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A Comprehensive Bulgarian Grammar Overview

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Many foreign language learners give up as soon as they reach the grammar. Learning grammar seems like Mission: Impossible to them!

But guess what? Thanks to BulgarianPod101, you can now learn all of the Bulgarian grammar basics in a fun and easy-to-understand way. We think that the most challenging part of your language learning journey should also be the most fun and intriguing! 

On this page, you’ll find a breakdown of the most important Bulgarian grammar rules. We’ll cover topics ranging from word order to tenses, providing you with insight and examples to make your learning experience as painless as possible. Make sure to complete each of the Bulgarian grammar exercises we’ve included, as they will help you better understand the rules and how to apply them.

Log in to Download Your Free Cheat Sheet - Beginner Vocabulary in Bulgarian Table of Contents
  1. General Rules
  2. Vocabulary
  3. Special Grammar Point 1: Gender
  4. Special Grammar Point 2: Number
  5. Special Grammar Point 3: Definite Articles
  6. Special Grammar Point 4: Case
  7. Special Grammar Point 5: Tenses
  8. How BulgarianPod101 Can Help You Learn More Bulgarian
  9. Answers to the Practical Bulgarian Grammar Exercises

1. General Rules

Before we move on to the heavy stuff, let’s go over a couple of basic Bulgarian grammar points every learner should be familiar with: word order and vocabulary.

Word Order

Let’s start with word order and how to properly build Bulgarian sentences. We have good news for you: Bulgarian word order is flexible, so you have fewer chances to make a mistake! The rather free word order of Bulgarian is possible thanks to subject-verb agreement. Take the following example:

  • Той (S) видя (V) момичето (O) в далечината (A).
    Toy vidya momicheto v dalechinata.
    “He saw the girl in the distance.”

So the pattern of this sentence is:

S (Subject) + V (Verb) + O (Object) + A (Adjunct)

Now, let’s try to change the word order of the same sentence and see what the possible options are.

  • В далечината той видя момичето.
    V dalechinata toy vidya momicheto.
    “In the distance, he saw the girl.”
    A + S + V + O
  • Момичето той видя в далечината.
    Momicheto toy vidya v dalechinata.
    “The girl he saw in the distance.”
    O + S + V + A
  • Той видя в далечината момичето.
    Toy vidya v dalechinata momicheto.
    “He saw in the distance the girl.”
    S + V + A + O

    You can find more insight on this topic in our Bulgarian word order article!

Practical Bulgarian Grammar Exercises: Word Order

Bulgarian Word Order Exercises Can be as Fun as Puzzle Games

Do you like puzzle games? The following word order task is very similar to completing a puzzle, so why not try it? 

We’ll give you a sentence with its pattern explanation. Your task is to change the order of the words in that sentence according to the patterns we list. 

If you can’t wait till the end to check whether your answers are correct, you can scroll directly to the bottom of this page and find the answers under the appropriate heading.

Here’s your exercise:

  • Ана (S) занесе (V) цветя (O) на майка си (A).
    Ana zanese tsvetya na mayka si.
    “Anna brought flowers to her mother.”

The pattern of the sentence above is:

S + V + O + A

Now, try to change the order of the sentence to follow each of these patterns:

S + V + A + O
O + V + S + A 
A + S + V + O

Done? Great!

Now, try to translate the following sentence into Bulgarian:

  • I study the Bulgarian language from a textbook.

After you’re done, change the word order to match these English equivalents:

  1. From a textbook I study the Bulgarian language.
  2. The Bulgarian language I study from a textbook.
  3. I study from a textbook the Bulgarian language.

When you’re ready, try to make a scheme for each Bulgarian sentence, the same way they’re done above. The answers can be found at the very end of this article.

2. Vocabulary

Another crucial element of Bulgarian grammar for beginners to learn early is the vocabulary. Here, we’ll briefly look at the different parts of speech.

Parts of SpeechBulgarianEnglish
Nouns жена (zhena)woman
Adjectives красив (krasiv)beautiful
Verbs вървя (varvya)to go
Adverbs бавно (bavno)slowly
Pronouns: Personalаз, ти, той, тя, то, ние, вие, те
(az, ti, toy, tya, to, nie, vie, te)
I, you, he, she, it, we, you, they
Pronouns: Demonstrativeтова
(tova)
this
Pronouns: Possessiveмой, твой, негов, неин, негов, наш, ваш, техен
(moy, tvoy, negov, nein, nash, vash, tehen)
my, yours, his, her, its, our, yours, theirs
Conjunctions и, но 
(i, no)
and, but
Prepositionsв, над, зад, пред, под, между
(v, nad, zad, pred, pod, mezhdu)
in, over, behind, before, under, between

Now, let’s try to make Bulgarian sentences using the words from the table above.

Beautiful Woman

Adjective + Noun
красива жена
krasiva zhena
“beautiful woman”

Noun + Verb + Adjective
Жената е красива.
Zhenata e krasiva.
“The woman is beautiful.”

Noun + Verb + Adverb 
Жената върви бавно.
Zhenata varvi bavno.
“The woman walks slowly.”

Adjective + Noun + Verb + Adverb 
Красивата жена върви бавно.
Krasivata zhena varvi bavno.
“The beautiful woman walks slowly.”

Demonstrative Pronoun + Verb + Possessive Pronoun + Noun
Това е моята жена.
Tova e moyata zhena.
“This is my wife.”

Personal Pronoun + Verb + Adjective + Noun
Аз съм красива жена.
Az sam krasiva zhena.
“I am a beautiful woman.”

Adjective + Noun + Verb + Adverb + Preposition + Noun
Красивата жена върви бавно в парка.
Krasivata zhena varvi bavno v parka.
“The beautiful woman walks slowly in the park.”


Practical Bulgarian Grammar Exercises: Vocabulary

Now, it’s your turn to practice. First, study this table.

Parts of SpeechBulgarianEnglish
Nouns мъж (mazh)man
Adjectives умен (umen)smart
Verbs работя (rabotya)to work
Adverbs бързо (barzo)quickly
Pronouns: Personalаз, ти, той, тя, то, ние, вие, те
(az, ti, toy, tya, to, nie, vie, te)
I, you, he, she, it, we, you, they
Pronouns: Demonstrativeтози [for masculine]
(tozi)
this
Pronouns: Possessiveмой, твой, негов, неин, негов, наш, ваш, техен
(moy, tvoy, negov, nein, nash, vash, tehen)
mine, yours, his, her, its, ours, yours, theirs
Conjunctions и, но
(i, no)
and, but
Prepositionsв, над, зад, пред, под, между
(v, nad, zad, pred, pod, mezhdu)
in, over, behind, before, under, between

Now, write the following phrases and sentences in Bulgarian:

Adjective + Noun  
smart man

Noun + Verb + Adjective
The man is smart.

Noun + Verb + Adverb 
The man works quickly.

Adjective + Noun + Verb + Adverb 
The smart man works quickly.

Demonstrative Pronoun + Noun + Verb + Possessive Pronoun
This man is mine.

Personal Pronouns + Verb + Adjective + Noun
You are a smart man.

3. Special Grammar Point 1: Gender

Like many languages, Bulgarian has three grammatical genders: masculine, feminine, and neuter. A word’s gender can often be determined by its ending. 

1. Nouns of masculine gender typically end in a consonant

Examples:

    ➢ мъж (mаzh) – man
    ➢ син (sin) – son
    ➢ стол (stol) – chair
    ➢ кон (kon) – horse

2. Nouns of feminine gender typically have the endings -а/-я

Examples:

    ➢ жена (zhena) – woman
    ➢ ябълка (yabalka) – apple
    ➢ кола (kola) – car
    ➢ чиния (chiniya) – plate

3. Nouns of neuter gender typically have the endings -е/-о

Examples:

    ➢ море (more) – sea
    ➢ поле (pole) – field
    ➢ месо (meso) – meat
    ➢ село (selo) – village

There are some exceptions for each grammatical gender that you should take into account. These are:

Exceptions for the masculine gender

Some common nouns of masculine gender may have the endings -а or -я.

    ➢ баща (bashta) – father
    ➢ старшина (starshina) – sergeant-major
    ➢ съдия (sadiya) – judge

Other nouns of masculine gender may have the ending -о (when they refer to close relatives) or -и (when they refer to months of the year).

    ➢ чичо (chicho) – uncle
    ➢ дядо (dyado) – grandpa
    ➢ януари (yanuari) – January
    ➢ февруари (fevruari) – February

You can learn more of these words in our article on How To Talk About Family in Bulgarian and our vocabulary list for Talking About Months in Bulgarian!

Exceptions for the feminine gender

Some common nouns of feminine gender may have the endings -ст or -есен.

    ➢ младост (mladost) – youth
    ➢ радост (radost) – joy
    ➢ песен (pesen) – song
    есен (esen) – autumn

Some common nouns of feminine gender may end in a consonant.

    ➢ любов (lyubov) – love
    ➢ нощ (nosht) – night
    ➢ смрад (smrad) – stink

Exceptions for the neuter gender

Some common nouns of neuter gender may end in -и, -у, or -ю. Usually, these words have a foreign origin.

    ➢ такси (taksi) – taxi
    ➢ жури (zhuri) – jury
    ➢ бижу (bizhu) – jewel

Practical Bulgarian Grammar Exercises: Genders

Now, try to categorize the following words into the table below based on their gender:

крак, младост, воля, корен, море, селище, колело, кожа, кино, мрак, мравка, такси, март, нощ, чичо, корона, слънце, януари, бижу, корен, майка, баща, обица, бюро

Masculine genderFeminine gender Neuter gender 
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .

4. Special Grammar Point 2: Number

Bulgarian language grammar recognizes nouns as being either singular or plural. 

It’s interesting to note that Old Bulgarian also had the so-called dual number, which ended in -a. It was used for referring to a pair of things. Today, it’s still used for countable nouns of masculine gender, but only for inanimate objects. Animated objects end in -и when in their countable forms. Here are a few examples:

SingularCountable Noun FormPlural
стол
 stol
“a chair”
пет стола 
pet stola
“five chairs”
много столове 
mnogo stolove
“many chairs”
домат
 domat
“a tomato”
два домата 
dva domata
“two tomatoes”
много домати 
mnogo domati
“many tomatoes”

Let’s now look at the endings for plural and singular nouns for each gender:

SingularPlural
Masculine gender

Samples:
-consonant

студент (student) – student
кон (kon) – horse
стол (stol) – chair
-и, -е, ове

студенти (studenti) – student
sконе (kone) – horses
столове (stolove) – chairs
Feminine gender

Samples:
-а, -я, -ст, -есен

вода (voda) – water
чиния (chiniya) – plate
радост (radost) – joy
песен (pesen) – song


води (vodi) – waters
чинии (chiniyi) – plates
радости (radosti) – joys
песни (pesni) – songs
Neuter gender

Samples:
-о, -е, -и, -у, -ю

село (selo) – village
море (more) – sea
такси (taxi) – taxi
бижу (bizhu) – jewel
-а, -та

села (sela) – villages
морета (moreta) – seas
таксита (taxita) – taxies
бижута (bizhuta) – jewelry

Practical Bulgarian Grammar Exercises: Number

Plural Form of the Nouns

Try to make the plural form of the following nouns:

майка –
баща –
кино –
такси –
мравка –
обица –
слънце –
корен –
кожа –
море –

*Tip: If you find it difficult, you can refer to the previous exercise to see the gender of these nouns first. You can also check the correct answers at the end of this page.

5. Special Grammar Point 3: Definite Articles

In contrast to English and other languages where the definite article is written in front of the word, the definite article in Bulgarian is postfixed and looks like this:

IndefiniteDefinite
Masculine gender

Samples:


студент (student) – student
кон (kon) – horse
Definite article: ът, -ят

студентът (studentat) – the student
конят (konyat) – the horse
Feminine gender

Samples:


вода (voda) – water
чиния (chiniya) – plate
радост (radost) – joy
Definite article: та

водата (vodata) – the water
чинията (chiniyata) – the plate
радостта (radostta) – the joy
Neuter gender

Samples:


село (selo) – village
море (more) – sea
такси (taxi) – taxi
-тo

селото (sela) – the village
морето (moreta) – the sea
таксито (taxita) – the taxi

Note that the definite article for plural nouns is -те for masculine and feminine, and -та for neuter gender.

Practical Bulgarian Grammar Exercises: Definite Articles

Let’s return to our list from the previous section and try to add a definite article to each word. Please note that although баща (bashta), or “father,” is masculine, we add the feminine definite article to it because of its -a ending.

майка –
баща –
кино –
такси –
мравка –
обица –
слънце –
корен –
кожа –
море –

Once you complete the task above, make a summary of what you’ve learned so far by filling in the following table. The first row is filled out for you as an example.

*Tip: Determine the correct definite articles by looking at your answers from Practical Bulgarian Grammar Exercises: Number where you made the list of singular words plural.

SingularSingular- DefinitePluralPlural – Definite
майка майкатамайкимайките
баща 
кино 
такси 
мравка 
обица 
слънце 
корен 
кожа 
море 

6. Special Grammar Point 4: Case

In Bulgarian grammar, cases are used only for personal nouns. There are three cases:

  • Nominative – аз, ти, той, тя, то, ние, вие, те
  • Accusative – ме, те, го, я, го, ни, ми, ги
  • Dative – ми, ти, му, й, му, ни, ви, им

Here’s a table with translations to make things clearer:

Nominative Accusative Dative 
аз – Iме – meми – to me
ти – youтe – youти – to you
той – heго – himму – to him
тя – sheя – herй – to her
то – itго – itму – to it
ние – weни – usни – to us
вие – youви – youви – to you
те – theyги – themим – to them

Examples:

  • Аз го попитах как се чувства. (го – Accusative)
    Az go popitah kak se chuvstva.
    “I asked him how he was feeling.”
  • Аз му дадох моята книга. (му – Dative)
    Az mu dadoh moyata kniga.
    “I gave my book to him.”

Practical Bulgarian Grammar Exercises: Case

Use the table and examples above to translate the following sentences into Bulgarian:

  • He asked her how he was feeling. (Accusative)
  • She gave my book to me. (Dative)
  • We asked them how they were feeling. (Accusative)
  • They gave the book to us. (Dative)

7. Special Grammar Point 5: Tenses

The toughest part of Bulgarian grammar is related to the tenses. There are nine main tenses, but the most used ones are present tense, future tense, past aorist tense, and past imperfect tense. 

Let’s see all nine tenses in a table:

Bulgarian TensesExampleTranslation
Present tenseАз уча български.
Az ucha balgarski.
“I study Bulgarian.”
Future tenseАз ще уча български.
Az shte ucha balgarski.
“I will study Bulgarian.”
Past aorist tenseАз учих български.
Az uchih balgarski.
“I studied Bulgarian.”
Past imperfect tenseАз учех български.
Az ucheh balgarski.
“I was studying Bulgarian.”
Past future tenseАз щях да уча български.
Az shtyah da ucha balgarski.
“I was going to study Bulgarian.”
Present perfect tenseАз съм учил български.
Az sam uchil balgarski.
“I have studied Bulgarian.”
Past perfect tenseАз бях учил български.
Az byah uchil balgarski.
“I had studied Bulgarian.”
Future perfect tenseАз ще съм учил български.
Az shte sam uchil balgarski.
“I will have studied Bulgarian.”
Past future perfect tenseАз щях да съм учил български.
Az shtyah da sam uchil balgarski.
“I would have studied Bulgarian.”

