Have you ever heard John Ciardi’s words about the classroom? He says: “The classroom should be an entrance into the world, not an escape from it.” How truthful these words are! So knowing more Bulgarian classroom words and phrases can help you enter into the world of Bulgarian culture.
Why has BulgarianPod101 prepared this extensive guide for you? On one hand, if you live in Bulgaria and attend some Bulgarian language classes, this Bulgarian online guide will help you feel much more confident in a classroom setting. On the other hand, it might be useful for you if you are a foreign language teacher who teaches students in Bulgaria. Moreover, whenever people talk about their studies or education in Bulgarian, you will be able to join the discussion because of the Bulgarian school phrases you have learnt in this guide.
It contains different Bulgarian classroom greetings, teacher’s instructions, phrases that help you ask for clarification, school supplies vocabulary and much more. So let’s imagine we are now in a virtual classroom and learn step by step those useful Bulgarian classroom phrases that will help you start speaking freely on the topic of education.
Table of Contents
- Bulgarian Classroom Greetings
- Understand Instructions from Teachers
- Ask for Clarifications from Teachers and Classmates
- Explain Absence and Tardiness
- Talk about Favorite Subjects
- Check for School Supplies
- How BulgarianPod101 Can Help You Learn Bulgarian
1. Bulgarian Classroom Greetings
Bulgarian classroom greetings | Pronunciation | English translation |
Здравейте, ученици. | Zdraveyte, uchenitsi. | Hello, students. |
Здравейте, госпожо Иванова/господин Иванов. | Zdraveyte, gospozho Ivanova/gospodin Ivanov. | Hello, Mrs. Ivanova/Mr. Ivanov. |
It is common for the teacher to greet the class entering into the classroom the following way and the class to respond to her/him. In previous years the teacher profession was very reputable and all the students had to stand up to greet the teacher when he/she entered the classroom. Currently, this gesture of respect is no longer observed. | ||
Довиждане, ученици, до утре! | Dovizhdane, uchenitsi, do utre! | Goodbye, students, see you tomorrow! |
Довиждане, госпожо Иванова/господин Иванов. | Dovizhdane, gospozho Ivanova/gospodin Ivanov. | Goodbye, Mrs. Ivanova/Mr. Ivanov. |
These are very common phrases for when the lesson is over and the teacher leaves the classroom. |
Note that it is common to address a teacher with “госпожо” and “господине” followed by their family name. Even if you have to address the principal of the school directly, the preferred way is to use their family name. For example:
Г-н Димитров, може ли да ми отделите една минута?
G-n Dimitrov, mozhe li da mi otdelite edna minuta?
Mr. Dimitrov, can I take a minute of your time?
Only when writing an official letter to the school principal, his/her title should be mentioned.
An example of an application letter to the school principal
This example might help you write your own application to your school principal. You can only change the request and the reasons for it according to your own situation. We highlighted all those parts that can be modified to customize the application. All other parts can remain as they are.
До директора на училище “Йордан Йовков”, г-н Антон Димитров МОЛБА от Андрей Василев, ученик в 10 клас Уважаеми г-н Директор, Моля да ми бъде разрешено да отсъствам за два дни от училище поради участие в Олимпиада по математика, която ще се състои на 2 и 3 март 2022 г. в Гърция. Надявам се, че молбата ми ще бъде удовлетворена. гр. София С уважение, 18.02.2022 г. Андрей Василев |
Do direktora na uchilishte “Yordan Yovkov”, g-n Anton Dimitrov MOLBA ot Andrey Vasilev, uchenik v 10 klas Uvazhaemi g-n Direktor, Molya da mi bade razresheno da otsastvam za dva dni ot uchilishte poradi uchastie v Olimpiada po matematika, koyato shte se sastoi na 2 i 3 mart 2022 godina v Gartsiya. Nadyavam se, che molbata mi shte bade udovletvorena. grad Sofiya S uvazhenie, 18.02.2022 Andrey Vasilev |
To the principal of “Yordan Yovkov” School, Mr. Anton Dimitrov APPLICATION by Andrey Vassilev, a student in 10th grade Dear Mr. Principal, I ask to be allowed to be absent from school for two days due to participation in the Mathematics Olympiad, which will take place on March 2 and 3, 2022 in Greece. I hope that my request will be approved. Sofia Sincerely, February 18, 2022 Andrei Vasilev |
You might notice some differences in this Bulgarian application compared to the English application to the School Principal.
And what if the Principal is a woman? In that case, you have to change the phrase:
“Уважаеми г-н Директор”
(Uvazhaemi gospodi Direktor)
Dear Mr. Principal
with
“Уважаема г-жо Директор”
(Uvazhaema gospozho Direktor).
