There’s a Bulgarian saying that states:

• Глупавият се учи от собствените си грешки, а умният – от грешките на другите! 
  Glupaviyat se uchi ot sobstvenite si greshki, a umniyat – ot greshkite na drugite!
  “The fool learns from his own mistakes, and the smart person learns from the mistakes of others!”

So why not become one of those smart people yourself? You can learn from the Bulgarian mistakes other learners have made, instead of repeating them and getting into some awkward situations.

BulgarianPod101 has prepared this detailed overview of the most common mistakes in the Bulgarian language, providing you with detailed explanations of rules, plenty of examples, and tips for avoiding these Bulgarian mistakes in your conversations with native speakers. This article will help you gain more confidence in your communication with Bulgarians!

Table of Contents

1. Pronunciation Mistakes
2. Vocabulary Word Mistakes
3. Word Order Mistakes
4. Grammar Mistakes
5. Short and Long Definite Article
6. Common Verb Tense Mistakes
7. Semantic Mistakes
8. Mistakes Involving Typical Bulgarian Expressions
9. Embarrassing Mistakes
10. Other Mistakes
11. How BulgarianPod101 Can Help You

1. Pronunciation Mistakes

Here are some common pronunciation mistakes for Bulgarian-learners that you can start avoiding right now. Just study the following pronunciation rules:

Rule #1: The Bulgarian letter “P”

The Bulgarian letter “P” is always pronounced as a trilled English “R,” and never pronounced like the “R” in words like “far” or “father.”  

Bulgarians teach their children to pronounce this letter properly from an early age using this popular tongue-twister:

• Рачо реже риба.
  Racho rezhe riba.
  “The crab is cutting the fish.”

Rule #2: Voiced and voiceless consonants in Bulgarian

In Bulgarian, each voiced consonant has a voiceless counterpart. There’s only one voiceless consonant that doesn’t have a voiced counterpart, which is the letter “Х.” Take a look at these voiced-voiceless pairs:

Voiced Consonants	VoicelessConsonants
Б	П
Д	Т
Г	К
В	Ф
Ж	Ш
З	С
ДЗ	Ц
ДЖ	Ч
	Х

It’s important to know them, because the voiced consonants are pronounced as voiceless when located at the end of a word. For example:

• In the word нож (nosh), meaning “knife,” Ж is pronounced as Ш, as it becomes voiceless at the end of the word.

• In the word град (grat), meaning “city,” Д is pronounced as Т, as it becomes voiceless at the end of the word.

• In the word ръкав (rakaf), meaning “sleeve,” В is pronounced as Ф, as it becomes voiceless at the end of the word.

The so-called devoicing of the consonants in Bulgarian also occurs when there are two or three consonants bunched together and the final consonant is voiceless. This voiceless consonant makes all the others in the group sound voiceless, too. For example:

• In the word дръжка (drashka), meaning “handle,” Ж is pronounced as Ш. This is because, in the pair ЖК, the final consonant is voiceless and assimilates the voiced consonant.

• In the word градски (gratski), meaning “urban,” Д is pronounced as Т. This is because, in the cluster ДСК, the final consonant is voiceless and assimilates the voiced consonant Д.

Rule #3: Pronunciation of “A” at the end of a word

Another common Bulgarian error happens when foreigners try to pronounce the “A” sound at the end of a word. Remember that when a Bulgarian word ends in “A,” it’s pronounced like “Ъ,” unless it is a stressed syllable. For example:

• In the word баба (baba), meaning “grandmother,” A is not pronounced like in the English word “father,” but more like the u in “ugly,” making the Bulgarian vowel Ъ.

• In the word кокошка (kokoshka), meaning “hen,” A should be pronounced like the Bulgarian vowel Ъ.

But:

• In the word баща (bashta), meaning “father,” A is pronounced like it is in the English word “father,” because the last A is stressed. However, the first A in this word is not stressed, and it will sound like Ъ.

• In the word кола (kola), meaning “car,” A is pronounced like it is in the English word “father,” because the last A is stressed.

By mastering these Bulgarian pronunciation rules, you’ll really impress your Bulgarian interlocutor, as these are the niceties of the language that most Bulgarian-learners don’t know.

→ BulgarianPod101 offers you our Ultimate Bulgarian Pronunciation Guide, which can greatly help you improve your Bulgarian pronunciation and avoid some common Bulgarian pronunciation mistakes.

2. Vocabulary Word Mistakes

Paronyms in the Bulgarian language

There are many words in Bulgarian that are pronounced similarly to each other, but have different meanings. These words are called paronyms, and Bulgarian-learners must learn how to distinguish between them to avoid embarrassing situations. Here are a few examples of them:

• жена (zhena) – “woman” vs. женя (zhenya) – “getting married”
• коза (koza) – “goat” vs. коса (kosa) – “hair”
• пица (pitsa) – “pizza” vs. птица (ptitsa) – “bird”
• пипам (pipam) – “touch” vs. питам (pitam) – “ask” 

You might be able to imagine the confusion that might occur if you made the following compliment to a girl:

• Каква красива коза имаш!
  Kakva krasiva koza imash!
  “What a beautiful goat you have!”

Instead of:

• Каква красива коса имаш!
  Kakva krasiva kosa imash!
  “What beautiful hair you have!”

Homonyms in the Bulgarian language

Another group of tricky words in Bulgarian are the homonyms, which are written and pronounced the same way, but have different meanings. Here are some examples for you:

• син (sin) – “blue” vs. син (sin) – “son”
• бал (bal) – “grades” vs. бал (bal) – “ball”
• вила (vila) – “country house” vs. вила (vila) – “pitch-fork”

Usually, it’s easier to distinguish between these words in the context of a conversation. For example, if you meet someone who tells you:

• Аз имам син и дъщеря.
  Az imam sin i dashterya.
  “I have a son and a daughter.”

It’s obvious that he isn’t talking about the color blue.

Further, if син (sin) is used as an adjective, it’s clear that it means “blue” and not a son. Here’s an example:

• Моят панталон е син.
  Moyat pantalon e sin.
  “My pants are blue.”

3. Word Order Mistakes

Although Bulgarian word order is pretty flexible, there are some specific rules that should be followed when building Bulgarian sentences. Knowing these rules well will help you avoid some common mistakes in learning Bulgarian and enhance your communication with natives. These rules mainly have to do with the short form of the personal pronoun. Here are four rules with examples:

Rule #1: Never place the short form of the personal pronoun at the very beginning of the sentence.

Wrong:  Му е лошо. 
                Mu e losho.

Correct:  Лошо му е.
                 Losho mu e.
                 “He feels bad.”

Rule #2: When a sentence starts with a word other than a verb, the short form of the personal pronoun comes before the verb.

Wrong:     Какво боли те? 
                 Kakvo boli te?

Correct:  Какво те боли?
                 Какво те боли?
                 “Where do you feel the pain?”

Rule #3: When a sentence starts with a verb, the short form of the personal pronoun comes right after the verb.

Wrong:   Мe боли главата. 
                 Me boli glavata.

Correct:  Боли ме главата. 
                 Boli me glavata.
                 “I have a headache.”

Rule #4: When a sentence is in the future tense, the short form of the personal pronoun comes right after “ще.”

Wrong:  Ще попитам го. 
                Shte popitam go.

Correct:  Ще го попитам.
                 Shte go popitam.
                 “I will ask him.”

4. Grammar Mistakes

There are a couple of things that Bulgarian-learners can keep in mind to easier understand and start applying grammar rules. Let’s examine them together to avoid the most common Bulgarian grammar mistakes.

English and Bulgarian cognates – nouns

Fortunately, Bulgarian and English have many cognates. These are words that sound similar in both languages because of their common etymological origin. Foreigners usually get used to these words faster than others. Such cognates include: fantasy, melody, concert, instrument, opera, theater, dramatic, and dynamic.

It’s easier to remember their Bulgarian form knowing that -Y in English turns into – ИЯ (ya) in Bulgarian.

• “melody” – мелодия (melodiya)
• “comedy” – комедия (komediya)
• “history” – история (istoriya)

TRY IT YOURSELF

* Knowing this rule, try to make the Bulgarian forms of the following English words yourself:

• fantasy 
• agony

(The answers can be found at the end of this article.)

English and Bulgarian cognates – adjectives

Another rule to remember about cognates is related to adjectives. When the English adjective ends in – IC, its Bulgarian form most likely ends in -ЧЕН.

“academic“ – академичен (akademichen)
“dynamic” – динамичен (dinamichen)
“dramatic“ – драматичен (dramatichen)

TRY IT YOURSELF

* Knowing this rule, try to make the Bulgarian forms of the following English adjectives yourself:

• fantastic
• systematic
• tragic

(The answers can be found at the end of this article.)

Bulgarian verb conjugation

To avoid many mistakes in Bulgarian grammar, learn Bulgarian verb conjugations and learn them well. Foreigners usually make these grammar mistakes because they aren’t familiar with Bulgarian verb conjugation. For example, they say:

Wrong:     Ние са от Америка.
                   Nie sa ot Amerika.

Instead of:

Correct:   Ние сме от Америка.
                   Nie sme ot Amerika.
                   “We are from America.”

Or:

Wrong:     Аз уморен.
                   Az umoren.

Instead of:

Correct:   Аз съм уморен.
                   Az sam umoren.
                   “I am tired.”

→ BulgarianPod101 provides you with some great ways to improve your Bulgarian grammar. For example, we have tons of useful videos like this one:

5. Short and Long Definite Articles

There is a definite article in Bulgarian that’s added to the end of a noun instead of before it. However, the masculine gender has two forms of definite articles: long (-ът, -ят) and short (-а, -я). The long form is used for a noun that’s the subject of a sentence, while the short form is used for nouns that are direct/indirect objects.

Foreigners often say:

Wrong: Жена седи на балкон. 
               Zhena sedi na balkon.

Following the English:
“A woman is sitting on a balcony.”

However, since жена in the sentence above is the subject of the sentence, the word should be given a long definite article, which is -та for feminine nouns. Since балкон is not a subject, but rather an indirect object, it should be given a short definite article.

Correct:   Жената седи на балкона.
                  Zhenata sedi na balkona.
                  “The woman sits on the balcony.”

Here’s another example:

Wrong:  Кораб отплава в 8 часа.
                Korab otplava v 8 chasa.

Correct:   Корабът отплава в 8 часа.
                  Korabat otplava v 8 chasa.
                  “The ship departed at 8:00 a.m.”

Кораб is the subject of the sentence, which is why it has to be used with a long definite article (-ът for masculine nouns).

→ BulgarianPod101 reminds you to never be afraid of making mistakes, as it’s through mistakes that you’ll learn and progress. The more you practice, the better—even if it seems very difficult in the beginning.

6. Common Verb Tense Mistakes

A common mistake in Bulgarian involves using the incorrect verb tense, because foreigners often have trouble distinguishing between the past tenses. Take the past aorist tense, for example. Using an imperfective verb in a sentence indicates that an action has been made, but is not yet finished. 

• Вчера писах едно писмо.
  Vchera pisah edno pismo.
  “I wrote a letter yesterday.”

However, if you use a perfective verb instead of imperfective, it implies that the action has been completed. 

• Вчера написах едно писмо.
  Vchera napisah edno pismo.
  “I wrote a letter yesterday.”

This means that you wrote the entire letter yesterday.

A common verb tense error of Bulgarian-learners is to use present perfect in a sentence that actually requires the past aorist tense. For example:

Wrong: Вчера съм ходил на лекар.
               Vchera sam hodil na lekar.

Correct:   Вчера ходих на лекар.
                  Vchera hodih na lekar.
                  “I went to a doctor yesterday.”

The present perfect does not specify the exact time when the action took place in the past. Because the word вчера (vchera), meaning “yesterday,” implies that the action happened at a specific time, only the past aorist tense should be used.

TRY IT YOURSELF

* Knowing this rule, try to write the correct form of the following sentence, which is wrong:

Wrong: Миналата седмица съм бил на море.
               Minalata sedmitsa sam bil na more.
               “I was at sea last week.”

Correct:  

(The answer can be found at the end of this article.)

7. Semantic Mistakes

There are some Bulgarian words that share a common origin with a similar-sounding English word, but have a different meaning. For example, the Bulgarian word магазин (magazin) means “shop” rather than “magazine.”

So, it would be a mistake to say:

Wrong: Днес ще чета магазина.
               Dnes shte cheta magazina.
               “Today, I’m going to read the store.”

Correct:  Днес ще ходя до магазина за хляб.
                 Dnes shte hodya do magazina za hlyab.
                 “Today, I’m going to the store for bread.”

Or:

Correct:  Днес ще чета списание.
                 Dnes shte cheta spisanie.
                 “Today, I’m going to read a magazine.”

Another example is the Bulgarian word сок (sok), which in English doesn’t mean “sock,” but “juice.”

Correct:  Искам да пия сок от портокал.
                 Iskam da piya sok ot portokal.
                 “I want to drink orange juice.”

The commonly used English word “shop” in Bulgarian refers to a member of an ethnic group: шоп. So, pay attention when you use these words in Bulgarian.

8. Mistakes Involving Typical Bulgarian Expressions

Often, foreigners struggle to understand some of the typical Bulgarian expressions that are quite common in daily life. 

When someone tells you that you’ve “waded the onions,” which sounds like сгази лука (sgazi luka), this means that you have gotten yourself into trouble.

When someone wants to tell you that something will never happen, it will sound like когато ми цъфнат налъмите (kogato mi tsafnat nalamite), which is literally translated as “when my clogs blossom.” They may also opt to use: на кукуво лято (na kukuvo lyato), which is literally translated as “on a cuckoo’s summer.”

When someone “sends you to find green caviar,” or пращам те за зелен хайвер (prashtam te za zelen hayver), this means that he tries to trick you.

One more funny expression in Bulgarian culture is to say that someone is “naked water,” which in Bulgarian sounds like гола вода (gola voda). This means that the person is bad at something.

9. Embarrassing Mistakes

When talking to Bulgarians, there’s another kind of mistake you need to avoid. This is a mistake that doesn’t necessarily involve semantics, grammar, or vocabulary, but may be considered offensive to native Bulgarians. 

For example, asking a Bulgarian when the language will adopt the Latin script instead of using the Russian alphabet could certainly be taken the wrong way. Bulgarians are very proud of their Cyrillic alphabet—which is not Russian, but was introduced to the First Bulgarian empire in the ninth century AD. Bulgarians celebrate the creation of their alphabet on a national holiday each year on May 24. 

Another embarrassing situation would be to mistake someone’s name. Be careful when you pronounce a person’s name, as this is the name by which the person identifies himself. Carefully listen to the proper pronunciation of your interlocutor’s name, and if needed, ask him to repeat it for you instead of saying it incorrectly. 

There are many names in Bulgarian that have a specific meaning, so be sure to pronounce the name correctly!

• Аз съм Мирослава.
  Az sam Miroslava.
  “I am Miroslava.”

In Bulgarian, this name is composed of two words: мир (mir), which currently means “peacе,” but in ancient Bulgarian meant “world”; and слава (slava), which means “fame.” So the name Мирослава means “the world’s fame.”

If you get the name wrong, it might change its meaning. For example:

• Здравей, Морислава.
  Zdravey, Morislava.
  “Hello, Morislava.”

In Bulgarian, the word мори means “to exterminate,” so the meaning of this beautiful Bulgarian name might turn into “exterminate the fame,” which could be quite embarrassing for both parties.

10. Other Mistakes

BulgarianPod101 has gathered for you a wide variety of Bulgarian mistakes, but here we’re going to review one more mistake, related to the politeness level. English-speakers find it difficult to distinguish between the different forms in Bulgarian. Here’s an overview:

When you speak to a family member, close friend, or a person younger than you, you can use the informal form “ти” along with a verb in the singular form: 

Informal:    Ти работиш ли?
                     Ti rabotish li?
                     “Do you work?”

When you speak to an elder person, a stranger, or your boss, you need to use the formal form “Вие” along with a verb in the plural form: 

Formal:   Вие работите ли?
                 Vie rabotite li?
                 “Do you work?”

TRY IT YOURSELF

* Knowing this rule, try to turn this formal question into an informal one:

Formal: Как се казвате?
               Kak se kazvate?
               “What is your name?”

Informal:  

(The answer can be found at the end of this article.)

11. How BulgarianPod101 Can Help You

BulgarianPod101 prepared this detailed overview of the ten most common mistakes in Bulgarian to help you overcome your language barriers, and to encourage you to start conversations with Bulgarians. The most important thing to remember is to never give up because of the mistakes you make. The more you practice, the better you will become. Be aware that every beginning is difficult. 

If you don’t feel confident in your ability to avoid all of these common Bulgarian mistakes by yourself, you can find personal guidance from our MyTeacher service. Your Bulgarian language teacher will guide you step-by-step through the speaking process and will help you build your confidence.

Hopefully, you’ve enjoyed this detailed article. We would appreciate your feedback about it! Please, let us know in the comments whether you found the exercises easy or difficult, and we’ll help you out the best we can. 

And now, it’s time to check your answers!

Answers to Section 4

“fantasy” – фантазия (fantaziya)
“agony” – агония (agoniya)

“fantastic” – фантастичен (fantastichen)
“systematic” – систематичен (sistematichen)
“tragic” –  трагичен (tragichen)

Answers to Section 6

Wrong: Миналата седмица съм бил на море.
               Minalata sedmitsa sam bil na more.
               “I was at sea last week.”

Correct:  Миналата седмица бях на море.
                Minalata sedmitsa biah na more.

Answers to Section 10

Formal: Как се казвате?
               Kak se kazvate?
               “What is your name?”

