The larger marked region shows the distribution of the wider "Balkans" dialects.

Dialects belonging to this group include Arli (Macedonia, Kosovo, Greece), Erli (Bulgaria), Mečkar (Albania), Sepeči (Greece, Turkey), Ursari (Romania), Crimean Romani (Ukraine), Zargari (Iran), and others.

The diagnostic of characteristic features of this group of dialects include:

sine for 'he/she was'

Third person pronouns ov, oj, on

Shortened possessive pronouns mo 'my', to your'

Demonstratives akava and adava, sometimes akavka

Loan verbs are usually adapted with -in- (but -iz- appears in the Black Sea coast region)

2nd Pl. past tense –en in tume kerden 'you.PL did'

Future tense in ka, sometimes ma

2) The Balkan zis-dialects

The narrow region marked across Bulgaria, northern Macedonia and adjecient regions shows the distribution of the Balkan zis dialects, also called: 'Drindari-Bugurdži-Kalajdži group', 'Southern Balkan 2'.

These dialects are spoken in northern and central Bulgaria and Macedonia.

The Balkan zis-dialects

They include the dialects of the Drandari/Drindari, Kovački, Kalajdži and Bugurdži (but note that these are occupational designations, and are sometimes also found among groups speaking other types of dialects).

Diagnostic features that contrast with the rest of the Balkan group include:

Demonstratives kaka or kǝka

Loan verbs are adapted with –iz-

z- in zis 'day' and zi 'soul'

c- in buci 'work' and cin- 'to buy'

reduction of -e- kerela > kerla 's/he does'