Terms of Use

The agreement#

These Terms of Use (Terms) are a legal agreement between you and Andrii Matiushev, an independent developer trading as Zydeno (we, us, our). They govern your use of the “Learn Bulgarian: Speak & Read” application for iPhone and iPad, with localised names in the App Store and shown on the Home Screen as “Learn BG”, “Учи БГ” or “Вчи БГ”, together with its widgets, content, updates and these web pages (together, the app).

By downloading, installing or using the app, you agree to these Terms and to our Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, do not use the app, and delete it from your device.

Publisher

Andrii Matiushev, trading as Zydeno

Contact

[email protected]

Website

https://zydeno.com

These Terms

zydeno.com/learnbulgarian/terms.html

If you obtained the app from Apple’s App Store, your software licence is governed by the end-user licence agreement presented with the app there. If no custom agreement has been provided through App Store Connect, Apple’s Standard End User Licence Agreement applies. Publishing this page does not by itself replace that agreement. These Terms supplement the applicable licence with information about the app, its content and its use; they do not reduce rights granted by that licence or mandatory law. The section Apple-specific terms also applies. You also remain bound by the Apple Media Services Terms and Conditions.

Who may use the app#

You may use the app if you can form a binding contract under the law where you live. If you are under the age of majority there, you may use the app only with the agreement of a parent or legal guardian, who accepts these Terms on your behalf and is responsible for your use. The app is not designed for children under 13. See Children in the Privacy Policy.

You must not use the app where doing so is illegal for you.

Price, purchases and subscriptions#

• The app is free of charge. It offers no in-app purchases, no subscriptions, no premium tier, no trial that converts into a payment, and no advertising. We never ask for payment details. We never charge you for anything, and nobody may charge you on our behalf.
• Because nothing is sold in the app, there are no payments to refund. If an App Store charge ever appears that you did not expect, it did not come from the app. Please contact Apple through reportaproblem.apple.com, because only Apple can process App Store charges.
• Your mobile carrier or internet provider may charge you for data used when you download or update the app, or when you open links. Those charges are between you and your provider.
• If we ever decide to offer optional paid features, they will be sold only through Apple’s in-app purchase system. They will be clearly labelled with their price in your local currency, and they will require your explicit confirmation through Apple. We will update these Terms beforehand. Features that are free when you use them will not be taken away retroactively in a way that charges you for them.

Streaks, stars, achievements, levels and scores have no monetary value. They cannot be sold, transferred or exchanged, and they give you no claim against us.

Your licence to use the app#

Subject to these Terms, we grant you a personal, revocable, non-exclusive, non-transferable, non-sublicensable licence to download and use the app for your own personal, non-commercial learning. You may use it on any Apple device that you own or control, as permitted by Apple’s Usage Rules.

Teachers may use the app in their own lessons, and may show it to their students. Distributing its content in bulk, or using it in a commercial product or course, requires our written permission. It is also allowed where the open licence of that specific content permits it (see Credits and licences).

We keep all rights not expressly granted to you. The app is licensed to you, not sold.

What the app is — and is not#

The app is a self-study tool for learning Bulgarian. It includes lessons for levels A1, A2 and B1, reviews, practice modes, a dictionary, a phrasebook, grammar, culture notes, real-life phrase packs and practice tests. It helps you practise, but it is not a school, a teacher, a translator or an interpreter, and it does not replace any of them.

• Levels are approximate. Labels like “A1”, “A2” and “B1” show how the course is organised, with reference to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). They are not an official assessment of your level.
• No guaranteed outcome. We do not promise that you will reach a given level, pass an exam, get a job, or obtain a visa, residence permit, citizenship, school place or any other decision. How you learn and what you achieve depend on you.
• Practice tests are unofficial. The unit tests, level tests, placement test and the practice exams “in the style of” Bulgarian language-certificate exams (including those marked “DLTCE-style”) are the app’s own exercises. They are not official exams, not official certificates, and not endorsed by Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” or any other examining body. The 2–6 Bulgarian grade shown after a test is a simulation for practice. Exam formats, requirements, fees and dates change: always check them with the official organiser.
• Completion certificates. After you complete all course lessons for a level, you can create and share an image recording that completion. Skipping lessons through placement does not earn it. It records progress within this app; it does not verify your identity, assess or certify a CEFR language level, or confer any qualification recognised by a government, school, university or examining body. You may save or share your completion image for personal use.
• Independent practice. Written drafts and self-checks help you practise your own answers. Checking an item is your own assessment; it is not teacher feedback or a certified score.
• Not affiliated. The app is not affiliated with, endorsed by or connected to the Government of the Republic of Bulgaria, any ministry, municipality, embassy, migration authority, university, school or exam centre. Names of institutions appear only to describe their subject.