Informal:  Как се казваш?
                  Kak se kazvash?
                  “What is your name?”

Bulgarian people are helpful and friendly. Foreigners who visit or live in Bulgaria will find that the local people are more than willing to enter into contact with them and offer their assistance. As long as you know the basic Bulgarian phrases and questions, you’ll be able to start conversations and make friends.

This comprehensive review will acquaint you with the most common conversation starters in the form of easy questions and answers in Bulgarian. Knowing these will make your communication with native speakers much smoother, and being able to ask basic questions in Bulgarian will also help you learn specific information about your interlocutor or surroundings. 

This will give you a great advantage over other foreigners who live in Bulgaria, as you’ll gain many more opportunities to communicate with natives and fit in with the local culture.

BulgarianPod101 is your guide in this learning journey, and we recommend that you study this detailed review before you travel to Bulgaria!

Table of Contents

1. Introduction to the Top 10 Bulgarian Questions and Answers
2. What’s your name?
3. Where are you from?
4. Where do you live?
5. How long have you been studying Bulgarian?
6. Have you been to Bulgaria before?
7. What do you do?
8. Do you like Bulgarian food?
9. How are you?
10. What’s wrong?
11. How much is it?
12. Make Conversation with What You’ve Learned
13. How BulgarianPod101 Can Help You

1. Introduction to the Top 10 Bulgarian Questions and Answers

Before you learn how to build questions in Bulgarian, you need to know the Bulgarian question words. These are words that usually come at the beginning of the question, and are used to form a variety of questions. In the following table is a Bulgarian question words list, and each word is accompanied by a sample question that uses it:

What Example: What are you doing?	Какво…? (Kakvo) Какво правиш? (Kakvo pravish?)
How Example: How are you?	Как…? (Kak) Как си? (Kak si?)
Who Example: Who are you?	Кой…? (Koy) Кой си ти? (Koy si ti?)
Where Example: Where are you from?	Къде…? (Kade) От къде си? (Ot kаde si?)
When Example: When did you arrive?	Кога…? (Koga) Кога пристигна? (Koga pristigna?)
Why Example: Whу are you in Bulgaria?	Защо…? (Zashto) Защо си в България? (Zashto si v Bаlgariya?)

This guide will also acquaint you with some of the most popular traditional Bulgarian meals, and teach you many Bulgarian words and phrases you’ll need to introduce and describe yourself.

→ If you can’t wait, you can start right away with our list of twenty common Bulgarian words for occupations. Find out how to say your occupation in Bulgarian and study this guide so you can talk about it in conversations.

Now we think you’re ready to learn the most common Bulgarian questions and answers! 

2. What’s your name?

This is usually the first question you’ll get when meeting new people. So let’s learn how to ask it in Bulgarian, and how to give a proper answer.

• Как се казваш?
  Kak se kazvash?
  “What’s your name?”

In case you would like to ask this question in a formal style, or ask several people at once, you can say:

• Как се казвате?
  Kak se kazvate?

Here’s how to respond to it:

• Казвам се Джон.
  Kazvam se Dzhon.
  “My name is John.”

• Казвам се Кейт.
  Kazvam se Keit.
  “My name is Kate.”

3. Where are you from?

Bulgarians easily notice if the person they’re speaking with is a foreigner, usually due to the person’s accent or appearance. So the next question you’ll probably get is:

• От къде си?
  Ot kade si?
  “Where are you from?”

The formal or plural style will sound like this:

• От къде сте?
  Ot kade ste?
  “Where are you from?”

And here’s how to answer:

• Аз съм от Испания.
  Az sаm ot Ispaniya.
  “I am from Spain.”

• Ние сме от Англия.
  Nie sme ot Angliya.
  “We are from England.”

➢ BulgarianPod101 has a vocabulary list for countries! Check it out to hear how the names of different countries sound in Bulgarian.

4. Where do you live?

Many people will be curious to learn where you live now, so the next question in Bulgarian you should expect is:

• Къде живееш?
  Kade zhiveesh?
  “Where do you live?”

If you’re just in Bulgaria for a short vacation, you can answer:

• Живея в Лондон.
  Zhiveya v London.
  “I live in London.”

Or: 

• Живея в Сао Пауло.
  Zhiveya v Sao Paulo.
  “I live in Sao Paulo.”

But maybe you’ve already made the move to live in Bulgaria. In that case, your answer could be:

• Живея в София.
  Zhiveya v Sofia.
  “I live in Sofia.”

➢ Learn some of the major Bulgarian cities here, so you can reply to this question more easily.

5. How long have you been studying Bulgarian?

Your new Bulgarian friend might be amazed with your level of language proficiency, so he or she might ask you:

• Колко време си учил български?
  Kolko vreme si uchil balgarski?
  “How long have you been studying Bulgarian?”

Or:

• От колко време учиш български?
  Ot kolko vreme uchish balgarski?
  “How long have you been studying Bulgarian?”

You can answer by simply stating the amount of time, or by giving a complete sentence:

• Един месец.
  Edin mesets.
  “One month.”

• Уча български от един месец.
  Ucha balgarski ot edin mesets.
  “I have been studying Bulgarian for one month.”

Or:

• Половин година.
  Polovin godina.
  “Half a year.”

• Уча български от половин година.
  Ucha balgarski ot polovin godina.
  “I have been studying Bulgarian for half a year.”

Do you want to give a more specific answer? Try something like this: 

• Уча български от месец май тази година.
  Ucha bаlgarski ot mesets may tazi godina.
  “I have been studying Bulgarian since May this year.”

BulgarianPod101 has a lesson all about the names of months in Bulgarian. Check it out! 

6. Have you been to Bulgaria before?

Your interlocutor might be curious to find out whether you’ve been to Bulgaria before, or if this is your first time. So he or she might ask:

• Бил ли си в България преди?
  Bil li si v Balgariya predi?
  “Have you been to Bulgaria before?”

Or:

• За първи път ли си в България?
  Za parvi pat li si v Balgariya?
  “Are you in Bulgaria for the first time?”

Here are some possible answers:

• Аз съм за първи път в България.
  Az sam za parvi pat v Balgariya.
  “I am in Bulgaria for the first time.”

• Преди две години също бях в България.
  Predi dve godini sŭshto byah v Bŭlgariya.
  “Two years ago, I was also in Bulgaria.”

• Бил съм в България и преди.
  Bil sam v Balgariya i predi.
  “I’ve been to Bulgaria before.”

7. What do you do?

If you’re living in Bulgaria, or visiting for an extended period of time, your interlocutor might want to know why. Bulgarians won’t ask this directly, though, as it might be considered offensive to ask “Why are you here?” or Защо си тук? (Zashto si tuk?). Instead, they may ask about your occupation:

• Какво работиш?
  Kakvo rabotish?
  “What do you do?”

Another way to ask this Bulgarian question is:

• С какво се занимаваш?
  S kakvo se zanimavash?
  “What do you do?”

You can answer with both your occupation and your reason for being in Bulgaria.

• Аз съм писател и дойдох да пиша книга за България.
  Az sam pisatel i doydoh da pisha kniga za Balgariya.
  “I am a writer and I came to write a book about Bulgaria.”

• Аз съм бизнесмен и искам да отворя бизнес в България.
  Az sam biznesmen i iskam da otvorya biznes v Balgariya.
  “I am a businessman and I want to open a business in Bulgaria.”

• Аз съм пенсионер и не работя.
  Az sam pensioner i ne rabotya.
  “I’m a retiree and I don’t work.”

You can learn more words for jobs and occupations in Bulgarian here, and listen to their proper Bulgarian pronunciation.

8. Do you like Bulgarian food?

As you develop closer relationships with your Bulgarian friends, they might invite you to their home for dinner. Of course, you wouldn’t want to miss that chance! But first, they might ask you the following question:

• Харесваш ли българска храна?
  Haresvash li balgarska hrana?
  “Do you like Bulgarian food?”

This is your opportunity to tell them what you like the most, and hopefully, they’ll prepare your favorite Bulgarian meal for you. So you can answer this way:

• Да, особено харесвам баница.
  Da, osobeno haresvam banitsa.
  “Yes, I particularly like banitsa.”

• Да, особено харесвам пататник.
  Da, osobeno haresvam patatnik.
  “Yes, I particularly like patatnik.”

➢ BulgarianPod101 has a list of some of the most popular Bulgarian dishes, so do be sure to study up. 😉

9. How are you?

Once you’ve gotten close with someone, this is probably the first question they’ll ask whenever you meet up:

• Как си?
  Kak si?
  “How are you?”

There are different ways to answer this question in Bulgarian. Let’s see some of them:

• Добре съм, благодаря!
  Dobre sam, blagodarya!
  “I’m fine, thanks!”

• Отлично, благодаря!
  Otlichno, blagodarya!
  “Perfect, thanks!”

• Не се чувствам добре. 
  Ne se chuvstvam dobre.
  “I’m not feeling well.”

• Уморен съм и ми се спи.
  Umoren sam i mi se spi.
  “I’m tired and sleepy.”

If you would like to learn some more answers to this question, we have you covered!

10. What’s wrong?

If you’re speaking with a friend who tells you that he or she doesn’t feel good, then you should ask:

• Какво има?
  Kakvo ima?
  “What’s wrong?”

Or: 

• Какво не е наред?
  Kakvo ne e nared?
  “What’s wrong?”

Then, you might receive one of the following answers:

• Болен съм.
  Bolen sam.
  “I’m sick.”

• Разтревожен съм.
  Raztrevozhen sam.
  “I’m worried.”

• Гладен съм.
  Gladen sam.
  “I’m hungry.”

11. How much is it?

Now, let’s see what you need to ask when you’re in the market. Even if you don’t know the name of every product in Bulgarian, knowing how to ask for the price is always going to be helpful. 

• Колко струва това?
  Kolko struva tova?
  “How much is it?”

Or:

• Каква е цената на това?
  Kakva e tsenata na tova?
  “What is the price of this?”

And to understand the answer, you’ll have to learn the Bulgarian numbers first. The answer could be something like:

• Два лева.
  Dva leva.
  “Two leva.”

• Един и петдесет.
  Edin i petdeset.
  “One fifty.”

• Пет лева за килограм.
  Pet leva za kilogram.
  “Five leva per kilogram.”

12. Make Conversation with What You’ve Learned

Here’s a quick exercise to test your knowledge. Imagine that you meet a Bulgarian man for the first time and need to introduce yourself. Try filling in the blanks with your responses, and scroll to the end to check your answers! 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

– Здравей, как се казваш?
– ____________________

(Your answer here. Reply and ask about his name as well.)

– Аз съм Петър. От къде си?
– ____________________

(Your answer here)

– А къде живееш?
– ___________________

(To answer this question, read Peter’s next words.)

– В Пловдив!? И аз живея в Пловдив, но съм от Варна. А какво работиш.
– ___________________

(Your answer here. Ask Peter about his occupation, too.)

– Аз съм брокер. Работя за една пловдивска фирма за недвижими имоти. Търсиш ли да закупиш имот в България?
– ___________________

(Your answer here. Politely decline his offer.)

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

If you don’t understand everything or are struggling to write your answers, don’t worry. You can check the answers at the end of the article.

13. How BulgarianPod101 Can Help You

BulgarianPod101 has prepared this detailed review of the top ten Bulgarian questions and answers to help you start your face-to-face communication with Bulgarian people. We believe that by studying this guide, you’ll become much more confident in making friends in Bulgaria. Since practice is the best possible teacher, try to start practicing what you’ve learned right away.

If you still need personal guidance, BulgarianPod101 can help you by offering you a private Bulgarian language teacher with our MyTeacher service. This language expert will uncover all the secrets of Bulgarian grammar and lead you to language-learning success.

Now, it’s time to check your answers. Please let us know in the comments whether the exercise was easy or difficult for you, and whether you were able to understand the Bulgarian sentences or not. Also let us know how you feel about this review. Did you find it helpful? We look forward to hearing from you and will help out the best we can! 

Answers to Section 12 Exercise – Make a Conversation

– Здравей, как се казваш?
Zdravey, kak se kazvash?
“Hello, what is your name?”

– Здравей, аз съм Джон. А ти как се казваш?  (Place your name in place of Джон.)
Zdravey, az sam Dzhon. A ti kak se kazvash?
“Hi, I’m John. And what is your name?”

(Your answer here. Reply and ask his name as well.)

– Аз съм Петър. От къде си?
Az sam Petar. Ot kade si?
“I’m Peter. Where are you from?”

– Аз съм от Англия. (Place your country in place of Англия.)
Az sam ot Angliya.
“I’m from England.”

(Your answer here)

– А къде живееш?
A kade zhiveesh?
“And where do you live?”

– Аз живея в Пловдив. 
Az zhiveya v Plovdiv.
“I live in Plovdiv.”

(To answer this question, read Peter’s next words.)

– В Пловдив!? И аз живея в Пловдив, но съм от Варна. А какво работиш?
V Plovdiv!? I az zhiveya v Plovdiv, no sam ot Varna. A kakvo rabotish?
“In Plovdiv!? I live in Plovdiv too, but I’m from Varna. And what do you do?”

– Аз съм бизнесмен. А ти? (Place your occupation in place of бизнесмен.)
Az sam biznesmen. A ti?
“I’m a businessman. And you?”

(Your answer here. Ask Peter about his occupation, too.)

– Аз съм брокер. Работя за една пловдивска фирма за недвижими имоти. Търсиш ли да закупиш имот в България?
Az sam broker. Rabotya za edna plovdivska firma za nedvizhimi imoti. Tarsish li da zakupish imot v Balgariya?
“I’m a broker. I work for a Plovdiv real estate company. Are you looking to buy a property in Bulgaria?”

– Не, благодаря.
Ne, blagodarya.
“No, thanks.”

(Your answer here. Politely decline his offer.)

Have you ever heard about STBFL or ECL? Did you know that you can check your Bulgarian language skills by taking a Bulgarian language level test and getting a certificate that corresponds to your language level?

There are many reasons why taking a foreign language exam is important. Here are just a few scenarios that indicate you should start planning to take one yourself:

• If you plan to move to Bulgaria 
• If you want to build business relations with Bulgarians
• If you want to stand out from the crowd when applying for a job
• If you want to increase your motivation to learn more

In the process of preparing for your Bulgarian as a second language exam, you’ll not only improve your studies, but you’ll also learn language skills that will be advantageous for you in the future. Moreover, by expanding your language skills, you’ll be able to feel like part of a different community, country, and culture—and make many Bulgarian friends.

BulgarianPod101.com has prepared this detailed Bulgarian proficiency test guide to give you all of the tools and information you need to pass your Bulgarian exam!

Table of Contents

1. General Information About Official Bulgarian Proficiency Tests
2. The Standard Test of Bulgarian as a Foreign Language (STBFL)
3. ECL – European Consortium for the Certificate of Attainment in Modern Languages
4. Foreign Language Proficiency Exam (FLPE)
5. Official ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI)
6. How BulgarianPod101 Can Help You Prepare For The Test?
7. Conclusion

1. General Information About Official Bulgarian Proficiency Tests

Whether you have an upcoming Bulgarian language test or you plan to take one in the future when you’ve had time to improve your language skills, it’s beneficial to learn more about the specifications. There are four Bulgarian language exams available for foreigners: 

• The Standard Test of Bulgarian as a Foreign Language (STBFL) 
• European Consortium for the Certificate of Attainment in Modern Languages (ECL) 
• Foreign Language Proficiency Exam (FLPE)
• Official ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI)

BulgarianPod101.com has prepared this guide for you with detailed information about each of these exams, including:

• General information about each of these four Bulgarian language tests
• How many levels there are and what they mean
• How many sections there are and what they consist of
• The duration for each section (and for the entire exam)
• Where the exam can be taken
• What the fee is for taking each exam
• What kind of certification you’ll receive for each level

2. The Standard Test of Bulgarian as a Foreign Language (STBFL)

A- General Information About the Exam

The Standard Test of Bulgarian as a Foreign Language (STBFL) is conducted by the University of Sofia. In Bulgaria, it’s accepted as proof of Bulgarian language proficiency. This Bulgarian language exam consists of five levels of language competence: A2, B1, B2, C1, and C2. Each level is regulated based on the CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) and ALTE (Association of Language Testers in Europe) levels.

1- Detailed Information About the A2 Level Exam

The A2 level of this Bulgarian proficiency test reveals basic competence and corresponds to the ALTE A2 Level based on CEFR. 

Total Duration: 180 minutes, 4 parts for a total of 285 points. To pass, you need to get at least 144 points.

The A2 test consists of four sections:

★ The Listening Test

Duration: 40 minutes, 5 exercises for a total of 55 points. To pass, you need at least 28 points.

The candidate should understand the meaning of words and phrases, be able to take notes while listening to short texts and dialogues, and be able to find specific information in longer texts.

★ The Reading Test

Duration: 15 minutes, 2 exercises for a total of 35 points. To pass, you need at least 18 points.

The candidate should be able to read texts and answer related questions. The texts could be in the form of advertisements, letters, notes, or short stories.

★ The Writing Test

Duration: 105 minutes, 6 exercises for a total of 135 points. To pass, you need at least 68 points.

The candidate should be able to: write some simple notes or announcements; describe different events, places, people, and things; write personal letters to a friend. For this part of the exam, candidates can expect to:

• Fill in the blanks
• Answer writing questions
• Write offers and commands
• Make comparisons 
• Write descriptions, essays, or dialogues

★ The Speaking Test

Duration: 20 minutes, 2 exercises for a total of 60 points. To pass, you need at least 30 points.