Dear Mrs. Principal
And instead of writing
г-н Антон Димитров
(gospodin Anton Dimitrov)
Mr. Anton Dimitrov
at the very beginning of the application, you have to write г-жо followed by her name.
For example: г-жа Антонина Димитрова
(gospozha Antonina Dimitrova)
Mrs. Antonina Dimitrova
* What other good reasons can you point in your application to the principal as an excuse for being absent from lessons? Here are a few more suggestions:
- поради предстоящо пътуване в чужбина
(poradi predstoyashto patuvane v chuzhbina)
due to an upcoming trip abroad
- поради предстоящо лечение
(poradi predstoyashto lechenie)
due to a forthcoming medical treatment
- по лични причини
(po lichni prichini)
for personal reasons
2. Understand Instructions from Teachers
It is very important to understand the teacher’s instructions in class or you might miss something really essential. Here is a list of some common phrases that teachers use in the classroom.
Bulgarian classroom instructions | Pronunciation | English translation |
Моля, отворете учебника на страница Х. | Molya, otvorete uchebnika na stranitsa Х. | Please open your textbook on page X. |
Here is an example: Моля, отворете учебника на страница двадесет и първа. (Molya, otvorete uchebnika na stranitsa dvadeset i parva) Please open the textbook on page twenty-one.
| ||
Тишина, моля. / Запазете тишина. | Tishina, molya. / Zapazete tishina. | Silence, please. / Keep silent. |
Слушайте внимателно! | Slushayte vnimatelno! | Listen carefully! |
Имате ли въпроси? | Imate li vaprosi? | Any questions? |
Отворете тетрадките и пишете. | Otvorete tetradkite i pishete | Open the notebooks and write down. |
За домашно направете упражнение Х на страница Х. | Za domashno napravete uprazhnenie Х na stranitsa Х. | For homework, do exercise X on page X. |
For example: За домашно направете упражнение 2 на страница 10. Za domashno napravete uprazhnenie dve na stranitsa deseta. For homework, do exercise 2 on page 10. | ||
Подгответе се за изпит. | Podgotvete se za izpit | Prepare for the exam. |
3. Ask for Clarifications from Teachers and Classmates
It might happen that you do not clearly understand the teacher’s instruction or question to you. In that case you might ask the teacher or your classmates for clarification. How to do that? Here are a few suggestions:
* Let’s start with asking for clarifications from your teacher.
Bulgarian classroom questions | Pronunciation | English translation |
Съжалявам, не разбрах въпроса. | Sazhalyavam, ne razbrah vaprosa. | Sorry, I didn’t understand the question. |
Бихте ли повторили? | Bihte li povtorili? | Would you repeat that? |
Може ли да дадете пример? | Mozhe li da dadete primer? | Can you give an example? |
Имам въпрос. | Imam vapros. | I have a question. |
Мога ли да задам един въпрос? | Moga li da zadam edin vapros? | Can I ask a question? |
* Let’s now consider the following clarifications from your classmates.
Bulgarian classroom questions | Pronunciation | English translation |
Какво точно каза учителят? | Kakvo tochno kaza uchitelyat? | What exactly did the teacher say? |
Можеш ли да ми обясниш тази задача? | Mozhesh li da mi obyasnish tazi zadacha? | Can you explain this task to me? |
4. Explain Absence and Tardiness
If you are not able to attend the class for some reason or you were late and you are trying to explain the reason for this, you could eventually use some of the suggestions below that are quite commonly used by Bulgarian students in a similar situation.
Let’s start with the main phrase:
Съжалявам, че закъснях. (Sazhalyavam, che zakasnyah) I am sorry for being late.
And then you could add any of the reasons below:
Bulgarian classroom excuses | Pronunciation | English translation |
Автобусът ми закъсня. | Avtobusat mi zakasnya. | My bus was late. |
Не си навих часовника и се успах. | Ne si navih chasovnika i se uspah. | I didn’t set my alarm clock and slept through. |
Бях си загубил ключовете. | Byah si zagubil klyuchovete. | I had lost my keys. |
Забравих си раницата вкъщи и се наложи да се връщам. | Zabravih si ranitsata vkashti i se nalozhi da se vrashtam. | I forgot my backpack at home and had to go back. |
What could you tell as an excuse if you don’t have the required homework? Here are a few suggestions:
Let’s start with the main phrase:
Съжалявам, но нямам домашно. (Sazhalyavam, no nyamam domashno) I am sorry but I don’t have homework.