I Study Bulgarian

Practical Bulgarian Grammar Exercises: Tenses

Now, let’s practice tenses! Think of it as a game. Just take the table above and change the verb уча (ucha), or “study,” with ходя (hodya), meaning “go.” 

Bulgarian TensesExampleTranslation
Present tenseАз ходя в парка.
Az hodya в parka.
“I walk in the park.”
Future tense“I will walk in the park.”
Past aorist tense“I walked in the park.”
Past imperfect tense“I was walking in the park.”
Past future tense“I was going to walk in the park.”
Present perfect tense“I have walked in the park.”
Past perfect tense“I had walked in the park.”
Future perfect tense“I will have walked in the park.”
Past future perfect tense“I would have walked in the park.”

8. How BulgarianPod101 Can Help You Learn More Bulgarian

BulgarianPod101 prepared this extensive guide to the basic Bulgarian grammar rules to help you more easily get used to this foreign language. We hope that you found our overview helpful and have successfully completed all of the practical exercises. However, if you still have any questions or concerns about a topic we covered, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We’ll get back to you as soon as possible! 

Do you feel ready to learn Bulgarian grammar in more detail? 

We provide a range of learning tools and materials for learners at every level. From free vocabulary lists to audio and video lessons, there’s something for everyone on BulgarianPod101.com. 

You can also choose your own Bulgarian teacher from MyTeacher when you sign up for a Premium PLUS account. Your teacher will help you successfully overcome all the grammar challenges you might encounter. 

And now, let’s check your answers!

9. Answers to the Practical Bulgarian Grammar Exercises

Check Your Answers

Answers to: Practical Bulgarian Grammar Exercises: Word Order

  • Ана занесе цветя на майка си.
    Ana zanese tsvetya na mayka si.
    “Anna brought flowers to her mother.”
    S + V + O + A

Answers

S + V + A + O
Ана занесе на майка си цветя.
Ana zanese na mayka si tsvetya.
“Anna brought to her mother flowers.”

O + V + S + A 
Цветя занесе Ана на майка си.
Tsvetya zanese Ana na mayka si.
“Flowers brought Anna to her mother.”

A + S + V + O
На майка си Ана занесе цветя.
Na mayka si Ana zanese tsvetya.
“To her mother Anna brought flowers.”

I study the Bulgarian language from a textbook.
Аз уча български език от учебник.
Az ucha balgarski ezik ot uchebnik.
S + V + O + A

From a textbook study I the Bulgarian language.
От учебник аз уча български език.
Ot uchebnik az ucha balgarski ezik.
A + S + V + O

The Bulgarian language I study from a textbook.
Български език аз уча от учебник.
Balgarski ezik az ucha ot uchebnik.
O + S + V + A

I study from a textbook the Bulgarian language.
Аз уча от учебник български език.
Az ucha ot uchebnik balgarski ezik.
S + V + A O

Answers to: Practical Bulgarian Grammar Exercises: Vocabulary

Adjective + Noun  
smart man
умен мъж
umen mazh

Noun + Verb + Adjective
The man is smart.
Мъжът е умен.
Mazhat e umen.

Noun + Verb + Adverb 
The man works quickly.
Мъжът работи бързо.
Mazhat raboti barzo.

Adjective + Noun + Verb + Adverb 
The smart man works quickly.
Умният мъж работи бързо.
Umniyat mаzh raboti barzo.

Demonstrative Pronoun + Noun + Verb + Possessive Pronoun
This man is mine.
Този мъж е мой.
Tozi mazh e moy.

Personal Pronouns + Verb + Adjective + Noun 
You are a smart man.
Ти си умен мъж.
Ti si umen mazh.

Answers to: Practical Bulgarian Grammar Exercises: Genders

Masculine genderFeminine gender Neuter gender 
кракмладосткино
коренволяморе
мраккожаселище
мартмравкаколело
чичонощтакси
януарикоронабижу
коренмайкабюро
бащаобицаслънце

Answers to: Practical Bulgarian Grammar Exercises: Number

майка – майки 
баща – бащи
кино – кина
такси – таксита
мравка – мравки
обица – обици
слънце – слънца
корен – корени
кожа – кожи море – морета

Answers to: Practical Bulgarian Grammar Exercises: Definite Articles

майка – майката 
баща – бащата
кино – кинотo
такси – такситo
мравка – мравката 
обица – обицата 
воля – волята 
слънце – слънцетo
корен – коренът
кожа – кожата
море – моретo

SingularSingular- DefinitePluralPlural – Definite
майка майкатамайкимайките
баща бащата бащи бащите 
кино киното кина кината 
такси таксито таксита такситата 
мравка мравкатамравки мравките 
обица обицата обици обиците 
слънце слънцето слънца слънцата 
корен коренът корени корените 
кожа кожата кожаи кожите 
море морето морета моретата 

Answers to: Practical Bulgarian Grammar Exercises: Cases

  • He asked her how he was feeling. (Accusative)
    Той я попита как се чувства. (я – Accusative)
    (Toy ya popita kak se chuvstva)
  • She gave my book to me. (Dative)
    Тя ми даде моята книга. (ми – Dative)
    Tya mi dade moyata kniga.
  • We asked them how they were feeling. (Accusative)
    Ние ги попитахме как се чувстват. (ги – Accusative)
    Nie gi popitahme kak se chuvstvat.
  • They gave the book to us. (Dative)
    Тe ни дадоха книгата. (ни – Dative)
    Te ni dadoha knigata.

Answers to: Practical Bulgarian Grammar Exercises: Tenses

Bulgarian TensesExampleTranslation
Present tenseАз ходя в парка.
Az hodya v parka.
“I walk in the park.”
Future tenseАз ще ходя в парка.
Az she hodya v parka.
“I will walk in the park.”
Past aorist tenseАз ходих в парка.
Az hodih v parka.
“I walked in the park.”
Past imperfect tenseАз ходех в парка.
Az hodeh v parka.
“I was walking in the park.”
Past future tenseАз щях да ходя в парка.
Az shtyah da hodya v parka.
“I was going to walk in the park.”
Present perfect tenseАз съм ходил в парка.
Az sam hodil v parka.
“I have walked in the park.”
Past perfect tenseАз бях ходил в парка.
Az byah hodil в parka.
“I had walked in the park.”
Future perfect tenseАз ще съм ходил в парка.
Az she sam hodil в parka.
“I will have walked in the park.”
Past future perfect tenseАз щях да съм ходил в парка
Az shtyah da sam hodil в parka.
“I would have walked in the park.”
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What Do Bulgarian Quotes Say About Life & Love?

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Sometimes, life is not easy! Everyone has gone through many challenges in life. In such moments, it is helpful to know that other people have gone through the same things and overcame them successfully. 

In this article, we’ll show you Bulgarian quotes from some of the most popular Bulgarian heroes, poets, writers, and fighters for Bulgarian liberty who lost their lives without seeing their most cherished dream coming true. Their lives weren’t easy either, and their wisdom inspires the Bulgarian people to this day. 

The quotes in this article are from well-known Bulgarians who loved their country. One thing is for sure: after reading these inspirational Bulgarian quotes, you’ll definitely walk away with a better understanding of Bulgarian history and culture, which will help you a lot in your language studies. You’ll also get better acquainted with the authors of these amazing quotes and learn more about their life and works.

BulgarianPod101 has decided to divide the Bulgarian quotes in this comprehensive guide into different categories, from success to friendship and everything in-between. This will make it easier for you to find your favorite ones. Each of these Bulgarian expressions and quotes has been translated into English, which gives you the opportunity to learn more Bulgarian words and add them to your daily practice. So let the inspiration begin now!

Log in to Download Your Free Cheat Sheet - Beginner Vocabulary in Bulgarian Table of Contents
  1. Quotes About Bulgaria
  2. Quotes About Life
  3. Quotes About Love
  4. Quotes About Family
  5. Quotes About Friendship
  6. Quotes About Work
  7. Quotes About Success
  8. Quotes About Language Learning
  9. How Can BulgarianPod101 Help You Learn Bulgarian?

1. Quotes About Bulgaria

We’ll start with quotes about Bulgaria simply because all of the legendary Bulgarians loved their country. Most of them died fighting to see it free from the Ottoman yoke. Some of their sayings reveal that their love for Bulgaria surpassed their love for their own families. Many of them were killed before they reached forty years of age. Let’s see how their deep love for Bulgaria is reflected in these quotes.

#1

BulgarianОпознай Родината, за да я обикнеш!(Opoznay Rodinata, za da ya obiknesh!)
AuthorAleko Konstantinov
Meaning“Get to know your motherland and you will fall in love with it!”
Aleko Konstantinov is a popular Bulgarian writer who lived in the nineteenth century and whose pseudonym was Щастливеца (Shtastlivetsa), meaning “The Lucky Man.” His most popular books are Бай Ганьо (Bai Ganyo) and the travelogue До Чикаго и назад (To Chicago and Back). 

Interestingly, the Lucky Man was not so lucky, as he was mistakenly killed by assassins at the age of 34, having swapped seats with a politician friend while on a journey. This quote of his is so popular that it can even be seen on some road signs while you travel across Bulgaria.

Bulgaria boasts a beautiful and diverse natural environment, which looks like a piece of paradise. It’s worth traveling across the mountains, the rural areas, and the ancient cities to watch the wildlife and admire the crystal-clear rivers, the Black Sea resorts, and the majestic natural scenery. There are also great fields of wheat, corn, sunflowers, lavender, and vines. If you get to know Bulgaria, you’ll definitely fall in love with it!

Medieval Stronghold Tsarevets

#2

BulgarianАко спечеля, печеля за цял народ—ако загубя, губя само мене си.(Ako spechelya, pechelya za tsyal narod—ako zagubya, gubya samo mene si.)
AuthorVasil Levski
Meaning“If I win, I win for the whole nation—if I lose, I only lose myself.”
Vasil Levski is a national hero, also known as the Apostle of Freedom. He was a founder of the Internal Revolutionary Organization, whose goal was to unite all Bulgarians in the fight against the Ottoman Empire

This quote reveals his belief that his death would not affect the nation, but that his victory would give Bulgaria its long sought-after freedom. He was killed before seeing his dreams come true, but his death was a loss for the whole nation. Levski remains one of Bulgaria’s most-loved national heroes.

#3

BulgarianПредателите на Отечеството не заслужават милост.(Predatelite na Otechestvoto ne zasluzhavat milost.)
AuthorStefan Stambolov
Meaning“The Fatherland’s traitors deserve no mercy.”
Stefan Stambolov is probably one of the most popular Bulgarian politicians of the past, and he was also a poet, a journalist, and a revolutionist. After the liberation of Bulgaria, he was nominated a Prime Minister and regent. He, too, was killed by a group of assassins.

His quote shows that he placed Bulgaria ahead of everything else and had no tolerance for traitors of the country. That’s probably why he was so loved by some people and hated by others.

#4

BulgarianГлавата ми да отсекат, пак ще викам: “Да живее България!(Glavata mi da otsekat, pak shte vikam: “Da zhivee Balgariya!”)
AuthorNikolay Haytov
Meaning“Even if they cut off my head, I will still shout: ‘Long live Bulgaria!’”
Nikolay Haytov was a popular fiction writer who lived in the twentieth century. This quote reveals his patriotism. Apart from his popular books, he wrote ten plays, 800 articles, and reviews. He also saw success as a screenplay writer, with his films and TV series being very popular. 

It might be interesting for you to watch some of the most popular ones, among which are: The Goat Horn (1972)—which is considered one of the outstanding achievements of Bulgarian cinema—Manly Times (1977), and the Captain Petko Voivode series. 

2. Quotes About Life

For most popular Bulgarian heroes, life meant Bulgaria and Bulgaria meant life. Still, there’s no shortage of Bulgarian quotes about life that touch on the various experiences and lessons we learn as we live.

#5

BulgarianЧовек е дълго изречение, написано с много любов и вдъхновение, ала пълно с правописни грешки.(Chovek e dalgo izrechenie, napisano s mnogo lyubov i vdahnovenie, ala palno s pravopisni greshki.)
AuthorJordan Radichkov
Meaning“A man is a long sentence, written with much love and inspiration, but full of spelling errors.”
Jordan Radichkov was another great Bulgarian writer of the twentieth century. He was also a dramatist, a screenwriter, and a representative of magical realism. This satirical quote reveals the essence of life in one short but wise saying.

The Man Is a Long Sentence, Written with Much Love and Inspiration, but Full of Spelling Errors!

#6

BulgarianЧовек е роб на свойта воля, но господар на своето дело.(Chovek e rob na svoyta volya, no gospodar na svoeto delo.)
AuthorColonel Boris Drangov
Meaning“The man is a slave of his own will, but a master of his own work.”
Colonel Boris Drangov was a Bulgarian officer, a military educator, and a prolific writer who lived during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. This amazing quote was written by him to his fiancée instead of a love letter. Later, he became a faithful husband and a loving father, as well as a talented writer. He participated in both Balkan wars and was a commander during World War I. He was killed in the war at the age of 45.

#7

BulgarianИдеалът на земното щастие е в труда, в здравето и в природата.(Idealat na zemnoto shtastie e v truda, v zdraveto i v prirodata.)
AuthorIvan Vazov
Meaning“The ideal of earthly happiness is in work, in health, and in nature.”
Ivan Vazov is also known as the Patriarch of Bulgarian Literature. He lived from the middle of the nineteenth century to the first quarter of the twentieth century, so his poems reflect two historical epochs: the Renaissance and post-liberation Bulgaria. 

This awarded author reveals what happiness is for him. It’s interesting to note that he lists not only health and nature as being important for people, but also work; he considered work to be a blessing leading to happiness.

#8

BulgarianТакава е човеческата натура! Хората забравят всичко, даже и угризението на своята собствена съвест.(Takava e chovecheskata natura! Horata zabravyat vsichko, dazhe i ugrizenieto na svoyata sobstvena savest.)
AuthorLyuben Karavelov
Meaning“Such is human nature! People forget everything, even the remorse of their own conscience.”
Lyuben Karavelov, who lived in the nineteenth century, is a national hero and was a fighter for the liberation of Bulgaria from the Ottoman rule. He was also a poet, ethnographer, writer, encyclopedist, and journalist. This popular quote is from his short novel Old Time’s Bulgarians, where it serves as the conclusion of the long narrative.

Fun fact: The best character in this novel is an old man named Liben, who says: “Nothing is better in this world than doing good.”

3. Quotes About Love

All of us need to love and be loved. Learn what some famous Bulgarians thought about this topic through these Bulgarian quotes about love.

Bulgarian Love Quotes

#9

BulgarianДа обича, това е работа на душата. Не се бъркайте в нейните работи.(Da obicha, tova e rabota na dushata. Ne se barkayte v neynite raboti.)
AuthorPetar Deunov
Meaning“To love is the work of the soul. Don’t interfere in its work.”
Peter Deunov, who lived 100 years ago, founded the White Brotherhood religious doctrine and was called the “Master” by his followers. He was also a popular Bulgarian philosopher. The Bulgarian Orthodox Church declared his doctrine to be heretical because of its connection to occultism.

Some of his teachings include the belief that light is alive and has consciousness; he believed that atoms have consciousness, as well. Knowing these facts, it’s easier to understand his quote about love.