The candidate should be able to: take part in conversations; ask questions; understand what other people are saying. The first exercise is conducted in the form of an interview and consists of five to ten questions related to the personality of the candidate. The second exercise consists of a dialogue, in which the candidate has to describe something and reveal his/her own opinion about it. 

► BulgarianPod101.com can help you be more confident for your Bulgarian A-level exam. Check out our page on the top 15 questions you should know for conversations.

2- Detailed Information About the B1 Level Exam

The B1 level of this Bulgarian language proficiency test reveals threshold competence and corresponds to the ALTE B1 Level based on CEFR. 

Total Duration: 180 minutes, 4 parts for a total of 365 points. To pass, you need at least 184 points.

The B1 test consists of four sections:

★ The Listening Test

Duration: 40 minutes, 5 exercises for a total of 95 points. To pass, you need at least 48 points.

The candidate should be able to: understand longer and more-complicated dialogues; take notes while listening; answer spontaneously in dialogues related to different situations.

★ The Reading Test

Duration: 30 minutes, 3 exercises for a total of 55 points. To pass, you need at least 28 points.

The candidate should be able to: read short and long dialogues; paraphrase them; answer questions. Candidates will be reading original dialogues and articles

★ The Writing Test

Duration: 100 minutes, 6 exercises for a total of 155 points. To pass, you need at least 78 points.

In addition to being able to describe different things, the candidate should be able to write stories, dialogues, and two types of essays (analytical and descriptive).

★ The Speaking Test

Duration: 10 minutes, 2 exercises for a total of 60 points. To pass, you need at least 30 points.

The candidate should be able to talk about and discuss familiar topics and argue for/against a specific position. The first exercise is conducted in the form of an interview and consists of five to ten questions related to the personality of the candidate. The second exercise consists of one or two dialogues related to daily or professional topics, in which the candidate has to analyze events or situations, as well as describe and reveal his/her own opinion. 

3- Detailed Information About the B2 Level Exam

The B2 level of the exam reveals good competence and corresponds to the ALTE B2 Level based on CEFR.

Total Duration: 260 minutes, 4 parts for a total of 300 points. To pass, you need at least 180 points.

The B2 test consists of four sections:

★ The Speaking Test

Duration: 20 minutes, 5 exercises for a total of 20 points. To pass, you need at least 8 points.

The first exercise is conducted in the form of an interview and consists of five to ten questions related to the personality of the candidate. The candidate should be able to: talk about and discuss different topics; argue; describe the pros and cons of different options; make comparisons; clearly express his/her thoughts in detail. 

★ The Listening Test

Duration: 60 minutes, 4 exercises for a total of 85 points. To pass, you need at least 51 points.

The candidate should be able to: understand sentences and short dialogues; correctly answer questions about them; take notes.

★ The Reading Test

Duration: 90 minutes, 5 exercises for a total of 60 points. To pass, you need at least 36 points.

The candidate should be able to comprehend a text related to media, a profession, or everyday life. He should also: cope with longer text on familiar topics; be able to fill in the blanks; be able to answer questions with yes or no; be able to choose the right answers from multiple options.

★ The Writing Test

Duration: 90 minutes, 5 exercises for a total of 155 points. To pass, you need at least 93 points.

The writing exam checks the developed skills of listening, reading and writing, starting with Global and detail listening comprehension and assessment of spontaneous communication. The second part consists of writing an answer to a group of questions, writing a continuation of a story, writing descriptive or argumentative texts, as well as writing an essay on a preferred topic. 

4- Detailed Information About the C1 Level Exam

The C1 level reveals high competence and corresponds to the ALTE C1 Level based on CEFR. 

Total Duration: 180 minutes, 4 parts for a total of 300 points. To pass, you need at least 156 points.

The C1 test consists of four sections:

★ The Listening Test

Duration: 40 minutes, 3 exercises for a total of 55 points. To pass, you need at least 28 points.

The candidate should be able to: understand different types of sentences; choose the right answers corresponding to them; take notes.

★ The Reading Test

Duration: 40 minutes, 3 exercises for a total of 60 points. To pass, you need at least 30 points.

The candidate should be able to: comprehend texts related to different areas of expertise; discuss various topics; understand the core meaning of texts; extract the relevant information from the texts. He or she should be able to identify phrases in fiction as well as in texts rich in information.

★ The Writing Test

Duration: 85 minutes, 6 exercises for a total of 125 points. To pass, you need at least 63 points.

The candidate should be able to write well-structured texts using different forms of expression. The exercises consist of writing five short texts, a continuation of a story, and an essay. 

★ The Speaking Test

Duration: 15 minutes, 2 exercises for a total of 60 points. To pass, you need at least 35 points.

The candidate should be able to talk freely about different topics and express his/her opinion clearly. The first exercise is conducted in the form of an interview related to the personality of the candidate. The second part consists of talking about professional and routine topics, as well as commenting on current events.

5- Detailed Information About the C2 Level Exam

The C2 level reveals perfect language knowledge and corresponds to the ALTE C2 Level based on CEFR. 

Total Duration: 240 minutes, 4 parts for a total of 300 points. To pass, you need at least 180 points.

The C2 test consists of four sections:

★ The Listening Test

Duration: 40 minutes, 3 exercises for a total of 120 points. To pass, you need at least 72 points.

The candidate should be able to understand everything he/she hears and exchange information making use of facts and arguments. 

★ The Reading Test

Duration: 90 minutes, 3 exercises for a total of 88 points. To pass, you need at least 53 points.

The candidate should be able to: comprehend texts related to different areas of expertise; discuss various topics, including those related to science; understand the core meaning of texts; extract the relevant information from the texts. He or she should be able to identify phrases in fiction as well as in texts rich in information.

★ The Writing Test

Duration: 90 minutes, 3 exercises for a total of 92 points. To pass, you need at least 55 points.

The candidate should be able to write well-structured texts using different forms of expression. The exercises consist of writing five short texts: a continuation of a story, essays, descriptions, notes from meetings and seminars, reports, personal and business letters, etc.

★ The Speaking Test

Duration: 20 minutes, 2 exercises for a total of 20 points. To pass, you need at least 8 points.

The candidate should possess language competence that’s close to that of native speakers. The first exercise is conducted in the form of an interview related to the personality of the candidate. The second part consists of talking about professional and routine topics, as well as commenting on current events. The candidate should know how to use some Bulgarian and foreign sayings, quotes, and popular thoughts.

► Passing the Bulgarian C2 test can be very challenging, especially the speaking test. To help you out, we’ve put a video below that can teach you 50 Bulgarian phrases to use in a conversation:

B- Where Can the Exam be Taken?

This exam can be taken at the Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” in the Department for Language Teaching and International Students.

C- What is the Fee for Taking this Exam?

• The exam fee for US applicants is $100 + $15 postage fee for shipping the certificate. $115 in total. 
• The exam fee for European candidates is EUR 85 + EUR 10 postage fee for shipping the certificate. EUR 95 in total.
• The exam fee for applicants from other countries is $115 or $95 (optional).

3. ECL – European Consortium for the Certificate of Attainment in Modern Languages

A- General Information About the Exam

The European Consortium for the Certificate of Attainment in Modern Languages is an international examination system for testing the listening, oral, reading, and writing skills of candidates for fifteen European languages:

• Bulgarian
• Croatian
• Czech
• English
• French
• German
• Hebrew
• Hungarian
• Italian
• Spanish
• Polish
• Romanian
• Russian
• Serbian
• Slovak

The test is subject to strict quality standards and reveals how well the candidate can cope with everyday, professional, and personal situations.

This test consists of four levels of language competence, adapted to the recommendations of the Common European Framework: A2 (Waystage), B1 (Threshold), B2 (Vantage), and C1 (Effective Operational Proficiency).

B- Detailed Information About the Examination Components

Unlike most language tests, the ECL does not include translation- or grammar-related tasks. Each of the four levels has the same test structure: four components tested by completing two tasks. Let’s take a look at them:

1- Oral Communication

This exam consists of two parts: a listening skill assessment and a speaking skill assessment. The candidates are assessed by two examiners. The maximum number of points a candidate can get is 25. The minimum number of points to pass is 10. Here are the parts of the oral exam:

❏ The first 3-5 minutes of the oral exam are for warming up and relaxing; candidates are not assessed during this time.
❏ The next part of the test is for starting a conversation between two candidates, while the role of the examiner is to guide their conversation with questions. Duration: 5-8 minutes.
❏ The third part of the test is for creating a monologue that reveals the candidate’s thoughts regarding a given topic or area of interest. Duration: 5-8 minutes.

2- Listening Comprehension Test

The candidate has to listen to an audio recording and demonstrate the ability to understand it by completing two different tasks. These can consist of multiple-choice questions, short answers, sentence completion, etc. 

The maximum number of points a candidate can receive is 25. The minimum number of points required to pass is 10.

3- Writing Test

The candidate is allowed to use a dictionary for this task, which consists of writing two texts on a given topic and predetermined length. The examiners will evaluate the texts based on factors such as style, fluency, text structuring, and morphology. The maximum number of points a candidate can receive is 25. The minimum number of points required to pass is 10.

• The candidates for level A2 have 35 minutes to complete the task and have to write two texts of about 50 words each.
• The candidates for level B1 have 40 minutes to complete the task and have to write two texts of about 100 words each.
• The candidates for level B2 have 60 minutes to complete the task and have to write two texts of about 150 words each.
• The candidates for level C1 have 75 minutes to complete the task and have to write two texts of about 200 words each.

4- Reading Test

After reading the given text, the candidate should complete two tasks with ten items each so that the examiner can assess his or her reading comprehension. These tasks might be multiple-choice questions, matching, sentence completion, or short answer.

• The reading comprehension test for A2-level candidates consists of 400-600 words.
• The reading comprehension test for B1-level candidates consists of 500-700 words.
• The reading comprehension test for B2-level candidates consists of 800-1000 words.
• The reading comprehension test for C1-level candidates consists of 1000–1300 words.

The total time allocated for this part is 35 minutes for levels A2 and B1, and 45 minutes for levels B2 and C1. The number of words in the reading comprehension test varies between 400 and 1300 based on the level.

C- When and Where Can You Take the Bulgarian ETC Exam?

The Bulgarian ETC exam can be taken two times per year, in June and December. In Bulgaria, the exam center is located in Varna. The examination fee for this test varies by location.

4. Foreign Language Proficiency Exam (FLPE)

A- General Information About the Exam

The Foreign Language Proficiency Exam (FLPE) is intended only for students enrolled in the New York University’s Graduate School of Arts and Science. Through it, the students demonstrate foreign language skills required for their graduation.

B- Specific Information About the Test

FLPE consists of only one task: The candidate should translate one to three paragraphs of Bulgarian text into English. They can make use of a print dictionary. The duration of this Bulgarian language exam is 2 hours and the grading system is Pass/Fail. Students must follow the standards of written academic English to receive a Pass grade.

C- When Can the Bulgarian FLPE Exam be Taken? 

The FLPE exam is administered by the Office of Academic and Student Affairs of the Graduate School of Arts and Science, and takes place three times per year: in March, August, and November. Upfront registration is required.

D- What is the Fee for Taking this Exam?

The registration fee is $25 and should be paid within four days of registering for this exam. There are three ways to pay the New York University: by submitting the fee in person, via a money order, or via postal mail.

5. Official ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI)

A- General Information About the Exam

The ACTFL OPI test is a reliable way to assess the language knowledge of a person in the form of an interview. It’s conducted by a certified ACTFL tester who leads the one-on-one interview for about 30 minutes. The best part about the test is that it’s adapted to the speaker’s abilities and preferences, and it’s interactive enough to make the candidate feel relaxed during the exam.

The OPIc version of the ACTFL test is conducted online through the so-called “live” OPI, and is led by a computer program. However, Bulgarian is not yet included in this internet-based version.

The assessment of the Bulgarian exam can be used for various purposes, such as: employment selection, college credit, placement, linguist and teacher credentialing, etc.

► If you’re interested in learning how to apply for a specific job in Bulgarian, BulgarianPod101.com offers a series of lessons dedicated to job interviews.

B- Specific Information About the Bulgarian OPI Test

The OPI test is conducted by a certified ACTFL tester in the form of a telephone conversation that lasts between 15 and 30 minutes. During this conversation, the tester identifies the candidate’s strengths and weaknesses in various language aspects. The conversation follows a strict protocol and structure that ensures the assessment is reliable.

It consists of four parts: Warm-up, Level checks, Probes, and Wind-down. Here’s more information about what each of these parts involves:

• Warm-up – This phase is an introduction to the exam. It includes greetings, conversation openers, and other informal pleasantries.
• Level checks – During this phase, the tester involves the candidate in conversation on different topics that the speaker is interested in to check his level. Each check looks at different linguistic tasks that the candidate should succeed at.
• Probes – This phase is intended to reveal the limits of the candidate’s proficiency by raising the level higher. When the speaker reaches the point that he or she can no longer sustain functional conversation, the interviewer can clearly see the limits of the candidate’s skills and knowledge.
• Wind-down – This is the final phase, and it’s designed to return the candidate to the language level he or she is most comfortable with. The OPI exam ends on a positive note.

There are three possible scales for assessment, which are:

► The ACTFL scale that determines the candidate’s level somewhere between Novice and Superior
► Interagency Language Roundtable (ILR) scale with five levels between ILR 0 (No Proficiency) and ILR 5 (Functionally Native)
► The CEFR scale that determines the candidate’s level between A1 and C2

C- What is the Fee for Taking this Bulgarian Language Exam?

There are two versions of the exam, and the fee is determined based on your choice. These are:

• The certified OPI exam, which is conducted by two raters. The official OPI certificate costs $136.88. 
• The commercial OPI test that’s conducted by one rater and costs $109.12.

6. How BulgarianPod101 Can Help You Prepare for the Test

To pass your Bulgarian language exam successfully, you need to thoroughly prepare for it. Researching your preferred language test is very important, so that you’ll know in advance what requirements you have to conform to. Fortunately, BulgarianPod101.com has already done this research for you in this Bulgarian proficiency test guide, and we’ve provided you with the most important details about each Bulgarian language test you might be interested in taking. 

Now, we would also like to give you the best tips to pass your Bulgarian exam:

• To get ready for your exam, you should spare at least 30 minutes a day for preparation. Don’t wait until the last minute, as you won’t have enough time to cover all of the required materials.

• Make your test preparation fun by studying topics in Bulgarian that you’re interested in. This will definitely enrich your vocabulary and allow you to have fun at the same time. Moreover, some of the Bulgarian exams are based on the candidates’ favorite topics and hobbies, so it’s an advantage to learn as much of the vocabulary related to your hobby as possible. 

• Don’t be mediocre in your preparation. Do as much as you can to learn the more-complex details of Bulgarian. Your extra effort will pay off during the exam.

• Try to start using new words and phrases, as well as new grammar rules, immediately. The sooner you get used to them, the better; this is because using them right away ensures that they’ll become a part of your daily life. Use them multiple times per day until you’re confident using them.

• While you do your daily chores, try to think about what you’re doing in Bulgarian. For example:
  
  
  ❖ Сега мия чиниите. (Sega miya chiniite.) — “Now, I wash the dishes.”
  ❖ А сега пускам пералнята. (A sega puskam peralnyata.) — “And now, I start the washing machine.”
  ❖ След това ще прибера масата. (Sled tova shte pribera masata.) — “Then, I will clear the table.”

• If you don’t know some of the words you encounter, you can check them in your dictionary and repeat them until you remember them well. Another good option is to write new words on sticky notes and look at them every time you practice. This is a great option because it will also help you remember the right way to spell them.

• Speak with your Bulgarian friends only in Bulgarian. Do not turn to English as soon as you meet difficulties.

• Try to find some past Bulgarian exam papers online, so you can test your abilities. To avoid any surprises, show up more than ready for the test!

7. Conclusion

At BulgarianPod101.com, we believe that this Bulgarian proficiency test guide will help you get ready for any of the four Bulgarian language exams. However, you might still be interested in hiring a Bulgarian language expert who will better prepare you for your upcoming Bulgarian exam. You can choose your native Bulgarian teacher from our MyTeacher program to increase your chances of passing the test.

We would love to hear your opinion about this guide. Do you feel ready to pass a Bulgarian exam now, or do you need more information or practice? Let us know in the comments!

Learning the most frequently used language patterns is one of the easiest ways to start speaking that language. As a Bulgarian language learner, you’ll find it very beneficial to learn the most popular Bulgarian sentence patterns and structures. This knowledge will provide you with many advantages:

• You can skip learning many tedious grammar rules that now seem impossible to learn.
• You can start taking part in Bulgarian conversations and feel more confident in your language skills.
• You’ll be able to quickly figure out which of these ten sentence patterns in Bulgarian to use in any situation.
• You’ll be able to generate hundreds of natural sentences on your own. (And that’s really worth all the effort, right?)

Table of Contents

1. Becoming a Bulgarian Sentence Builder
2. Top Ten Bulgarian Sentence Patterns
3. Practice Time: What You Have Learned?
4. How BulgarianPod101 Can Help You?

1. Becoming a Bulgarian Sentence Builder

Imagine that you’re a builder, and your task is to build constructions of different sizes and designs on a daily basis. It sounds challenging, right? Well, building sentences in a foreign language can be just as challenging without the right guidance.

Fortunately, BulgarianPod101 is aware of your struggles in correctly building common Bulgarian sentence patterns, and we’re here to teach you how to form sentences in Bulgarian. By learning the following Bulgarian sentence patterns, you’ll become a skillful builder of Bulgarian sentences. In fact, with BulgarianPod101, learning how to do this can be very exciting and intriguing. 