And then you could add any of the reasons below:
Bulgarian classroom excuses | Pronunciation | English translation |
Вчера имах рожден ден и не успях да го направя. | Vchera imah rozhden den i ne uspyah da go napravya. | I had a birthday yesterday and I couldn’t do it. |
Кучето ми изяде листа с домашното. | Kucheto mi izyade lista s domashnoto. | My dog ate my homework. |
Малката ми сестричка го надраска и скъса листа. | Malkata mi sestrichka go nadraska i skasa lista. | My little sister scratched and tore it. |
Разлях каната с водата върху него. | Razlyah kanata s vodata varhu nego. | I spilled the jug of water on it. |
What if you have to be absent from school? You might use one of the following suggestions:
Let’s start with the main phrase:
Извинете, но днес няма да мога да дойда на училище. (Izvinete, no dnes nyama da moga da doyda na uchilishte) I’m sorry, but I won’t be able to come to school today.
And then you could add any of the reasons below:
Bulgarian classroom excuses | Pronunciation | English translation |
Разболях се и ми е много лошо. | Razbolyah se i mi e mnogo losho. | I got sick and I feel very bad. |
Не се чувствам добре. | Ne se chuvstvam dobre. | I’m not feeling well. |
Имам ужасно главоболие. | Imam uzhasno glavobolie. | I have a horrible headache. |
Налага се да отида до болницата. | Nalaga se da otida do bolnitsata. | I have to go to the hospital. |
- ➜ In the following list you can see some other answers in Bulgarian to the question: How are you?
5. Talk about Favorite Subjects
Let’s take a look at Bulgarian school subject names shown in the following list. Below we present two sentence patterns that use these subject names.
Bulgarian classroom subjects | Pronunciation | English translation |
математика | matematika | Mathematics |
биология | biologiya | Biology |
химия | himiya | Chemistry |
физика | fizika | Physics |
граматика | gramatika | Grammar |
литература | literatura | Literature |
история | istoriya | History |
география | geografiya | Geography |
икономика | ikonomika | Economy |
физическо възпитание | fizichesko vazpitanie | Physical education |
музика | muzika | Music |
рисуване | risuvane | Art |
информатика | informatika | Computer science |
- ➜ You can learn some more school subject related words and phrases in the following page.
Pattern 1
This Bulgarian sentence pattern will help you tell others what your favorite school subject is:
Моят любим предмет е _______.
(Moyat lyubim predmet e _______)
My favorite subject is _______.
Here are two examples:
- Моят любим предмет е математика.
(Moyat lyubim predmet e matematika)
My favorite subject is Math.
- Моят любим предмет е рисуване.
(Moyat lyubim predmet e risuvane)
My favorite subject is art.
Pattern 2
This pattern will help you say which school subject you find the most difficult to study:
_____________ изобщо не ми върви.
(_____________ izobshto ne mi varvi)
I’m not good at _______ at all.
Here are two examples:
- Историята изобщо не ми върви.
(Istoriyata izobshto ne mi varvi)
I’m not good at History at all.
- Рисуването изобщо не ми върви.
(Risuvaneto izobshto ne mi varvi)
I’m not good at Art at all.
6. Check for School Supplies
Now, let’s take a look at Bulgarian names for school supplies you need at school daily. Here is a list of them followed by two patterns on how to use them in sentences.
Bulgarian classroom subjects | Pronunciation | English translation |
учебник | uchebnik | textbook |
тетрадка | tetradka | notebook |
химикал | himikal | pen |
молив | moliv | pencil |
линия | liniya | ruler |
гума | guma | eraser |
чин | chin | desk |
черна дъска | cherna daska | blackboard |
калкулатор | kalkulator | calculator |
раница | ranitsa | backpack |
тебешир | tebeshir | chalk |
гъба | gaba | sponge |
пергел | pergel | ark compass |
- ➜ BulgarianPod101 offers a wide range of Bulgarian lessons. Would you like to learn office supplies in Bulgarian? Then this lesson prepared by BulgarianPod101 is just for you.
Pattern 1
This Bulgarian question pattern helps you ask others to borrow a specific school supply you don’t have at the moment:
Можеш ли да ми услужиш с _______?
(Mozhesh li da mi usluzhish s _______)
Can you lend me your _______?
Here are two examples:
- Можеш ли да ми услужиш с гума?
(Mozhesh li da mi usluzhish s guma)
Can you lend me your eraser?
- Можеш ли да ми услужиш с един химикал?
(Mozhesh li da mi usluzhish s edin himikal)
Can you lend me a pen?
Pattern 2
This pattern will help you ask others to give you any of their school supplies for you to take a closer look at it:
Мога ли да видя _____________ ?
(Moga li da vidya _____________)
May I see _______ ?
Here are two examples:
- Мога ли да видя твоята раница?
(Moga li da vidya tvoyata ranitsa)
May I see your backpack?
- Мога ли да видя твоя учебник?
