Бъдни вечер

Bulgarian edit

Etymology edit

From бъ́дни (bǎ́dni) +‎ ве́чер (véčer, “evening”). The indeclinable adjective бъ́дни (bǎ́dni), which is only used in this compound term, is derived from бдя (bdja, “to stay awake (in anticipation); to keep watch”). Thus, the literal translation is "an evening during which one stays awake/alert in anticipation".

Compare Serbo-Croatian Ба̏дња̄ ве̏че̄р and Macedonian Бадна вечер (Badna večer).

Pronunciation edit

IPA^(key): [ˈbɤdni ˈvɛt͡ʃɛr]
Audio (file)

Proper noun edit

Бъ́дни ве́чер • (Bǎ́dni véčer) f

Christmas Eve (evening before Christmas Day)

Related terms edit

бдя (bdja)
бъ́дник (bǎ́dnik, “Yule log”)

References edit

“бъдни”, in Речник на българския език [Dictionary of the Bulgarian Language] (in Bulgarian), Sofia: Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 2014
“бъдни”, in Речник на българския език [Dictionary of the Bulgarian Language] (in Bulgarian), Chitanka, 2010
Georgiev, Vladimir I., editor (1971), “бдя; Бъдни вечер”, in Български етимологичен речник [Bulgarian Etymological Dictionary] (in Bulgarian), volumes 1 (А – З), Sofia: Bulgarian Academy of Sciences Pubg. House, →ISBN, page 38