The Macedonian language has 31 letters: 5 vowels (a, e, i, o, u) and 26 consonants. In Macedonian phonetic, every letter is pronounced exactly in the way that it is written (it does not change depending on the neighbouring letters).

Cyrillic Aа Бб Вв Гг Дд Ѓѓ Ее Жж Зз Ѕѕ Ии Јј Latin Aa Bb Vv Gg Dd GJgj Ee ZHzh Zz DZdz Ii Jj IPA /a/ /b/ /v/ /g/ /d/ /Ɉ/ /ε/ /ʒ/ /z/ /ʣ/ /i/ /j/ Cyrillic Кк Лл Љљ Мм Нн Њњ Оо Пп Рр Сс Тт Ќќ Latin Kk Ll LJlj Mm Nn NJnj Oo Pp Rr Ss Tt KJkj IPA /k/ /l/ /lj/ /m/ /n/ /ɲ/ /ͻ/ /p/ /r/ /s/ /t/ /c/ Cyrillic Уу Фф Хх Цц Чч Џџ Шш Latin Uu Ff Hh Cc CHch DŽdž SHsh IPA /u/ /f/ /x/ /ʦ/ /ʧ/ /ʤ/ /ʃ/

The Macedonian Alphabet Substitues (the following have the same meaning) Ž/ž – ZH/zh Č/č – Ch/ch Š/š – SH/sh

Macedonian orthography is consistent and phonemic in practice, an approximation of the principle of one grapheme per phoneme. A principle represented by Adelung’s saying: “Write as you speak and read as it is written”. Though as with most, if not all living languages, it has its share of inconsistencies and exceptions.

Some frequently used expressions:

• Bus station Avtobuska stanica
• Excuse me Seizvinuvam
• Good evening Dobra vecher
• Good morning Dobar den
• Good/Bad Dobro/Lo- sho
• How far? Kolku daleku?
• How long? Kolku dolgo?
• How much is it? Kolkukosta?
• How? Kako?
• I don’t understand Ne razbiram
• I’m getting off at bus station Sleguvam na avtobuska stancia
• I’m sorry Zhal mi e
• Left/Right Levo/Desno
• No problem Nema problem
• Please Ve molam
• Railway station Zheleznicka stanica
• Straighton Pravo
• Street Ulica
• Thank you Blagodaram
• Ticket for Bitola Karta za Bi- tola
• Today Denes
• Tomorrow Utre
• What time is it? Kolku e chasot?
• When? Koga?
• Where I can find an exchange office? Kade mozham da najdam menuvachni- ca?
• Where is the bus to Bito- la? Kade e av- tobusot za Bitola?
• Where is….? Kade e …?
• Where? Kade?
• Yes / No Da / Ne
• Yesterday Vcera