Бъдни вечер

Bulgarian

Etymology

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

• IPA^(key): [ˈbɤdni ˈvɛt͡ʃɛr]

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Proper noun

Бъ́дни ве́чер • (Bǎ́dni véčer) f

1. Christmas Eve (evening before Christmas Day)

Related terms

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

References

• “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