In this article, you’ll also learn when to use these ten patterns, how to use them correctly, and how to make friends with Bulgarians. Moreover, you’ll have the chance to practice on-the-go, so take a piece of paper and a pen or pencil right now. 

So, what are you waiting for? Put on your builder’s helmet and let’s start!

2. Top 10 Bulgarian Sentence Patterns

To keep things simple, we’ll look at these ten Bulgarian sentence patterns starting with the easiest and ending with the more complicated ones. Study them and try to practice as soon as you get acquainted with each pattern.

Bulgarian Sentence Pattern #1: Linking Two Nouns: A is B

Two Patterns for Presentation

The pattern for this kind of sentence in Bulgarian is great for making introductions or presentations. It allows you to say that one noun is another noun. Let’s see some examples:

• Аз съм учител.
  Az sаm uchitel.
  “I am a teacher.”

• Иван е лекар.
  Ivan e lekar.
  “Ivan is a doctor.”

As you can see, this basic pattern is the same as its counterpart in English. Now, let’s see some examples of how it may be used in daily conversations:

• Това е къща.
  Tova e kashta.
  “This is a house.”

• Онова е магазин.
  Onova e magazin.
  “That is a shop.”

*TRY IT YOURSELF*

Try to make a simple sentence on your own by translating the following sentences:

This is Anton. He is a student.

Write your answers down, and at the end of this guide you can check if you’ve translated them correctly.

Adding an Adjective

As you can see in the examples below, the position of the adjective in Bulgarian is the same as in English:

• Аз съм строг учител.
  Az sаm strog uchitel.
  “I am a strict teacher.”

• Иван е добър лекар.
  Ivan e dobar lekar.
  “Ivan is a good doctor.”

→ If you feel like you don’t know as many Bulgarian adjectives as you would like, you can check out our list of the fifty most common Bulgarian adjectives and try to memorize them.

Adding a Pronoun

• Юлия е моят учител.
  Yulia e moyat uchitel.
  “Julia is my teacher.”

• Това е нашата къща.
  Tova e nashata kashta.
  “This is our house.”

Pronoun and an Adjective

To make this pattern complete, let’s add both a pronoun and an adjective to the “A is B” pattern.

• Юлия е моят нов учител.
  Yulia e moyat nov uchitel.
  “Julia is my new teacher.”

• Иван е наш добър приятел.
  Ivan e nash dobar priyatel.
  “Ivan is our good friend.”

*TRY IT YOURSELF*

Now, practice what you’ve learned so far by translating the following sentence:

Anton is a good student and my close friend.

If you can cope with this extended sentence, you’ve learned the pattern “A is B.” This means it’s time to move on to the second Bulgarian sentence pattern.

Bulgarian Sentence Pattern #2: Using Adjectives to Describe – A is [Adjective]

The “A is [adjective]” pattern is used for describing someone or something using adjectives. It’s also especially useful when you want to give compliments. Let’s see some Bulgarian language sentences using this pattern below.

Giving compliments using the “A is [adjective]” pattern

• Ти си красива!
  Ti si krasiva.
  “You are beautiful.”

And to make your compliment to a lady even more kind, let’s add some more words:

• Ти си много красива тази вечер!
  Ti si mnogo krasiva tazi vecher.
  “You are very beautiful tonight.”

Let’s consider two compliments for a man:

• Ти си много силен!
  Ti si mnogo silen.
  “You are very strong!”

• Ти си много смел!
  Ti si mnogo smel.
  “You are very brave.”

→ At BulgarianPod101.com, you can find a list of the top fifteen Bulgarian compliments you can use in your day-to-day interactions.

Using the “A is [adjective]” pattern for description

Now, here’s an example of a simple Bulgarian sentence pattern for giving descriptions. You can confidently use this sentence when someone presents you with a flower.

• Това цвете е прекрасно!
  Tova tsvete e prekrasno.
  “This flower is wonderful.”

*TRY IT YOURSELF*

It’s time for you to try this pattern on your own. Translate the following sentence into Bulgarian for both sexes:

You are awesome!

Bulgarian Sentence Pattern #3: Expressing “Want” – I Want (to)…

When to avoid using “I want” in Bulgarian

Using Bulgarian phrases like “I want” is considered impolite in the following cases:

You’re in the market and you see a wonderful apple that you wish to buy, but the old lady in front of you takes it first. In that case, it would be rude to say:

• Искам тази ябълка!
  Iskam tazi yabalka!
  “I want this apple!”

You’re in the theater, but your seat is next to the door. Then, someone enters and leaves the door open. It’s not polite to say:

• Искам да затвориш вратата!
  Iskam da zatvorish vratata!
  “I want you to close the door!”

You’ll learn how to properly react in both of these situations in Bulgarian Sentence Pattern #6.

How to safely use “I want” in Bulgarian

There are many situations when you can safely use “I want” and “I want to.” Here are some examples:

• Искам да стана лекар!
  Iskam da stana lekar.
  “I want to become a doctor.”

• Искам да направя другите хора щастливи.
  Iskam da napravya drugite hora shtastlivi.
  “I want to make other people happy.”

• Искам да говоря на български език.
  Iskam da govorya na balgarski ezik.
  “I want to speak the Bulgarian language.”

Fortunately, BulgarianPod101 is here to help and make your wish come true!

If your boyfriend calls you and asks: “Do you want to go out with me tonight?” You can just say: “I do.” Here’s how this conversation would sound in Bulgarian:

• Искаш ли да излезеш с мен тази вечер?
  Iskash li da izlezesh s men tazi vecher?
  “Do you want to go out with me tonight?”

• Искам!
  Iskam.
  “I do.”

And if you love someone, you can say to him:

• Искам да бъда твоя!
  Iskam da bada tvoya!
  “I want to be yours!”

*TRY IT YOURSELF*

It’s time for you to try this pattern on your own. Translate the following sentence into Bulgarian:

I want to ask a question.

Bulgarian Sentence Pattern #4: Expressing “Need” – I Need (to)… / I Have to…

Some of the most useful Bulgarian phrases and sentences are those for expressing your needs, and this is especially true when you’re in a foreign country. Here are some simple Bulgarian sentences for expressing the most common needs. You can memorize them, as you never know when you may find yourself in need.

• Имам нужда от помощ.
  Imam nuzhda ot pomosht.
  “I need help.”

• Имам нужда от химикалка.
  Imam nuzhda ot himikalka.
  “I need a pen.”

• Трябва да отида до тоалетната.
  Tryabva da otida do toaletnata.
  “I need to go to the toilet.”

• Трябва да тръгвам.
  Tryabva da trаgvam.
  “I have to go.”

• Зле ми е. Имам нужда от лекар.
  Zle mi e. Imam nuzhda ot lekar.
  “I feel bad. I need a doctor.”

• Трябва да науча български език.
  Tryabva da naucha balgarski ezik.
  “I need to learn the Bulgarian language.”

A hint: To ensure that you know these sentences, just write the Bulgarian translation of the following English sentences without looking at the answers. You can repeat this exercise until you get used to them, and know them perfectly.

I need to learn the Bulgarian language.

I need to go to the toilet.

I need help.

I feel bad. I need a doctor.

I have to go.

I need a pen.

Bulgarian Sentence Pattern #5: Expressing “Like” – I Like (to)…

In Bulgarian, there are three ways to express your likes. Bulgarians use the following words for this: харесвам (haresvam), обичам (obicham), and обожавам (obozhavam). They mean “I like,” “I love,” and “I adore,” respectively. Here are some examples:

харесвам (haresvam), “I like”

• Харесвам този цвят! 
  Haresvam tozi tsvyat!
  “I like this color!”

• Харесва ми да готвя. 
  Haresva mi da gotvya.
  “I like to cook.”

обичам (obicham), “I love”

• Обичам да гледам залеза. 
  Obicham da gledam zaleza.
  “I love watching the sunset.”

• Обичам да се разхождам вечер.
  Obicham da se razhozhdam vecher.
  “I like to go for a walk in the evening.”

обожавам (obozhavam), “I adore”

• Обожавам този сладкиш! 
  Obozhavam tozi sladkish!
  “I love this cake!”

• Обожавам да ходя на сладкарница! 
  Obozhavam da hodya na sladkarnitsa!
  “I love going to the pastry shop!”

*TRY IT YOURSELF*

It’s time for you to try this pattern on your own. Translate the following sentence into Bulgarian:

I love to drink orange juice.

Bulgarian Sentence Pattern #6: Politely Asking Someone to Do Something – Please…

This is another very important Bulgarian sentence pattern, since you don’t want to sound rude or commanding when you speak to Bulgarians. You can probably remember the sentence: Искам да затвориш вратата! from Bulgarian Sentence Pattern #3: “I want.” How can you ask this more politely?

You have two options:

• Моля, затворете вратата! 
  Molya, zatvorete vratata!
  “Close the door, please!”

• Мога ли да Ви помоля да затворите вратата? 
  Moga li da Vi pomolya da zatvorite vratata?
  “May I ask you to close the door?”

And what about the apple from Bulgarian Sentence Pattern #3?

You can use the following sentence:

Може ли тази ябълка, моля? 
Mozhe li tazi yabаlka, molya?
“May I have this apple, please?”

*TRY IT YOURSELF*

Now, imagine that you’re in the market and there’s a list of products that you have to buy. Let’s see how you will ask the seller about each of these products. We’ll do the first two for you, and you have to make the rest by yourself.

Your shopping list contains:

• Един килограм картофи (Edin kilogram kartofi), “One kilogram of potatoes”
• Два хляба (Dva hlyaba), “Two loaves of bread”
• Един килограм моркови (Edin kilogram morkovi), “One kilogram of carrots”
• Един пакет сол (Edin paket sol), “One salt packet”
• Две кисели млека (Dve kiseli mleka), “Two yogurts”

Examples:

• Може ли един килограм картофи, моля? 
  Mozhe li еdin kilogram kartofi, molya?
  “May I have one kilogram of potatoes, please?”

• Може ли два хляба, моля? 
  Mozhe li dva hlyaba, molya?
  “May I have two loaves of bread, please?”

Now, write the next three sentences, using the Bulgarian sentence pattern given above. 

→ To enhance your shopping experience at a Bulgarian boutique, please watch the following short video:

Bulgarian Sentence Pattern #7: Drawing Attention – Excuse Me…

There will be situations when you need to ask someone for something, or when someone else asks you a question on the street. To draw someone’s attention the right way, use Извинете (izvinete), which means “excuse me.” Here are a few basic Bulgarian sentences that begin with this phrase:

• Извинете, колко е часът? 
  Izvinete, kolko e chasat?
  “Excuse me, what’s the time?”

• Извинете, може ли да ми помогнете? 
  Izvinete, mozhe li da mi pomognete?
  “Excuse me, can you help me?”

• Извинете, това място свободно ли е? 
  Izvinete, tova myasto svobodno li e?
  “Excuse me, is this seat free?”

• Извинете, къде се намира катедралата? 
  Izvinete, kade se namira katedralata?
  “Excuse me, where is the cathedral?”

• Извинете, това Ваше ли е? 
  Izvinete, tova Vashe li e?
  “Excuse me, is that yours?”

• Извинете, говорите ли английски? 
  Izvinete, govorite li angliyski?
  “Excuse me, do you speak English?”

→ To gain deeper insight on the last question and how to reply to it properly, please watch the following video:

*TRY IT YOURSELF*

 Now, let’s combine the patterns # 6 and # 7. Translate these sentences into Bulgarian:

Excuse me, can I close the door?

Excuse me, may I have one loaf of bread?

Bulgarian Sentence Pattern #8: Asking for Information About Something – What…

In this section, we’ll cover how to use the past, present, and future tenses when asking for information. But let’s first start with the most common question: “What is this?”

• Какво е това?
  Kakvo e tova?
  “What is this?”

Now, let’s ask about the weather today, yesterday, and tomorrow:

• Какво е времето днес?
  Kakvo e vremeto dnes?
  “What is the weather today?”

• Какво беше времето вчера?
  Kakvo beshe vremeto vchera?
  “What was the weather yesterday?”

• Какво ще бъде времето утре?
  Kakvo shte bade vremeto utre?
  “What will the weather be like tomorrow?”

Let’s ask some more questions with “what”:

• Какво обичаш да ядеш?
  Kakvo obichash da yadesh?
  “What do you like to eat?”

• Какво обичаш да носиш?
  Kakvo obichash da nosish?
  “What do you like to wear?”

• Какво да направя за теб?
  Kakvo da napravya za teb?
  “What can I do for you?”

*TRY IT YOURSELF*

Use the weather examples to translate the following three sentences into Bulgarian:

What is your mood today?

What was your mood yesterday?

What will be your mood tomorrow?

Bulgarian Sentence Pattern #9: Asking About Time – When is…?

In your conversations with Bulgarians, you’ll often need to ask questions about time. Here are some examples:

• Кога си роден?
  Koga si roden?
  “When were you born?”

• Кога е рожденият ти ден?
  Koga e rozhdeniyat ti den?
  “When is your birthday?”

• Кога ще се видим пак?
  Koga shte se vidim pak?
  “When will I see you again?”

• Кога е срещата ни?
  Koga e sreshtata ni?
  “When is our meeting?”

• Кога пристига самолетът?
  Koga pristiga samoletаt?
  “When is the plane arriving?”

*TRY IT YOURSELF*

 Use the last question as a model to translate the following three sentences into Bulgarian:

When is the train arriving?

When is their car arriving?

When is the motorcycle arriving?

Bulgarian Sentence Pattern #10: Asking About Location or Position – Where is…?

The last Bulgarian sentence pattern today is “Where is…” which enables you to ask about the position of any person or object. Here are some useful questions using this pattern that might be of help to you in your conversations with Bulgarians.

• Къде живееш?
  Kade zhiveesh?
  “Where do you live?”

• Къде е асансьорът?
  Kade e asansyorat?
  “Where is the elevator?”

• Къде е тоалетната?
  Kade e toaletnata?
  “Where is the restroom?”

• Къде се намира твоят роден град?
  Kade se namira tvoyat roden grad?
  “Where is your hometown located?”

• Къде е центърът на града?
  Kade e tsentarat na grada?
  “Where is the city center?”

*TRY IT YOURSELF*

 Use the last question as a model to translate the following three sentences into Bulgarian:

Where is the cathedral?

Where is the park?

Where is the beach?

3. Practice Time: What Have You Learned?

You’ve probably written all of your answers for the *TRY IT YOURSELF* sections now. If you have, you can check the answers at the very end of this article. If not, you can translate them now.

Even if you’ve already written your answers and checked them, it’s good to repeat the exercise now, trying to get them all correct this time. 

• This is Anton. He is a student.
• Anton is a good student and my close friend.
• You are awesome!  – for both sexes
• I want to ask a question.
• I need to learn the Bulgarian language.
• I need to go to the toilet.
• I need help.
• I feel bad. I need a doctor.
• I have to go.
• I need a pen.
• I love to drink orange juice.
• May I have one kilogram of carrots, please?
• May I have one salt packet, please?
• May I have two yogurts, please?
• Excuse me, can I close the door?
• Excuse me, may I have one loaf of bread?
• What is your mood today?
• What was your mood yesterday?
• What will be your mood tomorrow?
• When is the train arriving?
• When is their car arriving?
• When is the motorcycle arriving?
• Where is the cathedral?
• Where is the park?
• Where is the beach?

As you can see, it’s a long list, so it will be beneficial for you to try to write each sentence at least two times. The more the better! This will help you master all ten sentence patterns in Bulgarian.

4. How BulgarianPod101 Can Help You

This complete guide to the top ten Bulgarian sentence patterns from BulgarianPod101 will help you start speaking freely in your conversations with Bulgarian people. Our goal is to help you advance in this foreign language much more quickly than you can make it on your own.

However, you may find some exercises difficult to complete, or run into issues with Bulgarian grammar or other language-related topics. Do these challenges mean that you have to give up and cease studying the language? Not at all! Winners never stop until they reach their goal. 

To help you become a winner, BulgarianPod101 offers you a special feature called MyTeacher. You can find your favorite Bulgarian language expert there, who can help you conquer all the obstacles that now seem insurmountable. Your personal teacher will help you become a language winner!

We believe these sentence patterns have helped you improve your speaking skills, but we always appreciate your feedback. We look forward to hearing from you and will help you out the best we can! 

Now, it’s time to check your answers. Don’t worry if not all of them are correct. Just practice, practice, practice…

Answers to Translation Exercises

• This is Anton. He is a student.
  Това е Антон. Той е студент.
  Tova e Anton. Toy e student.

• Anton is a good student and my close friend.
  Антон е добър студент и мой близък приятел.
  Anton e dobar student i moy blizak priyatel.

• You are awesome! – for both sexes
  Ти си страхотен! – for masculine
  Ti si strahoten!
  Ти си страхотна! – for feminine
  Ti si strahotna!

• I want to ask a question.
  Искам да задам въпрос.
  Iskam da zadam vapros.

• I need to learn the Bulgarian language.
  Трябва да науча български език.
  Tryabva da naucha balgarski ezik.

• I need to go to the toilet.
  Трябва да отида до тоалетната.
  Tryabva da otida do toaletnata.

• I need help.
  Трябва ми помощ.
  Tryabva mi pomosht.

• I feel bad. I need a doctor.
  Зле ми е. Имам нужда от лекар.
  Zle mi e. Imam nuzhda ot lekar.

• I have to go.
  Трябва да тръгвам.
  Tryabva da tragvam.

• I need a pen.
  Трябва ми химикалка.
  Tryabva mi himikalka.