Accuracy of content#

We work hard to make the course accurate, and we correct errors when we find them. However, language content is complex, and the app may contain mistakes. In particular:

• Parts of the course, and its translations into interface languages, were drafted with the help of software, including artificial-intelligence tools. We then review them. Native-speaker review is ongoing, and not every item has been checked yet.
• Some dictionary and example translations were drafted using machine translation and artificial-intelligence tools. They are marked in the app as “Unverified translation”.
• The dictionary and example sentences come from community projects (such as Wiktionary and Tatoeba). The bundled data is filtered for a general audience, but errors and regional or outdated usage may remain. Please report inappropriate content if you encounter it.
• Some audio is synthesised speech or an iOS system voice, and may mispronounce words or place stress incorrectly. Stress marks and transliteration are learning aids and are simplified. Where on-device speech recognition is supported, feedback compares recognised words with the exercise text. Recognition may be inaccurate and does not certify pronunciation or language proficiency.
• Prices, opening hours, procedures, phone numbers, rules and customs mentioned in culture notes, travel and real-life packs change over time, and may be out of date.

Please check anything important with a qualified person or an official source. You can help by reporting mistakes with “Report a mistake” in the app or at [email protected].

Real-life use, safety and emergencies#

• Not professional advice. The phrase packs for doctors, pharmacies, hospitals, the police, banks, rental agreements, municipal offices, work and migration help you speak. They are not medical, legal, financial, immigration or tax advice. They do not replace a doctor, pharmacist, lawyer, official interpreter or the institution concerned. Never decide about medicines, doses, allergies, contracts, payments or legal documents based on a phrase or translation in the app.
• “Show to a Bulgarian” and the phrasebook are there to help you communicate. They do not guarantee that you will be understood. Make sure important information has been understood correctly.
• Listening while on the move. Do not use the app, including hands-free listening mode, in a way that distracts you while driving, cycling, crossing a road, operating machinery, or doing anything else that needs your full attention. Keep the volume at a safe level to protect your hearing.
• Screen time. Take breaks. Stop using the app if you feel discomfort, dizziness or eye strain.

No warranty — provided “as is”#

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, THE APP AND ALL CONTENT ARE PROVIDED “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE”, WITH ALL FAULTS AND WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. YOU USE THE APP ENTIRELY AT YOUR OWN RISK. THE ENTIRE RISK AS TO SATISFACTORY QUALITY, PERFORMANCE, ACCURACY AND EFFORT IS WITH YOU.

To the maximum extent permitted by law, we disclaim all warranties, conditions and representations, whether express, implied or statutory. These include merchantability, satisfactory quality, fitness for a particular purpose, accuracy, completeness, quiet enjoyment, non-infringement, and any warranties arising from a course of dealing or usage of trade. In particular, we do not warrant that:

• the app will meet your requirements or expectations, or help you reach any learning goal;
• the app will be uninterrupted, timely, secure or free of bugs, errors, viruses or other harmful components, or that defects will be corrected;
• the app will work on every device, iOS version, configuration, language setting or accessibility setting;
• any content, translation, pronunciation, explanation, score or statistic is accurate, complete, reliable or up to date;
• your progress, streaks or settings will be preserved.

No advice or information you obtain from us or through the app creates any warranty not expressly stated in these Terms. Some jurisdictions do not allow certain implied warranties to be excluded. In those jurisdictions, the exclusions above apply only as far as the law allows, and any mandatory warranty is limited to the shortest period the law permits.

