Welcome to Language School

БЪЛГАРСКИ ЕЗИК ЗА ЧУЖДЕНЦИ

BULGARIAN LANGUAGE FOR FOREIGNERS

BULGARE POUR LES ÉTRANGERS

BULGARISCHE SPRACHE FÜR AUSLÄNDER

BULGAARS VOOR BUITENLANDERS

BULGARO PARA EXTRANJEROS

IL BULGARO PER GLI STRANIERI

BULGARSK FOR UDLÆNDINGE

BULHARŠTINA PRO CIZINCE

BUŁGARSKI DLA OBCOKRAJOWCÓW

BOYΛΓAPIKH ГΛΩΣΣА ГIA ΞÉNOYΣ

YABANCILAR IÇIN BULGARCA DERS

БОЛГАРСКИЙ ЯЗЫК ДЛЯ ИНОСТРАНЦЕВ

Mastylo Language School provides intensive or long-term individual practical classes and distance learning (online lessons) in Bulgarian language for foreigners. We have got great experience with students and adults from all over Europe, North and South America, Australia and Asia so we can fully guarantee fast and reliable results, as our Testimonials can verify. Our basic course in contemporary Bulgarian as a foreign language is founded on a brand new textbook and modern methods of teaching. Classes are always consistent with your spare time! [back]

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Fees and payments: The charge for one-to-one tuition is 10 EUR per lesson (45 min), Monday to Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Bulgarian time. The charge is 12 EUR during the holidays and after 5:00 p.m. Bulgarian time. We offer 24 hours services! Students outside Bulgaria could pay via bank transfer, postal order or Money Gram and Western Union. Students from Plovdiv pay after every lesson! Distant students have to pay in advance the charge for only ten lessons.

Discounts: The first lesson is always free of charge! 50% discount for family members and 25% discount for groups. 20% discount for a prepaid package of 50 lessons and 30% discount for a prepaid package of 100 lessons.

Cancellation policy: Lesson cancellations must be made at least 24 hours prior to the time of class. Cancellations made less than 24 hours will be charged 100% of the class rate. [back]

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Instructors

Our qualified and experienced tutors are:

Boris Angelov is an assistant professor in Bulgarian language and literature at the University of Plovdiv “Paisii Hilendarski”. He is also a PhD candidate in Methodics of Literary Education at the same university. He is the author of “Critical Stories”.

Erna Angelova has a Master’s Degree from the University of Plovdiv “Paisii Hilendarski” in Bulgarian philology with a specialization in linguistics.

Liliya Kancheva has a Master’s Degree from the University of Plovdiv “Paisii Hilendarski” in Slavonic Languages and Literature. She is a PhD candidate in Comparative Grammar of Slavonic Languages and an assistant professor at the same university.

Ivanka Petrova has a Master Degree from the University of Plovdiv “Paisii Hilendarski” in Bulgarian philology with a specialization in linguistics. At present she is a PhD candidate in Computational Linguistics at the Institute for the Bulgarian Language - BAS. She is also the author of some articles dedicated to the problems of the Bulgarian syntax and semantics. [back]

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How it works:

Mastylo Language School does not offer you to study the language with the help of a computer! We do not trust any of the programs and textbooks, offered by many web sites and publishers, who try to convince you of the possibility to learn one of the hardest languages on your own. We offer you to study in the tested old-fashioned way with the guidance of our qualified tutors. It is very easy, since we are working only with a textbook. We will e-mail you the first pages of the textbook for the free demo lesson and if you like it and decide to enroll in a course, we will send you via Post Office or DHL (or you can buy it from our partners) the textbook appropriate for your level. Besides we will e-mail you a few English-Bulgarian computer dictionaries and a software for Latin keyboard, so that you can type in Bulgarian. After that we will work with the textbook, but we will also send you more exercises for homework. Practicing the language with the help of different exercises is very important, especially for those students who do not live in Bulgaria and do not have the opportunity to speak in Bulgarian every day. Tuition is always tailor-made to meet your individual requirements! You need only a microphone and one of the free programs like Skype or Google Talk. You are the one to choose how many lessons a week you will have. Distant students have to pay in advance the charge for only ten lessons. Please take a look at our students` recommendations to see how it works from their point of view. [back]

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Syllabuses:

The purpose of the distance course “Bulgarian for foreigners – beginners level” is to give basic knowledge on the contemporary Bulgarian grammar and also to master vocabulary, used in the everyday oral and written communication. Lessons are consist of short texts, dialogues, vocabulary, grammar drills and exercises for reading, writing, listening and comprehension. Intermediary languages are English, French, German, Polish, Turkish and Russian. [back]

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We also offer you Bulgarian as a Foreign Language - Intermediate Level Distance Learning On-line Instruction.