(Moga li da vidya tvoya uchebnik)
May I see your textbook?
7. How BulgarianPod101 Can Help You Learn Bulgarian
This extensive guide prepared by BulgarianPod101 contains all the basic Bulgarian classroom phrases in English that you need to know in order to feel more confident in a school environment. Even if you cannot understand the teacher’s instructions, you now know how to ask for clarification.
Since studying a foreign language is a long process that requires a lot of dedication, you might need additional motivation to keep on studying. A good Bulgarian teacher from the MyTeacher section is able to teach Bulgarian and offer useful Bulgarian language courses with expertise. He or she could be a perfect driving factor that will help you advance further and not surrender halfway into the process
We prepared this guide with basic Bulgarian classroom phrases to help you learn Bulgarian language more conveniently and easy. We would be happy to see your feedback so do not hesitate to share your thoughts with us in the comments below.
Bulgarian Restaurant Phrases Guide: How to Order Food
A popular François de la Rochefoucauld quote states: “To eat is a necessity, but to eat intelligently is an art.” Well, although this guide is not about the art of preparing food intelligently, it will get you acquainted with the most common restaurant phrases in Bulgarian that will help you order your food and eat “intelligently” while you are in Bulgaria.
BulgarianPod101 will help you gain more confidence when you have to book a table in a Bulgarian restaurant, ask for a menu, order foods and drinks or ask for the bill by helping you learn a lot of travel phrases. It provides you with some useful dialogues as examples that will help you see how to use the basic Bulgarian restaurant phrases in a context.
Thus, apart from tasting the best Bulgarian national dishes, your time eating out in Bulgaria can become a practical exercise that will help you further develop comprehensive Bulgarian speaking skills. This ultimate guide that includes useful Bulgarian restaurant conversation phrases and some great Bulgarian learning tips will take you through all the stages – from entering a chosen restaurant to saying goodbye.
Table of Contents- How to book a table in a restaurant?
- What to say when you enter a restaurant?
- It’s time to order
- It’s time to pay the bill
- For people with special nutritional considerations
- What types of restaurants can you find in Bulgaria?
- How BulgarianPod101 Can Help You Learn Bulgarian?
1. How to book a table in a restaurant?
Let’s start first with the right way to book a table in a Bulgarian restaurant. We will provide you with a list of Bulgarian restaurant phrases for booking a table and then a dialogue example that shows exactly how to use these phrases during a real phone conversation.
A- List of Bulgarian Restaurant Phrases
Keep in mind that many of these suggested phrases are models. We provide different choices for each model for you to choose from based on your specific situation.
Bulgarian Restaurant Phrases | Pronunciation | English translation |
Маса за … (двама, трима, четирима), моля! | Masa za … (dvama, trima, chetirima), molya! | Table for … (two, three, four), please! |
Мога ли да резервирам маса за …. (понеделник/вторник/сряда/ четвъртък/петък/събота/неделя) вечерта? | Moga li da rezerviram masa za …. (ponedelnik/vtornik/sryada/ chetvartak/petak/sabota/nedelya) vecherta? | Can I book a table for …. (Monday / Tuesday / Wednesday / Thursday / Friday / Saturday / Sunday) evening? |
Имате ли свободна маса… (в залата за непушачи/на терасата/до прозореца)? | Imate li svobodna masa… (v zalata za nepushachi/na terasata/do prozoretsa)? | Do you have a free table… (in the non-smoking area/on the balcony/by the window)? |
Имате ли свободна маса за… (6 / 7/ 8/ 9) часа вечерта днес? | Imate li svobodna masa za … (shest/sedem/osem/devet) chasa vecherta dnes? | Do you have a free table for (6 / 7/ 8/ 9) pm tonight? |
Искам да резервирам маса за вторник от 5 часа вечерта. | Iskam da rezerviram masa za vtornik ot 5 chasa vecherta. | I want to book a table for Tuesday at 5 p.m. |
Необходимо ли е предварително заплащане за резервацията? | Neobhodimo li e predvaritelno zaplashtane za rezervatsiyata? | Is paying in advance required for the reservation? |
Моля, потвърдете резервацията ми за маса в ресторанта. | Molya, potvardete rezervatsiyata mi za masa v restoranta. | Please confirm my table reservation at the restaurant. |
- ➜ You can take a look at the guide on telling time in Bulgarian if you are not sure how to say the exact time in Bulgarian for which you need to book a table in a restaurant.
B- Dialogue Example
- Здравейте, мога ли да запазя маса за двама?
Zdraveiyte, moga li da zapazya masa za dvama?
Hello, can I reserve a table for two?
- Разбира се, за кога ви трябва?
Razbira se, za koga vi tryabva?
Of course, when do you need it?