Bugs, updates and your progress#

The app has no account and no cloud storage run by us. Your progress, statistics, streaks, favourites, settings, independent-practice drafts and self-checks, and course-completion records without names are stored locally on your device. You can choose to export a progress file or make a device backup; those copies are held wherever you choose to save them, not by us. A completion image includes the display name you enter in its editor, but the name and image are not included in progress exports (see the Privacy Policy). As a result:

• They may be lost or damaged through software bugs, failed updates, data corruption, lack of storage, an iOS update, “Reset all progress”, deleting the app, or losing, replacing or resetting your device. We cannot restore them, and we are not responsible for such loss. You can export and import progress files in the app. Keep your exported files and any device backups made with iCloud or your computer in a safe place; we cannot retrieve them for you.
• Updates may change, add, move or remove lessons, words, exercises or features. They may also change how scores, streaks or levels are calculated. Progress may need to be recalculated after an update.
• Keep your device and iOS updated. We may stop supporting older iOS versions or devices.

Acceptable use#

You agree not to:

• copy, modify, translate, or create derivative works of the app or its content, except as these Terms, an open licence covering that content, or applicable law expressly allows;
• decompile, disassemble or reverse-engineer the app, or attempt to extract its source code or databases, except as an open licence covering the specific material permits or where applicable law allows it (for example, to achieve interoperability);
• rent, lease, lend, sell, redistribute, sublicense, or make the app available over a network for use by several devices at once;
• remove, hide or alter any copyright, licence, attribution or other notice;
• use the app, or data from it, to build a competing product, or to train machine-learning models, unless an open licence covering that specific content permits it;
• use the app in any way that breaks the law, infringes others’ rights, or interferes with the app’s operation or security;
• record other people with the speaking feature without their consent.

Our intellectual property#

The app belongs to Andrii Matiushev and is protected by copyright, database and other laws. This covers its code and design, the course structure, lessons, explanations, exercises, illustrations and scenes, sounds, the “Learn Bulgarian: Speak & Read” name and its localised and Home Screen names, the icon, and the Zydeno name. Only the rights granted in these Terms pass to you.

Third-party materials remain the property of their creators and are used under their licences (see Credits and licences). Nothing in these Terms limits the rights any open licence gives you over the material it covers.

If you believe something in the app infringes your rights, write to [email protected]. Tell us which material it is, what your right is, and how to contact you. We will look into it promptly and, where appropriate, remove or correct the material in the next update.

Credits and licences#

The app is built with the help of generous open projects. The complete, item-by-item list of authors, sources and licences is in the app under Me → About → Credits and licences. It includes the author and licence of every photograph. In summary:

Photographs and pictures may have been cropped, resized, recoloured or combined into new scenes. Dictionary and sentence data have been filtered, reorganised, corrected and translated. These are modifications of the originals, and the original creators do not endorse the app. Material that we adapted from content under CC BY-SA is shared under the same licence, CC BY-SA 4.0. You can download the adapted dictionary data archive separately, without the app. You may also request a copy of adapted data at [email protected].

Wikimedia, Wikimedia Commons and Wiktionary are trademarks of the Wikimedia Foundation, and are used here only to identify the source. Their use does not imply endorsement.

Third-party services and links#

The app relies on services and platforms that we do not control, including Apple’s iOS, the App Store and system voices, your e-mail app and provider, and the websites that open from credit and source links. Your use of them is governed by their own terms and privacy policies. We are not responsible for their content, availability, accuracy, security or practices. A link does not mean we endorse the site.

Feedback and error reports#

We welcome corrections and ideas. When you send us feedback, you allow us to use it to improve the app, free of charge and without any obligation to you. We may do so worldwide, permanently and without naming you, although we are happy to credit you if you ask. Do not send us anything you consider confidential. How we handle your e-mail is explained in the Privacy Policy.

Limitation of liability#

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, IN NO EVENT WILL ANDRII MATIUSHEV / ZYDENO, OR ANY CONTRIBUTOR, LICENSOR OR SUPPLIER, BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, EXEMPLARY OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, OR FOR ANY LOSS OF PROFITS, REVENUE, INCOME, BUSINESS, OPPORTUNITY, GOODWILL, DATA OR PROGRESS, ARISING OUT OF OR RELATED TO THE APP OR THESE TERMS, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.