#10

BulgarianНай-силна е онази любов, която може да проявява слабости.(Nay-silna e onazi lyubov, koyato mozhe da proyavyava slabosti.)
AuthorElin Pelin
Meaning“The strongest is the love that can show weakness.”
The author’s real name is Dimitar Stoyanov, but all Bulgarians know him by his pen-name Elin Pelin. He was a Bulgarian writer, also known as the Singer of the Bulgarian village. This is because the Bulgarian village takes the central place in his works.

Along with this quote, there is one more famous love quote from his short novel Geratsite, where Elin Pelin wrote words that apply to today: Любовта бяга от човешките сърца, хората не са вече братя. (Lyubovta byaga ot choveshkite sartsa, horata ne sa veche bratya.) This means: “Love runs away from the human hearts, people are no longer brothers.”

#11

BulgarianНа любовта трябва да се наложи карантина, както на холерата и чумата, от които Тя прави по-големи опустошения.(Na lyubovta tryabva da se nalozhi karantina, kakto na holerata i chumata, ot koito Tya pravi po-golemi opustosheniya.)
AuthorIvan Vazov
Meaning“Love must be quarantined, as cholera and plague, from which the Love makes greater devastation.”
This quote from the great writer Ivan Vazov is found in the narration of Kardashev on the Hunt. In it, a man named Kardashev says the following: 

“To you poets, love in the world may be much needed as the main building block in your creations; but humanity doesn’t need it. A person doesn’t need love but reason and bills to be happy. Love is an enemy of peace and human virtue.”

These words are then followed by our featured quote. These are the words of Vazov’s character who denies the necessity of love; Vazov himself doesn’t agree with this philosophy. Ivan Vazov wrote many love poems, one of which is named Love is Needed.

#12

BulgarianНикога не ги карай да те обичат, дете мое. Настоявай да те оставят. И знай, че този, който устои и остане, те обича истински.(Nikoga ne gi karay da te obichat, dete moe. Nastoyavay da te ostavyat. I znay, che tozi, koyto ustoi i ostane, te obicha istinski.
AuthorDimitar Talev
Meaning“Never make them love you, my child. Insist that they leave you. And know that he, who endures and stays, really loves you.”
The life of the famous Bulgarian writer Dimitar Talev was not easy. His father died when he was only nine; after that, Talev survived three wars, including World War I. Then, because of his patriotic views, the communists arrested him and sent him to the labor camps. The grief and hunger of these years are reflected in his works.

This unique love quote is from his historical novel Железният светилник (Zhelezniyat svetilnik), or The Iron Candlestick, which is part of a tetralogy that also includes The Bells of Prespa, Ilinden (St. Ilia’s Day), and Your Voices I Hear.


4. Quotes About Family

Not all Bulgarian national heroes were able to have their own families, as they were killed very young in the fight for Bulgaria’s liberation. However, all of them respected and deeply loved their parents, as seen in the following Bulgarian quotes about family. Maybe we can take something from these wise words.

#13

BulgarianТози, който не обича майка си, баща си, жена си и децата си, то той не обича и своето Отечество!(Tozi, koyto ne obicha mayka si, bashta si, zhena si i detsata si, to toy ne obicha i svoeto Otechestvo!)
AuthorHristo Botev
Meaning“He who does not love his mother, his father, his wife, and his children, does not love his Fatherland either!”
Hristo Botev was a Bulgarian national hero, as well as a poet, a publicist, and a revolutionary killed by the Ottoman Army at the age of 28. Although Botev wasn’t able to write many poems during his short life, his works are considered the best of Bulgarian Renaissance literature. 

He was a patriot who was very closely attached to his family. This is reflected not only in this quote, but also in some of his poems: To My Mother, To My Brother, To My First Love.

#14

BulgarianСтари обичаи не презирай! Бащино огнище не забравяй!(Stari obichai ne preziray! Bashtino ognishte ne zabravyay!)
AuthorGeorgi Sava Rakovski
Meaning“Do not despise old customs! Don’t forget your father’s fireplace!”
Georgi Sava Rakovski is mostly known as the founder of the organized national revolutionary struggle for the liberation of Bulgaria, but he was also an historian, ethnologist, ethnographer, journalist, publicist, writer, and poet. He was one of the few patriots not killed during the wars, but instead died at the age of 46 from tuberculosis.

His wisdom can be seen in this short quote that reminds us to keep the customs and beliefs of our parents, as this will help us survive as a nation.


5. Quotes About Friendship

Vasil Levski had a lot to say about friendship during those uncertain times when people weren’t sure who was a friend and who was a traitor or enemy. 

#15

BulgarianВсичко се състои в нашите задружни сили.(Vsichko se sastoi v nashite zadruzhni sili.)
AuthorVasil Levski
Meaning“Everything is in our joint forces.”
Levski’s goal of winning Bulgaria’s liberation would have been impossible to accomplish without the joint forces of the entire nation. That’s why he went from village to village and from city to city all across the country to organize secret committees. He believed that the entire nation must be united to win its liberation.

This quote can also apply, in a broader sense, to faithful friends.

#16

BulgarianВреме за помагане е сега—закъснелите не ще бъдат наши приятели.(Vreme za pomagane e sega—zakasnelite ne shte badat nashi priyateli.)
AuthorVasil Levski
Meaning“The time to help is nowthose who are late will not be our friends!”
This is another quote related to the fight for liberation. It means that Levski’s so-called friends, should they fail to support the fight at its most difficult, would no longer be considered friends. There’s an English saying that describes this quote well: False friends are worse than open enemies.

#17

BulgarianТрябва изпит за всеки. Защото има примери: Днес е човек, а утре – магаре.(Tryabva izpit za vseki. Zashtoto ima primeri: Dnes e chovek, a utre – magare.)
AuthorVasil Levski
Meaning“There should be a test for everyone. Because there are examples: Today he is a human and tomorrow he is a donkey.”
The biggest advantage of a true friendship is that you can count on your friend in difficult moments. False friends who won’t encourage or support you during those times are like donkeys, as Vasil Levski said in this quote.

True Friend or a Donkey?

6. Quotes About Work

To make sure we offered you the best Bulgarian quotes concerning work, we chose two from the great Bulgarian Colonel Boris Drangov—who knew how to work and do his duty faithfully—and one quote from the philosopher Petar Deunov.

#18

BulgarianРаботи спокойно, отчетливо, разумно и толкова по-спокойно, колкото опасността е по-близо.(Raboti spokoyno, otchetlivo, razumno i tolkova po-spokoyno, kolkoto opasnostta e po-blizo.)
AuthorColonel Boris Drangov
Meaning“Work calmly, clearly, reasonably, and calmer as the danger is getting closer.”
What a great thought! When the danger is closer, there should be less panic and stress. In order to overcome the danger, just work calmer than ever!

#19

BulgarianЗа да служиш достойно и полезно, отречи се от себе си.(Za da sluzhish dostoyno i polezno, otrechi se ot sebe si.)
AuthorColonel Boris Drangov
Meaning“To serve worthily and usefully, renounce yourself.”
This thought is undoubtedly a reference to Christianity and the sacrifice of Christ. According to the Bible, God, in the face of Christ, has renounced Himself for the good of man and calls us to do so. Colonel Boris Drangov followed this Christian principle during his life, and maybe this is why he became a great man!

#20

BulgarianЕдинственото нещо, което повдига човека, е работата. За да се проявите в каквото и да е направление, трябва да работите. Работата е свещено нещо. Работа, вършена с любов, е щастие.(Edinstvenoto neshto, koeto povdiga choveka, e rabotata. Za da se proyavite v kakvoto i da e napravlenie, tryabva da rabotite. Rabotata e sveshteno neshto. Rabota, varshena s lyubov, e shtastie.)
AuthorPetar Deunov
Meaning“The only thing that elevates the person is work. You need to work in order to succeed in any direction. Work is a sacred thing. Work done with love is happiness.”
According to this Bulgarian philosopher, work is needed to prevent people’s destruction. If you would like to find your happiness in work, do what you love to do. Indeed, if you love your work, it won’t be a burden to you. For this reason, many people at some stage in their lives change their professions, seeking the work they love most, which brings them true satisfaction!

7. Quotes About Success

The following success quotes represent the strategies of young Bulgarians who achieved success in different business spheres in Bulgaria. These words could serve as a great motivation to other young people who have not yet entered the workforce.

Successful Young People

#21

BulgarianАко спрем за момент да се оплакваме и вземем живота в свои ръце, всичко ще стане по-лесно и по-ясно!(Ako sprem za moment da se oplakvame i vzemem zhivota v svoi ratse, vsichko shte stane po-lesno i po-yasno!)
AuthorKaterina Arsova
Meaning“If we stop complaining for a moment and take our lives in our own hands, everything will become easier and clearer!”
Complaining makes things harder than they actually are. People who don’t want to assume an active role in their own lives tend to complain, but this is a surefire way to fail.

#22

BulgarianСмисълът на израстването е моята мотивация за успех.(Smisalat na izrastvaneto e moyata motivatsiya za uspeh.)
AuthorAleksandra Zhekova
Meaning“The meaning behind growth itself is my motivation for success.”
Motivation to be successful is a great power that should be used during your journey toward a successful career. 

#23

BulgarianНикога не изневерявайте на специфичния си талант.(Nikoga ne izneveryavayte na spetsifichniya si talant.)
AuthorRadoslav Gizgindzhiev
Meaning“Never betray your specific talent.”
Every person has a specific talent (or talents) that can lead them to success if he or she develops that talent.

#24

BulgarianВъзрастта не е определящ фактор, а духът!(Vazrastta ne e opredelyasht faktor, a duhat!)
AuthorEvgeniya Peeva
Meaning“Age is not the determining factor, but the spirit is!”
There’s a wise saying that goes: A person learns while he or she is alive. Whatever your age, never stop developing your skills and knowledge, and your spirit will stay forever young!

#25

BulgarianПросперитетът не е функция на местоположението, а начин на мислене.(Prosperitetat ne e funktsiya na mestopolozhenieto, a nachin na mislene.)
AuthorNeli Georgieva
Meaning“Prosperity is not a function of location, but a way of thinking.”
No matter where you live, if you believe in your strength, you will succeed! Just consider yourself a winner before the end of the battle and you will become a winner regardless of the circumstances.

8. Quotes About Language Learning

BulgarianPod101 has compiled a few quotes about language learning from popular Bulgarians. We hope that these words motivate you to proceed in your Bulgarian studies, regardless of your age or skill level. Let these quotes shine along your path to a deeper understanding of the Bulgarian language and culture.

#26

BulgarianНауката е светилото на един народ, литературата е животът му.(Naukata e svetiloto na edin narod, literaturata e zhivotat mu.)
AuthorIvan Vazov
Meaning“Science is the luminary of a nation, and its literature is its life.”
You’ll never be able to fully understand Bulgarian literature if you read the translated versions. To really extend your knowledge and learn more about the Bulgarian culture and view of life, start reading Bulgarian books in the original language. It could be hard at first, and there will be many unknown words that you’ll have to search for in a dictionary, but it will be a rewarding exercise that will greatly accelerate your language knowledge. 

#27

BulgarianИ ний сме дали нещо на света, на славяни книга да четат.(I niy sme dali neshto na sveta, na slavyani kniga da chetat.)
AuthorIvan Vazov
Meaning“We have also given something to the world, to the Slavic people to read books.”
With this quote, Ivan Vazov says that the early Cyrillic alphabet was developed during the First Bulgarian Kingdom; later, Cyril’s and Methodius’ disciples Kliment and Naum finalized and spread it among the Slavic nations. These nations now have a script thanks to these self-sacrificing Bulgarians.

#28

BulgarianБъди строг, но най-първо и най-много към себе си!(Badi strog, no nay-parvo i nay-mnogo kam sebe si!)
AuthorColonel Boris Drangov
Meaning“Be strict, but firstly and mostly toward yourself!”
Self-discipline—that is what, according to Colonel Boris Drangov, leads to success in whatever you do, including your language learning. Be a very strict language teacher to yourself and you’ll soon notice your improvement.  


9. How Can BulgarianPod101 Help You Learn Bulgarian?

We hope you enjoyed this overview of some of the most fascinating Bulgarian quotes. We believe that they can motivate you to start reading Bulgarian books on your own to obtain even deeper knowledge of Bulgarian culture, history, customs, and characteristics.

If you would like to have a teacher by your side, you can choose one through our MyTeacher feature, which allows you to take advantage of the professional guidance of experienced native Bulgarian teachers.

BulgarianPod101 is always here for you! We want to help you learn more intriguing and motivating facts about the Bulgarian language. 

Before you go, please share your favorite quote with us in the comments. We eagerly look forward to hearing from you!

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Telling Time in Bulgarian – Everything You Need to Know

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What’s your relationship with the clock like? Does it run your day from a morning alarm to a cut-off chime for bed, or are you more of a go-with-the-flow type, letting your mood and emotions decide how much you fall in line with time?

Understanding time in Bulgarian is an important part of your studies. As humans, our lives are filled with habits and schedules. From waking up and going to work or gym, to missing rush hour traffic on our way home, we’re always aware of time. We have routines around coffee breaks, meetings, soccer games and vacations. In fact, time can seem rather capricious – going slowly, going fast, sometimes against us, other times on our side – like a force that has a life of its own.

In science, time is often referred to as a fourth dimension and many physicists and philosophers think that if we understood the physics of the universe, we would see that time is an illusion. We sense an ‘arrow’ or direction of time because we have memories, but really time is just a construct that humans have created to help make sense of the world. 

On the other hand, poets through the ages have written impassioned thoughts about time, depicting it as both a relentless thief and an immensely precious resource, not to be wasted at any cost.

Well, poets and scientists may have their views, but in our everyday lives there’s the question of practicality, isn’t there? I mean, if you have plans and want things to happen your way, there’s a certain amount of conforming to the human rules of time that you can’t avoid. 

In ‘The Little Prince’ by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, the prince has a rose that he falls in love with, and he tenderly protects it with a windscreen and places it under a glass dome on his tiny planet.  I love this quote from the book:  “It is the time you have wasted for your rose that makes your rose so important.”  If we truly love something, we spend time with it and not a second of that time could ever be seen as wasted. I feel that way about horses, my children, travel and learning languages

With that in mind, I’d like to take you on a journey into ‘time’ from a Bulgarian perspective. It’s fun, it’s informative and it’s a basic necessity if you’re learning the language – especially if you plan to travel. BulgarianPod101 has all the vocab you need to fall in love with telling time in Bulgarian, and not a minute will be wasted.

Log in to Download Your Free Cheat Sheet - Time Phrases in Bulgarian Table of Contents
  1. Talking about Time in Bulgarian
  2. How to Tell the Time in Bulgarian
  3. Conclusion

1. Talking about Time in Bulgarian

As a traveler, your primary need for knowing how to read the hour in Bulgarian will be for transportation schedules: the bus, train, airplane, ferry, taxi… whatever you plan to use to get from A to B, it won’t wait for you! Fortunately, it’s really not complicated. You already have a firm grasp of time in English and you know you’ll need to reset your watch and phone to the local time. Great – that means you’ll have the correct time on your person. 

We’re so used to just looking at our phones for the time, that it’s easy to take this convenience for granted and forget some travel basics: in a foreign country, times won’t always be written digitally. If you see the time written in words, it’ll be the same challenge to you as hearing it spoken: you’ll need to be familiar with the language. 

You may be surprised at how often ‘time’ comes into conversation. Learning the Bulgarian terms for time will help you when you have to call a taxi, ask about opening and closing times of events and tourist attractions, restaurants and bars and even late-night food cafes.