- За вторник от 7 часа вечерта.
Za vtornik ot sedem chasa vecherta.
On Tuesday at 7 p.m.
- Къде предпочитате да е разположена – вътре или на терасата?
Kade predpochitate da e razpolozhena – vatre ili na terasata?
Where would you prefer it to be – indoors or on the balcony?
- Предпочитам вътрешна маса, до прозореца!
Predpochitam vatreshna masa, do prozoretsa!
I prefer an indoor table by the window!
- Масата Ви е резервирана!
Masata Vi e rezervirana!
Your table is booked!
- Много благодаря!
Mnogo blagodarya!
Thank you very much!
2. What to say when you enter a restaurant?
Let’s assume that you have booked your table in a restaurant and you enter the chosen Bulgarian restaurant at the appointed time. What can you say in that case?
A- List of Bulgarian Restaurant Phrases
Bulgarian Restaurant Phrases | Pronunciation | English translation |
Имам резервирана маса за 7 часа. | Imam rezervirana masa za sedem chasa! | I booked a table for 7 pm. |
Казвам се Джон Смит. | Kazvam se Dzhon Smit. | My name is John Smith. |
Благодаря! | Blagodarya | Thank you! |
Now let’s see how these phrases are used in a conversation.
B- Dialogue Example
- Здравейте, имам резервирана маса за 7 часа.
Zdraveiyte, Imam rezervirana masa za sedem chasa.
Hello, I booked a table for 7 pm.
- Здравейте, Вашето име, моля?
Zdraveiyte, Vasheto ime, molya?
Hello, your name, please?
- Джон Смит.
Dzhon Smit.
John Smith.
- Г-н Смит, Вашата маса е ето там. Заповядайте!
Gospodin Smit, Vashata masa e eto tam. Zapovyadayte!
Mr. Smith, your table is over there. Come on in!
- Благодаря!
Blagodarya!
Thanks!
- ➜ This lesson prepared by BulgarianPod101 will help you answer the first question you are asked at a restaurant.
3. It’s time to order
When you have taken a seat at your booked table, it is time to order. How to do that the correct way? Let’s start with the very first phrases.
A- How to start?
Bulgarian Restaurant Phrases | Pronunciation | English translation |
Може ли менюто, ако обичате? | Mozhe li menyuto, ako obichate? | Can I have the menu, please? |
Мога ли да получа менюто? | Moga li da polucha menyuto? | Can I have the menu? |
Менюто, ако обичате! | Menyuto, ako obichate! | The menu, please! |
Now let’s see how these phrases are used in a conversation.
B- Dialogue Example
- Може ли менюто, ако обичате?
Mozhe li menyuto, ako obichate?
Can I have the menu, please?
- Разбира се! Ето, заповядайте! След малко ще се върна за поръчката.
Razbira se! Eto, zapovyadayte! Sled malko shte se varna za porachkata.
Of course! Here you are! I’ll be back for the order in a moment.
- ➜ You can find even more useful Bulgarian phrases on how to place an order in a restaurant in this lesson.
C- How to order drinks?
Let’s start with a list of drinks in Bulgarian that you can use when you order drinks:
Bulgarian Restaurant Phrases | Pronunciation | English translation |
бира | bira | beer |
вино | vino | wine |
безалкохолна напитка | bezalkoholna napitka | soft-drink |
минерална вода | mineralna voda | mineral water |
сок | sok | juice |
чай | chay | tea |
уиски | uiski | whiskey |
айрян | ayryan | ayran |
- ➜ Learn about Bulgarian beverages in the following lesson.
D- Dialogue Example
- Желаете ли нещо за пиене?
Zhelaete li neshto za piene?
Would you like something to drink?
- Да, за мен портокалов сок, ако обичате, а за жена ми – един айрян.
Da, za men portokalov sok, ako obichate, a za zhena mi – edin ayryan.
Yes, for me, orange juice, please, and for my wife – ayran.
E- How to order food?
Here is a list of basic Bulgarian restaurant words and phrases that you can use to order food in a restaurant.
Bulgarian Restaurant Phrases | Pronunciation | English translation |
специалитетът на заведението | spetsialitetat na zavedenieto | the specialty of the restaurant |
първо | parvo | first course |
второ | vtoro | second course |
десерт | desert | dessert |
супа | supa | soup |
искам да поръчам | iskam da poracham | I’d like to order |
- ➜ You are not sure how to order your favorite Bulgarian dish? Then, take a look at this lesson prepared by BulgarianPod101.
F- Dialogue Example
- Избрахте ли си нещо за ядене?
Izbrahte li si neshto za yadene?
Did you choose something to eat?
- Да, за първо супа топчета за двама, ако обичате.
Da, za parvo supa topcheta za dvama, ako obichate.
