Macedonian (македонски)

Macedonian is part of a southern Slavic dialect continuum which includes Bulgarian, Macedonian, Serbian, Croatian and Slovenian, and has a high degree of mutual intelligibility with Bulgarian, and to a lesser extent with Serbian. Before 1945 Macedonian was generally classified as a variety of Bulgarian.

The varieties of southern Slavic spoken in what is now the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) (Поранешна Југословенска Република Македонија (ПЈРМ)) were codified as Macedonian in 1940 and became the official language of Socialist Republic of Macedonia (Социјалистичка Република Македонија) in 1945.

There are some 2 million speakers of Macedonian in the FYROM, and perhaps another million or so in other countries, especially in Albania, Bulgaria, Greece, Serbia, the USA, Australia and Canada. Macedonian is recognised as a minority language in Albania, Romania and Serbia, and is taught at university in a number of countries, including Australia, Canada, Croatia, Italy, Russia, Serbia, the USA and the UK.

A modern standard written version of Macedonian appeared in 1945. Since then many literary works have been published in Macedonian. Literary Macedonian is based on the dialects of the West Central region (Prilep, Kičevo, Bitola, Kruševo and Lerin).

Note: The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) Поранешна Југословенска Република Македонија (ПЈРМ) is the name recognised by international organisations, Greece and a number of other countries. The constitutional name of the country Република Македонија (Republic of Macedonia) is recognised by over 100 countries. Some countries use both names in different circumstances.

For more details, see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macedonia_naming_dispute

Cyrillic alphabet for Macedonian (македонска азбука)

Cyrillic alphabet for Macedonian

Romanization of Macedonian

This is the official method of Romanizing Macedonian and is used in passports.

Official Macedonian Romanization

Sample text in Macedonian

Ситe чoвeчки суштeствa сe рaѓaaт слoбoдни и eднaкви пo дoстoинствo и прaвa. Tиe сe oбдaрeни сo рaзум и сoвeст и трeбa дa сe oднeсувaaт eдeн кoн друг вo дуxoт нa oпштo чoвeчкaтa припaднoст.

A recording of this text by Aleksandar Miloeski

Transliteration

Site chovechki sushtestva se ragjaat slobodni i ednakvi po dostoinstvo i prava. Tie se obdareni so razum i sovest i treba da se odnesuvaat eden kon drug vo duhot na opshto chovechkata pripadnost.

Translation

All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
(Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights)

Tower of Babel in Macedonian | Useful phrases in Macedonian

Macedonian language learning materials