My biggest annoyance when traveling is not being able to get coffee and amazingly, even at nice hotels this has happened more times than I care to think about. I’ll be up late planning something, writing my blog or chatting and when I go looking for coffee downstairs, I’m told the kitchen is closed or the ‘coffee lady’ has gone to sleep. Frustrating!

If you’re doing a homestay or at a youth hostel or backpackers, there will probably also be a limited timeframe for when you can grab dinner. Do you know how to ask when it’s time to eat in Bulgarian? I’ve learned that it’s vital to know how to make my queries clearly understood to accommodation staff and for me to clearly understand their answers. Perfect your ‘time in Bulgarian’ translations early on – you’ll thank me. 

At BulgarianPod101, we’ve put together a comprehensive list of Bulgarian time words and phrases to get you going. 

Pedestrians in a city

1- Morning – сутрин (sutrin)

Morning is the time when we wake up from our dreamworld, hopefully fully rested and restored; we brew the first delicious cup of coffee for the day and watch the sunrise as we prepare for another glorious twelve hours of life. No matter what happened the day before, a new morning is a chance to make everything right. 

I like these quiet hours for language practice, as my mind is clear and receptive to learning new things. I start by writing the Bulgarian time, date and word of the day on my whiteboard, then get back under the covers for an engrossing lesson.

Time in the morning is written as AM or A.M., which stands for ante meridiem – meaning ‘before midday’ in Latin.

Person typing with coffee next to them

2- Evening – вечер (vecher)

Evening is the part of night when we’re still awake and doing things, winding down from the day. Whether you enjoy a tasty international dinner with friends, go out to see a show, or curl up on the couch with a Bulgarian snack and your favorite TV series, evening is a good time to forget your worries and do something that relaxes you. If you’re checking in with your Facebook friends, say hi to us, too!  

Evening is also an ideal time to catch up on your Bulgarian studies. The neighbourhood outside is likely to be quieter and time is yours, so grab a glass of wine or a delicious local tea, and see what’s new on your Mac App or Kindle

3- Daytime – денем (denem)

Daytime is defined as the period from early morning to early evening when the sun is visible outside. In other words: from sunrise to sunset.  Where you are in the world, as well as the season, will determine how many daylight hours you get. 

Interestingly, in locations north of the Arctic Circle and south of the Antarctic Circle, in summertime the sun does not sink below the horizon within a 24-hour period, bringing the natural phenomenon of the midnight sun.  You could only experience this in the north, though, because there aren’t any permanent human settlements south of the Antarctic Circle.

4- Nighttime – нощно време (noshtno vreme)

Nighttime is all the hours from sunset to sunrise and depending on where in the country you are, people may be partying all night, or asleep from full-dark. 

In the same northernmost and southernmost regions where you can experience a midnight sun, winter brings the opposite phenomenon: the polar night. Can you imagine a night that lasts for more than 24 hours? 

Girl sleeping; moon and starry sky

5- Hour – час (chas)

An hour is a unit of time made up of 60 minutes and is a variable measure of one-24th of a day – also defined by geeks as 3 600 atomic seconds. Of all the ‘time’ words we use on a daily basis, the hour is the most important, as time of day is typically expressed in terms of hours. 

One of the interesting methods of keeping time that people have come up with is the hourglass. Although the origins are unclear, there’s evidence pointing to the hourglass being invented around 1000 – 1100 AD and one of the ways we know this, is from hourglasses being depicted in very old murals. These days, with clocks and watches in every direction we look, they’re really only used symbolically to represent the passage of time. Still – a powerful reminder of our mortality and to seize the day. In his private journal, the Roman emperor, Marcus Aurelius, wrote: “You could leave life right now. Let that determine what you do and say and think.”

An hourglass with falling sand

6- Minute – минута (minuta)

Use this word when you want to say a more precise time and express minutes in Bulgarian. A minute is a unit of time equal to one sixtieth of an hour, or 60 seconds. A lot can happen in the next 60 seconds. For example, your blood will circulate three times through your entire vascular system and your heart will pump about 2.273 litres of blood. 

7- O’clock – часа (chasa)

We use “o’clock” when there are no minutes and we’re saying the exact hour, as in “It’s two o’clock.”

The term “o’clock” is a contraction of the term “of the clock”. It comes from 15th-century references to medieval mechanical clocks. At the time, sundials were also common timekeepers. Therefore, to make clear one was referencing a clock’s time, they would say something like, “It is six of the clock” – now shortened to “six o’clock”.

We only use this term when talking about the 12 hour clock, though, not the 24 hour clock (more on that later!) The 12-hour clock can be traced back as far as Mesopotamia and ancient Egypt. Both an Egyptian sundial for daytime use and an Egyptian water clock for nighttime use were found in the tomb of Pharaoh Amenhotep I. Dating to c.1500 BC, these clocks divided their respective times of use into 12 hours each. The Romans also used a 12-hour clock. Daylight was divided into 12 equal hours and the night was divided into four watches. 

These days, the internet has made it very easy to know what the time is in any part of the world.  Speaking of which, why not add the Bulgarian time zone clock to your laptop?

Many different clocks

8- Half past – и половина (i polovina)

When the time is thirty minutes past the hour, in English we say “half past”. Just like the hour, the half-hour is universally used as an orientation point; some languages speak of 30 minutes before the hour (subtraction), whereas others speak of 30 minutes after the hour (addition). 

9- AM – преди обед (predi obed)

As mentioned earlier, AM is the abbreviation of the Latin ante meridiem and means before midday. Using ‘AM’ as a tag on your time simply tells people you’re speaking about a time in the morning. In some countries, morning is abbreviated to “AM” and you’ll see this on shop signs everywhere, announcing the opening hour. A typical shop sign might read something like this:

“Business hours are from 7AM to 6PM.” 

Woman in a shop, adjusting the shop sign

10- PM – следобед (sledobed)

PM is the abbreviation of the Latin post meridiem and means after midday. Along with ‘AM’, you’ll usually find ‘PM’ on store signs and businesses, indicating the closing hours. It’s advisable to learn the difference between the two, since some establishments might only have one or the other on the sign. For example, a night club sign might say: 

“Open from 10 PM until late.” 

11- What time is it now? – Колко е часът сега? (Kolko e chasat sega?)

Here’s a very handy question you should memorize, as you can use it in any situation where you don’t have your watch or phone on you. This could be on the beach, in a club, or if you’re stuck anywhere with a flat phone battery. It happens at home, so it can happen when you’re traveling! 

Woman on the phone, looking at her watch

12- One o’clock – 1 часа (edin chasà)

One o’clock, or 1 PM, is the average lunch time for many people around the world – at least, we try to get a meal in at some point between midday and 2 PM.  In terms of duration, the nations vary: Brazililans reportedly take the longest lunch breaks, averaging 48 minutes, whereas Greece reports an average break of only 19 minutes. Historically, Greeks were known for their very leisurely lunch breaks, so it just goes to show how fast the world is changing. If you’re curious about what to expect in Bulgaria, try asking our online community about lunch time in Bulgarian.

13- Two o’clock – два часá (dva chasá)

In his last days, Napoleon Bonaparte famously spoke of “Two o’clock in the morning courage” – meaning unprepared, spontaneous  courage. He was talking about soldiers who are brave enough to tumble out of bed in an instant, straight into action, without time to think or strategize. Do you think you have what it takes? I’m pretty sure all mothers know this feeling!

14- Three o’clock – три часá (tri chasá)

3 AM can be perceived as the coldest time of day and is not an hour we want to wake up, but meteorologists will tell you that the coldest time is actually half an hour after sunrise. Even though the sun is peeking over the horizon, the solar radiation is still weaker than the earth’s infrared cooling to space.

Clock pointing to 3 o'clock

15- Four o’clock – четири часá (chetiri chasá)

Do you know anyone who purposely gets up at 4 o’clock in the morning? As crazy as it sounds, there is something to be said for rising at 4 AM while the rest of the world sleeps. If you live on a farm, it might even be normal for you. I know that whenever I’m staying in the countryside, rising early is a lot easier, because there’s a satisfying reason to do so: watching a sunrise from a rooftop, with uninterrupted views, can’t be beat! It’s also likely that you’ll be woken by a cock crowing, or other animals waking to graze in the fresh pre-dawn air. 

In the world of business, you’ll find a small group of ambitious individuals – many entrepreneurs – who swear by the 4 o’clock in the morning rise. I’m not sure I like that idea, but I’d wake up at 4 AM if it was summer and I had my car packed for a vacation!

16- Five o’clock – пет часá (pet chasá)

What better way to signal the transition between work and play than the clock hands striking 5 o’clock? It’s the hour most working people look forward to each day – at least, those who get to stop working at 5 PM.  Meanwhile, millions of retired folks are taking out the wine glasses, as 5 PM is widely accepted as an appropriate time to pour the first glass. I don’t know how traditional your families are, but for as long as I’ve been alive, my grandparents have counted down the milliseconds to five o’clock, and the hour is announced with glee.

A sunset

17- Six o’clock – шест часá (shest chasá)

This is the time many working people and school kids wake up in the morning. In many parts of the world, 6 o’clock is also a good time to watch the sunrise, go for a run or hit the hiking trails. 

18- Seven o’clock – седем часа (sedem chasà)

Health gurus will tell you that 7 o’clock in the morning is the best time to eat your first meal of the day, and 7 o’clock in the evening is the time you should eat your last meal. I’ve tried that and I agree, but it’s not always easy!

19- Eight o’clock – осем часá (osem chasà)

8 o’clock in the morning is the time that most businesses open around the world, and the time most kids are in their first lesson at school – still full of energy and willing to participate. Interestingly, it’s also the time most babies are born in the world!  In the evening, 8 o’clock is many young children’s bedtime and the time for parents to watch the evening news. 

Smiling boy in school with his hand up

20- Nine o’clock – девет часа (devet chasà)

It’s good to occasionally sleep late on a weekend and for me, this means waking up at 9 AM. If you’re traveling in Bulgaria and staying at a hotel, planning to sleep late means politely requesting to not be woken up by room service.

21- Ten o’clock – десет часá (deset chasà)

10 o’clock in the morning is a popular time to conduct business meetings, and for first break time at schools. We’re usually wide awake and well into our day by then.  But what about the same hour at night? Modern people are often still awake and watching TV at 10 PM, but this isn’t exactly good for us. Experts say that the deepest and most regenerative sleep occurs between 10 PM and 2 AM, so we should already be sound asleep by ten o’clock. 

In advertising, have you ever noticed that the hands of the clock usually point to 10:10? Have a look next time you see a watch on a billboard or magazine. The reason? Aesthetics. Somehow, the human brain finds the symmetry pleasing. When the clock hands are at ten and two, they create a ‘smiley’ face and don’t cover any key details, like a logo, on the clock face. 

22- Eleven o’clock – единадесет часа (edinadeset chasà)

When I see this time written in words, it makes me think of the hilarious Academy Award-winning very short film, “The Eleven O’Clock”, in which the delusional patient of a psychiatrist believes that he is actually the doctor. 

Then there’s the tradition of ‘elevenses’ – tea time at eleven o’clock in the morning. Strongly ingrained in British culture, elevenses is typically a serving of hot tea or coffee with scones or pastries on the side. It’s a great way to stave off hunger pangs before lunch time arrives. In fact, if you were a hobbit, ‘Elevenses’ would be your third meal of the day!

23- Twelve o’clock – дванайсет часá (dvanadeset chasà)

Twelve o’clock in the daytime is considered midday, when the sun is at its zenith and the temperature reaches its highest for that day; it’s written as 12 noon or 12 PM. In most parts of the world, though, this doesn’t happen at precisely 12 PM. ‘Solar noon’ is the time when the sun is actually at its highest point in the sky. The local or clock time of solar noon depends on the longitude and date. If it’s summertime, it’s advisable to stay in the shade during this hour – or at least wear good quality sunblock.

Midnight is the other ‘twelve o’clock’, of course. Midnight is written as 12 AM and is technically the first minute of the morning. On the 24-hour clock, midnight is written as 00:00. 

Sun at noon in a blue cloudy sky

2. How to Tell the Time in Bulgarian

Telling the time

Using a clock to read the time in Bulgaria is going to be the same as in your own country, since you’re dealing with numbers and not words. You’ll know the time in your head and be able to say it in English, but will you be able to say it out loud in Bulgarian? 

The first step to saying the time in Bulgarian is knowing your numbers. How are you doing with that? If you can count to twelve in Bulgarian, you’re halfway there! We’ve already covered the phrases you’ll need to say the exact hour, as in “five o’clock”, as well as how to say “half past”. What remains is the more specific phrases to describe what the minute hand is doing.

In everyday speech, it’s common to say the minutes past or before the hour. Often we round the minutes off to the nearest five. 

Then, there’s the 24-hour clock. Also known as ‘military time’, the 24-hour clock is used in most countries and, as such, is useful to understand. You’ll find that even in places where the 12-hour clock is standard, certain people will speak in military time or use a combination of the two.  No doubt you’ve also noticed that in written time, the 24-hour clock is commonly used.  One of the most prominent places you’ll have seen this is on airport flight schedules.

Airport flight schedule

Knowing how to tell military time in Bulgarian is really not complicated if you know your numbers up to twenty-four. One advantage of using the 24-hour clock in Bulgarian, is there’s no chance of confusing AM and PM.

Once you know how to say the time, it will be pretty easy to also write the time in Bulgarian. You’re already learning what the different hours and minutes look and sound like, so give yourself some writing practice of the same. 

3. Conclusion

Now that you understand the vocabulary for telling time in Bulgarian, the best thing you can do to really lock it down is to just practice saying Bulgarian time daily. Start by replacing English with Bulgarian whenever you need to say the time; in fact, do this whenever you look at your watch. Say the time to yourself in Bulgarian and it will become a habit. When learning a new language, the phrases you use habitually are the ones your brain will acquire. It feels amazing when that turning point comes!

To help yourself gain confidence, why don’t you make use of our various apps, downloadable for iPhone and iPad, as well as Android? Choose what works best for you. In addition, we have so many free resources available to supplement your learning, that you simply can’t go wrong. Some of these are:

If you prefer watching your lessons on video, check out our YouTube channel – there are hundreds of videos to browse. For those of you with Roku, we also have a TV channel you can watch.

Well, it’s time for me to say goodbye and for you to practice saying the time in Bulgarian. Look at the nearest clock and try to say the exact time, down to the seconds. See you again soon at BulgarianPod101!

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The Bulgarian Calendar: Talking About Dates in Bulgarian

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Did you know there are many different types of calendars?

As you probably know – a calendar is a system of organizing days in weeks and months for specific purposes, according to Wikipedia.

Worldwide, most countries use the Gregorian calendar. Some just work on the same framework, meaning that time is divided into units based on the earth’s movement around the sun – the “solar calendar”. Other calendars keep time by observing the moon’s movements, a combination of the moon and the sun’s movements, and seasons.

Through BulgarianPod101, you can learn all about this and so much more! Our themed, culturally relevant lessons are skillfully designed so you can do your planning perfectly for a holiday or a date.

Having a good plan for a visit or a trip is like studying well for an exam. You’re just so much better prepared! For that, you could well need specific phrases to plan around appointments and such, especially on business trips. Make sure to use the charts we provide here with the days of the week in Bulgarian, as well as the months in Bulgarian to navigate your way as you plan. Great resources!

Also – always remember to have fun!