• I love to drink orange juice.
  Обичам да пия портокалов сок.
  Obicham da piya portokalov sok.

• May I have one kilogram of carrots, please?
  Може ли един килограм моркови, моля?
  Mozhe li edin kilogram morkovi, molya?

• May I have one salt packet, please?
  Може ли един пакет сол, моля?
  Mozhe li edin paket sol, molya?

• May I have two yogurts, please?
  Може ли две кисели млека, моля?
  Mozhe li dve kiseli mleka, molya?

• Excuse me, can I close the door?
  Извинете, може ли да затворя вратата?
  Izvinete, mozhe li da zatvorya vratata?

• Excuse me, may I have one loaf of bread?
  Извинете, може ли един хляб?
  Izvinete, mozhe li edin hlyab?

• What is your mood today?
  Какво е настроението ти днес?
  Kakvo e nastroenieto ti dnes?

• What was your mood yesterday?
  Какво беше настроението ти вчера?
  Kakvo beshe nastroenieto ti vchera?

• What will be your mood tomorrow?
  Какво ще бъде настроението ти утре?
  Kakvo shte bade nastroenieto ti utre?

• When is the train arriving?
  Кога пристига влакът?
  Koga pristiga vlakat?

• When is their car arriving?
  Кога пристига колата им?
  Koga pristiga kolata im?

• When is the motorcycle arriving?
  Кога пристига моторът?
  Koga pristiga motorat?

• Where is the cathedral?
  Къде е катедралата?
  Kade e katedralata?

• Where is the park?
  Къде е паркът?
  Kade e parkat?

• Where is the beach?
  Къде е плажът?
  Kade e plazhat?

Let us know how you did in the comments!

You asked, so we provided—easy-to-follow instructions on how to set up your electronic devices to write in Bulgarian! We’ll also give you a few excellent tips on how to use this keyboard, as well as some online and app alternatives if you prefer not to set up a Bulgarian keyboard.

Table of Contents

1. Why it’s Important to Learn to Type in Bulgarian
2. Setting up Your Computer and Mobile Devices for Bulgarian
3. How to Activate an Onscreen Keyboard on Your Computer
4. How to Change the Language Settings to Bulgarian on Your Computer
5. Activating the Bulgarian Keyboard on Your Mobile Phone and Tablet
6. Bulgarian Keyboard Typing Tips
7. How to Practice Typing Bulgarian

1. Why it’s Important to Learn to Type in Bulgarian

Learning a new language is made so much easier when you’re able to read and write/type it. This way, you will:

• Get the most out of any dictionary and Bulgarian language apps on your devices
• Expand your ability to find Bulgarian websites and use the various search engines
• Be able to communicate much better online with your Bulgarian teachers and friends, and look super cool in the process! 

2. Setting up Your Computer and Mobile Devices for Bulgarian

It takes only a few steps to set up any of your devices to read and type in Bulgarian. It’s super-easy on your mobile phone and tablet, and a simple process on your computer.

On your computer, you’ll first activate the onscreen keyboard to work with. You’ll only be using your mouse or touchpad/pointer for this keyboard. Then, you’ll need to change the language setting to Bulgarian, so all text will appear in Bulgarian. You could also opt to use online keyboards instead. Read on for the links!

On your mobile devices, it’s even easier—you only have to change the keyboard. We also provide a few alternatives in the form of online keyboards and downloadable apps.

3. How to Activate an Onscreen Keyboard on Your Computer

1- Mac

1. Go to System Preferences > Keyboard.

2. Check the option “Show Keyboard & Character Viewers in Menu Bar.”

3. You’ll see a new icon on the right side of the main bar; click on it and select “Show Keyboard Viewer.”

2- Windows

1. Go to Start > Settings > Easy Access > Keyboard.

2. Turn on the option for “Onscreen Keyboard.”

3- Online Keyboards

If you don’t want to activate your computer’s onscreen keyboard, you also have the option to use online keyboards. Here are some good options:

• Gate2Home
• Online keyboard
• virtualkeyboard
• free-online-writing

4- Add-ons of Extensions for Browsers

Instead of an online keyboard, you could also choose to download a Google extension to your browser for a language input tool. The Google Input Tools extension allows users to use input tools in Chrome web pages, for example.

4. How to Change the Language Settings to Bulgarian on Your Computer

Now that you’re all set to work with an onscreen keyboard on your computer, it’s time to download the Bulgarian language pack for your operating system of choice:

• Windows 8 (and higher)
• Windows 7
• Mac (OS X and higher)

1- Windows 8 (and higher)

1. Go to “Settings” > “Change PC Settings” > “Time & Language” > “Region & Language.”
2. Click on “Add a Language” and select “Bulgarian.” This will add it to your list of languages. It will appear as Български with the note “language pack available.”
3. Click on “Български” > “Options” > “Download.” It’ll take a few minutes to download and install the language pack.
4. As a keyboard layout, you’ll only need the one marked as “Bulgarian – Български.” You can ignore other keyboard layouts.

2- Windows 7

1. Go to “Start” > “Control Panel” > “Clock, Language, and Region.”
2. On the “Region and Language” option, click on “Change Keyboards or Other Input Methods.”
3. On the “Keyboards and Languages” tab, click on “Change Keyboards” > “Add” > “Bulgarian.”
4. Expand the option of “Bulgarian” and then expand the option “Keyboard.” Select the keyboard layout marked as “Bulgarian.” You can ignore other keyboard layouts. Click “OK” and then “Apply.”

3- Mac (OS X and higher)

If you can’t see the language listed, please make sure to select the right option from System Preferences > Language and Region

1. From the Apple Menu (top left corner of the screen) go to System Preferences > Keyboard.

2. Click the Input Sources tab and a list of available keyboards and input methods will appear.

3. Click on the plus button, select “Bulgarian,” and add the “Bulgarian” keyboard (not the “Bulgarian – Phonetic”).

5. Activating the Bulgarian Keyboard on Your Mobile Phone and Tablet

Texting and searching in Bulgarian will greatly help you master the language! Adding a Bulgarian keyboard on your mobile phone and/or tablet is super-easy.

You could also opt to download an app instead of adding a keyboard. Read on for our suggestions.

Below are the instructions for both iOS and Android mobile phones and tablets.

1- iOS

1. Go to Settings > General > Keyboard.

2. Tap “Keyboards” and then “Add New Keyboard.”

3. Select “Bulgarian” from the list.

4. When typing, you can switch between languages by tapping and holding on the icon to reveal the keyboard language menu.

2- Android

1. Go to Settings > General Management > Language and Input > On-screen Keyboard (or “Virtual Keyboard” on some devices) > Samsung Keyboard.

2. Tap “Language and Types” or “ + Select Input Languages” depending on the device and then “MANAGE INPUT LANGUAGES” if available.

3. Select “Български” from the list.

4. When typing, you can switch between languages by swiping the space bar.

3- Applications for Mobile Phones

If you don’t want to add a keyboard on your mobile phone or tablet, this is a good app to consider:

• Gboard – the Google Keyboard

6. Bulgarian Keyboard Typing Tips

Typing in Bulgarian can be very challenging at first! Therefore, we added here a few useful tips to make it easier to use your Bulgarian keyboard.

1- Computer

• When you go to add the Bulgarian keyboard, you’ll notice that there are usually two options: BDS (or standard), and Phonetic. The standard keyboard is the classical one; the Phonetic uses the Latin letters, and when you type them, you get the Bulgarian letter closest to the Latin sound.
• On Mac, if you select Phonetic, you can easily switch to BDS with Ctrl+Space. However, beware of some special keys which produce some special letters from the Bulgarian alphabet:
  • q = я
  • w = в
  • y = ъ
  • [ – ш
  • ] – щ
  • j = й
  • x = ь
  • c = ц
  • ` = ч
  • v = ж
  • = ю
• Decimal separators in Bulgarian and English differ. For example: English – 105.20 EUR. Bulgarian – 105,20 EUR. English: – 1,005.20 EUR. Bulgarian – 1000,50 EUR. English – 10,005 EUR, Bulgarian: – 10 005 EUR or 10005 EUR.

2- Mobile Phones

• Most often, you can choose between BDS or Phonetic Bulgarian keyboards when you install one on mobile.
• It’s best if you pick one and use it across different devices. While on desktop the Latin letters might be of some help, on mobile you directly see the Cyrilic characters both with the BDS and the Phonetic options.
• Decimal separators in Bulgarian and English differ. For example: English – 105.20 EUR. Bulgarian – 105,20 EUR. English – 1,005.20 EUR. Bulgarian – 1000,50 EUR. English – 10,005 EUR, Bulgarian – 10 005 EUR or 10005 EUR.

7. How to Practice Typing Bulgarian

As you probably know by now, learning Bulgarian is all about practice, practice, and more practice! Strengthen your Bulgarian typing skills by writing comments on any of our lesson pages, and our teacher will answer. If you’re a BulgarianPod101 Premium PLUS member, you can directly text our teacher via the My Teacher app—use your Bulgarian keyboard to do this!

Do you remember the moment you fell in love with languages?

Do you desire to learn or advance in Bulgarian quickly and effectively?

Then you need a Bulgarian tutor.

A common question that first-time language-learners ask is “Where do I begin?” The answer? Guidance.

For native English-speakers who want to learn Asian languages, for example, timelines provided by the U.S. Foreign Service Institute can appear discouraging. However, defeating these odds is not unheard of. If you want to beat the odds yourself, one of the best learning options is a subscription to Premium PLUS from Innovative Language.

As an active Premium PLUS member of JapanesePod101.com and KoreanClass101.com myself, I have an enjoyable experience learning at an accelerated pace with at least thirty minutes of study daily. The following Premium PLUS features contribute to my success:

• Access to thousands of lessons
• A voice recorder 
• Spaced-repetition system (SRS) flashcards
• Weekly homework assignments
• A personal language instructor

As someone who decided to make Japanese her second language one year ago, I am extremely grateful for Premium PLUS.

Allow me to emphasize on how these Premium PLUS features strengthen my language studies.

Gain Unlimited Access to Audio and Video Lessons!

As a Premium PLUS member, I have full access to the lesson library and other Premium features. Best of all, I’m not limited to one level; I can learn to my heart’s content with upper-level courses.

There are lessons on various topics that tackle crucial language-learning elements, such as:

• Reading
• Writing
• Listening
• Speaking
• Conversation

Specifically, there are pathways. Pathways are collections of lessons that center on a specific topic. Some Innovative Language sites, like JapanesePod101.com, even have pathways geared toward proficiency tests. For example, the JLPT N3 Master Course pathway.

Because of the abundance of lessons, I’ve found pathways in the lesson library to help me prepare for certain events. Thanks to the “Speaking Perfect Japanese at a Restaurant” pathway, I spoke fully in Japanese while dining in Japan. Additionally, I participated in conversations at language exchange meetups in South Korea after completing the “Top 25 Korean Questions You Need to Know” pathway.

Each lesson has lesson notes, which I read while simultaneously listening to the audio lesson. This strategy enables me to follow along on key points. Lesson notes generally contain the following:

• Dialogue
• Vocabulary
• Grammar points
• Cultural insights

As someone who’s constantly on-the-go, I heavily benefit from mobile access to lessons. Podcasts and lesson notes are available on the Innovative Language app and/or Podcasts app for iOS.

All lessons and their contents are downloadable. Prior to my flights to Japan and South Korea, I downloaded lessons on my iPhone. The apps make learning more convenient for me during my commutes.

Practice Speaking with the Voice Recording Tool!

Pronunciation is an essential ingredient in language-learning. Proper pronunciation prompts clear understanding during conversations with native speakers.

Prior to learning full Korean sentences, my online Korean language tutor assigned the “Hana Hana Hangul” pathway to me. It demonstrated the writing and pronunciation of Hangul, the Korean alphabet. Throughout this pathway, I submitted recordings of my Hangul character pronunciations to my language teacher for review.

I was given a similar task on JapanesePod101.com with the “Ultimate Japanese Pronunciation Guide” pathway. My Japanese language teacher tested my pronunciation of the Japanese characters kana. My completion of the two pathways boosted my confidence in speaking.

Speaking is one of the more challenging components of learning a language. The voice recording tool in particular was a great way for me to improve my speaking skills. Further, because the lesson dialogues are spoken by native speakers, I’m able to practice speaking naturally.

This feature is also available for vocabulary words and sample sentences. Being able to hear these recordings improves my pronunciation skills for languages like Japanese, where intonation can change the meaning of a word entirely. The voice recorder examines my speed and tone. I also follow up by sending a recording to my online language tutor for feedback.

A great way to boost one’s speaking confidence is to shadow native speakers. During the vocabulary reviews, it’s helpful for me to hear the breakdown of each word; doing so makes a word that was originally difficult to even read a breeze to say!

Some lessons create opportunities to speak your own sentences. For example, the “Top 25 Korean Questions You Need to Know” pathway presents opportunities to answer questions personally. This helps you gain the ability to give answers as the unique individual you are.

Example Scenario:

The host asks the following question:

어디에 살고 있습니까?

eodieseo salgo isseumnikka

“Where do you live?”

If you live in Tokyo, you would readily say the following:

도쿄에 살고 있습니다.

Tokyo-e salgo isseumnida.

“I live in Tokyo.”

Increase Your Vocab with Spaced-Repetition Flashcards and More!

Imagine having a conversation with a native speaker and hesitating because you lack a solid vocabulary base.

Premium PLUS offers various features to expand learners’ vocabulary, including Free Gifts of the Month. BulgarianPod101’s free gifts for April 2020 included an e-book with “400 Everyday Phrases for Beginners,” and the content is updated every month. When I download free resources like this, I find opportunities to use them with co-teachers, friends, or my language tutors.

An effective way to learn vocabulary is with SRS flashcards. SRS is a system designed for learning a new word and reviewing it in varying time intervals.

You can create and study flashcard decks, whether it’s your Word Bank or a certain vocabulary list. For example, if you need to visit a post office, the “Post Office” vocabulary list for your target language would be beneficial to study prior to your visit.

In addition to the SRS flashcards, each lesson has a vocabulary slideshow and quiz to review the lesson’s vocabulary.

There’s also the 2000 Core Word List, which includes the most commonly used words in your target language. Starting from the 100 Core Word List, you’ll gradually build up your knowledge of useful vocabulary. These lists can be studied with SRS flashcards, too.

With the SRS flashcards, you can change the settings to your liking. The settings range from different card types to number of new cards per deck. Personally, I give myself vocabulary tests by changing the settings.

After studying a number of flashcards, I change the card types to listening comprehension and/or production. Then I test myself by writing the translation of the word or the spoken word or phrase.

The change in settings allow me to remember vocabulary and learn how to identify the words. This is especially helpful with Japanese kanji!

Complete Homework Assignments!

Homework assignments are advantageous to my language studies. There are homework assignments auto-generated weekly. They range from multiple-choice quizzes to writing assignments.

Language tutors are readily available for homework help. Some writing assignments, for instance, require use of unfamiliar vocabulary. In such cases, my language teachers assist me by forwarding related lessons or vocabulary lists.

In addition to these auto-generated homework tasks, language tutors customize daily assignments. My daily homework assignments include submitting three written sentences that apply the target grammar point of that lesson, and then blindly audio-recording those sentences. My personal language tutor follows up with feedback and corrections, if needed.

Your language tutors also provide assignments upon requests. When I wanted to review grammar, my Korean teacher sent related quizzes and assignments. Thus, you are not only limited to the auto-generated assignments.

Every weekend, I review by re-reading those written sentences. It helps me remember sentence structures, grammar points, and vocabulary to apply in real-world contexts.

Furthermore, I can track my progress with language portfolios every trimester. It’s like a midterm exam that tests my listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills.

Get Your Own Personal Language Teacher!

My language teachers cater to my goals with personalized and achievable learning programs. The tangible support of my online language teachers makes it evident that we share common goals.

Once I share a short-term or long-term goal with my teacher, we establish a plan or pathway that will ultimately result in success. I coordinate with my teachers regularly to ensure the personalized learning programs are prosperous. For example, during my JLPT studies, my Japanese language tutor assigned me practice tests.

Your language tutor is available for outside help as well. When I bought drama CDs in Japan, I had difficulty transliterating the dialogue. My Japanese teacher forwarded me the script to read along as I listened.

Additionally, I often practice Korean and Japanese with music. I memorize one line of the lyrics daily. Every time, I learn a new grammar point and new vocabulary. I add the vocabulary to my SRS flashcards, locate the grammar in the Grammar Bank, and study the associated lessons online.

I send my teachers the name of the songs, making them aware of my new goal. One time, my song for Korean was “If You Do” by GOT7. My Korean teacher revealed that she was a huge fan of GOT7 like me! For Japanese, it was “CHA-LA HEAD-CHA-LA,” also known as the Dragonball Z theme song. My Japanese teacher excitedly told me that she sang the song a lot as a kid!

A remarkable thing happened to me in South Korea. I was stressed about opening a bank account with limited Korean. I sought help from my Korean teacher. She forwarded me a script of a bank conversation.

After two days, I visited the local bank. It all started with my opening sentence:

은행 계좌를 만들고 싶어요

eunhaeng gyejwaleul mandeulgo sip-eoyo.

I want to open a bank account.

Everything went smoothly, and I exited the bank with a new account!

The MyTeacher Messenger allows me to share visuals with my teachers for regular interaction, including videos to critique my pronunciation mechanisms. I improve my listening and speaking skills by exchanging audio with my teachers. In addition to my written homework assignments, I exchange messages with my language teachers in my target language. This connection with my teachers enables me to experience the culture as well as the language.