This on-line course is intended to address all areas of language learning in order to achieve an intermediate level. The course has several basic sections:

1. Listening and Speaking: Confirming and enriching of the spoken Bulgarian language in different formal and informal situations. Special attention will be paid to the stylistic use of the language, in order to achieve better orientation in varied lexical situations and an adequate use of the marked lexis. In the course the accent will be placed on the contemporary conversational Bulgarian, however the possibility of familiarizing with the miscellaneous levels of the formal communication will not be neglected. This basic section will be fulfilled by many dialogues at subjects, proposed by the teachers and by the students themselves. In the structure of the lessons we follow the principles of the Communicative Language approach.
2. Reading: Expanding the knowledge of Bulgarian grammar, which provides an opportunity for the students to use freely and effectively the vocabulary mastered in the process of working. Familiarizing with the specifics of the Bulgarian language grammatical characteristics and paying special attention to the exceptions of the grammatical rules that function in the language.
3. Writing: Introducing varied ways of preparing documents in formal style. The students will be well grounded in the models and the specific terminology applied in composing a CV, motivational letter, application, etc. This will allow them to communicate effectively with the Bulgarian institutions of any kind in accordance with their specific needs and expectations for realizing in the sphere of the public life chosen by them.
4. Culture: Introduction to the culture and history of Bulgaria. We pay special attention to this component because it combines the linguistic use for the students with the ability to adopt the spirit of any nation. We believe that presenting examples of Bulgarian art in all genres will enrich the culture and will expand the horizons of the students. We can proudly present unique cultural examples that not only possess exceptional art value but also exemplify various aspect of the Bulgarian society. For that purpose we will be using miscellaneous and accessible resources at the Internet - virtual libraries, galleries, museums, sites dedicated to the folklore art, modern music, movies etc. /Translated in English by Mira Deliyska/

The on-line course "Bulgarian for foreigners" will be conducted through video conference in Skype [back]

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Mastylo School
Plovdiv 4002, General Danail Nikolaev str. 13
phone: +359898679113, e-mail: mastylo@gmail.com

How to enroll: If you wish to sign up for a course, please send us an e-mail containing your name, level and the best time for the lessons. [back]

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Mastylo Language School also assists in providing varied range of services for foreigners and expats, who are interested in buying a property, establishing a company or just willing to settle down in Bulgaria:

Translation, interpretation and legalization
Applying for BA, MA or PhD programs in the public universities
Legal advice - from applying for visa\citizenship and buying a house or off plan to running a Ltd company
Housing, accommodations
Refurbishing
Rent a car
Transportation
Accounting
Jobs - offering or searching
Advertising
Dating
Rural and cultural tourism
Summer camps
Childcare
House cleaning

You can rely on us, if you have any problems or questions! We know it`s not easy to be an alien, especially in Bulgaria... [back]

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While we are preparing for publication all the testimonials, please take a look at these unanticipated comments - from Nadia Damon (Vagabond magazine), Dr. Anya Lewin (Lecturer in Fine Art at the University of Plymouth), Charles Copeland, Amanda Lees, Bobby O`Driscoll, Martin de Schrijver, Susan Jensen, Ian Vizer, Natasha, Paul Beckett, Нар, Nar, Wengo team, Keegan and an English language teacher from York, UK. [back]

