Bulgarian language

Bulgarian is an Indo-European language, a member of the Southern branch of the Slavic language family.
Bulgarian, along with the closely related Macedonian language (collectively forming the East South Slavic languages), has several characteristics that set it apart from all other Slavic languages: changes include the elimination of case declension, the development of a suffixed definite article (see Balkan language area) and the lack of a verb infinitive; but it retains and has further developed the Proto-Slavic verb system. Various evidential verb forms exist to express unwitnessed, retold, and doubtful action. According to an estimate, the number of the people around the world who speak Bulgarian as their native language as of 2004 is about 10 million. Alternative sources estimate them at as high as 12 million, possibly including the non native speakers or the Macedonian language in that number.