The paper deals with Bulgarian compound sentences with the conjunction kolkoto da, whose status among the classes of subordinate clausal constructions is debated in Bulgarian studies. Arguments are put forward to substantiate the existence of a special structural semantic subtype of clauses of purpose: those having a meaning of an action accomplished pro forma (non-priority purpose). The semantic and syntactic peculiarities are analysed against a background of other structures with the conjunction kolkoto da, primarily in contrast to clauses of measure and degree, to which the structures in question are usually attributed. The range of Russian correspondences for such patterns is outlined. With reference to parallel corpora (Bulgarian-Russian and Russian-Bulgarian), the factors are identified that influence the choice of Russian conjunctions liš′ by, tol′ko by, tol′ko čtoby, as well as of clauses of purpose with čtoby as translation correspondences of Bulgarian sentences with kolkoto da.