Useful Phrases
How to Say “strong” in Macedonian
What Does “силен” Mean?
The Macedonian expression for “strong” is силен (Latin: silen). It belongs to the category of handy everyday Macedonian phrases. Spoken by roughly 1.5 million people, mainly in North Macedonia, Macedonian is a South Slavic language with a 31-letter Cyrillic alphabet. Its spelling is completely phonetic: each letter always represents the same sound, so reading and pronunciation come quickly once you know the alphabet.
Grammar note: Agrees in gender: силен (masc.), силна (fem.), силно (neut.).
How to Pronounce силен
силен is pronounced “silen” — the transliteration maps each Cyrillic letter to a predictable Latin equivalent, with no silent letters or irregular spellings to watch out for. Stress in Macedonian generally falls on the third-to-last syllable in longer words, though for shorter words and phrases it often falls on the first syllable. Tap “Play Audio” above to listen to the pronunciation.
New to Cyrillic? Start with the alphabet used for Macedonian and you will be able to read words like this one.
When to Use “силен”
This phrase is part of the essential everyday Macedonian toolkit. These expressions come up constantly in conversation and are worth memorising early in your learning journey. Knowing them will help you feel more comfortable in basic social interactions.
This expression is appropriate in both formal and informal situations.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say "strong" in Macedonian?
"strong" in Macedonian is силен. It is pronounced "silen" — Macedonian is a phonetic language so every letter maps to a consistent sound.
How do you pronounce силен?
силен is pronounced "silen". Macedonian uses the Cyrillic alphabet but is fully phonetic — once you know the letters, you can pronounce any word correctly. Tap the “Play Audio” button on this page to hear it pronounced.
Is "strong" formal or informal in Macedonian?
This expression is appropriate in both formal and informal situations.
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Practice “силен” with Interactive Exercises
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