Editing Bulgarian language (section)

=====But=====

In Bulgarian, there are several conjunctions all translating into English as "but", which are all used in distinct situations. They are {{lang|bg|но}} ({{Transliteration|bg|no}}), {{lang|bg|ама}} ({{Transliteration|bg|amà}}), {{lang|bg|а}} ({{Transliteration|bg|a}}), {{lang|bg|ами}} ({{Transliteration|bg|amì}}), and {{lang|bg|ала}} ({{Transliteration|bg|alà}}) (and {{lang|bg|обаче}} ({{Transliteration|bg|obache}}) – "however", identical in use to {{lang|bg|но}}).

While there is some overlapping between their uses, in many cases they are specific. For example, {{Transliteration|bg|ami}} is used for a choice – {{Transliteration|bg|ne tova, ami onova}} – "not this one, but that one" (compare Spanish {{lang|es|sino}}), while {{Transliteration|bg|ama}} is often used to provide extra information or an opinion – {{Transliteration|bg|kazah go, ama sgreshih}} – "I said it, but I was wrong". Meanwhile, {{Transliteration|bg|a}} provides contrast between two situations, and in some sentences can even be translated as "although", "while" or even "and" – {{Transliteration|bg|az rabotya, a toy blee}} – "I'm working, and he's daydreaming".

Very often, different words can be used to alter the emphasis of a sentence – e.g. while {{Transliteration|bg|pusha, no ne tryabva}} and {{Transliteration|bg|pusha, a ne tryabva}} both mean "I smoke, but I shouldn't", the first sounds more like a statement of fact ("...but I mustn't"), while the second feels more like a ''judgement'' ("...but I oughtn't"). Similarly, {{Transliteration|bg|az ne iskam, ama toy iska}} and {{Transliteration|bg|az ne iskam, a toy iska}} both mean "I don't want to, but he does", however the first emphasizes the fact that ''he'' wants to, while the second emphasizes the ''wanting'' rather than the person.

{{Transliteration|bg|Ala}} is interesting in that, while it feels archaic, it is often used in poetry and frequently in children's stories, since it has quite a moral/ominous feel to it.

Some common expressions use these words, and some can be used alone as interjections:
*{{Transliteration|bg|da, ama ne}} ({{lit|yes, but no}}) – means "you're wrong to think so".
*{{Transliteration|bg|ama}} can be tagged onto a sentence to express surprise: {{Transliteration|bg|ama toy spi!}} – "he's sleeping!"
*{{lang|bg|ами!}} – "you don't say!", "really!"