Table of Contents

  1. Why Will It Help To Know How To Talk About Dates in Bulgarian?
  2. Talking About your Plans
  3. Can BulgarianPod101 Help You In Other Ways Too?

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1. Why Will It Help To Know How To Talk About Dates in Bulgarian?

Days of the Week

Well, that’s not a difficult question to answer. No matter why you’re travelling, it would be best to at least know the names of days and months in Bulgarian. You don’t want to miss your flight or an appointment because you confused “петък” (“petak,” Friday) with “събота” (“sabota,” Saturday)! Or maybe you planned a holiday for “юли” (“yuli,” July), but you booked a flight for “юни” (“yuni,” June) by accident!

Avoid this confusion by learning the Bulgarian calendar before you leave.

Now, as promised, the 15 phrases to help you make and discuss plans.

2. Talking About your Plans

Months of the Year

Perhaps you’re working in Bulgaria, or maybe you’re enjoying a prolonged holiday. Fabulous! Memorize these phrases so you can be sure to successfully negotiate meetings, appointments, dates, events, the list goes on!

1. Какво ще правиш този уикенд?

Kakvo shtye pravish tozi uikyend?
“What are you doing this weekend?”

This question is usually a preamble to inviting someone somewhere. Given that it’s over the weekend, it probably means a casual get-together or another social event. (But not necessarily! A manager or boss could also ask this for entirely different reasons.)

It’s a handy phrase to know when you’ve made Bulgarian or expat friends in the country. Or, be the one doing the inviting. Then train your ear to learn the following phrases so you can understand the response.

2. Пътувам този уикенд.

Patuvam tozi uikend.
“I am traveling this weekend.”

This could be a reply if you’re not available because you’re doing other fun stuff.

No matter why you are visiting Bulgaria, do take the time to explore the country! It’s beautiful and it has so many wonderful, interesting spots ready to be visited.

Couple at booking in Desk

3. Планирам да си остана у дома.

Planiram da si ostana u doma.
“I am planning to stay at home.”

Maybe you feel unwell, but don’t want to give too much information? Or maybe you have work to do? Perhaps you just need some quiet gardening time…it doesn’t matter. This response is polite and honest without oversharing.

It could also be a slightly open-ended response, depending on how you deliver it. Because hey, being home could still mean your plans are flexible, right?

That said – depending on your relationship with the inviter, nuances like these will probably not be so apparent in a foreign culture. So, best to use this excuse for declining an invitation only if you are truly set on staying in.

Woman Doing Gardening

4. Тази седмица съм зает.

Tazi sedmitsa sam zaet.
“This week I am busy.”

Another polite phrase that gives a reason for declining an invitation but without oversharing details.

Don’t decline too many invitations, though! You don’t want people to think that you’re too busy to hang out with them. They will stop inviting you out, and you know how the saying goes – all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy…! Being social is good for the soul.

5. Утре съм свободен.

Utre sam svoboden.
“I am free tomorrow.”

Yay! Perhaps you were approached by that person and they asked about your availability for a date. This would be a fine reply. Not too eager, but still indicating that you’re interested.

Or maybe you’re just replying to a colleague or manager’s request for a meeting. Polite, honest and clear.

Alternatively, you’re just busy right now, and plans are not going the way they were…well, planned. Compromise is a lovely thing! And this phrase sounds just like that.

Use it to indicate that you want to accommodate an invitation or the inviter’s plans, despite your current unavailability. Only if you are really free, of course.

6. Можем ли да отменим това?

Mozhem li da otmenim tova?
“Can we reschedule this?”

So, life happened and you are unable to meet obligations or attend a planned meeting. This is a suitable question to ask if you wish to indicate your willingness to still engage with whatever is on the table.

Obviously you should (ideally) not ask to reschedule a party or big meeting! (Unless you’re the boss or it’s your own party, of course.) But if there’s reasonable wiggle room regarding arrangements, then this one’s your question.

Business Man Sitting with Schedule

7. Ще имам достатъчно време в края на месеца.

Shte imam dostatachno vreme v kraya na mesetsa.
“I will have enough time at the end of the month.”

A go-to phrase when events or activities are likely to take up a lot of your time, such as going away for a weekend, spending the day at a local market, or writing your manager’s quarterly report (with 20 flow-charts in Powerpoint) – anything that won’t only take an hour or two.

8. Кога е най-подходящото време, което те утройва?

Koga e nay-podhodyashtoto vreme, koeto te utroyva?
“When is the best time that suits you?”

Remember phrase #5? That was a possible reply to this question. Asked by your crush, very possibly! Or, it could be asked by any other person for any other reason, doesn’t matter.

If this is addressed to you, it usually means that the person respects your time and schedule, which is a good thing. It probably also means that their own schedule is flexible, another good thing.

This is also a polite question to ask when a manager or senior colleague wants to meet with you. Let them decide on the time, and be as accommodating as possible. This attitude shows respect for seniority – good for career building. (Within reason, of course. You don’t need to postpone your wedding or your paid-up holiday to Australia because your manager wants to see you.)

Screen Tablet Hotel

9. Удобна ли е тази дата с теб?

Udobna li e tazi data s teb?
“Is this date OK with you?”

But – if the other party insists that you choose a time for a meeting, appointment, or date etc., then do so! Respond with this nice, somewhat casual question that leaves space for negotiation, but only needs a simple reply.

Suitable for friends, and casual acquaintances and colleagues.

10. Свободен ли сте в този ден?

Svoboden li ste v tozi den?
“Are you available on that day?”

This is the a-bit-more-formal version of the previous question. Again, it has room for negotiation, but only needs a simple response – nice and neat!

Maybe this is the go-to question when you’re addressing your seniors at work, or a person much older than you.

11. Може ли да го направим възможно най-скоро?

Mozhe li da go napravim vazmozhno nay-skoro?
“Can we do it as soon as possible?”

This question has an urgency to it that should preferably be responded to with the same. A simple reply will be good – yes or no. Less negotiable, this is still polite because it’s a question that gives you a choice.

But stand ready with one of the phrases in this article to help tie down a time and date!

Couple Getting Engaged on a Bridge

12. Аз съм на разположение всяка вечер.

Az sam na razpolozhenie vsyaka vecher.
“I’m available every evening”

If you’re going to reply with this phrase, context is everything.

– If it’s your manager asking you to put in a bit of overtime, and you are available to – great reply! When deadlines are tight and everybody is stressing, your willingness to go the extra mile can only improve your relationship with your boss.

(Still, no need to be a doormat! If you get asked to work overtime too often, or if everyone else is goofing around while you have to graft, then re-evaluate the situation. And if you feel you’re being exploited a bit, don’t stress! Equip yourself with the diplomatic, yet assertive responses right in this article.)

– If it’s an old friend or longtime significant other asking to hang out – good reply. You know one another and appearances don’t matter any longer.

– If it’s a new crush who just asked when you’d be available for a date – stop. Not such a great reply. Tone down a bit! “Interested but not overly eager” is what you’re going for here.

Refer back to response #5, or use a counter-question, such as #1. Whatever suits you.

But if they – or anyone else – invite you to scale the Himalayas with them, then the next phrase will probably be the only sane response!

Mountaineer in Snow

13. Трябва да планирам това предварително.

Tryabva da planiram tova predvaritelno.
“I need to plan this well in advance.”

So, as said under #9, perhaps you’re invited to join someone conquer the Himalayas.

Or your company manager wants you to plan the Party that Tops All Year-End Parties Forever.

Simply – if you get asked to do something that you know will need a lot of thorough planning, this is a good phrase to respond with.

It’s an assertive phrase that demonstrates two things regarding your attitude:

a) That you know your own abilities, and respect your own schedule.
b) That your respect other people’s time and schedule too.

Then just be sure to actually do that planning well in advance!

14. Трябва да намерим друга дата

Tryabva da namerim druga data
“We need to find another date.”

So, you’re in negotiations regarding a date.

This is an assertive statement that should probably not be used with a “My way or the highway” attitude.

That stuff only works in the movies – think sharp-tongued Samuel L. Jackson. Or fierce Kristen Stewart. Yea, they can be scary, so tone down that tone.

Also, be mindful that fickle people who change plans all the time don’t keep friends! Taking others’ needs into consideration, while simultaneously having your way is a delicate art that takes proper cultivation. Use this phrase sparingly – we have better ones here to negotiate with.

Rock Concert Hands in the Air

Of course, if your planned trip to the dentist falls on the same day as the only Billie Eilish concert close by…well, priorities are priorities. Feel free to call the dentist with this phrase. Or even better, use the next one.

15. Не мога да го направя на този ден.

Ne moga da go napravya na tozi den.
“I cannot do it on that day.”

This is the low-key-but-still-firm cousin of the previous phrase. You’re stating a personal fact, and depending on your tone, this can be as non-negotiable as you prefer.

Again, only use this when you really mean it, if you’re visiting Bulgaria or any other foreign country.

So, that’s it, folks! Which phrase did you find the most helpful? Let us know in the comments!

3. Can BulgarianPod101 Help You In Other Ways Too?

Numbers

Well yes, of course!

We think you will find these phrases easy to use when talking about dates and months in Bulgarian. But knowing how to employ them properly could help you avoid sticky situations!

BulgarianPod101 is uniquely geared to help you with this and so much more.

This InnovativeLanguage.com initiative is one of many online language-learning courses. With us, you’ll find it easy and fun to learn a new language, and here are a few reasons why:

  • Immediately upon enrollment, you’ll receive hundreds of well-designed lessons to get you going.
  • Watch superb recordings of native Bulgarian speakers in cool slide-shows – the easy way to practice till you sound just like a native speaker yourself!
  • Also immediately upon enrollment, you’ll get access to a huge library of free resources! These include extensive, theme-based Vocabulary Lists and a Word of the Day List (For free, hot bargains!) These alone are sure to give your vocab-learning boxing gloves.
  • You’ll also immediately be able to use an excellent and free Bulgarian online dictionary. Necessary for quick, handy translations, no matter where you find yourself.
  • For the serious learner, there are numerous enrollment upgrades available, one of which offers you a personal, online Bulgarian host. Allow us to hold your hand and support you in your learning!

If you’re serious about mastering Bulgarian easily yet correctly, BulgarianPod101 is definitely one of, if not the best, online language learning platforms available. Talking about your plans or dates in Bulgarian need not ever spoil your stay.

So, hurry up—enroll today!

BulgarianPod101’s Essential Bulgarian Travel Phrase Guide

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Traveling to foreign countries is nearly always an exciting, enriching, and beneficial experience. Yet, some things can be real downers, such as boredom on a lengthy flight to Bulgaria. Really, binge-watching onboard movies can only be interesting for so long! And jet lag – another huge downer. Did you know that jet lag is more severe when you travel from the West to the East?

Well, we won’t know how to beat that, but there are fortunately plenty of remedies around to investigate.

To beat flight boredom, though, we may have the answer for you at BulgarianPod101! Why don’t you take the time to study Bulgarian travel phrases? We make this super easy and fun, with great downloadables, like our PDF Cheat Sheets. Quickly memorize these, and impress your Bulgarian friends or travel guide with your flawless Bulgarian!

Table of Contents

  1. Importance Of Learning Travel Phrases
  2. 13 Must-Have Travel Phrases and Words
  3. Good-To-Have Travel Phrases
  4. Ways To Improve Communication in a Foreign Country
  5. BulgarianPod101 Can Help You Master Travel Phrases Easily and Effortlessly!

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1. Importance Of Learning Travel Phrases

Impressing Bulgarian people or your travel partners will be the least of the benefits you reap from learning these helpful phrases. These are greater ones:

1) Eliminate Travel Frustration: First of all, you’ll be able to cut out a good chunk of travel frustration and inconvenience due to language barriers.

Know how to pronounce and use at least the basic Bulgarian phrases, and then just look foreign. This should go a long way to help you get by and win you friends, because locals would be more inclined to help someone who took the trouble to learn a smidgen of their language.

Injured Woman In An Ambulance

2) Emergency Readiness: In case of an emergency, you will be able to get help a lot quicker if you know how to ask for what in Bulgarian. Imagine miming to a doctor or nurse that you have a sore ear but that you’re allergic to penicillin. Not so easy, right?

Rather, you should know basic emergency travel phrases, especially if you suffer from a serious condition. Also, information about life-threatening allergies you have should always be on your person in the language of the country you’re visiting.

3) Sight-Seeing Readiness: Hopefully, you also travel to learn more about a country’s culture. Visiting the main tourist sites in Bulgaria will be more interesting if you know how to ask pertinent questions in Bulgarian.

In this blog, we’ll also be giving you important travel phrases to consider – from the 13 essential must-have phrases to ones that are just generally useful and good to know.

Let’s get cracking!

2. 13 Must-Have Travel Phrases and Words

Preparing to Travel

Seasoned explorers of multiple countries will tell you that certain words and phrases are absolute must-knows in anyone’s travel vocabulary. Learning from them, we collated some of the most essential ones here for you.

If you know these travel phrases and words by heart in Bulgarian, you will be much better equipped for your visit than most of your movie-binging travel mates.

1) Благодаря / Blagodarya (Thank you)

As a tourist, you will be relying on the kindness of strangers to get by. Repay them with a small acknowledgment of their friendly generosity – know how to say “thank you” in Bulgarian.

2) Говорите ли английски? / Govorite li angliyski? (Do you speak English?)

While it may be a bit of a cop-out, sometimes you just can’t figure out how to communicate. Maybe you’re blanking on one specific word you need, maybe they’re speaking with a heavy accent, or maybe it’s just really late and you really want to get to the hotel. In that case, try asking if they speak English, and hopefully you can make things a little bit simpler for yourself.

Don’t abuse this phrase, though! If you just try to get by without learning any of the local language, not only will you not learn anything – you’ll be out of luck if they can’t speak English!

Man Greeting Someone

3) Има ли автобус от летището до града? / Ima li avtobus ot letishteto do grada? (Is there a bus from the airport to the city?)

Public transit is usually cheaper, if slower, than taking a taxi or rideshare. Use this phrase to see if you can get where you’re going when you’re strapped for cash, or just when you’d like to take the scenic route into town!

4) Това дали е правилният автобус за летището? / Tova dali e pravilniyat avtobus za letishteto? (Is this the right bus for the airport?)

Likewise, if you’re the kind of person who can get themselves moving early (or maybe you just have a late flight), maybe you want to take the bus to the airport rather than taking a cab. If that’s the case, you’ll want to be sure you’re actually heading the right way! You wouldn’t want to end up at a lookout point half an hour away, watching your flight take off in the distance, would you?

5) Извинете, каква е цената на билета? / Izvinete, kakva e tsenata na bileta? (Excuse me, what’s the fare?)

If you are paying for a cab, you’ll want to know how much. Most legal taxis will have meters, but when dealing with a currency you’re not familiar with, it can be worth asking just to double check that you’re paying the right amount – especially if the currency has cents.

6) Имам резервация / Imam rezervatsiya (I have a reservation)

This one you can expect to use at least a few times throughout your trip, unless you’re the kind of person who travels by the seat of their pants and just goes to whatever hotel, motel, or hostel has rooms available.

7) Имате ли свободни места за тази вечер? / Imate li svobodni mesta za tazi vecher? (Do you have any vacancies tonight?)

If that’s the case, you’ll definitely be using this phrase instead. Quite possibly a lot, depending on how lucky you are!

Couple with a Map

8 ) Къде се намира гарата? / Kade se namira garata? (Where is the train station?)