Yes, for the first course a meatball soup for two, please.
- Добре, прието. За второ?
Dobre, prieto. Za vtoro?
Okay, I am writing it down. For the second course?
- Може ли да ми препоръчате нещо?
Mozhe li da mi preporachate neshto?
Can you recommend something to me?
- Мога да Ви препоръчам специалитета на заведението – гювече на фурна.
Moga da Vi preporacham spetsialiteta na zavedenieto – gyuveche na furna.
I can recommend the specialty of the restaurant – casserole in the oven.
- Чудесно, нека за второ бъде гювече на фурна за двама.
Chudesno, neka za vtoro bade gyuveche na furna za dvama.
Great, let the second course be a casserole in the oven for two.
- Искате ли нещо за десерт?
Iskate li neshto za desert?
Would you like something for dessert?
- Да, две парчета бисквитена торта.
Da, dve parcheta biskvitena torta.
Yes, two pieces of biscuit cake.
- Желаете ли още нещо?
Zhelaete li oshte neshto?
Would you like something else?
- Не, това е всичко. Благодаря.
Ne, tova e vsichko. Blagodarya.
No, that’s all. Thanks.
- И аз благодаря. Поръчката Ви е приета.
I az blagodarya. Porachkata Vi e prieta.
Thank you, too. Your order has been placed.
4. It’s time to pay the bill
Here is a list of useful Bulgarian restaurant phrases that you can use to pay your bill in a restaurant.
A- List of Bulgarian Restaurant Phrases
Bulgarian Restaurant Phrases | Pronunciation | English translation |
Сметката, моля. | Smetkata, molya. | The bill, please. |
Приемате ли плащане с карта? | Priemate li plashtane s karta? | Do you accept paying by card? |
Предпочитам да платя в брой. | Predpochitam da platya v broy. | I prefer to pay in cash. |
Можем ли да платим отделно? | Mozhem li da platim otdelno? | Can we pay separately? |
Запазете рестото. | Zapazete restoto. | Keep the change. |
B- Dialogue Example
- Сметката, моля.
Smetkata, molya.
The bill, please.
- Заповядайте. Как предпочитате да платите – с карта или в брой?
Zapovyadayte. Kak predpochitate da platite – s karta ili v broy?
Here you are. How do you prefer to pay – by card or in cash?
- В брой. Запазете рестото.
V broy. Zapazete restoto.
In cash. Keep the change.
- Благодаря. Приятен ден!
Blagodarya. Priyaten den!
Thanks. Have a nice day!
- И аз благодаря за обслужването. Лека работа!
I az blagodarya za obsluzhvaneto. Leka rabota!
Thank you, too, for your service. Have a nice shift!
5. For people with special nutritional considerations
Some people might have some health conditions like allergies or specific food intolerance that require special nutritional considerations. Here are some useful phrases that will help you make your order in cases like that.
Bulgarian Restaurant Phrases | Pronunciation | English translation |
Имате ли вегетарианско/веганско меню? | Imate li vegetariansko/vegansko menyu? | Do you have a vegetarian/vegan menu? |
Имате ли безмесни ястия? | Imate li bezmesni yastiya? | Do you have meat-free dishes? |
Имам алергия към ядките. Може ли да ми препоръчате нещо без никакви ядки? | Imam alergiya kam yadkite. Mozhe li da mi preporachate neshto bez nikakvi yadki? | I have an allergy to nuts. Can you recommend something without any nuts? |
Имам непоносимост към лактозата. Имате ли нещо, в което няма млечни? | Imam neponosimost kam laktozata. Imate li neshto, v koeto nyama mlechni? | I have lactose intolerance. Do you have something in which there is no dairy? |
Имате ли салати без сирене? | Imate li salati bez sirene? | Do you have salads without cheese? |
Мога ли да помоля в моята пица да не слагате домати? | Moga li da pomolya v moyata pitsa da ne slagate domati? | Can I ask you not to put tomatoes on my pizza? |
6. What types of restaurants can you find in Bulgaria?
Bulgaria offers different restaurant types that you might consider. Let’s take a look at the most popular ones, so you can choose where to go out for dinner during your stay in Bulgaria.
Classic restaurants – These restaurants are the most widespread and offer a wide range of high-quality cuisine, confectionery, desserts, fruits, specialties, dishes, pasta, and soft and alcoholic beverages. These restaurants create a great dining environment and are often used for weddings, anniversaries, and other special events to where many guests are invited.
Specialized restaurants – There are many fish restaurants, as well as grill restaurants that offer a menu with the main ingredient respectively, fish and grilled meat.
Bulgarian national cuisine restaurants – These restaurants are a great place to get acquainted with the unique Bulgarian dishes.