Why You Should Subscribe to Premium PLUS

It’s impossible for me to imagine my continuous progress with Japanese and Korean without Premium PLUS. Everything—from the SRS flashcards to my language teachers—makes learning languages enjoyable and clear-cut.

You’re assured to undergo the same experience with Premium PLUS. You’ll gain access to the aforementioned features as well as all of the Premium features.

Complete lessons and assignments to advance in your target language. Increase your vocabulary with the “2000 Core Word List” for that language and SRS flashcards. Learn on-the-go with the Innovative Language app and/or Podcasts app for iOS users.

Learning a new language takes dedication and commitment. The Premium PLUS features make learning irresistibly exciting. You’ll look forward to learning daily with your language tutor.

As of right now, your challenge is to subscribe to Premium PLUS! Complete your assessment, and meet your new Bulgarian teacher.

Have fun learning your target language in the fastest and easiest way!

Subscribe to Posted by BulgarianPod101.com in Bulgarian Language, Bulgarian Online, Feature Spotlight, Learn Bulgarian, Site Features, Team BulgarianPod101 | Comment

The first step of studying a foreign language is learning some common words, so you can start communicating at the most basic level. But you can’t stop at that level, right? To be able to communicate with native Bulgarians, you need to learn more about the Bulgarian sentence word order. 

How do Bulgarians build their sentences? What’s the difference between Bulgarian and English sentence structure? 
BulgarianPod101 will take you to the next level of your Bulgarian language-learning journey by helping you learn Bulgarian sentence structure in this step-by-step guide. After carefully studying it, you should be more confident in your Bulgarian conversations, and you’ll effectively untie your tongue.

Table of Contents

1. Overview of Bulgarian language word order
2. Basic Word Order with Subject, Verb and Object
3. Building Complex Bulgarian Sentences
4. How to change sentence into a yes-or-no question?
5. Bulgarian sentence structure
6. Translation Exercises
7. How BulgarianPod101 Can Help You Untie Your Tongue

1. Overview of Bulgarian Language Word Order

1- What is the basic Bulgarian sentence structure?

Bulgarian is one of many languages that uses the SVO sentence structure, which is typical for about one-third of all languages in the world. The SVO word order stands for Subject-Verb-Object. Other languages in the same category include English, Serbo-Croatian, Macedonian, and Chinese. This means that English speakers shouldn’t find the basic sentence structure in Bulgarian too complicated.

However, when comparing the Bulgarian sentence structure vs. English sentence structure, Bulgarian is richer in sentence structure options. Indeed, about eighty percent of all Bulgarian sentences follow the SVO structure, but in certain situations, Bulgarian speakers can deviate from the typical word order. This is done when they want to underline the importance of a specific word. Here are some examples.

2- Bulgarian sentence structures list

1. SVO (Subject–Verb–Object):

• Аз говоря български език.
  As govorya balgarski ezik.
  “I speak the Bulgarian language.”

As stated above, this is a typical Bulgarian sentence structure, so you’re always on the safe side if you use it.

2. OVS (Object–Verb–Subject):

• Български език говоря аз.
  Balgarski ezik govorya as.
  “The Bulgarian language speak I.”

Although it’s not typical for English word order, OVS in Bulgarian language sentences is considered correct and it’s commonly used in poems. The same applies for two of the other Bulgarian word orders below: SOV and VOS. These sentence structures aren’t used in everyday speech, but you can see them often in Bulgarian books, so it’s worth knowing about them.

3. SOV (Subject–Object–Verb):

• Аз България обичам.
  As Bulgaria obicham.
  “I Bulgaria love.” = “I love Bulgaria.”

In Bulgarian word order, SOV is commonly used in situations like the one above.

4. VSO (Verb–Subject–Object):

• Обичам аз България.
  Obicham as Bulgaria.
  “Love I Bulgaria.” = “I love Bulgaria.”

Here, the speaker emphasizes his love for Bulgaria. The Bulgarian sentence pattern below can have a similar effect.

5. VOS (Verb–Object–Subject):

• Обичам България аз.
  Obicham Bulgaria as.
  “Love Bulgaria I.” = “I love Bulgaria.”

This flexible word order in Bulgarian is possible thanks to agreement between the subject and the verb. Thе verb ending in Bulgarian changes based on the subject’s person and number, which allows the speaker to change the word order while retaining the same meaning.

2. Basic Word Order with Subject, Verb, and Object

1- Practice Time

A- SVO Structure Exercise

Now, it’s time to practice how to build simple Bulgarian sentences correctly. Let’s start with the most basic Bulgarian word order, which is SVO. It’s easy because it’s the same as the English word order.

How would you say “I study Bulgarian language,” in Bulgarian? As long as you know the words in Bulgarian, you shouldn’t have a problem with ordering them properly.

• “I” — аз (as)
• “Study” — уча (oocha)
• “Bulgarian language” — български език (balgarski ezik) 

Now, try to combine them yourself in a sentence.

Great job!

Let’s try another basic sentence: “He eats an apple.”

• “He” — той (toy)
• “Eats” — яде (yade)
• “An apple” — ябълка (yabalka) 

We recommend that you write these two Bulgarian sentences down. Now you know how to make the most basic Bulgarian sentences using the SVO structure.

B- OVS Structure Exercise

Let’s try to make things a little bit more complicated. Make both of these Bulgarian sentences using the OVS structure and write them down, too. If you’re not sure how to do it, just follow this English structure: 

“Bulgarian language study I.”

“An apple eats he.”

C- SOV Structure Exercise

And now, let’s try a different Bulgarian sentence structure by placing the object between the subject and verb. In English, the literal translations will sound like:

“I Bulgarian language study.”

“He an apple eats.”

You did a great job practicing Bulgarian sentence structure!

2- Dropping the pronouns in Bulgarian sentences

Unlike English, Bulgarian is a pro-drop language (meaning  “pronoun-dropping”). It features a specific verb ending in all of the forms for singular and plural (i.e. the verbs are conjugated). This gives Bulgarians “the right” to drop the subject in sentences when the subject is a pronoun. This is simply because the subject is implied by the verb ending. Here are some examples:

• Instead of Аз обичам България. (As obicham Bulgaria.), Bulgarians would say: Обичам България. (Obicham Bulgaria.). The verb ending is applied only for first person singular, so the listener knows that the meaning is: “I love Bulgaria.”
• Instead of Ние обичаме България. (Nie obichame Bulgaria.), Bulgarians would say: Обичаме България. (Obichame Bulgaria.) as the verb ending is specific to the first person plural. The listener knows that the meaning is: “We love Bulgaria.”

To make it a bit more complicated, let’s study the following example:

• Ти учиш български език. Често повтаряш нови фрази.
  Ti ucheesh balgarski ezik. Chesto povtaryash novi frazi.
  “You study the Bulgarian language. You often repeat new phrases.”

In Bulgarian, there’s no need for a pronoun in the second sentence; it’s implied by the verb ending. So, in English, it will sound like: “You study Bulgarian language. Often repeat new phrases.”

One exception to this rule is the pronoun in the third person singular. This should be kept in the sentence, as the verb ending for the third person singular is the same for “he” / “she” / “it.” 

→ Learn more about Bulgarian verbs in our Bulgarian grammar introduction, available on BulgarianPod101.com.

3. Building Long but Simple Bulgarian Sentences

If you learn the basics of Bulgarian word order, you’ll find it easier to build your Bulgarian sentences. Here, we’ll learn some Bulgarian sentence structure patterns by adding different parts of speech to the simple Bulgarian sentence structure.

1- Sentences with prepositions

Usually, prepositions in short sentences go after the subject and verb, and before the object. 

• Examples with one preposition:

Аз работя в училище.
As rabotya v uchilishte.
“I work in a school.”

Аз работя като адвокат.
As rabotya kato advokat.
“I work as a lawyer.”

→ Are you interested in learning more occupation names in Bulgarian? Then take a look at our list of 20 common Bulgarian words for occupations.

Sometimes, the preposition may appear near a second object, like this:

Ти учиш български език в училище
Ti uchish balgarski ezik v uchilishte.
“You study Bulgarian language at school.”.

In longer sentences, there can be more than one preposition. You can use two, three, or even more prepositions in one sentence to form your thoughts completely.

• Examples with two prepositions:

Аз работя като адвокат в съда.
As rabotya kato advokat v sada.
“I work as a lawyer in a court.”

Аз работя като преподавател в училище.
As rabotya kato prepodavatel v uchilishte.
“I work as a teacher at school.”

• Examples with three prepositions:

С помощта на BulgarianPod101 уча български език у дома.
S pomoshta na BulgarianPod101 ucha balgarski ezik u doma.
“With the help of BulgarianPod101, I study the Bulgarian language at home.”

Maybe you’ve noticed that there’s no subject in the sentence above. We just drop the pronoun аз (as), meaning “I,” because it’s implied by the verb ending уча, which is used for first person singular.

2- Sentences with adjectives

In Bulgarian word order, it’s simple to add adjectives. This is done the same way it is in English (i.e. before the subject or object, or before both). What might be difficult for a foreigner is that the ending of an adjective changes based on the gender of the noun it describes.

• Adjective before the subject:

Умното дете чете книга.

Umnoto dete chete kniga.

“The clever child reads a book.”

• Adjective before the object:

Детето чете интересна книга.

Deteto chete interesna kniga.

“The child reads an interesting book.”

• Adjectives before the subject and object:

 Умното дете чете интересна книга.

Umnoto dete chete interesna kniga.

“The clever child reads an interesting book.”

Sometimes, the adjective might be separated from the subject by the verb “to be.” Yet, it still has to agree with the gender and the number of the noun it relates to.

• Книгата е интересна. 

Knigata e interesna.

“The book is interesting.”

• Детето е умно и добро.

Deteto e umno i dobro.

“The child is clever and good.”

3- Sentences with adverbs

Hooray! Bulgarian adverbs don’t change like adjectives do. In fact, they modify the adjectives, verbs, and even other adverbs. Here are examples:

• Adverbs as adjective modifiers:

Българският език е много труден.

Balgarskiyat ezik e mnogo truden.

“The Bulgarian language is very difficult.”

• Adverbs as verb modifiers:

Много искам да науча български език.

Mnogo iskam da naucha balgarski ezik.

“I really want to learn the Bulgarian language.”

• Adverbs as adverb modifiers:

Искам да науча български език много бързо.

Iskam da naucha balgarski ezik mnogo barzo.

“I want to learn the Bulgarian language very fast.”

→ If you indeed want to learn Bulgarian quickly and in a fun way, you can take advantage of BulgarianPod101’s YouTube channel.

4. How to Change Sentences into Yes-or-No Questions

It’s easy to turn both declarative and negative Bulgarian sentences into yes-or-no questions. You just need to add the particle ли after the verb. Let’s see the examples.

Declarative sentences:

• Ти учиш български език в училище.

Ti uchish balgarski ezik v uchilishte.

“You study the Bulgarian language at school.”

• Детето чете интересна книга.

Deteto chete interesna kniga.

“The child reads an interesting book.”

Interrogative sentences made from the above declarative sentences:

• Ти учиш ли български език в училище?

Ti uchish li balgarski ezik v uchilishte?

“Do you study the Bulgarian language at school?”

• Детето чете ли интересна книга?

Deteto chete li interesna kniga?

“Does the child read an interesting book?”

Negative sentences:

• Ти не учиш български език в училище.

Ti ne uchish balgarski ezik v uchilishte.

“You don’t study the Bulgarian language at school.”

• Детето не чете интересна книга.

Deteto ne chete interesna kniga.

“The child doesn’t read an interesting book.”

Interrogative sentences made from the above negative sentences:

• Ти не учиш ли български език в училище?

Ti ne uchish li balgarski ezik v uchilishte?

“Don’t you study the Bulgarian language at school?”

• Детето не чете ли интересна книга?

Deteto ne chete li interesna kniga?

“Doesn’t the child read an interesting book?”

5. Bulgarian Sentence Structure

1- Four types of sentences

Now, it’s time to learn the four types of Bulgarian sentence structures. We’ve already mentioned some of them, but here’s a list of all of them together with examples:

Declarative Sentence

• Ти учиш български език.

Ti uchish balgarski ezik.

“You study the Bulgarian language.”

Interrogative Sentence

• Ти учиш ли български език?

Ti uchish li balgarski ezik.

“Do you study the Bulgarian language?”

Еxclamatory Sentence

• Колко хубаво, че учиш български език!

Kolko huvabo che uchish balgarski ezik!

“How nice that you study the Bulgarian language!”

Imperative Sentence

• Учи български език!

Uchi balgarski ezik!

“Study the Bulgarian language!”

2- Simple Bulgarian sentences

It’s easy to recognize the simple sentence, as it expresses one thought and consists of only one subject and one verb. Simple sentences could be short or long:

Short simple sentence (SV)

• Аз уча.

As ucha.

“I study.”

The longer simple sentences still contain one subject and one verb, but other parts of the sentence are also included:

Long simple sentence (SVO)

• Аз уча български език в училище.

Az ucha balgarski ezik v uchilishte.

“I study the Bulgarian language at school.”

→ BulgarianPod101 can help you learn many more simple Bulgarian sentences that are used in daily life, so you can start practicing your Bulgarian right away! 

3- Complex Bulgarian sentences

The complex sentence has more than one verb and contains two or more thoughts united in a single sentence. Complex sentences could be with two, three, or more verbs. Here are some examples:

Complex sentence with two verbs:

• Аз преподавам английски език, а ти учиш български език.

As prepodavam angliyski ezik, a ti uchish balgarski ezik.

“I teach the English language and you study the Bulgarian language.”

Complex sentence with three verbs

• Аз преподавам английски език, а ти учиш български език и се упражняваш.

As prepodavam angliyski ezik, a ti uchish balgarski ezik i se uprazhnyavash.

“I teach the English language, and you study the Bulgarian language and practice.”

6. Translation Exercises

It’s time to practice! You’re just a few steps from being able to build your own Bulgarian sentences, so take your pen and try to do the exercises below by yourself. Alfred Adler has a great thought:

“Do not be afraid of making mistakes, for there is no other way of learning how to live!“

Don’t worry, we’ll give you the answers at the end of this article.

Step 1.

Translate the following sentence into Bulgarian, following the SVO structure:

You read a book.

Step 2.

Now, try to make your Bulgarian sentence using the OVS structure:

A book read you.

Step 3.

One more structure to practice is the OSV structure. Try it now:

A book you read.

Step 4.

Now, turn the SVO sentence into a question. A tip: just add the particle ли.

Do you read a book?

Step 5.

Now, let’s add some other parts to the sentence to make it longer. Translate the following:

You read an interesting book.

You read a new book in the library.

You often read an interesting book at home.

Step 6.

Now, let’s make a question from the last sentence:

Do you read an interesting book at home?

Step 7.

The last exercise is to make a complex sentence. Are you ready?

You read a new book in the library and I study the Bulgarian language at home.

Bonus exercise: 

Let’s add BulgarianPod101 into the picture. It should sound like this:

You read a new book in the library and I study the Bulgarian language at home with BulgarianPod101. 

7. How BulgarianPod101 Can Help You Untie Your Tongue

BulgarianPod101 prepared this Bulgarian sentence word order guide for you to help you start combining Bulgarian words you’ve learned so far into sentences. We believe that you’re now much more confident in building Bulgarian sentences than before. However, practice is the best teacher. Practice with your Bulgarian friends, while you shop in the market, while you’re reading a book, or while listening to a Bulgarian song.

However, if you need personal guidance to help you perfect your conversational Bulgarian, BulgarianPod101 is also here to help. You can take advantage of a Bulgarian language expert with our MyTeacher program by upgrading to Premium PLUS. Your coach will lead you step-by-step through the Bulgarian grammar and help you successfully overcome all the challenges you now have.

Now, you can check your answers below and let us know in the comments how you did and if you found it difficult. Also let us know how you feel about Bulgarian sentence structure now. Are you still struggling with it or do you find it easier now? We look forward to hearing from you, and we’ll help out the best we can! 

Answers to the translation exercises

Step 1. SVO

“You read a book.”

Ти четеш книга.

Ti chetesh kniga.

Step 2. OVS 

“A book read you.”

Книга четеш ти.

Kniga chetesh ti.

Step 3. OSV 

“A book you read.”

Книга ти четеш.

Kniga ti chetesh.

Step 4. SVO into a question

“Do you read a book?”

Ти четеш ли книга?

Ti chetesh li kniga.

Step 5. Simple long sentences

“You read an interesting book.”

Ти четеш интересна книга.

Ti chetesh interesna kniga.

“You read a new book in the library.”

Ти четеш нова книга в библиотеката.

Ti chetesh nova kniga v bibliotekata.

“You often read an interesting book at home.”

Ти често четеш интересна книга у дома.

Ti chyesto chyetyesh intyeryesna knigua oo doma.

Step 6. Long question

“Do you read an interesting book at home?”

Ти четеш ли интересна книга у дома?

Ti chesto chetesh interesna kniga u doma.

Step 7. Complex sentence

“You read a new book in the library and I study the Bulgarian language at home.”

Ти четеш нова книга в библиотеката, а аз уча български език у дома.
Ti chetesh nova kniga v bibliotekata, a az ucha balgarski ezik u doma.

Bonus exercise: 

“You read a new book in the library and I study the Bulgarian language at home with BulgarianPod101.”

Ти четеш нова книга в библиотеката, а аз уча български език у дома с BulgarianPod101.

Ti chetesh nova kniga v bibliotekata, a az ucha balgarski ezik u doma s BulgarianPod101.

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.

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. 

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.

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? 

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.”

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?

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.” 

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! 

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.

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.

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. 

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. 