If you’re in a country with an expansive commuter rail system (or maybe just a fan of other types of locomotives), you may want to know where the closest station is. Just don’t go looking for pennies on the rails!

9) Аз съм алергичен към фъстъци / Az sam alergichen kam fastatsi (I am allergic to peanuts)

Replace “peanuts” with whatever the word for your allergen may be. If your allergy is serious, you probably already know the importance of stating this very clearly in Bulgarian.

If the condition is life-threatening, be sure to have a letter or prescription from a medical professional in Bulgarian on your person at all times. Consider getting a medical alert bracelet specially made in Bulgarian if your stay will be longer than a month or so.

Person Declining Meat

10) Предлагате ли някакви вегетариански ястия? / Predlagate li nyakakvi vegetarianski yastiya? (Do you have any vegetarian dishes?)

If you dislike eating certain things, or you have certain dietary restrictions, it would be best if you knew how to convey this clearly in Bulgarian.

Remember, though, that saying “I’m vegan” or “I’m diabetic” may not be enough to get you what you want. The rules for veganism and vegetarianism are not standard everywhere in the world. Also, your patron might not understand what “diabetic” means. If you have a medical condition, it would be best to research some in-depth vocabulary beforehand.

11) Може ли да получа карта? / Mozhe li da polucha karta? (Could I get a map?)

Planning on exploring your destination? Hopelessly lost? Maybe just an amateur cartographer? No matter the reason, this phrase is sure to come in handy. That said, you’re more likely to get use out of it at some sort of tourist or travel center than you are asking a random passerby on the street.

12) Колко струва това? / Kolko struva tova? (How much is this?)

Even if you’re not a big shopper, you’re probably going to need this phrase at some point. Knowing how to count in Bulgarian will, of course, help a lot with purchases too.

13) Приемате ли кредитни карти? / Priemate li kreditni karti? (Do you take credit card?)

This is another travel phrase that will smooth your monetary transactions considerably.

Man Giving Credit Card to a Clerk

3. Good-To-Have Travel Phrases

Travel Verbs

Unlike the previous phrases, these are not really essential so much as they are useful. Yet, knowing these will still smooth over some bumps on your journey, more than just knowing the crucial phrases would.

1) Безплатен ли е Wi-Fi интернета? / Bezplaten li e Wi-Fi interneta? (Is the Wi-Fi free?)

If you’re abroad, your normal cellular plans probably won’t have any service, and you’ll be totally reliant on publically available Wi-Fi while you’re out and about. Just ask a server, clerk, or attendant, and they’ll be happy to let you know. Just make sure you’re paying attention when they tell you the password!

2) Извинете, бихте ли ми направили снимка? / Izvinete, bihte li mi napravili snimka? (Could you take a picture of me please?)

What would a trip be with no photos to commemorate the event? Just be sure to ask this of someone who actually looks like they’d be willing to, unless you’re willing to risk being given the cold shoulder or worse. If you’re at a tourist attraction, you’ll find that most people are more than happy to take one for you, so long as you take one of them as well!

3) Бихте ли ми препоръчали нещо? / Bihte li mi preporachali neshto? (Do you have any recommendations?)

Eating alone in a restaurant? Or going out with new Bulgarian friends or business colleagues? Let them help you decide what to have.

4) Бих искал място за непушачи, моля / Bih iskal myasto za nepushachi, molya (I’d like to have a non-smoking seat, please)

Though smoking has gone out of fashion in some places, it’s still popular in others. In the event you’re at a restaurant where smoking is allowed on premises, you can always ask this question to the staff and be seated elsewhere.

5) Вода, моля / Voda, molya (Water, please)

If you’ve emptied your glass, or are cutting yourself off after a few drinks, you can always ask for some water. It can be especially useful if the restaurant is busy to the point you need to call out to someone to get service.

6) Може ли сметката? / Mozhe li smetkata? (Could I have the check?)

To finish off the restaurant related phrases, if you’re eating with friends or really want to impress your colleagues, taking the bill can be a nice treat for them. Of course, this phrase could come in handy as well if you’re eating alone and you’re just impatient to leave.

7) Какво ще препоръчате като сувенир? / Kakvo shte preporachate kato suvenir? (What do you recommend for a souvenir?)

Now that your trip is over, what better way to cap it all off than a memento, or maybe a gift for friends and family at home? It’ll be nicer to have something recommended by the locals than a cheap bauble from the airport store, so go ahead and ask someone you’ve met what they think.

4. Ways To Improve Communication in a Foreign Country

Survival Phrases

When traveling, it’s possible to keep communication smooth when you don’t share a language.

Do so by keeping these five tips in mind. They are aimed to help you communicate with those who cannot speak English very well, and also to keep your traveling experience pleasant!

1. Keep your English simple and easy to understand.
If the person you are talking to speaks very little English, use basic verbs, adjectives, and nouns, and keep sentences short.

However, don’t patronize them by talking in pidgin or like you would address a child. Keep your speech simple but natural, and use the correct grammar.

For instance, don’t say: “You come when?”. If you say: “When will you come?”, you will very likely be understood, and may even help someone who wants to improve their English.

2. Ask someone to write information down.
Apply Rule 1 first at your hotel, where the staff is very likely to be able to speak some English. Get them to write down, in their native language, things like: “I would like to go to the airport, please,” “Please take me to the beach,” or “Where is the closest bathroom?”

These written questions are something you can then give to taxi drivers or any other people who are willing and able to help you. This simple step could make your life a lot easier when you travel to a foreign country!

3. Avoid asking leading questions!
If you want the correct information from a non-native English speaker, that is.

When you need directions, for instance, don’t ask: “To get to the bus stop, do I need to turn left here?” If the person didn’t really understand you, you will probably just get a smile and a “Yes,” which could possibly make you miss your bus.

Rather, you should ask: “Where is the bus stop?” If they understand you, you will get the correct directions.

4. Pick the right person to ask for help.
Time to look at people and think a bit about their appearance! A younger person who looks like they might be a student is more likely to have English skills than the friendly but ancient lady smiling at you from a fruit stall.

If you don’t see anyone like that, head into town to the nearest bank, hospital, pharmacy, or hotel. The staff at those places usually speak a bit of English.

5. Know when to quit.
If you stuck to the above rules, but the person you are talking to only stares at you blankly, say thank you and leave. Hanging around hoping someone will suddenly understand and respond is just wasting your time, and may irritate them as well. Go find someone else.

5. BulgarianPod101 Can Help You Master Travel Phrases Easily and Effortlessly!

So, reader, have you found this article helpful?

Do you feel comfortable enough to use some essential travel phrases in Bulgarian? We’d also love to hear if you think we left out important travel phrases. Leave your suggestions and opinions in the comments!

BulgarianPod101 takes the lead with many free learning tools to help you master Bulgarian reading and speaking easily, and in fun ways.

These tools include:

– An extensive vocabulary list, regularly updated
– A new Bulgarian word to learn every day
– Quick access to the Bulgarian Key Phrase List
– A free Bulgarian online dictionary
– The excellent 100 Core Bulgarian Word List
– An almost limitless Lesson Library for learners of all levels

You will also have access to topic-specific recordings like our Before You Travel: Survival Phrases lesson.

Learn even more efficiently with the help of a personal tutor, after taking an assessment test to personalize and tailor your training.

Getting a tutor is also a good option if you meet challenges in your learning, or need to fast-track correct pronunciation and diction. Your very own friendly, Bulgarian-speaking teacher will be only a text away on a special app, anywhere, anytime – an excellent option for business persons!

Using a guided learning system that was developed by experts in language and online education, you’ll receive personal feedback and constant support to improve in no time. You’ll also be tasked with weekly assignments in reading, writing, and speaking to hone your Bulgarian speaking skills.

Imagine how impressed your Bulgarian friends or colleagues will be when you display your excellent conversational skills! With BulgarianPod101, getting there will be easy and fun.

Log

How to Say Happy New Year in Bulgarian & New Year Wishes

Learn all the Bulgarian New Year wishes online, in your own time, on any device! Join BulgarianPod101 for a special Bulgarian New Year celebration!

How to Say Happy New Year in Bulgarian

Can you relate to the year passing something like this: “January, February, March – December!”? Many people do! Quantum physics teaches us that time is relative, and few experiences illustrate this principle as perfectly as when we reach the end of a year. To most of us, it feels like the old one has passed in the blink of an eye, while the new year lies ahead like a very long journey! However, New Year is also a time to celebrate beginnings, and to say goodbye to what has passed. This is true in every culture, no matter when New Year is celebrated.

So, how do you say Happy New Year in Bulgarian? Let a native teach you! At BulgarianPod101, you will learn how to correctly greet your friends over New Year, and wish them well with these Bulgarian New Year wishes!

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Table of Contents

  1. How to Celebrate New Year in Bulgaria
  2. Must-Know Bulgarian Words & Phrases for the New Year!
  3. Top 10 New Year’s Resolutions in Bulgarian
  4. Inspirational New Year Quotes
  5. Inspirational Language Learning Quotes
  6. How To Say Happy New Year in 31 Languages
  7. How BulgarianPod101 Can Help You Learn Bulgarian

But let’s start with some vocabulary for Bulgarian New Year celebrations, very handy for conversations.

1. How to Celebrate New Year in Bulgaria

In Bulgaria, like most places around the world, “New Year’s Day” or Nova godina, represents a new start and a cause for grand celebration. Whether at their homes or at a raucous party, Bulgarians ring in the New Year by eating well, drinking abundantly, and watching the spectacular fireworks.

Now before we get into more detail, do you know the answer to this question?

Why do Bulgarians tap each other’s back with “decorated cornel branches,” or survachka, during the New Year’s ritual known as survakane?

If you don’t already know, keep reading! The answer will be revealed at the end!

The New Year’s celebration begins on the eve of the last day of the year, December 31. Parties and gatherings take place in the “central city square” or ploshtad in cities across Bulgaria. Heading to bigger cities, like Plovdiv, Varna, or the capital Sofia, is a popular way to celebrate. However, Bulgarians most often welcome the New Year at “home,” or vkashti. For many Bulgarians, New Year’s represents a time for family and tradition. Food is an important part of this tradition.

The most typical food for the holiday is the “New Year pastry with lucky charms” – banitsa s kasmeti. According to the tradition, small objects symbolizing health and longevity are placed inside the banitsa. For example, the cornel twig with buds on it symbolizes health and longevity.

Instead of charms, however, it’s becoming more and more popular to make banitsa with wishes written on little pieces of paper, pinned on the pastry. The hosts get to choose what wishes are written down, so, usually, they end up being playful jokes, rather than heart-felt desires. People drink plenty of fruit brandy known as rakia and toast to the health of their friends and family, and wish for a prosperous New Year.

As they celebrate, families gather together to listen to the New Year’s speech given by the President known as the novogodishnata rech na Prezidenta. Then, just before midnight, they “count down,” or otbroyavat, the last seconds of the old year.

Happy New Year!

Щастлива Нова Година!
Shtastliva Nova Godina!

2. Must-Know Bulgarian Words & Phrases for the New Year!

Bulgarian Words & Phrases for the New Year

1- Year

година
godina

This is pretty self-explanatory. Most countries follow a Gregorian calendar, which has approximately 365 days in a year, while in some cultures, other year designations are also honored. Therefore, New Year’s day in Bulgaria could fall on a different day than in your country. When do you celebrate New Year?

2- Midnight

полунощ
polunosht

The point in time when a day ends and a new one starts. Many New Year celebrants prefer to stay awake till midnight, and greet the new annum as it breaks with fanfare and fireworks!

3- New Year’s Day

Нова Година
Nova Godina

In most countries, the new year is celebrated for one whole day. On the Gregorian calendar, this falls on January 1st. On this day, different cultures engage in festive activities, like parties, parades, big meals with families and many more.

You can do it!

4- Party

парти
parti

A party is most people’s favorite way to end the old year, and charge festively into the new one! We celebrate all we accomplished in the old year, and joyfully anticipate what lies ahead.

5- Dancing

танцуване
tantsuvane

Usually, when the clock strikes midnight and the New Year officially begins, people break out in dance! It is a jolly way to express a celebratory mood with good expectations for the year ahead. Also, perhaps, that the old year with its problems has finally passed! Dance parties are also a popular way to spend New Year’s Eve in many places.

6- Champagne

шампанско
shampansko

Originating in France, champagne is a bubbly, alcoholic drink that is often used to toast something or someone during celebrations.

7- Fireworks

фойерверк
foyerverk

These are explosives that cause spectacular effects when ignited. They are popular for announcing the start of the new year with loud noises and colorful displays! In some countries, fireworks are set off to scare away evil spirits. In others, the use of fireworks is forbidden in urban areas due to their harmful effect on pets. Most animals’ hearing is much more sensitive than humans’, so this noisy display can be very frightful and traumatising to them.

Happy Near Year!

8- Countdown

отброяване
otbroyavane

This countdown refers to New Year celebrants counting the seconds, usually backward, till midnight, when New Year starts – a great group activity that doesn’t scare animals, and involves a lot of joyful shouting when the clock strikes midnight!

9- New Year’s Holiday

Новогодишни празници
Novogodishni praznitsi

In many countries, New Year’s Day is a public holiday – to recuperate from the party the previous night, perhaps! Families also like to meet on this day to enjoy a meal and spend time together.

10- Confetti

конфети
konfeti

In most Western countries, confetti is traditionally associated with weddings, but often it is used as a party decoration. Some prefer to throw it in the air at the strike of midnight on New Year’s Eve.

11- New Year’s Eve

Новогодишна нощ
Novogodishna nosht

This is the evening before New Year breaks at midnight! Often, friends and family meet for a party or meal the evening before, sometimes engaging in year-end rituals. How are you planning to give your New Year greetings in 2018?

12- Toast

тост
tost

A toast is a type of group-salutation that involves raising your glass to drink with others in honor of something or someone. A toast to the new year is definitely in order!

13- Resolution

решение
reshenie

Those goals or intentions you hope to, but seldom keep in the new year! Many people consider the start of a new year to be the opportune time for making changes or plans. Resolutions are those intentions to change, or the plans. It’s best to keep your resolutions realistic so as not to disappoint yourself!

14- Parade

парадно шествие
paradno shestvie

New Year celebrations are a huge deal in some countries! Parades are held in the streets, often to celebratory music, with colorful costumes and lots of dancing. Parades are like marches, only less formal and way more fun. At BulgarianPod101, you can engage in forums with natives who can tell you what Bulgarian New Year celebrations are like!

3. Top 10 New Year’s Resolutions

New Year’s Resolutions List

So, you learned the Bulgarian word for ‘resolution’. Fabulous! Resolutions are those goals and intentions that we hope to manifest in the year that lies ahead. The beginning of a new year serves as a good marker in time to formalise these. Some like to do it in writing, others only hold these resolutions in their hearts. Here are our Top 10 New Year’s resolutions at BulgarianPod101 – what are yours?

Learn these phrases and impress your Bulgarian friends with your vocabulary.

New Year's Resolutions

1- Read more

Четете повече
Chetete poveche

Reading is a fantastic skill that everyone can benefit from. You’re a business person? Apparently, successful business men and women read up to 60 books a year. This probably excludes fiction, so better scan your library or Amazon for the top business reads if you plan to follow in the footsteps of the successful! Otherwise, why not make it your resolution to read more Bulgarian in the new year? You will be surprised by how much this will improve your Bulgarian language skills!