Restaurants with foreign cuisine – European, French, Italian, Chinese, Japanese, etc. These types of restaurants offer dishes that are typical for the corresponding foreign national cuisines.
Attraction-themed restaurants – These restaurants feature a specific architectural interior and exterior, such as restaurants on a ship or frigate, and usually, dining is accompanied by a special musical program.
7. How BulgarianPod101 Can Help You Learn Bulgarian?
The restaurant phrases in Bulgarian included in this ultimate Bulgarian travel guide will help you book a table in a restaurant on your own, as well as order food and beverages and have a more fulfilling dining experience. It will help you also combine pleasure and business – practice all those most common restaurant phrases in Bulgarian and at the same time have a wonderful dinner.
BulgarianPod101 has prepared this guide to help you learn Bulgarian restaurant phrases, or so you can refer to them whenever you need them.
Of course, if you don’t feel like this information is enough to meet your language needs, you can find a native Bulgarian teacher from the MyTeacher section. This language expert will get you acquainted with grammar rules and with new Bulgarian vocabulary that you will need on a daily basis in real-life situations and will accelerate your Bulgarian language learning.
We would be happy to hear your feedback about this review. Please do not hesitate to share your thoughts with us in the comments below.
How to Improve Your Bulgarian Conversational Skills
Have you ever been in a situation when you have something important to say to your Bulgarian friend, but you cannot do that due to a lack of Bulgarian vocabulary or conversation skills in Bulgarian? If so, then you have experienced that sense of helplessness, knowing that saying “never mind” is not an option.
Developing speaking skills in Bulgarian is a must if you would like to have full-fledged communication with Bulgarians. This will help you not only understand what they say to you but also express your thoughts, needs and emotions.
In this comprehensive guide on Bulgarian conversational skills prepared by BulgarianPod101, you will learn how to make your own Bulgarian profile, how to react to your interlocutor’s words who is a Bulgarian native speaker based on the situation, what filler words you can use to speak just like Bulgarians and much more. In addition, you will gain more confidence when you start a conversation in Bulgarian.
This guide is perfect for beginner and intermediate-level learners who would like to jump over the language barrier and start communicating. Don’t be afraid of making mistakes. They are a part of the Bulgarian language learning process, but they are also a way to progress. Remember one of the famous quotes of Thomas Edison, who said:
“Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.“
The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.
Table of Contents- Make Your Own Bulgarian Language Profile
- Learn Reactions in Bulgarian
- Learn Bulgarian Filler Words
- Learn Common Questions and Answers
- Learn Conversation Starters
- How to Improve Your Conversation Skills
- How BulgarianPod101 Can Help You Learn Bulgarian
1. Make Your Own Bulgarian Language Profile
Let’s start with introducing yourself in Bulgarian. Writing your own Bulgarian profile is an important skill that will help you introduce yourself in multiple cases. For this reason, we have prepared three different profile patterns – for a worker, a student, and a tourist. Let’s see how each of them can help you introduce yourself in Bulgarian. We also provide two Bulgarian profile cheat sheets for each pattern using male and female forms to help you understand how you can complete your Bulgarian profile on your own.
Moreover, if you are a complete beginner, you will find below a list of possible answers, which you can fill in the spaces to make your personal profile. So, let’s start with the profile pattern No.1:
Pattern 1: Bulgarian profile for workers
Здравейте, казвам се ________ _________ (full name) и съм от ___________ (country). Сега живея в __________ (city of Bulgaria). Преместих се тук преди ____ (number) месеца/години. Работя като _______ (profession). Обичам да _________ (your hobby).
Zdraveyte, kazvam se ________ _________ (full name) i sam ot ___________ (country). Sega zhiveya v __________ (city of Bulgaria). Premestih se tuk predi ____ (number) mesetsa/godini. Rabotya kato _______ (profession). Obicham da _________ (your hobby).
Hello, my name is ________ _________ (full name) and I am from ___________ (country). Now I live in __________ (city of Bulgaria). I moved here ____ (number) months/years ago. I work as a _______ (profession). I love to _________ (your hobby).