Subject to the exceptions below, and to the maximum extent permitted by law, we are not liable for:

• any bug, error, malfunction, crash, interruption, incompatibility, data loss or data corruption, or any failure of the app to work as described;
• any mistake or omission in translations, pronunciation, grammar, dictionary entries, test results or other content, or any consequence of relying on them;
• any misunderstanding or miscommunication with other people, or anything done or not done because of it;
• failing an exam or interview, or any decision by an authority, school, employer, landlord or other third party. This includes visas, residence, citizenship, employment and admissions;
• any financial loss or expense. This includes exam, course, visa, travel, medical, legal or translation fees, and data or device costs;
• damage to your device or other software, or loss of streaks, statistics, settings or other in-app progress;
• any third-party service, website, content or conduct, or anything outside our reasonable control.

The app is provided free of charge. Therefore, to the maximum extent permitted by law, our total aggregate liability for all claims connected with the app or these Terms is limited to the greater of (a) the amount you paid us for the app in the 12 months before the claim, and (b) EUR 50 (or its equivalent in your local currency). This applies whatever the legal theory, whether contract, tort (including negligence), strict liability, statute or otherwise.

Your statutory rights as a consumer#

If you are a consumer, you keep all rights that the mandatory law of your country gives you and that cannot be excluded by contract. Nothing in these Terms is intended to limit them. Examples include rights under EU and UK consumer law, the Australian Consumer Law, New Zealand’s Consumer Guarantees Act, Québec’s Consumer Protection Act, Brazil’s Consumer Defence Code, and the consumer laws of other countries.

Australia: Our goods and services come with guarantees that cannot be excluded under the Australian Consumer Law. Where a guarantee can be limited, our liability for failing to meet it is limited to supplying the service again, or paying the cost of supplying it again.

Digital content and withdrawal: You may stop using the app and delete it at any time. Any statutory rights relating to digital content, cancellation or withdrawal remain unaffected.

Indemnity#

To the extent permitted by law, you agree to indemnify and hold harmless Andrii Matiushev (Zydeno) from any claim, demand, loss, liability or expense, including reasonable legal fees, made by a third party. This applies where the claim arises from your breach of these Terms, your misuse of the app, or your violation of any law or of anyone else’s rights. This section does not apply to consumers where local law does not permit it.

Availability, changes and termination#

• We may update, change, suspend or discontinue the app or any part of it at any time. This includes removing it from the App Store in some or all countries. Where reasonably possible, we will give notice. A copy already installed on your device may keep working, but we do not promise that it will.
• You may stop using the app at any time by deleting it.
• Your licence ends automatically if you materially breach these Terms. When the licence ends, you must stop using the app and delete it.
• The sections on the disclaimer of warranties, limitation of liability, indemnity, intellectual property, governing law and general terms continue after termination.

Changes to these Terms#

We may change these Terms, for example when the law changes or when we add features. We will publish the new version on this page with a new “Effective” date. For material changes, we will also show a notice in the app or on this page, where reasonably possible at least 14 days before they take effect. Changes do not apply retroactively. If you continue to use the app after they take effect, you accept the new Terms. If you do not agree, stop using the app and delete it.

Governing law and disputes#

Talk to us first. Most problems are misunderstandings or content mistakes, and it is quicker to fix them than to argue about them. Please write to [email protected] and give us 30 days to try to resolve the matter informally before you start formal proceedings.

Law. These Terms, and any dispute arising from them or from your use of the app, are governed by the laws of the Republic of Bulgaria. This excludes Bulgaria’s conflict-of-laws rules and the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods. If you are a consumer, this choice of law does not deprive you of the protection of the mandatory provisions of the law of the country where you normally live.

Courts. The courts of Sofia, Bulgaria, have jurisdiction. If you are a consumer, however, you may also bring proceedings in the courts of your own country of residence. We may only bring proceedings against a consumer in the courts of their country of residence.

Alternative dispute resolution. Consumers in the EU may use an out-of-court dispute-resolution body in their country. In Bulgaria, these are the conciliation committees at the Commission for Consumer Protection (kzp.bg). The EU’s Online Dispute Resolution platform closed in July 2025. We are not obliged to take part in alternative dispute resolution, but we will consider it in good faith.