2- Spend more time with family

Прекарвайте повече време със семейството си.
Prekarvaite poveche vreme sas semeistvoto si.

Former US President George Bush’s wife, Barbara Bush, was quoted as having said this: “At the end of your life, you will never regret not having passed one more test, not winning one more verdict, or not closing one more deal. You will regret time not spent with a husband, a friend, a child, a parent.” This is very true! Relationships are often what gives life meaning, so this is a worthy resolution for any year.

3- Lose weight

Намалете теглото си.
Namalete tegloto si.

Hands up, how many of you made this new year’s resolution last year too…?! This is a notoriously difficult goal to keep, as it takes a lot of self discipline not to eat unhealthily. Good luck with this one, and avoid unhealthy fad diets!

4- Save money

Спестявайте пари.
Spestyavayte pari.

Another common and difficult resolution! However, no one has ever been sorry when they saved towards reaching a goal. Make it your resolution to save money to upgrade your subscription to BulgarianPod101’s Premium PLUS option in the new year – it will be money well spent!

5- Quit smoking

Откажете се от тютюнопушенето.
Otkajete se ot tyutyunopusheneto.

This is a resolution that you should definitely keep, or your body could punish you severely later! Smoking is a harmful habit with many hazardous effects on your health. Do everything in your power to make this resolution come true in the new year, as your health is your most precious asset.

6- Learn something new

Учете нови неща.
Uchete novi nesta.

Science has proven that learning new skills can help keep brain diseases such as dementia and Alzheimer’s at bay! It can even slow down the progression of the disease. So, keep your brain healthy by learning to speak a new language, studying towards a qualification, learning how to sew, or how to play chess – no matter how old you are, the possibilities are infinite!

7- Drink less

Пийте по-малко.
Piite po-malko.

This is another health resolution that is good to heed any time of the year. Excessive drinking is associated with many diseases, and its effect can be very detrimental to good relationships too. Alcohol is a poison and harmful for the body in large quantities!

8- Exercise regularly

Правете редовно упражнения.
Pravete redovno uprajnenia.

This resolution goes hand-in-hand with ‘Lose weight’! An inactive body is an unhealthy and often overweight one, so give this resolution priority in the new year.

9- Eat healthy

Хранете се здравословно.
Hranete se zdravoslovno.

If you stick with this resolution, you will lose weight and feel better in general. It is a very worthy goal to have!

10- Study Bulgarian with BulgarianPod101

Учете български език с BulgarianPod101.com.
Uchete balgarski ezik s BulgarianPod101.com.

Of course! You can only benefit from learning Bulgarian, especially with us! Learning how to speak Bulgarian can keep your brain healthy, it can widen your circle of friends, and improve your chances to land a dream job anywhere in the world. BulgarianPod101 makes it easy and enjoyable for you to stick to this resolution.

4. Inspirational New Year Quotes

Inspirational Quotes

Everyone knows that it is sometimes very hard to stick to resolutions, and not only over New Year. The reasons for this vary from person to person, but all of us need inspiration every now and then! A good way to remain motivated is to keep inspirational quotes near as reminders that it’s up to us to reach our goals.

Click here for quotes that will also work well in a card for a special Bulgarian new year greeting!

Make decorative notes of these in Bulgarian, and keep them close! Perhaps you could stick them above your bathroom mirror, or on your study’s wall. This way you not only get to read Bulgarian incidentally, but also remain inspired to reach your goals! Imagine feeling like giving up on a goal, but reading this quote when you go to the bathroom: “It does not matter how slowly you go, as long as you do not stop.” What a positive affirmation!

5. Inspirational Language Learning Quotes

Language Learning Quotes

Still undecided whether you should enroll with BulgarianPod101 to learn a new language? There’s no time like the present to decide! Let the following Language Learning Quotes inspire you with their wisdom.

Click here to read the most inspirational Language Learning Quotes!

As legendary President Nelson Mandela once said: “If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his own language, that goes to his heart.” So, learning how to say Happy New Year in Bulgarian could well be a way into someone special’s heart for you! Let this year be the one where you to learn how to say Happy New Year, and much more, in Bulgarian – it could open many and unexpected doors for you.

6. How To Say Happy New Year in 31 Languages

Here’s a lovely bonus for you! Why stop with Bulgarian – learn how to say Happy New Year in 31 other languages too! Watch this video and learn how to pronounce these New Year’s wishes like a native in under two minutes.

7. Why Enrolling with BulgarianPod101 Would Be the Perfect New Year’s Gift to Yourself!

If you are unsure how to celebrate the New Year, why not give yourself a huge gift, and enroll to learn Bulgarian! With more than 12 years of experience behind us, we know that BulgarianPod101 would be the perfect fit for you. There are so many reasons for this!

Learning Paths

  • Custom-tailored Learning Paths: Start learning Bulgarian at the level that you are. We have numerous Learning Pathways, and we tailor them just for you based on your goals and interests! What a boon!
  • Marked Progress and Fresh Learning Material Every Week: We make new lessons available every week, with an option to track your progress. Topics are culturally appropriate and useful, such as “Learning how to deliver negative answers politely to a business partner.” Our aim is to equip you with Bulgarian that makes sense!
  • Multiple Learning Tools: Learn in fun, easy ways with resources such 1,000+ video and audio lessons, flashcards, detailed PDF downloads, and mobile apps suitable for multiple devices!
  • Fast Track Learning Option: If you’re serious about fast-tracking your learning, Premium Plus would be the perfect way to go! Enjoy perks such as personalised lessons with ongoing guidance from your own, native-speaking teacher, and one-on-one learning on your mobile app! You will not be alone in your learning. Weekly assignments with non-stop feedback, answers and corrections will ensure speedy progress.
  • Fun and Easy: Keeping the lessons fun and easy-to-learn is our aim, so you will stay motivated by your progress!

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There’s no reason not to go big in 2018 by learning Bulgarian with BulgarianPod101. Just imagine how the world can open up for you!

How to Say ‘Merry Christmas’ in Bulgarian

How to Say Merry Christmas in Bulgarian

Do you know any ways to wish someone a ‘Merry Christmas’ in Bulgarian? BulgarianPod101 brings you easy-to-learn translations and the correct pronunciation of Bulgarian Christmas phrases!

Christmas is the annual commemorative festival of Christ’s birth in the Western Christian Church. It takes place on December 25th and is usually celebrated with much food and fanfare! However, not all cultures celebrate Christmas. In some countries, Christmas is not even a public holiday! However, many countries have adapted Christmas and its religious meaning to tally with their own beliefs, or simply in acknowledgment of the festival’s importance to other cultures. If you want to impress native Bulgarian speakers with culturally-appropriate Christmas phrases and vocabulary, BulgarianPod101 will teach you the most important ways to wish someone a ‘Merry Christmas’ in Bulgarian!

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Table of Contents

  1. How to Celebrate Christmas in Bulgaria
  2. Holiday Greetings and Wishes
  3. Must-Know Christmas Day Vocabulary
  4. Twelve Days of Christmas
  5. Top 10 Christmas Characters
  6. How BulgarianPod101 Can Help You

1. How to Celebrate Christmas in Bulgaria

Christmas Words in Bulgarian

“Christmas Eve” or Badni vecher in Bulgarian and “Christmas” or Koleda are holidays popular throughout the world. In Bulgaria, they are “family holidays,” or semeyni praznitsi, and are among the most important Christian holidays of the year. For this reason, Bulgarians celebrate the holiday for three consecutive days—from December 25 to December 27. On these days, everyone spends time with their nearest and dearest, and there are many special dishes and rituals for these holidays.

Now, before we get into more detail, I’ve got a trivia question for you-

What does the word Badni literally mean and why is Badni vecher a strange name for “Christmas Eve”?

If you don’t already know, keep reading! The answer will be revealed at the end!

The holiday called Badni vecher is an Orthodox Christian holiday with many traditional practices. On this day, an abundant feast is prepared but all meals must be meatless. The main dishes usually includes beans or bob, vine or cabbage leaves stuffed with rice, or in Bulgarian sarmi, boiled wheat or zhito, pumpkin pastry, or tikvenik, and dried fruit compote, or in Bulgarian oshav. There will also be fruits, garlic, walnuts, and honey. There must be an odd number of dishes. The most important element is the ceremonial bread. Each member of the family receives a piece of it. In this bread there are lucky charms, and the main one is a coin which brings health and good luck to the person who gets it.

On Christmas Eve, there are lots of folk enchantments and predictions. For example, everyone picks a walnut from those on the table, breaks it open, and, if the walnut is light-colored, it means good luck. At midnight, Christmas comes and, according to the tradition, the koledari will stop by. This is a group of young men led by an older man who go from house to house, dressed in traditional Bulgarian folk costumes. They sing ritual songs and wish happiness to the family, blessing the home at the end.
There is a belief that wishes come true on Christmas.

According to Christianity, Christmas is the day of Christ’s birth—the day when the Son of God, Jesus Christ, was born. That is why this day is also the Name Day or Imen den of everyone named “God’s Gift” or in Bulgarian Bozhidar, “Joyful,” or Hristo, “Glorious,” or in Bulgarian Radoslav, “God is with us” or Emanuil, and other derivative names.

On December 27, St. Stefan’s Day is celebrated, and the people with this name celebrate their Name Day. On these holidays, people go to the church in order to attend the solemn liturgical services.

At home, Bulgarians celebrate a lot like people in other countries around the world—with a Christmas tree, decorations, and, of course, with “Santa Claus” or in Bulgarian Dyado Koleda. During socialist rule, the “Santa Claus” was called “Grandfather Frost” or in Bulgarian Dyado Mraz and he brought presents on New Year’s Day instead of Christmas. However, it has always been a tradition for Dyado Koleda to pay visits to schools and kindergartens.

Now it’s time to answer our quiz question-

Do you know where the name Badni vecher for “Christmas Eve” comes from and what the word badni means?

According to tradition, a special log called badnik is blessed and set alight in the fireplace. The name badni comes from that. The meaning of the word itself is related to another word—badnina which has the meaning of “faith in the future.”

2. Holiday Greetings and Wishes for the Holiday Season

Holiday Greetings and Wishes

1- Merry Christmas!

Весела Коледа!
Vesela Koleda!

Do you know how to say ‘Merry Christmas’ in Bulgarian? Learn here how to pronounce it perfectly! ‘Merry’ means to be joyful, to celebrate and generally be in good spirits. So, with this phrase you are wishing someone a joyful, celebratory remembrance of Christ’s birth!

2- Happy Kwanzaa!

Весела Куанза!
Vesela Kuanza!

Surprise your African-American, or West African native friends with this phrase over the Christmas holidays! Kwanzaa is a seven-day, non-religious celebration, starting on Dec 26th each year. It has its roots in African American modern history, and many people celebrate both Kwanzaa and Christmas!

3- Have a happy New Year!

Щастлива Нова Година!
Shtastliva Nova Godina!

In countries where Christmas is not officially celebrated, but a Gregorian calendar is observed, this would be a friendly festive-season wish over New Year.

4- Happy Hanukkah!

Честита Ханука!
Chestita Hanuka!

Hanukkah is the beautiful Hebrew festival over November or December each year. It is also called the ‘Festival of Lights’ and is celebrated to commemorate the Jewish freedom of religion.

5- Have a great winter vacation!

Да си изкарате страхотно зимната почивка!
Da si izkarate strahotno zimnata pochivka!

This is a good phrase to keep handy if someone doesn’t observe any religious festival over the Christmas holidays! However, this will only be applicable in the Northern hemisphere, where it is winter over Christmas.

6- See you next year!

Ще се видим догодина!
Shte se vidim dogodina!

Going away on holiday over Christmas season, or saying goodbye to someone about to leave on vacation? This would be a good way to say goodbye to your friends and family.

7- Warm wishes!

С най-топли пожелания!
S nay-topli pozhelaniya!

An informal, friendly phrase to write in Bulgarian Christmas cards, especially for secular friends who prefer to observe Christmas celebrations without the religious symbolism. It conveys the warmth of friendship and friendly wishes associated with this time of year.

8- Happy holidays!

Весели празници!
Veseli praznitsi!

If you forget how to say ‘Merry Christmas!’ in Bulgarian, this is a safe, generic phrase to use instead.

9- Enjoy the holidays!

Насладете се на празниците!
Nasladete se na praznitsite!

After saying ‘Merry Christmas’ in Bulgarian, this would be a good phrase with which to wish Christmas holiday-goers well! It is also good to use for secular friends who don’t celebrate Christmas but take a holiday at this time of the year.

10- Best wishes for the New Year!

С най-сърдечни пожелания за Новата година!
S nay-sardechni pozhelaniya za Novata godina!

This is another way of wishing someone well in the New Year if they observe a Gregorian calendar. New Year’s day would then fall on January 1st.

3. Must-Know Christmas Day Vocabulary

Must-Know Christmas Day Vocabulary

Christmas is associated with many traditions and religious symbols in multiple countries across the world. It originated centuries ago in the West with the birth of Christianity, and the celebrations are often embedded with rich cultural significance. So, by now you know how to say Merry Christmas in Bulgarian! Next, learn pertinent vocabulary and phrases pertaining to Christmas, as well as how to pronounce them correctly. At BulgarianPod101, we make sure you sound like a native speaker!

1- Christmas

Рождество Христово
Rozhdestvo Hristovo

This is the Bulgarian word for ‘Christmas’. Most happy Christmas wishes in Bulgarian will include this word!

2- Snow

сняг
snyag

In most Northern-hemisphere countries, Christmas is synonymous with snow, and for Christmas, the snowman is often dressed as Santa Claus.

3- Snowflake

снежинка
snezhinka

Snowflakes collectively make up snow. A single snowflake is small, white, light like a feather and icy cold! When put under a microscope, the snowflake reveals itself to have the most beautiful, symmetrical patterns. These patterns have become popular Christmas decorations, especially in Western countries.

4- Snowman

снежен човек
snezhen chovek

As you guessed – a snowman is only possible to build if it is snowing! What a fun way to spend Christmas day outside.

5- Turkey

пуйка
puyka

Roast turkey is the traditional main dish on thousands of lunch tables on Christmas day, mainly in Western countries. What is your favorite Christmas dish?

6- Wreath

венец
venets

Another traditional Western decoration for Christmas, the wreath is an arrangement of flowers, leaves, or stems fastened in a ring. Many families like to hang a Christmas wreath outside on their houses’ front doors.

7- Reindeer

северен елен
severen elen

Reindeer are the animals commonly fabled to pull Santa Claus’ sled across the sky! Western Christmas folklore tells of Father Christmas or Santa Claus doing the rounds with his sled, carrying Christmas presents for children, and dropping them into houses through the chimney. But who is Santa Claus?

8- Santa Claus

Дядо Коледа
Dyado Koleda

Santa Claus is a legendary and jolly figure originating in the Western Christian culture. He is known by many names, but is traditionally depicted as a rotund man wearing a red costume with a pointy hat, and sporting a long, snow-white beard!

9- Elf

елф
elf

An elf is a supernatural creature of folklore with pointy ears, a dainty, humanoid body and a capricious nature. Elves are said to help Santa Claus distribute presents to children over Christmas!

10- Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

Рудолф – еленът с червения нос
Rudolf – elenat s cherveniya nos

‘Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer’ is a Christmas song based on an American children’s story book with the same name. Rudolph is one of Santa’s reindeer. The song became more famous than the book, and can still be heard playing in many shopping malls over Christmas time across the globe!