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"Having studied with Boris for a mere matter of weeks, I already feel that I have made enormous progress. Although we conduct our lessons via Skype, Boris’s enthusiasm and encouragement are all too clearly transmitted and form an invaluable part of the experience. Erudite, witty and entertaining (in spite of the apparently abysmal quality of the average Bulgarian joke), Boris peppers his teaching with cultural references and provides a fascinating insight into the Balkan mentality. Best of all, he makes me laugh! Plus he is giving up smoking – quite a feat in a country where a cigarette permanently clamped to a lip is practically a fashion accessory. What can I say – Борис rocks!" [back]

Amanda Lees

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"My wife Wendy & I bought a holiday home in Bulgaria in 2005 and quickly realised that although it was close to a ski resort (with English spoken widely), the local village folk spoke none whatsoever! I was therefore faced with a choice: continue POINTING & SHOUTING (in English, of course) in the time honoured Western/British/ foreigner abroad tradition - or try the lingo!!! I proceeded to buy the usual book from Amazon which helped me to begin the challenge of a foreign language - and an alien alphabet. Needless to say, like thousands before me I got totally bored and virtually gave up.
Then I discovered Mastylo School on a quiet day at work. That was about 3 months ago and already I'm beginning to feel like a scholar after about 15 lessons only!! My tutor Boris, is very keen to ensure that not only do I develop a sound knowledge of the basics and grammatical structure of the language, but he makes it fun as well. Boris has a kindly and patient manner with a great sense of homour which makes learning very easy and enjoyable. I'm very confident of being fully conversational after 12 months.
I think that the whole concept of learning a foreign language on-line is utterly brilliant and Mastylo School seem to have exploited it with aplomb. My experience has been so good so far that I can't imagine ever getting bored or giving up, as it could in no way be described as a chore. You arrange your sessions whenever suits - in my case Boris has been totally flexible, which fits in with my unpredictable working regime very well indeed." [back]

Raph Clerkin - Ellesmere Port, England.

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"Bulgaria, for me, was a land of the unknown. I was intrigued by the place, and I intended to conduct an anthropological study on Bulgarian Roma. When I found and contacted the Mastylo school, Boris's responses were amazingly prompt and friendly. Boris is an incredibly engaging, supporting and hilarious teacher! The lessons are so much fun; if all French teachers at secondary schools taught like him, everyone in England would be fluent in French! As well as teaching me Bulgarian, he helped me find accommodation and helped me find academic contacts and research localities. Without Boris and the Mastylo school, I would have been utterly lost. Thank you!" [back]

Sara Alam, anthropologist, London, UK.

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"I began studying the Bulgarian language with Boris Angelov soon after arriving in Plovdiv. I am extremely pleased with him and the other instructors at Mastylo. Although we are working through a curriculum, instruction has been individualized to meet my specific needs. After sixteen months, I can carry on long conversations. With preparation and notes, I am now able to teach Bible study lessons without a translator. Bulgarian friends and perfect strangers often comment about how well I can speak Bulgarian after such a short time. I highly recommend Boris and Mastylo. He is both professional and personable. As a social worker, I have especially appreciated his willingness to speak about the culture, as well as the language. He has been an invaluable resource as I try to understand the societal norms and learn to live here. And last, but not least, he’s just plain fun. We have lots of laughter along with the hard work!" [back]

Kathy Rankin Simpson, MSW

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"My wife and I have studied at Mastylo with Boris Angelov for 18 months. When we arrived in Bulgaria we only were able to pronounce the Cyrillic alphabet and say a few words. Boris has been a great professor. We are now able to carry on meaningful conversations for several hours in Bulgarian. We also read and write with both the upper case and the lower case letters. Our continuing lessons help us increase our vocabulary and improve our grammar. Boris has a wonderful understanding of English and American culture. This makes it possible for him to help us understand the nuances of Bulgarian that are not strictly literal. The texts and resources he uses have been appropriate to our needs and level of language development. He is also kind, patient and a wonderful person. I feel blessed to be able to study with Boris at Mastylo. I highly recommend Mastylo to anyone who desires to learn Bulgarian with a personalized approach." [back]

David Simpson, Plovdiv, Bulgaria

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"I have been a student of Mastylo School in Plovdiv for 3 months and I am very happy with my progress in learning Bulgarian. I live in the UK, so I have my lessons via the internet and this works very well for me. The lessons are always interesting and the tutor is very patient. I feel like I am in safe hands. I will definitely continue with my Bulgarian lessons, and I hope to attend the Mastylo School next summer for an immersion course to further improve my Bulgarian." [back]