2. How to Tell the Time in Bulgarian

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.

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:

• Free lessons on iTunes
• A free mini lesson every day with the Innovative Language Calendar.
• Free audio books for lessons on the go.

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!

Do you know your left from your right in Bulgarian? Asking for directions can mean the difference between a heavenly day on the beach and a horrible day on your feet, hot and bothered and wondering how to even get back to the hotel. Believe me – I know! On my earlier travels, I didn’t even know simple terms like ‘go straight ahead’ or ‘go west,’ and I was always too shy to ask locals for directions. It wasn’t my ego, but rather the language barrier that held me back. I’ve ended up in some pretty dodgy situations for my lack of directional word skills.

This never needs to happen! When traveling in Bulgaria, you should step out in confidence, ready to work your Bulgarian magic and have a full day of exploring. It’s about knowing a few basic phrases and then tailoring them with the right directional words for each situation. Do you need to be pointed south in Bulgarian? Just ask! Believe me, people are more willing to help than you might think. It’s when you ask in English that locals might feel too uncertain to answer you. After all, they don’t want to get you lost. For this reason, it also makes sense that you learn how to understand people’s responses. 

Asking directions in Bulgaria is inevitable. So, learn to love it! Our job here at BulgarianPod101 is to give you the confidence you need to fully immerse and be the intrepid adventurer you are.

Table of Contents

1. Talking about position and direction in Bulgarian
2. Getting directions in Bulgarian
3. Conclusion

1. Talking about position and direction in Bulgarian

Have you ever tried saying the compass directions of north, south, east and west in Bulgarian? These words are good to know, being the most natural and ancient method of finding direction. In the days before GPS – before the invention of the compass, even – knowing the cardinal directions was critical to finding the way. Certainly, if you were lost somewhere in the mountain regions now and using a map to navigate, you’d find them useful. Even more so if you and a Bulgarian friend were adrift at sea, following the stars!

In most situations, though, we rely on body relative directions – your basic up, down, left and right, forward and backwards. Most cultures use relative directions for reference and Bulgarian is no exception. Interestingly, in a few old languages there are no words for left and right and people still rely on cardinal directions every day. Can you imagine having such a compass brain?

Well, scientists say that all mammals have an innate sense of direction, so getting good at finding your way is just a matter of practice. It’s pretty cool to think that we were born already pre-wired to grasp directions; the descriptive words we invented are mere labels to communicate these directions to others! Thus, the need to learn some Bulgarian positional vocabulary. So, without further ado… let’s dive in.

1- Top – връх (vrah)

If planting a flag at the top of the highest mountain in Bulgaria is a goal you’d rather leave for  adrenaline junkies, how about making it to the top of the highest building? Your view of the city will be one you’ll never forget, and you can take a selfie  for Twitter with your head in the clouds. 

2- Bottom – основа (osnova)

The ‘bottom’ can refer to the lower end of a road, the foot of a mountain, or the ground floor of a building. It’s the place you head for after you’ve been to the top!

What are your favorite ‘bottoms’? I love the first rung of a ladder, the base of a huge tree or the bottom of a jungle-covered hill. What can I say? I’m a climber. Divers like the bottom of the ocean and foxes like the bottom of a hole. Since you’re learning Bulgarian, hopefully you’ll travel from the top to the bottom of Bulgaria.

3- Up – нагоре (nagore)

This is a very common and useful word to know when seeking directions. You can go up the street, up an elevator, up a cableway, up a mountain… even up into the sky in a hot air balloon. It all depends on how far up you like to be!

4- Down – надолу (nadolu)

What goes up, must surely come down. This is true of airplanes, flaming arrows and grasshoppers – either aeronautics or gravity will take care of that. In the case of traveling humans who don’t wish to go down at terminal velocity, it’s useful to know phrases such as, “Excuse me, where is the path leading back down this mountain?”

5- Middle – среда (sreda)

In Lord of the Rings, Tolkien’s characters live in Middle-earth, which is just an ancient word for the inhabited world of men; it referred to the physical world, as opposed to the unseen worlds above and below it. The ancients also thought of the human world as vaguely in the middle of the encircling seas.

When we talk about the ‘middle’, we’re referring to a point that’s roughly between two horizontal lines – like the middle of the road or the middle of a river. While you’re unlikely to ask for directions to the ‘middle’ of anything, you might hear it as a response. For example, “You’re looking for the castle ruins? But they’re in the middle of the forest!”

6- Center – център (tsentar)

Although similar in meaning to ‘middle’, this word is more specific. Technically, it means the exact central point of a circular area, equally distant from every point on the circumference.  When asking for directions to the center of town, though, we don’t mean to find a mathematically-accurate pinpoint!

7- Front – лице (litse)

The front is the place or position that is seen first; it’s the most forward part of something.  In the case of a hotel, the front is going to be easy to recognize, so if you call a taxi and are told to wait “in front of the hotel”, you won’t have a problem. It’s pretty cool how just knowing the main Bulgarian directional words can help you locate something if there’s a good landmark nearby.

8- Back – гръб (grab)

I once rented a house in a charming little street that was tucked away at the back of a popular mall. It was so easy to find, but my boss took three hours to locate it from 300 meters away. Why? Well, because she spoke no English and I had no clue what the word for ‘back’ was. All she heard, no matter which way I said it, was “mall, mall, mall”.  As a result, she hunted in front of and next to the mall until she was frazzled. 

Knowing how to describe the location of your own residence is probably the first Bulgarian ‘directions’ you should practice. This skill will certainly come in handy if you’re lost and looking for your way home. 

9- Side – страна (strana)

If the place you’re looking for is at the ‘side’ of something, it will be located to the left or the right of that landmark. That could mean you’re looking for an alleyway beside a building, or a second entrance (as opposed to the main entrance). 

As an example, you might be told that your tour bus will be waiting at the right side of the building, not in front. Of course, then you’ll also need to understand “It’s on the right” in Bulgarian.

10- East – изток (iztok)

If you’re facing north, then east is the direction of your right hand. It’s the direction toward which the Earth rotates about its axis, and therefore the general direction from which the sun appears to rise. If you want to go east using a compass for navigation, you should set a bearing of 90°. 

We think of Asia as the ‘East’. Geographically, this part of the world lies in the eastern hemisphere, but there’s so much more that we’ve come to associate with this word. The East signifies ancient knowledge and is symbolic of enlightenment in many cultures.

11- West – запад (zapad)

West is the opposite to east and it’s the direction in which the sun sets. To go west using a compass, you’ll set a bearing of 270 degrees. 

If you were on the planet Venus, which rotates in the opposite direction from the Earth (retrograde rotation), the Sun would rise in the west and set in the east… not that you’d be able to see the sun through Venus’s opaque clouds. 

Culturally, the West refers mainly to the Americas and Europe, but also to Australia and New Zealand, which are geographically in the East. The Western way of thinking is very different to that of the East. One of the most striking differences is individualism versus collectivism. In the West, we grew up with philosophies of freedom and independence, whereas in the East concepts of unity are more important. 

Food for thought: as a traveler who’s invested in learning the languages and cultures of places you visit, you have an opportunity to become a wonderfully balanced thinker – something the world needs more of.

12- North – север (sever)

North is the top point of a map and when navigating, you’d set a compass bearing of 360 degrees if you want to go that way. Globes of the earth have the north pole at the top, and we use north as the direction by which we define all other directions.

If you look into the night sky, the North Star (Polaris) marks the way due north. It’s an amazing star, in that it holds nearly still in our sky while the entire northern sky moves around it. That’s because it’s located nearly at the north celestial pole – the point around which the entire northern sky turns. Definitely a boon for lost travelers!

13- South – юг (yug)

South is the opposite of north, and it’s perpendicular to the east and west. You can find it with a compass if you set your bearings to 180 degrees. 

The south celestial pole is the point around which the entire southern sky appears to turn. In the night sky of the southern hemisphere, the Southern Cross is a very easy to find constellation with four points in the shape of a diamond. If you come from the southern hemisphere, chances are your dad or mum pointed it out to you when you were a kid. You can use the Southern Cross to find south if traveling by night, so it’s well worth figuring it out!

14- Outside – отвън (otvan)

This word refers to any place that is not under a roof. Perhaps you’ve heard talk about some amazing local bands that will be playing in a nearby town on the weekend. If it’s all happening outside, you’ll be looking for a venue in a park, a stadium or some other big open space. Come rain or shine, outside definitely works for me!

15- Inside – вътре (vatre)

I can tolerate being inside if all the windows are open, or if I’m watching the latest Homeland episode. How about you? I suppose going shopping for Bulgarian-style accessories would be pretty fun, too, and that will (mostly) be an inside affair. 

16- Opposite – противоположен (protivopolozhen)

This is a great word to use as a reference point for locating a place. It’s right opposite that other place! In other words, if you stand with your back to the given landmark, your destination will be right in front of you. 

17- Adjacent – съседен (saseden)

So, the adorable old man from next door, who looks about ninety-nine, explains in Bulgarian that the food market where he works is adjacent to the community hall on the main road. ‘Adjacent’ just means next to or adjoining something else, so… head for the hall! 

While you’re marveling at the wondrous and colorful displays of Bulgarian food, think about how all of these delicious stalls lie adjacent to one another. Having a happy visual association with a new word is a proven way to remember it!

18- Toward – към (kam)

To go toward something is to go in its direction and get closer to it. This word can often appear in a sentence with ‘straight ahead’, as in:

“Go straight ahead, toward the park.”

If you’ve come to Bulgaria to teach English, you might have to ask someone how to find your new school. Depending on what town you’re in, you could simply head toward the residential area at lunch time. You’ll see (and probably hear) the primary school soon enough – it will be the big fenced building with all the kids running around the yard!

19- Facing – изправен пред (izpraven pred)

If you look at yourself in a mirror, you’ll be facing your reflection. In other words: you and your reflection look directly at each other.  Many plush hotels are ocean-facing or river-facing, meaning the main entrance is pointed directly at the water, and the beach out front faces the hotel. 

20- Beside – до (do)

I know of a special little place where there’s a gym right beside a river. You can watch the sun go down over the water while working out – it’s amazing. What’s more, you can park your scooter beside the building and it will still be there when you come out.

21- Corner – ъгъл (agal)

I love a corner when it comes to directions. A street corner is where two roads meet at an angle – often 90 degrees – making it easier to find than a location on a straight plane. 

“Which building is the piano teacher in, sir?”

“Oh, that’s easy – it’s the one on the corner.”

The key to a corner is that it leads in two directions. It could form a crossroads, a huge intersection, or it could be the start of a tiny one-way cobblestone street with hidden treasures waiting in the shadow of the buildings.

22- Distant – далечен (dalechen)

When a location is distant, it’s in an outlying area. This Bulgarian word refers to the remoteness of the site, not to how long it takes to get there. For that reason, it’s a very good idea to write the directions down, rather than try to memorize them in Bulgarian. Even better, get a Bulgarian person to write them down for you. This may seem obvious, but always include the location of your starting point! Any directions you’re given will be relative to the exact place you’re starting from.

23- Close – близък (blizak)

This word is always a good one to hear when you have your heart set on a very relaxing day in the sun. It means there’s only a short distance to travel, so you can get there in a heartbeat and let the tanning commence. Remember to grab your Nook Book – learning is enhanced when you’re feeling happy and unencumbered. Being close to ‘home’ also means you can safely steal maximum lazy hours and leave the short return trip for sunset! 

24- Surrounding – заобикалящ (zaobikalyasht)

If something is surrounding you, it is on every side and you are enclosed by it – kind of like being in a boat. Of course, we’re not talking about deep water here, unless you’re planning on going fishing. Directions that include this word are more likely to refer to the surrounding countryside, or any other features that are all around the place you’re looking for.

25- All sides – от всички страни (ot vsichki strani)

Another useful descriptive Bulgarian term to know is ‘all sides’. It simply means that from a particular point, you will be able to see the same features to the front, back and sides of you. It doesn’t necessarily imply you’ll be completely surrounded, just more-or-less so. Say, for example, you’re visiting the winelands for the day. When you get there, you’ll see vineyards on all sides of you. How stunning! Don’t neglect to sample the local wines – obviously. 

26- Next to – в съседство с (v sŭsedstvo s)

The person giving you directions is probably standing next to you. The place being described as ‘next to’ something is in a position immediately to one side of it. It could refer to adjoining buildings, neighbouring stores, or the one-legged beggar who sits next to the beautiful flower vendor on weekdays. ‘Next to’ is a great positional term, as everything is next to something! 

“Excuse me, Ma’am.  Where is the train station?”

“It’s that way – next to the tourist market.”

27- Above – над (nad)

This is the direction you’ll be looking at if you turn your head upwards. Relative to where your body is, it’s a point higher than your head. If you’re looking for the location of a place that’s ‘above’ something, it’s likely to be on at least the first floor of a building; in other words, above another floor.

‘Above’ could also refer to something that will be visible overhead when you get to the right place. For example, the road you’re looking for might have holiday decorations strung up from pole to pole above it. In the cities, this is very likely if there’s any kind of festival going on.

28- Under – под (nagore)

Under is the opposite of above, and refers to a place that lies beneath something else. In the case of directions in Bulgarian, it could refer to going under a bridge – always a great landmark – or perhaps through a subway. In some parts of the world, you can even travel through a tunnel that’s under the sea!

Of course, you might just be missing your home brew and looking for an awesome coffee shop that happens to be under the very cool local gym you were also looking for. Nice find!

2. Getting directions in Bulgarian

The quickest and easiest way to find out how to get where you’re going is simply to ask someone. Most people on the streets of Bulgaria won’t mind being asked at all and will actually appreciate your attempt to ask directions in Bulgarian. After all, most tourists are more inclined to ask in their own language and hope for the best. How pedestrian is that, though?

I know, I know – you normally prefer to find your own way without asking. Well, think of it like this: you obviously need to practice asking questions in Bulgarian as much as you need to practice small talk, counting, or ordering a beer. Since you can’t very well ask a complete stranger if they would please help you count to five hundred, you’ll have to stick with asking directions!

We spoke earlier about body relative directions and these tend to be the ones we use most. For example:

“Turn left.”

“Go straight.”

“Turn right.” 

Remember, too, that your approach is important. Many people are wary of strangers and you don’t want to scare them off. It’s best to be friendly, direct and get to the point quickly.  A simple ‘Hi, can you help me?” or “Excuse me, I’m a bit lost,” will suffice. If you have a map in your hand, even better, as your intentions will be clear. 

The bottom line is that if you want to find your way around Bulgaria with ease, it’s a good idea to master these basic phrases. With a little practice, you can also learn how to say directions in Bulgarian. Before you know it, you’ll be the one explaining the way!

3. Conclusion

Now that you have over thirty new directional phrases you can learn in Bulgarian, there’s no need to fear losing your way when you hit the streets of Bulgaria. All you need is a polite approach and your own amazing smile, and the locals will be excited to help you. It’s a chance for them to get better at explaining things to a foreigner, too. Most will enjoy that!

I advise keeping a few things handy in your day pack: a street map, a highlighter, a small notebook and pen, and your Bulgarian phrasebook. It would be useful to also have the Bulgarian WordPower app installed on your phone – available for both iPhone and Android. 

Here’s a quick challenge to get you using the new terms right away. Can you translate these directions into Bulgarian?

“It’s close. Go straight ahead to the top of the hill and turn left at the corner. The building is on the right, opposite a small bus stop.”

You’re doing amazingly well to have come this far! Well done on tackling the essential topic of ‘directions’ – it’s a brave challenge that will be immensely rewarding. Trust me, when you’re standing at a beautiful location that you found just by knowing what to ask in Bulgarian, you’re going to feel pretty darn good.

If you’re as excited as I am about taking Bulgarian to an even deeper level, we have so much more to offer you. Did you know that we’ve already had over 1 billion lesson downloads? I know – we’re blown away by that, too. It’s amazing to be bringing the world’s languages to people who are so hungry for learning. Let me share some of our best options for you:

• If you haven’t done so already, grab your free lifetime account as a start. You’ll get audio and video lessons, plus vocabulary building tools. 
• My favorite freebie is the word of the day, which will arrive in your inbox every morning. Those are the words I remember best!
• Start listening to Bulgarian music. I’m serious – it really works to make the resistant parts of the brain relax and accept the new language. Read about it here for some tips.
• If you enjoy reading, we have some great iBooks for your daily commute.
• If you have a Kindle and prefer to do your reading on a picnic blanket,  there are over 6 hours of unique lessons in Bulgarian for you right there.

That’s it for today! Join BulgarianPod101 to discover many more ways that we can offer you a truly fun and enriching language learning experience. Happy travels!

Compliments provide encouragement that makes people feel valuable and important. These words can even improve their self-esteem and help them believe that they can achieve more. Moreover, compliments imply that you have something—whether it’s a great appearance, a cheerful character, or an exceptional mind—which other people find noteworthy. In fact, every person is unique and possesses something that he or she can receive compliments for.

Although Bulgarians are sparing with their praise and compliments, just like people of many other nations, they also love to get sincere compliments. You probably want to learn various Bulgarian compliments, such as how to compliment a Bulgarian girl or how to praise someone in Bulgarian. Or maybe you’re just curious what kind of compliments Bulgarian people give their friends?

You’re in the right place, as BulgarianPod101 will reveal to you a completely new part of Bulgarian culture. By the end of this guide, you’ll not only be able to offer someone praise in Bulgarian words, but also know how to accept compliments that Bulgarians give to you.

