Basic Bulgarian phrases will certainly help to make your holiday in the country of the sun even better. Bulgaria is a destination that attracts with the beautiful Black Sea coast, numerous and ancient monuments and relatively low prices.
If you are just going there, native Bulgarians will certainly look at you favorably when you try to say a few words in Bulgarian. Also remember that although English has dominated most resorts, not all locals know it. When meeting them, basic Bulgarian phrases may become necessary.
Bulgarian language
Bulgarian belongs to the South Slavic language group and to the Balkan language league. It is used by 9 million people – it is the official language in Bulgaria, but also is spoken by some inhabitants of Greece, North Macedonia, Moldova and Romania.
We write Bulgarian words using the Bulgarian alphabet, based on the Cyrillic alphabet, which may cause problems with reading, especially at the beginning. That is why it is worth reading the official transliteration of the Bulgarian alphabet, which will tell you how to read specific letters.
Also remember that in Bulgaria, shaking your head means No and nodding up and down means Yes.
Hello and goodbye in Bulgarian
Здрасрти / Здравей! [zdrasti / zdravej] – hello (greeting)
Чао! [chao] – hello (goodbye)
Добър ден! [dobyr den] – good morning
Здравейте [zdraveite] – hello
Добър вечер! [dobyr vecher] – good evening
Довиждане! [dowizhdane] – goodbye
Лека нощ. [leka nosht] – good night
Basic words in Bulgarian
да [da] – yes
не [ne] – no
Благодаря. / Mерси. [beggodarya / mersi] – thank you
Моля те [molya te] – please
Съжалявам. [syzhayavam] – sorry
Извинете [izvinete] – excuse me
Пари [pari] – money
Скъпо [skupo] – roads
Евтини [evtini] – cheap
платен [pvaten] – paid
Безплатен [bezpwaten] – Free
сега [sega] – now
по късно [po kusno] – later
днес [dnes] – today
утре [utre] – tomorrow
сутрин [sutrin] – in the morning
вечерта [vecherta] – in the evening
през нощта [prez noshtta] – at night
Bulgarian words for travel
Такси [taksi] – taxi
летище / аерогара [letishte / aerogara] – airport
ЖП гара [zhepe gara] – railway station
автогара [avtogara] – bus station
посолство [posolstvo] – embassy
магазин [magazin] – shop
хотел [hotew] – hotel
баня [banya] – bathroom
закуска [zakuska] – breakfast
вечеря [vecherya] – lunch, dinner
тоалетна за жени [toaletat for zheni] – women’s toilet
Мъжка тоалетна [mŭzhka toaleta] – men’s toilet
Вход [vkhod] – entrance
Изход [izkhod] – exit
отворено [otvoreno] – open
затворено [zatvoreno] – closed
Bulgarian numerals
нула [nuva] – zero
един [edin] – one
два [dva] – two
три [tri] – three
четири [chetiri] – four
пет [pet] – five
шест [shest] – six
седем [sedem] – seven
осем [osem] – eight
девет [devet] – nine
десет [deset] – ten
двайсет [dvajset] – twenty
петдесет [petdeset] – fifty
сто [sto] – hundred
хиляда [hilyada] – one thousand
милион [million] – million
Basic Bulgarian phrases for travel
Не разбирам. [ne razbiram] – I don’t understand
Говорите ли на английски / полски? [govorite li na anglijski] – Do you speak English?
Не говоря български [Ne govorya bŭlgarski] – I don’t speak Bulgarian
Разбираш ли ме? [Razbirash li me?] – Do you understand me?
Имате ли свободни стаи? [imate li najodni stai?] – Do you have any free rooms?
Имам резервация на името… [imam rezervacija na imeto…] – I have a reservation for the name …
Къде е най – близкият…? [kyde e naj – blizkijat…?] – Where is the nearest…?
Колко струва? [strva pin?] – How much does it cost?
Мога ли да платя с карта? [moga li da pvatya s karta?] – Can I pay by card?
Сметката, моля. [smetkata, molja] – I would like a bill.
Колко е часа? [peg e time?] – What time is it?
В колко часа? [kowko e chasa?] – What time is it?
See also what souvenirs to buy in Bulgaria.
Bulgarian words helpful in restaurant
нож [nozh] – a knife
вилица [vilica] – a fork
лъжица [vyzhica] – a spoon
чиния [chinija] – a plate
минерална вода газирана [minerawna voda gazirana] – sparkling mineral water
негазирана вода [negazirana voda] – still water
сок [sok] – juice
кафе [kafe] – coffee
кафе с мляко [kafe s mljako] – coffee with milk
чай [chaj] – tea
бира [bira] – beer
вино [vino] – wine
водка [vodka] – vodka
захар [zahar] – sugar
сол [salt] – salt
черен пипер [cherny piper] – pepper
пържени картофи [pyrzheni kartofi] – French fries
картофи [kartofi] – potatoes
паста [pasta] – pasta
орис [oris] – rice
bakshish [bakshish] – tip
Дайте едно меню, моля. [dajte edno meniu, molja] – I’ll have a menu, please.
Добър апетит! [dobyr apetit] – Enjoy your meal.
Това не е мойто ястие. [tova ne e mojto jastie] – It’s not my dish.
See also what are the current prices in Bulgaria.
Basic Bulgarian words – random events
Загубих се. [zagubih se] – I am lost.
Помощ! [pomosht] – Help!
Внимание! [vnikanie] – Attention!
болница [bolnica] – hospital
аптека [apteka] – pharmacy
Нужен ми е лекар. [nuzhen mi e lekar] – I need a doctor.
Аз съм болен. [az sym bolen] – I am sick.
Имам температура. [imam temperatura] – I have a fever.
Mоля, извикайте полиция! [molja, izvikajte policia] – Please call the police!
In case of trouble, always remember that you can contact your country’s embassy in Bulgaria.
Bulgarian language is not as difficult as it seems at first glance, and many expressions can be associated with the Russian language.
And what Bulgarian words and phrases surprised you? Which other words are worth knowing? Share your opinion in the comments below!