comfortably. Suggested practice at home: between 2 and 6 hours weekly.
Good to have for Group 2:
Textbook: “Здравейте! Учебник по български език за чужденци B1 – B2 + CD”:
The textbooks were preordered by the instructor and are available for purchase from her for $40 (cash, check or Venmo). Please add $10 for shipping and handling, or arrange in-person pick-up. Alternatively, you can order online at the link above.
Group C – Intermediate/Advanced Bulgarian for Busy Adults (B2-C1)
(Former Gr. 3)
Mondays, 7–8:30 p.m. EST
An intermediate/advanced practice course in Bulgarian as a foreign language. Prerequisite: at least three years of intensive Bulgarian studies or equivalent knowledge: fluency in reading and writing; good command of present, past, and future tense verbs and their conjugations, as well as familiarity with the perfective and imperfective aspect of the Bulgarian verbs. All interested prospective students should contact the instructor in advance at nadia@bulgariancenter.org. While we may revisit many of the grammatical concepts we have discussed in the past, our focus will be on building our knowledge and use of word families and aiming for native-level usage, pronunciation, and intonation. We will also work on the language typical of digital and business communication, as well as the Bulgarian used in official and social media with the goal of understanding and being understood better in both official and informal contexts.
Textbooks for Group 3:
“Bulgarian Beyond the First Steps” by Mira Kovatcheva will be the primary textbook for this class. A digital copy will be provided to you at no additional cost (if you don’t have one yet) with the author’s permission (we recommend you print it and have it in front of you to facilitate interaction in class.)
We might add supplemental materials from both “Здравейте B1-B2” and “Здравейте С1-С1+” by New Bulgarian University. (you do not have to own the last two but both are available for purchase.) “Здравейте С1-С1+” is available for purchase from the instructor for $56 in cash, check, or Venmo (please add $10 for shipping and handling or contact me to arrange pick up.)
This year we will focus on working with the texts in “Bulgarian Beyond the First Steps” by Mira Kovatcheva, starting roughly with Unit 4 (p.68.) While we may revisit many of the grammatical concepts we have discussed in the past, our focus will be on building our knowledge and use of word families and aiming for native-level usage, pronunciation, and intonation. We will practice appropriate use of verbs (Past Simple vs. Past Continuous vs. Present Perfect), as well as some phrasal verbs, expressions on generalization, and reported speech. Throughout the year, we will work on the language typical of digital and business communication, as well as the Bulgarian used in official and social media with the goal of understanding and being understood better in both official and informal contexts.
About the instructor
Nadia Ullman is mom to two children at the Bulgarian School in Boston and looks forward to her 13th year of teaching Bulgarian to the grownups. Nadia is a BCNE Board member and an advocate for foreign-language immersion in MA schools. Nadia’s professional background is in municipal government: she was elected to Framingham’s Town Meeting where she served two terms; and further served as a Senior Policy Advisor to Framingham’s first Mayor. Nadia holds a master’s degree from Harvard University’s Extension School with a concentration in government and a bachelor’s equivalent in applied linguistics from South-West University of Bulgaria. Nadia is passionate about creating a larger community of Bulgarian language learners and savors teaching her native language in her free time.
Tuition and other important information:
Tuition for the 2026-2027 courses is $475 (for non-members.)
You can pay for the class online with your credit card (to pay by check to BCNE, please contact the instructor.)
BCNE members receive a $50 membership discount (tuition is $425.00.)
Individual annual membership is $50. Family annual membership $75.
All contributions from our classes and membership fees go towards maintaining and expanding our community home in Billerica. Thank you!
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- Individuals experiencing financial hardship might be eligible for a modest additional discount on a case-by-case basis. Please keep in mind that this class is provided as a fundraising initiative and contributions are donated towards the BCNE capital campaign.
ABOUT BCNE
The Bulgarian Center of New England (BCNE) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, whose mission is to serve as a focal point of the Bulgarian community in New England and attract people from different backgrounds who have interest in the Bulgarian culture, art, history, and traditions. The Center is located in the Greater Boston Area and will host the Bulgarian Church “St. Petka,” the Bulgarian School “Sv. sv. Kiril and Methodii,” events organized by the Bulgarian-American Cultural Center “Madara”, and initiatives sponsored by other groups and organizations.
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Disclaimer
Our classes work best with students’ active participation and we expect that your camera will be on in class. Our community welcomes pets, kids, and other family members to drop in for all or part of class; feel free to bring your lunch or snack to enjoy while in class as well. We do not record our classes. For more Bulgarian learning options, including videos and recorded lessons, please see below.
Other Bulgarian Language Resources This is a detailed list of Bulgarian Language Resources (compiled by Francis Fung – thank you!) Click on the tabs on the bottom of the page to access the different categories in the spreadsheet!
We hope you join us this fall in exploring the Bulgarian language and culture! Заповядайте!
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