Table of Contents

1. What Compliments will Impress Your Bulgarian Girlfriend?
2. Bulgarian Compliments On Your Girlfriend/Boyfriend’s Look
3. Bulgarian Compliments On Someone’s Work
4. Bulgarian Compliments On Girlfriend/Boyfriend’s Skills
5. How to Make Your Compliments Sound More Sincere?
6. What to Expect After Giving Compliments?
7. How to Avoid Awkward Situations When Making Compliments?
8. Practice Time: What Compliments You Will Give to People in the Following 6 Situations?
9. How BulgarianPod101 Can Help You Impress Other People with Your Bulgarian?

1. What Compliments Will Impress Your Bulgarian Girlfriend?

Four Little Secrets For Building a Lasting Relationship with a Bulgarian Girl

There are a few surefire ways to impress your Bulgarian girlfriend. No, you don’t have to offer her a holiday in Miami or buy a star in the sky to make her happy. Here are four little secrets that can make a big turnaround in a timid relationship:

• Be a real gentleman, as girls notice every act of attention. You’ll definitely attract her attention if you open the door for her, ask her for a date and bring her back home afterward, or show her some other little signs of care.
• Pay the bill when you’re out together for dinner. Even if a lady can afford to pay her bill, a gentleman will show his sincere interest by paying the bills.
• Give her some little presents, even without a reason. It doesn’t have to be something expensive; it could be a flower or something small, for example. The gift will show her that you’re thinking about her.
• Offer her compliments in Bulgarian every time you see her. This will maintain the flame of love.

What Bulgarian Compliments Will Make Her Happy?

Now, let’s learn some beautiful compliments to tell a girl in Bulgarian. Let’s start with “You are beautiful!” in Bulgarian.

• Много си красива!
  Mnogo si krasiva
  “You are so beautiful!“
• Толкова си интелигентна!
  Tolkova si inteligentna
  “You are so smart!“
• С теб може да се говори на толкова много теми!
  S teb mozhe da se govori na tolkova mnogo temi
  “You can talk about so many topics!“

This compliment is equivalent to “You are so smart!” but it’s not so direct. So by using it, you can just hint at her intelligence, which will definitely make your Bulgarian girlfriend happy during the initial stage of your relationship!

Смехът ти е очарователен!
Smehat ti e ocharovatelen
“Your laugh is charming!“

This also tells her that you like to see her happy.

Now, let’s learn some more Bulgarian flirting phrases:

• Имаш толкова нежен глас, че мога да те слушам с часове!
  Imash tolkova nezhen glas, she moga da te slusham s chasove
  “You have such a gentle voice that I can listen to you for hours!“
• Очите ти са толкова дълбоки, че мога да потъна в тях!
  Ochite ti sa tolkova dalboki, che moga da potana v tyah
  “Your eyes are so deep that I can sink into them!“
• Нямам търпение да се срещнем отново!
  Nyamam tarpenie da se sreshtnem otnovo
  “I can’t wait to meet you again!“

This compliment will assure her that you like her a lot, and that you would like to spend much more time with her.

What if You Have a Bulgarian Boyfriend?

Just like girls, boys and men also need to receive compliments to know that they’re valuable in their partner’s eyes. Here’s a list of Bulgarian romantic phrases and compliments that a foreign girl can learn to impress her Bulgarian boyfriend.

• Вярвам в теб!
  Vyarvam v tep
  “I believe in you!“

It’s very important for a man to know that the girl he likes trusts in him. If you do, tell him so.

• Голям майстор си!
  Golyam maystor si
  “You’re an expert in your field!“
• Хората искат да работят с теб, защото се доверяват на твоите способности!
  Horata iskat da rabotyat s tep, zashtoto se doveryavat na tvoite sposobnosti
  “People want to work with you because they trust your abilities!“
• Ти си и талантлив, и трудолюбив!
  Ti si i talantlif, i trudolyubif
  “You are both talented and hardworking!“

All three of the compliments above are important for men to hear, because they emphasize their skills and achievements. A man who works hard and is independent is a reliable man who can maintain his own family. So use these compliments to show that you’re impressed with his achievements.

• Вече си постигнал толкова много в живота си!
  Veche si postignal tolkova mnogo v zhivota si
  “You’ve already achieved so much in your life!“
• Мисля, че притежаваш качества, които не се срещат в много други мъже!
  Mislya che pritezhavash kachestva koito ne se sreshtat v mnogo drugi mazhe
  “I think you have qualities that many other men don’t have!“
• Ти си толкова мил с мен!
  Ti si tolkova mil s men
  “You are so kind to me!“
• Мнението ти е важно за мен!
  Mnenieto ti e vazhno za men
  “Your opinion is important to me!“

By saying this, you make your man a part of your life; it means that you’ll not only consider, but also follow, his advice.

→ For more romantic Bulgarian compliments, click on this list of 15 compliments available on BulgarianPod101.com.

2. Bulgarian Compliments on Your Girlfriend’s/Boyfriend’s Look

Tell These Bulgarian Compliments to Your Girlfriend

• Истинска ли си?
  Istinska li si
  “Are you real?“
• Ти си прекрасна жена!
  Ti si prekrasna zhena
  “You are a wonderful woman!“
• Изглеждаш като Джулия Робъртс!
  Izglezhdash kato Dzhuliya Robarts
  “You look like Julia Roberts!“
• Ти си красива и отвътре, и отвън!
  Ti si krasiva i otvatre i otvan
  “You are beautiful both inside and outside!“
• Ти си моята причина да бъда щастлив!
  Ti si moyata prichina da bada shtastlif
  “You are my reason to be happy!“

Tell These Bulgarian Compliments to Your Boyfriend

• Истински ли си?
  Istinski li si
  “Are you real?“
• Ти си прекрасен мъж!
  Ti si prekrasen mazh
  “You are a wonderful man!“
• Изглеждаш като Арнолд Шварценегер.
  Izglezhdash kato Arnold Shvartseneger
  “You look like Arnold Schwarzenegger!“
• Ти си красив и отвътре, и отвън.
  Ti si krasiv i otvatre i otvan
  “You are beautiful both inside and outside!“
• Ти си моята причина да бъда щастливa.
  Ti si moyata prichina da bŭda shtastliva
  “You are my reason to be happy!“

Compliments That Fit for Both Genders

• Не мога да си представя света без теб!
  Ne moga da si predstavya sveta bez tep
  “I can’t imagine the world without you!“
• Искам дъщеря ми да прилича на теб.
  Iskam dashterya mi da prilicha na tep
  “I want my daughter to look like you!“
• Не усещам как минава времето, когато съм с теб!
  Ne useshtam kak minava vremeto, kogato sam s tep
  “I can’t feel the time when I’m with you!“

Funny Compliments on Your Girlfriend’s/Boyfriend’s Look

Sometimes, a little joke can break the tension and make your boyfriend or girlfriend relax. Laughter brings people together, so it might be useful to learn the following funny compliments and use them at the right time:

• Толкова си сладка, че ще те изям!
  Tolkova si sladka, che shte te izyam
  “You are so sweet that I will eat you up!“
• Ти си като елексир на живота!
  Ti si kato eleksir na zhivota
  “You are like the elixir of life!“
• Когато те видя, всичко останало изчезва!
  Kogato te vidya, vsichko ostanalo izchezva
  “When I see you, everything else disappears!“
• Колко си красива днес! Също като мен!
  Kolko si krasiva dnes! Sashto kato men
  “How beautiful you are today! Just like me!“

→ BulgarianPod101.com offers Bulgarian lessons for beginners. Click here to learn three ways to say thank you to the Bulgarian person you really like.

3. Bulgarian Compliments on Someone’s Work

Although it’s nice to get compliments about your looks, many people like hearing compliments about their work even more. This praise means that your friends appreciate what you’ve done and acknowledge that you’re a master in something.

To make other people happy, you can learn the right way to compliment in Bulgaria. Here are some examples that you can apply in your work environment:

• Свърши чудесна работа!
  Svarshi chudesna rabota
  “You did a great job!“
• Ти си много вдъхновяваща личност!
  Ti si mnogo vdahnovyavashta lichnost
  “You are a very inspiring person!“
• Вярвам ти и те ценя!
  Vyarvam ti i te tsenya
  “I trust you and I appreciate you!“
• Поздравявам те за начина, по който се справи със ситуацията!
  Pozdravyavam te za nachina, po koyto se spravi sas situatsiyata
  “I congratulate you on the way you handled the situation!“
• Имам нужда от твоя съвет!
  Imam nuzhda ot tvoya savet
  “I need your advice!“

Funny Compliments on Someone’s Work

If you want to lighten up the situation with some humor, use one of the following funny compliments in Bulgarian:

• Добра работа, но можеше да е още по-добрa!
  Dobra rabota, no mozheshe da e oshte po-dobra
  “Good job, but it could have been even better!“
• Никой не може да се сравнява с теб!
  Nikoy ne mozhe da se sravnyava s tep
  “No one can compare to you!“
• Хората в живота ти са късметлии, че те имат!
  Horata v zhivota ti sa kasmetlii, che te imat
  “The people in your life are lucky to have you!“
• Личи си, че се учиш!
  Lichi si, che se uchish
  “You seem to be learning!“

4. Bulgarian Compliments on Your Girlfriend’s/Boyfriend’s Skills

To praise your boyfriend’s/girlfriend’s skills means that you acknowledge their talents and are inspired by their personality. By complimenting their skills, you show the other person that they’re valuable in your eyes. Here are some ways to demonstrate your deep appreciation:

• Обичам начина, по който ме караш да мисля!
  Obicham nachina, po koyto me karash da mislya
  “I love the way you make me think!“
• Постоянно ми напомняш, че хората са добри!
  Postoyanno mi napomnyash, che horata sa dobri
  “You keep reminding me that people are good!“
• Светът би бил толкова скучен без теб!
  Svetat bi bil tolkova skuchen bez teb
  “The world would be so boring without you!“
• Душата ти е великолепна!
  Dushata ti e velikolepna
  “You have a magnificent soul!“
• Имаш толкова добро сърце!
  Imash tolkova dobro sartse
  “You have such a good heart!“
• Никога не спирай да бъдеш това, което си!
  Nikoga ne spiray da badesh tova, koeto si
  “Never stop being who you are!“
• Ти ме караш да вярвам в доброто!
  Ti me karash da vyarvam v dobroto
  “You make me believe in good!“

Funny Compliments on Your Girlfriend’s/Boyfriend’s Skills

Add more fun to the conversation by using one of these Bulgarian compliments:

• Умен си колкото двама глупави!
  Umen si kolkoto dvama glupavi
  “You are as smart as two stupid people!“
• Сърцето ти е десет пъти по-голямо от средното!
  Sartseto ti e deset pati po-golyamo ot srednoto
  “Your heart is ten times larger than the average heart!“
• Не си толкова глупав, колкото позволяваш на хората да мислят за теб!
  Ne si tolkova glupav, kolkoto pozvolyavash na horata da mislyat za tep
  “You’re not as stupid as you allow people to think about you!“
• Има ли ден, който не си направил по-добър?
  Ima li den, koyto ne si napravil po-dobar
  “Is there a day you didn’t make better?“

→ BulgarianPod101 provides you with a list of the most common Bulgarian phrases you’ll need for a date. Check it out!

5. How to Make Your Compliments Sound More Sincere

Bulgarian people love to get compliments—when they’re sincere. These praises not only tell them that the person they’re speaking with finds them valuable, but compliments also encourage them to make further improvements. To achieve this effect, we need to know how to make a good compliment in Bulgarian.

Indirect Compliments

There are indirect compliments you may find useful in your conversations with Bulgarians. You can use the following Bulgarian compliments after you successfully finish a project with others.

• Колко сме умни!
  Kolko sme umni
  “How smart we are!“
• Браво на нас!
  Bravo na nas
  “Good on us!“

If you’re not sure how the person will receive your compliment, you can offer a compliment that’s less emotional. For example, you can say kind words about something they own:

• Каква страхотна кола имаш!
  Kakva strakhotna kola imash
  “What a great car you have!“
• Имаш много хубава къща!
  Imash mnogo hubava kashta!
  “You have a very nice house!“

Direct Compliments

In order to make a direct compliment on someone’s look sincere, take a closer look at the person and note exactly what you like about him/her. It may sound like:

• Имаш страхотна прическа!
  Imash strahotna pricheska
  “You have a great hairstyle!“
• Тази рокля ти стои чудесно!
  Tazi roklya ti stoi chudesno
  “This dress looks great on you!“

Sincere Compliments with Facts

To make your direct compliments sound more sincere, add some irrefutable fact to them.

• Чудесен тен. Изглеждаш неотразимо!
  Chudesen ten. Izglezhdash neotrazimo
  “Great tan. You look irresistible!“
• Каква красива рокля. В нея си просто очарователна!
  Kakva krasiva roklya. V neya si prosto ocharovatelna
  “What a beautiful dress. You’re indeed charming!“
• Перфектна работа! Благодарение на нея нарастват печалбите на фирмата.
  Perfektna rabota! Blagodarenie na neya narastvat pechalbite na firmata
  “Perfect job! Thanks to it, the company’s profits increased!“

6. What to Expect After Giving Compliments

Although they like receiving compliments, Bulgarians may be shy about it. The most typical reaction to a compliment will be:

• Благодаря (Blagodarya), “Thank you!“
• Благодаря! Много мило! (Blagodarya! Mnogo milo!), “Thank you! Very kind of you!“

But sometimes, the person you’re speaking with might be too shy and try to oppose the compliment. For example, if you tell her “Oh, what a lovely dress you have today!” she might say: “Nothing special.”

In Bulgarian, it will sound like this:

• О, каква прекрасна рокля носиш днес!
  O, kakva prekrasna roklya nosish dnes
  “Oh, what a beautiful dress you are wearing today!“
• Нищо особено!
  Nishto osobeno
  “Nothing special.“

This doesn’t mean that your interlocutor doesn’t like your compliment. Usually, it means that she or he is shy. In a case like that, you can just add:

• Наистина, много ми харесва!
  Naistina, mnogo mi haresva
  “Indeed, I like it a lot!“

After such a comment, most Bulgarians will say: “Thank you!”

Now, watch the following video to find out the best ways of accepting a compliment in Bulgarian:

7. How to Avoid Awkward Situations When Making Compliments

You have to be careful when giving compliments in specific situations, as your compliments might not be considered appropriate.

Such a situation may be giving compliments about a girl’s look in the presence of her boyfriend or husband. It’s not okay to praise a woman’s beauty in this case. Instead, you can say a compliment that includes both of them as a couple. For example:

• Изглеждате чудесно като двойка!
  Izglezhdate chudesno kato dvoyka
  “You look great as a couple!“

Or

• Много си подхождате!
  Mnogo si podhozhdate
  “You are so matching!“

You should also avoid accidentally giving weird Bulgarian compliments on someone’s look, which can happen if that person has a physical disability. In that case, you can just emphasize on his good character or skills. For example:

• Голям майстор си!
  Golyam maystor si
  “You are an expert in your field!“

Or

• В това си ненадминат!
  V tova si nenadminat
  “You are unsurpassed in this!“

8. Practice Time: What Compliments Will You Give to People in the Following Situations?

Now that you’ve learned a lot of Bulgarian compliments, it’s time to practice them in real-life situations. Your task will be to choose the right compliment to say for each specific situation described below. You can write down your answers now and check the correct answers at the end of this article.

Situation #1

You’re in the market searching for good apples to buy. You see very nice apples on the stall and you would like to give a compliment to the seller, who is standing beside them. What are you going to say?

Situation #2

Your colleague has offered you help, as you’re new to the company. He explained to you all of the details related to your working position. What compliment will you tell him/her to thank them for their kindness?

Situation #3

Your friend has a new hairstyle. What will you say to him/her?

Situation #4

You have a date with a Bulgarian girl. She looks really beautiful! What compliment will you give her?

Situation #5

You take a bus. There are no seats available, but a young man stands up to give you his seat. What will you tell him?

Situation #6

You were invited to your friend’s house, and the dinner you ate was very delicious. What will you tell the lady of the house?

9. How BulgarianPod101 Can Help You Impress Other People with Your Bulgarian

BulgarianPod101 prepared this extensive guide on Bulgarian compliments not only to help you learn about compliments in Bulgarian culture, but also to help you feel more confident in your Bulgarian skills during a date with a Bulgarian man or woman. If you need even more detailed explanations about this topic or help in specific situations, you can turn to a Bulgarian language expert using our MyTeacher program. You’ll find an excellent coach who will understand your needs and determine the right learning approach to improve your language skills.

If you’ve met some difficulties completing the practical exercises in Section 8, you can share them in the comments below. We’re always happy to hear from you and to support you in your struggles. We’ll also appreciate hearing your thoughts on this article!

Answers to Section 8: Practice Time

Situation #1

• Много хубави ябълки!
  Mnogo hubavi yabalki
  “Very nice apples!“

Situation #2

• Много мило от твоя страна! Благодаря за помощта!
  Mnogo milo ot tvoya strana! Blagodarya za pomoshta
  “Very nice of you! Thanks for the help!“

Situation #3

• Много хубава прическа! Много ти отива!
  Mnogo hubava pricheska! Mnogo ti otiva
  “Very nice hairstyle! It really suits you much!“

Situation #4

• Изглеждаш страхотно!
  Izglezhdash strahotno
  “You look great!“

Situation #5

In this case, we’ll use the formal Ваша instead of the informal твоя.

• Много мило от Ваша страна! Благодаря!
  Mnogo milo ot Vasha strana! Blagodarya
  “Very kind of you! Thank you!“

Situation #6

• Много e вкусно! Благодаря!
  Mnogo е fkusno! Blagodarya
  “It’s very tasty! Thank you!“