11- North Pole

Северен полюс
Severen polyus

The cold North Pole is where Santa Claus is reputed to live with his reindeer!

12- Sled

шейна
sheyna

A sled is a non-motorised land vehicle used to travel over snow in countries where it snows a lot, and is usually pulled by animals such as horses, dogs or reindeer. This one obviously refers to Santa’s sled! Another word for sled is sleigh or sledge.

13- Present

подарък
podarak

Gift or present giving is synonymous with Christmas Eve and the greatest source of joy for children over this festive time! This tradition signifies that Christ’s birth was a gift to mankind, but not all people who hand out presents over Christmas observe the religious meaning.

14- Bell

звънец
zvanets

On Christmas Day, or Christmas Eve, many religious celebrants enjoy going to church for a special sermon and Christmas rituals. The start of the sermon is often announced with bells or a bell, if the church has one. For this reason, the sound of ringing bells is often associated with Christmas Day.

15- Chimney

комин
komin

The chimney is the entrance Santa Claus uses to deliver children’s presents on Christmas Day, according to folklore! Wonder how the chubby man and his elves stay clean…?!

16- Fireplace

камина
kamina

In most countries where it snows, Christmas is synonymous with a fire or burning embers in houses’ fireplaces. Families huddle around its warmth while opening Christmas presents. Also, this is where Santa Claus is reputed to pop out after his journey down the chimney!

17- Christmas Day

Рождество Христово
Rozhdestvo Hristovo

This is the official day of commemorative celebration of Christ’s birth, and falls each year on December 25.

18- Decoration

украса
ukrasa

Decorations are the colourful trinkets and posters that make their appearance in shops and homes during the Christmas holiday season in many countries! They give the places a celebratory atmosphere in anticipation of the big Christmas celebration. Typical Christmas decorations include colorful photographs and posters, strings of lights, figurines of Santa Claus and the nativity scene, poinsettia flowers, snowflakes and many more.

19- Stocking

чорап
chorap

According to legend, Santa Claus places children’s presents in a red stocking hanging over the fireplace. This has also become a popular decoration, signifying Christmas.

20- Holly

бодлива зеленика
bodliva zelenika

Holly is a shrub native to the UK, and parts of Europe, Africa and Asia. It is characterised by glossy, spiny-toothed leaves, small, whitish flowers, and red berries. Ironically, its significance for Christmas relates to Christ’s crucifixion and suffering rather than his birth. However, the leaves’ distinctive shape and image have become popular Christmas decorations.

21- Gingerbread house

натруфена къща
natrufena kashta

According to legend, the gingerbread house synonymous with Christmas is related to Christ’s birth place, Bethlehem. Bethlehem literally means ‘House of Bread’. Over centuries, it has become a popular treat over Christmas time in many non-religious households as well.

22- Candy cane

захарно чадърче
zaharno chadarche

According to folklore, Christmas candy canes made their appearance first in Germany in the 16th century. A choir master gave children the candy canes to suck on in church in order to keep them quiet during the Christmas sermon! Apparently, the candy is shaped like a cane in remembrance of the shepherds who were the first to visit the baby Jesus. Today, like gingerbread houses, they are still a popular sweet over the festive season!

23- Mistletoe

имел
imel

Mistletoe is a parasitic plant that grows on certain trees. In the Middle Ages, it was believed that the mistletoe has magical powers, and could protect a household from evil if hung above a door during December. The belief didn’t last but the habit did, and the mistletoe is another popular Christmas decoration!

4. Twelve Days of Christmas

Twelve Days of Christmas

Wow, you’re doing extremely well! You know how to wish someone a Merry Christmas in Bulgarian, and you learned pertinent vocabulary too! The Twelve Days of Christmas is not very well known in modern times, so, you’re on your way to becoming an expert in Christmas traditions and rituals. Well done!

The Twelve Days of Christmas, also known as Twelvetide, is a traditional festive period of 12 days dedicated to celebrate the nativity of Christ. Christmas Day is, for many who observe Twelvetide, the first day of this period.

‘The Twelve Days of Christmas’ is also a popular Christmas song about a series of gifts given on each day of Twelvetide. According to experts, these gifts were created as a coded reference to important symbols in the Christian church. Here is a list of those gifts mentioned in the song! Do you recognise them?

5. Top 10 Christmas Characters in American Culture

Top 10 Christmas Characters

This is fantastic, you know how to explain almost everything about Christmas in Bulgarian! However, do you know the most popular Christmas characters in American culture? Your knowledge will not be complete without this list.

6. BulgarianPod101 Is One Of The Best Online Language Schools Available!

Visit BulgarianPod101!

We don’t just say this – we can prove it! Geared to your personal needs and goals, we have several learning paths from which to choose. From Bulgarian for Absolute Beginners to Advanced Bulgarian, lessons are designed to meet you where you are, and increase your language abilities in fun, easy and interactive lessons! Mastering a new language has never been this easy or enjoyable.

We have over a decade of experience and research behind us, and it shows! With thousands of audio and video lessons, detailed PDF lessons and notes, as well as friendly, knowledgeable hosts, BulgarianPod101 is simply unbeatable when it comes to learning correct Bulgarian. Plenty of tools and resources are available when you study with us. New lessons are added every week so material remains fresh and relevant. You also have the option to upgrade and enjoy even more personalised guidance and services. This is a sure way to fast-track your learning!

So, this Christmas, why don’t you give yourself a present and enroll in BulgarianPod101? Or give an enrollment as a present to a loved one. It will be a gift with benefits for a whole lifetime, not just over Christmas!

How To Say ‘Thank you’ in Bulgarian

How to Say Thank You in Bulgarian

In most cultures, it is custom to express gratitude in some way or another. The dictionary defines gratitude as follows: it is “the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness”. Giving a sincere, thankful response to someone’s actions or words is often the ‘glue’ that keeps relationships together. This is true in most societies! Doing so in a foreign country also shows your respect and appreciation for the culture. Words have great power – use these ones sincerely and often!

Table of Contents

  1. 12 Ways to say ‘Thank you’ in Bulgarian
  2. Video Lesson: Learn to Say ‘Thank You’ in 3 Minutes
  3. Infographic & Audio Lesson: Survival Phrases – Thank You
  4. Video Lesson: ‘Thank You’ in 31 Languages
  5. How BulgarianPod101 Can Help You

So, how do you say ‘Thank you’ in Bulgarian? You can learn easily! Below, BulgarianPod101 brings you perfect translations and pronunciation as you learn the most common ways Bulgarian speakers say ‘Thanks’ in various situations.

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1. 12 Ways to say ‘Thank you’ in Bulgarian

1- Thank you.

Благодаря!
Blagodarya!

The magical words that can bring a smile to any face. For one day, truly mean it whenever you say these words, and see how this lifts your spirit too!

2- That’s very kind of you.

Това е много мило от ваша страна.
Tova e mnogo milo ot vasha strana.

This phrase is appropriate when someone clearly goes out of their way to give good service, or to offer you a kindness.

3- Thanks for your kind words!

Благодарим ви за милите думи!
Blagodarim vi za milite dumi!

Someone paid you a compliment and made you feel good? That is kind of him/her, so express your gratitude!

4- Thank you for coming today.

Благодаря ви, че дойдохте днес.
Blagodarya vi, che doydohte dnes.

This welcoming phrase should be part of your arsenal if you’re conducting more formal meetings with Bulgarian speakers. If you’re hosting a party, this is also a good phrase when you greet your Bulgarian guests!

5- Thank you for your consideration.

Благодаря за вниманието, което отделяте.
Blagodarya za vnimanieto, koeto otdelyate.

This is a more formal, almost solemn way to thank someone for their thoughtfulness and sensitivity towards you. It is also suitable to use when a native speaker has to consider something you submit, like a job application, a project or a proposal. You are thanking them, in essence, for time and effort they are about to, or have spent on your submission.

6- Thanks a lot!

Благодаря много!
Blagodarya mnogo!

This means the same as ‘Thank you’, but with energy and enthusiasm added! It means almost the same as ‘thank you so much’ in Bulgarian. Use this in an informal setting with your Bulgarian friends or teachers.

7- Teachers like you are not easy to find.

Трудно е да се намерят учители като вас.
Trudno e da se nameryat uchiteli kato vas.

Some phrases are compliments, which express gratitude by inference. This is one of them. If you’re particularly impressed with your BulgarianPod101 teacher, this is an excellent phrase to memorize!

8- Thank you for spending time with us.

Благодарим ви, че ни отделихте от времето си.
Blagodarim vi, che ni otdelihte ot vremeto si.

Any host at a gathering with Bulgarian speakers, such as a meeting or a party, should have this under his/her belt! Use it when you’re saying goodbye or busy closing a meeting. It could also be another lovely way to thank your Bulgarian language teacher for her time.

9- Thank you for being patient and helping me improve.

Благодаря ви за търпението и за това, че ми помагате да се развивам.
Blagodarya vi za tarpenieto i za tova, che mi pomagate da se razvivam.

This phrase is another sure way to melt any formal or informal Bulgarian teacher’s heart! Teaching is not easy, and often a lot of patience is required from the teacher. Thank him/her for it! It’s also a good phrase to use if you work in Bulgaria, and want to thank your trainer or employer. You will go a long way towards making yourself a popular employee – gratitude is the most attractive trait in any person!

10- You’re the best teacher ever!

Вие сте най-добрият учител на света.
Vie ste nay-dobriyat uchitel na sveta.

This is also an enthusiastic way to thank your teacher by means of a compliment. It could just make their day!

11- Thank you for the gift.

Благодаря ви за подаръка. Благодаря ви за подаръка.
Blagodarya vi za podaraka.

This is a good phrase to remember when you’re the lucky recipient of a gift. Show your respect and gratitude with these words.

12- I have learned so much thanks to you.

Научих толкова много, благодарение на вас.
Nauchih tolkova mnogo, blagodarenie na vas.

What a wonderful compliment to give a good teacher! It means they have succeeded in their goal, and you’re thankful for it.

2. Video Lesson: Learn to Say ‘Thank You’ in 3 Minutes

Wherever your destination maybe, manners are a must! And in this respect, Bulgaria is no different.

1- благодаря. Blagodaria
In Bulgarian, “thank you” is blagodaria” (благодаря). This compound word is made up of two parts. The first, blago (благо), means “prosperity” or “well-being”. This is followed by daria (даря), which in Bulgarian means, “to give a gift”. This phrase is neither too formal nor too informal and will be your safe bet in situations where you are not to sure what way of saying “thank you” would be most appropriate.

2- мерси. Merci
In Bulgarian, the casual way of expressing gratitude, for example, “thanks” is merci (мерси). Yes, that’s right! It is similar to French and this is exactly where this word was borrowed from. Keep in mind that the original French pronunciation has mutated and Bulgarians say it with the hard Slavic r. This expression might come in handy among friends and in other casual situations, for example, when collecting your change from the cashier at a supermarket or when picking up your mail at the post office. A word of caution: a limited number of Bulgarians still consider merci (мерси) a foreign word which shouldn’t be used as there are enough “pure” Bulgarian expressions available. Also, to be on the safe side, make sure you use the higher-level expression blagodaria (благодаря) when dealing with officials in a formal context.

3- благодаря ви много. Blagodaria Vi Mnogo
For very special occasions when someone goes above and beyond the call of being kind, when someone is extremely generous, or for any other time you’re extremely grateful, use the following phrase to express deep gratitude: blagodaria vi mnogo (благодаря ви много). The first word blagodaria(благодаря), as we already know means “to give prosperity”. The second, vi (Ви), is the polite second person plural of the English “you”. If the person you are thanking is a friend, you can switch to a deeper level of closeness by using ti (ти), the second person singular equivalent of the English “you”. Then the whole phrase becomes blagodaria ti mnogo (благодаря ти много). The last word in our expression is mnogo (много), which in Bulgarian is “much”. To recap, the formal version of the phrase is blagodaria vi mnogo (благодаря ви много) while the version we use with friends is blagodaria ti mnogo (благодаря ти много).

Cultural Insights

Quick Tip 1
What to do when someone thanks you in Bulgarian using one of the phrases we just learned? Very easy: just say molyah/mo-lyah/ (моля) which literally means “please” but has the effect of “you are welcome.”

Quick Tip 2
As we saw in the case of merci (мерси), Bulgarian has borrowed words from many European languages like French, German, Italian, and English. Their original pronunciation, however, was “Bulgarianized.” Hence, if you want to be understood in Bulgaria, make sure that you know how to say those foreign words with Bulgarian accent.

On the run to Bulgaria? Wait! You can’t go without some basic language phrases under your belt! Especially if you’re heading to meet your prospective employer! Either in person or online, knowing how to say ‘Thank you’ in the Bulgarian language will only improve their impression of you! BulgarianPod101 saves you time with this short lesson that nevertheless packs a punch. Learn to say ‘Thank you’ in Bulgarian in no time!

3. Audio Lesson: Survival Phrases – Thank You

5 Ways to Say Thank You in Bulgarian

Perhaps you think it’s unimportant that you don’t know what ‘Thank you’ is in Bulgarian, or that it’s too difficult a language to learn. Yet, as a traveler or visitor, you will be surprised at how far you can go using a little bit of Bulgarian in Bulgaria!

Click Here to Listen to the Free Audio Lesson!

At BulgarianPod101, we offer you a few ways of saying ‘Thank you’ in Bulgarian that you have no excuse not knowing, as they’re so simple and easy to learn. The lesson is geared to aid your ‘survival’ in formal and informal situations in Bulgaria, so don’t wait! You will never have to google ‘How do you say thanks in Bulgarian’ again…!

4. ‘Thank You’ in 31 Languages

For the global traveler in a hurry, here are 31 ways to say ‘Thank you’! These are the first words you need to learn in any foreign language – it is sure to smooth your way with native speakers by showing your gratitude for services rendered, and your respect for their culture! Learn and know how to correctly say ‘Thank you’ in 31 different languages in this short video.

5. Why would BulgarianPod101 be the perfect choice to learn Bulgarian?

However, you need not stop at ‘Thank you’ in Bulgarian – why not learn to speak the language?! You have absolutely nothing to lose. Research has shown that learning a new language increases intelligence and combats brain-aging. Also, the ability to communicate with native speakers in their own language is an instant way to make friends and win respect! Or imagine you know how to write ‘Thank you’ to that special Bulgarian friend after a date…he/she will be so impressed!

Thank You

BulgarianPod101 Has Special Lessons, Tools and Resources to Teach You How to Say Thank You and Other Key Phrases

With more than a decade of experience behind us, we have taught thousands of satisfied users to speak foreign languages. How do we do this? First, we take the pain out of learning! At BulgarianPod101, students are assisted as they master vocabulary, pronunciation, and conversation through state-of-the-art and fun online learning methods. A library replete with learning resources allows for you to learn at your own pace and in your own space! Resources include thousands of video and audio recordings, downloadable PDF lessons and plenty of learning apps for your mobile devices. Each month, we add benefits with FREE bonuses and gifts to improve your experience.

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Best of all is that you’re never alone! We believe that practice is the holy grail of learning any new language, and we gear our courses to ensure lots of it. Enroll with us, and you gain immediate access to our lively forum where we meet and greet, and discuss your burning questions. Our certified teachers are friendly and helpful, and you are very likely to practice your first ‘Thanks!’ in Bulgarian on him/her, AND mean it! Hurry up, and sign up now – you will thank us for it.