Individual claims. To the extent permitted by applicable law, any claim must be brought in your individual capacity, not as a plaintiff or class member in any class, collective or representative action. It must also be brought within one year after the cause of action arose, unless a longer period is required by law. This paragraph does not apply where local consumer law prohibits it.

Export control and sanctions#

You may not use, export or re-export the app except as authorised by U.S. law, EU law and the laws of the country where you obtained it. You confirm that you are not located in a country subject to a U.S. Government embargo, or designated by the U.S. Government as a “terrorist supporting” country. You also confirm that you are not listed on any U.S. Government list of prohibited or restricted parties, or on an EU or UN sanctions list.

Apple-specific terms#

If you obtained the app from Apple’s App Store, you and we acknowledge the following:

1. Parties. These Terms are between you and us only, not with Apple Inc. (Apple). We, not Apple, are solely responsible for the app and its content.
2. Scope of licence. Your licence is limited to using the app on Apple-branded products that you own or control, as permitted by the Usage Rules in the Apple Media Services Terms and Conditions. The app may also be accessed by other accounts associated with you through Family Sharing or volume purchasing.
3. Maintenance and support. We are solely responsible for any maintenance and support, as described at [email protected] and required by applicable law. Apple has no obligation to provide any maintenance or support for the app.
4. Warranty. We are solely responsible for any product warranties, whether express or implied by law, to the extent they have not been effectively disclaimed. If the app fails to conform to any applicable warranty, you may notify Apple, and Apple will refund the purchase price (if any) to you. The app is free, so the purchase price is zero. To the maximum extent permitted by law, Apple has no other warranty obligation with respect to the app. Any other claims, losses, liabilities, damages, costs or expenses attributable to a failure to conform to a warranty are our sole responsibility, to the extent they have not been disclaimed.
5. Product claims. We, not Apple, are responsible for addressing any claims by you or a third party relating to the app, or to your possession or use of it. These include: (i) product-liability claims; (ii) any claim that the app fails to conform to any applicable legal or regulatory requirement; and (iii) claims arising under consumer-protection, privacy or similar legislation.
6. Intellectual-property claims. If a third party claims that the app, or your possession and use of it, infringes that third party’s intellectual-property rights, we, not Apple, are solely responsible for investigating, defending, settling and discharging the claim.
7. Legal compliance. You confirm the statements in Export control and sanctions.
8. Developer contact. Questions, complaints or claims about the app go to Andrii Matiushev (Zydeno), [email protected], zydeno.com.
9. Third-party terms. You must comply with any applicable third-party terms when using the app, such as those of your wireless data service.
10. Third-party beneficiary. Apple and Apple’s subsidiaries are third-party beneficiaries of these Terms. Once you accept these Terms, Apple has the right to enforce them against you as a third-party beneficiary, and will be deemed to have accepted that right.

If these Terms conflict with Apple’s minimum requirements for a licensed application end-user licence agreement, Apple’s requirements prevail to the extent of the conflict.

General#

• Entire agreement. These Terms and the Privacy Policy are the whole agreement between you and us about the app. They replace any earlier understanding.
• Severability. If any provision is held invalid or unenforceable, it will be enforced to the maximum extent permitted, or limited as needed. The remaining provisions stay in full force.
• No waiver. If we do not enforce a right, or delay enforcing it, we do not waive it.
• Assignment. You may not transfer your rights under these Terms. We may transfer ours, for example to a successor business, provided your rights under these Terms are not reduced.
• Force majeure. We are not responsible for delays or failures caused by events beyond our reasonable control. Examples include outages at Apple or internet providers, natural disasters, war, epidemics, and actions by authorities.
• No relationship. These Terms create no partnership, employment, agency, or teacher–student or professional relationship between you and us.
• Notices. We give notices by posting them on this page or in the app. You give notices to [email protected].
• Language. These Terms are written in English. If a translation is ever provided, the English version prevails, unless your local law requires otherwise.
• Trademarks. Apple, iPhone, iPad, iOS and App Store are trademarks of Apple Inc. Other names belong to their respective owners, are used only to identify them, and do not imply endorsement.

Contact#

Questions about these Terms, the app or its content: [email protected]. Publisher: Andrii Matiushev, trading as Zydeno. Website: zydeno.com.

See also: Privacy Policy · Credits and licences · Safety and emergencies