Ann Morrison, Password Language Studio

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"I would recommend Boris to anyone considering learning the Bulgarian language. He is patient, speaks excellent English and knows how to put his lessons across in an informative and interesting way. He also has a good sense of humour and is very approachable; not only that but his fees are very reasonably priced too. If you embark on a course of study with Boris you will also have the added benefit of gaining an insight in to Bulgarian culture. He is also a Liverpool supporter - well nobody is perfect!" [back]

John Lindley, http://www.hiday.net - all about Bulgaria

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"Since we started a year ago, we have not only learned Bulgarian, we have also made some really good friends. Boris and Erna are very good and professional teachers, and they really understand how to motivate their students, and they teach with humor so that the more complicated Bulgarian grammar becomes a piece of cake! We highly recommend the Mastylo language school!" [back]

Susan Jensen and Carsten Bjerre, Myzto Ltd.

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"I lived about four months in Bulgaria and the lessons in Mastylo school are one of my best recollection... In Mastylo, you can learn both Bulgarian language and Bulgarian culture and Petya always has the answers to your questions... The lessons are never stressful and you learn a lot so that's a real pleasure!" [back]

Simon Bajart, French student

"J'ai vécu environ quatre mois en Bulgarie et les cours à l'école Mastylo font partie de mes meilleurs souvenirs... A Mastylo, vous apprenez à la fois la langue et la culture bulgare et Petya a toujours les réponses à vos questions... Les cours ne sont jamais stressants et vous apprenez beaucoup: c'est donc un vrai plaisir!" [back]

Simon Bajart, étudiant français

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"I am a Swiss guy from Geneva, my native language is French and I am currently living in Bulgaria. I want to learn Bulgarian language in order to be able to communicate with the people here. First I was a bit pessimistic about online lessons, because I have never tried such a method of learning. I decided to give it try, I live 10 minutes away from Mastylo School so it was up to me to decide if I will go to the classroom or stay at home. I found that the lessons online are the better option. There is really no difference from normal lessons, I even find it more comfortable for me because it saves me some time to prepare myself and go to the school even if its not so far away.
My teacher Boris is a very positive person which helps me a lot in this hard task. He is very experienced in teaching Bulgarian, has a lot of patience and humor and each lesson is a pleasure for me." [back]

Marc Geinoz, webdesigner

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"I highly recommend the Mastylo School and Professor Boris Angelov for those seeking to learn the Bulgarian language. The teaching methods and Boris's teaching style, supportive and friendly manner make learning Bulgarian fun and accessible. The in person instruction in Plovdiv is excellent. But for those learners outside of Plovdiv, outside Bulgaria, face to face language instruction via Yahoo Messenger. The fees are reasonable for the high quality of instruction. In two months I have made great progress in learning Bulgarian." [back]

Steven Brown
Orange County, California

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"I have searched some places on internet and in my hometown in Holland and this is the perfect solution for me. The flexibility is very high so you can schedule the times with Boris when you want your lessons. The book used by Boris is by far the best one I know (and I have seen some). And, also very important, Boris is a very pleasant person to work with. His open mind and his feeling for humour makes it a pleasure to work with him. And, the level of the lessons are very good. Don’t think its only making jokes with Boris. He knows to give you homework very well. He keeps you busy in this way. So, all together a school I can recommend to everybody who wants to learn Bulgarian in a professional and personal environment." [back]

Martin de Schrijver, The Netherlands

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"Tutoring through Mastylo School has been so easy! I had trouble finding a tutor in the US for Bulgarian. Thankfully Boris was quick to respond to my initial email. His flexibility allows me to fit tutoring into my busy schedule. We have had productive lessons over the Internet, and usually too much fun:) I am glad that I found Mastylo School and would recommend this tutoring service to anyone who wants to learn Bulgarian." [back]

