Bulgarian (български език) is spoken by around 9 million people in Bulgaria and across the diaspora. The first Slavic language to adopt the Cyrillic alphabet, it opens the door to the entire East Slavic world. With this kit, you have the bare essentials for Sofia, Plovdiv, Varna and the Black Sea coast.
Bulgarian (български език) is the oldest literary Slavic language: the translation of the Bible and liturgical texts in the 9th century by the disciples of Cyril and Methodius established Old Bulgarian as the matrix of common Church Slavonic. Today spoken by around 9 million people, it is the official language of Bulgaria and one of the official languages of the European Union, written in Cyrillic with thirty letters. Grammatically, Bulgarian is unique among Slavic languages: it has lost grammatical cases (except remnants) in favour of a postposed definite article (knigata = the book, knigite = the books), it possesses an extremely rich verbal system with evidentiality (the speaker indicates whether they witnessed the facts or are reporting them) and it develops a wide range of compound tenses. Travelling in Bulgaria means discovering Sofia and its Alexander Nevski cathedral, Plovdiv with its Roman theatre, the Rila monastery nestled in the mountains, the Black Sea coast with Nessebar and Sozopol, the Valley of Roses, the kuker masks of folklore and a Balkan cuisine with a thousand flavours. This kit gathers the bare essentials to handle an arrival at Sofia airport, a taxi or train ride, an order at a traditional mehana, a medical emergency and a smooth departure. You will find greetings adapted to formal Bulgarian address, phrases to find your way, key words for eating and sleeping, plus cultural tips to understand the disorientating reversal of yes and no by gesture. Memorise these expressions before leaving and you will gain confidence on arrival.
Here is how these phrases play out in real life. Each scene sets the stage and gathers the useful expressions.
You land at Sofia airport in the early evening. An agent meets your gaze, you greet him according to the time of day, thank him and ask for directions to the taxi exit.
The taxi driver loads your suitcase and asks for your destination. You give the address, you want to check the price before leaving, then ask him to stop right in front of the hotel.
You enter a traditional mehana in Plovdiv in the early evening. The waiter seats you and hands you the menu. You order coffee, a glass of water, then ask for the bill and warmly say thank you.
You feel sick after a meal and you need help. You ask where the hospital is, you explain that you do not understand and ask if anyone speaks English.
On the morning of departure, you want to catch a taxi to the airport. You greet the hotel staff one last time, warmly thank them and take your formal leave.
What you need to know before travelling to a bulgarian-speaking country.
In Bulgaria, head movements are reversed compared with the Western convention: a vertical nod means NO, and a horizontal shake means YES. This cultural specificity can take days to absorb. Focus on the words Da and Ne rather than gestures.
The Cyrillic alphabet was created in the 9th century by the disciples of Saint Cyril for Slavic liturgy: Bulgaria is its historical cradle. May 24 (Den na bulgarskata prosveta) celebrates this heritage. Visiting Plovdiv or Veliko Tarnovo at this time is magical.
Bulgarian uses the pronoun Vie (with capital V in writing) for formal address, distinct from vie (informal plural). With shopkeepers, guides or elders, this level of respect is expected and appreciated.
Bulgarian yoghurt (kiselo mlyako) is renowned worldwide for its Lactobacillus bulgaricus bacterium. A banitsa pastry for breakfast, a shopska salad with sirene for lunch and a yoghurt dessert are the pillars of the local table.
Rakia (plum or grape brandy) is the national drink, often homemade. Refusing an offered glass may seem cold: take at least a sip. Toasting while looking the other person in the eye is essential.
Restaurant tipping is around ten percent, given by rounding up the bill. In hotels, prepare some change for staff. Official taxis are marked yellow with a meter; avoid unmarked taxis at the airport.
Mentioning the rose of the Kazanlak valley (Bulgarian essential oil is used by the world's greatest perfumers) or the UNESCO-listed polyphonic chants opens conversations. Bulgarians are proud of a cultural heritage that is often little known abroad.
The Bulgarian Orthodox Church is central to the culture: painted churches, monasteries like Rila or Bachkovo, religious festivals punctuating the year. Modest dress required, photos sometimes forbidden. Ask before clicking.
Preview. The full glossary (30 words) and all the phrases are in the PDF.
Да
DA
Yes
Не
NE
No
Благодаря
bla-go-da-RYA
Thank you
Моля
MO-lya
Please
Вода
vo-DA
Water
Хляб
KHLYAB
Bread
Мляко
MLYA-ko
Milk
Месо
me-SO
Meat
Риба
RI-ba
Fish
Сирене
SI-re-ne
White cheese
A hundred words, thirty key phrases, as a printable PDF. Instant download, also sent by e-mail.
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Every translation is cross-checked against at least two concordant sources among the references below.
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