Allison Jahn, Wisconsin USA

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"I am studying Ethnology in Bulgaria for 10 months, and so I am learning Bulgarian. Classes with Boris are very nice because it's more than learning one language, it is also understanding Bulgarian people, understanding history of Bulgaria, expressions etc. Inside language, we can understand people. Before living here, I didn't know Bulgarian, only some words. I progress with my courses, with my Bulgarian meetings. I don't speak very well Bulgarian but I am living here without problem for the daily. Going to these courses is always a pleasure for me: working in the good atmosphere. In the beginning, I thought that it will be difficult to learn Bulgarian via English (I am French and my English isn't so good), but Boris finds always solution for that I understand." [back]

Aglae Simoes, French student

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"I decided to learn Bulgarian last January. I bought a very good study book and proceeded to teach myself each night. Into chapter two, and I was finding it very difficult, as I had many questions and no one to answer them. Then, while surfing the net and on a site called My Bulgaria I came across a reference to Mastylo School to learn Bulgarian "one to one". I contacted Boris and my lessons began via Skype. I have to say that I have learned so much in the last two months with Boris that I am even starting to feel confident. Now to make it even better, I have just returned from a holiday in Sunny Beach Bulgaria and I have been told (by a Bulgarian) that my pronounciations are very accurate, which I credit to Boris and his attention to detail. His lessons are very thorough but are carried out in a relaxed and humourous way. The lessons are very flexible and Boris will do his best to fit the lessons around your schedule. If you take up lessons with Mastylo School, not alone will you not regret it, but you will enjoy it, and you can rejoice in the fact that you are learning from a native Bulgarian, and a gentleman. Who could ask for more. Борис, благодаря." [back]

Bobby O'Driscoll. Limerick, Ireland.

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"Six months ago after spending 3 holidays in Bulgaria and finding myself fascinated with the country, I decided I would like to learn the language. I found the Mastylo School through Google search and was impressed by the testimonials on their website. The process of enrolling for lessons was extremely simple and within a short time I was meeting up with Boris for early morning coffee on a weekly basis (via Google Talk.) The language was somewhat daunting at first but Boris with his friendly yet professional manner has succeeded in making the lessons fun and they are definitely never boring. His command of the English language both spoken and grammatical is excellent. I have to add that Boris possesses a virtue so seldom found in men - unlimited patience! I am happy to recommend Boris and the Mastylo School to anyone interested in learning Bulgarian." [back]

Margaret Murray-Tait, N. Ireland

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“There was a time when you learnt a language from your parents, from books, tapes or a local teacher. These days you can learn from a local in the country of the language you wish to learn. From my home, twice a week I log onto Skype for Boris to teach me Bulgarian from Plovdiv in Bulgaria. How good is that? Apart from learning the grammar, verbs and vocabulary the sessions exercise my brain. The exercise works like physical exercise, other parts of my life and thinking are improved. As I struggle with these unfamiliar things Boris patiently applies various respectful approaches until I get it, which I must admit would be a test for any teacher. The sessions are enjoyable with all the information supplied by the school.“ [back]

Peter Hansen, Melbourne, Australia.

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"Boris is a very crazy person. But the more you know him, the more you will like him. I was a crazy Bulgarian fan, I still am. So everything that involves into Bulgaria attracts me a lot. That is also the reason why I learn Bulgarian. There're many Bulgarian learning sites. No doubt everyone cares about the fees. I visited some of them, but Boris was the only one I wrote to. No doubt, what I concerned the first was the affordable fees. The first free demo class with Boris, I knew he is a reliable person then we started our lessons. During class, I can say Boris is a very patient one and his English ability and abundant knowledge help me not just learn the Bulgarian but also understand more about the culture too. I have to say I really love to have class with him, even he always push me to translate from Bulgarian to English. Right now, Boris is trying to quit smoking. So I will watch you!!" [back]

Huang Pei Fang, Kaohsiung, Taiwan

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“We have been learning Bulgarian for almost a year now and we couldn't have asked for a better teacher than Boris. We look forward to our weekly lessons with him because he makes them fun and interesting and is extremely patient with us when we can't remember what we learnt the previous week. He also has a wicked sense of humour. Boris rocks!!” [back]

Cheryl and Karl Bartlett, Manchester, England.