Example 1: Cheat Profile for a Male Worker
Здравейте, казвам се Джон Браун и съм от Англия. Сега живея в Пловдив. Преместих се тук преди 5 месеца. Работя като програмист. Обичам да колекционирам стари монети. |
Zdraveyte, kazvam se Dzhon Braun i sam ot Angliya. Sega zhiveya v Plovdiv. Premestih se tuk predi pet mesetsa. Rabotya kato programist. Obicham da kolektsioniram stari moneti. |
Hello, my name is John Brown and I’m from England. Now I live in Plovdiv. I moved here 5 months ago. I work as a programmer. I like to collect old coins. |
Example 2: Cheat Profile for a Female Worker
Здравейте, казвам се Ана Мария и съм от Полша. Сега живея във Варна. Преместих се тук преди 3 години. Работя като преводач. Обичам да ходя на планина. |
Zdraveyte, kazvam se Ana Mariya i sam ot Polsha. Sega zhiveya vav Varna. Premestih se tuk predi tri godini. Rabotya kato prevodach. Obicham da hodya na planina. |
Hello, my name is Anna Maria and I am from Poland. Now I live in Varna. I moved here 3 years ago. I work as a translator. I like to go to the mountains. |
We provide you with a few lists below that will help you complete your Bulgarian personal profile easier.
- ★ List of Countries
Англия Австрия Германия Франция Италия Русия Турция Финландия | Angliya Avstriya Germaniya Frantsiya Italiya Rusiya Turtsiya Finlandiya | England Austria Germany France Italy Russia Turkey Finland |
- ➜ If you cannot find your country in the list, you can check the following lesson that contains the Bulgarian names of 108 world countries.
- ★ List of Popular Bulgarian Cities
София Пловдив Варна Бургас Русе Силистра Велико Търново Габрово Стара Загора Нова Загора Кюстендил Сливен | Sofiya Plovdiv Varna Burgas Ruse Silistra Veliko Tarnovo Gabrovo Stara Zagora Nova Zagora Kyustendil Sliven | Sofia Plovdiv Varna Burgas Ruse Silistra Veliko Tarnovo Gabrovo Stara Zagora Nova Zagora Kyustendil Sliven |
- ➜ Follow this link to find out Top 10 Bulgarian Regions and Cities.
- ★ List of Professions
фризьор учител преводач програмист шофьор продавач бизнесмен журналист лекар мениджър | frizyor uchitel prevodach programist shofyor prodavach biznesmen zhurnalist lekar menidzhar | hairdresser teacher translator programmer driver seller businessman journalist doctor manager |
- ➜ You can find even more occupation-related vocabulary in the following list prepared by BulgarianPod101.
- ★ List of Hobbies
колекционирам пощенски марки колекционирам стари монети ходя на планина плета правя играчки играя на компютърни игри гледам филми чета книги пътувам в различни страни ходя на риболов карам ски карам колело | kolektsioniram poshtenski marki kolektsioniram stari moneti hodya na planina pleta pravya igrachki igraya na kompyutarni igri gledam filmi cheta knigi patuvam v razlichni strani hodya na ribolov karam ski karam kolelo | to collect stamps to collect old coins to go to the mountain to knit to make toys to play computer games to watch movies to read books to travel to different countries to go fishing to ski to ride a bike |
- ➜ You can watch the following video to learn how to talk about your hobbies in Bulgarian.
These lists will help you complete the profile pattern on your own. And now, we can move to the next pattern.
Pattern 2: Bulgarian profile for students
Здравейте, аз съм ________ _________ (full name) и съм от ___________ (country). Аз съм студент по ___________ (specialty) в университета в ___________ (city). Следвам за _______ (profession). Обичам да _______ (your hobby).
Zdraveyte, az sam ________ _________ (full name) i sam ot ___________ (country). Az sam student po ___________ (specialty) v universiteta v ___________ (city). Sledvam za _______ (profession). Obicham da _______ (your hobby).
Hi, I’m ________ _________ (full name) and I’m from ___________ (country). I am a student of ___________ (specialty) at the university in ___________ (city). I’m studying for a _______ (profession). I love to _______ (your hobby).
Example 1: Cheat Profile for a Male Student
Здравейте, аз съм Матю Стивънс и съм от САЩ. Аз съм студент по медицина в университета в София. Следвам за доктор. Обичам да играя тенис. |
Zdraveyte, az sam Matyu Stivans i sam ot SASHT. Az sam student po meditsina v universiteta v Sofiya. Sledvam za doktor. Obicham da igraya tenis. |
Hi, I’m Matthew Stevens and I’m from the USA. I am a medical student at the University of Sofia. I’m studying to be a doctor. I like playing tennis. |
Example 2: Cheat Profile for a Female Student
Здравейте, казвам се Роуз Блек и съм от Мексико. Аз съм студентка по финанси в университета в Русе. Следвам за банкер. Обичам да карам колело. |
Zdraveyte, kazvam se Rouz Blek i sam ot Meksiko. Az sam studentka po finansi v universiteta v Ruse. Sledvam za banker. Obicham da karam kolelo. |
Hello, my name is Rose Black and I’m from Mexico. I am a student of finance at the University of Ruse. I’m studying to be a banker. I like bike riding. |
Pattern 3: Bulgarian profile for tourists
Здравейте, аз съм _________ (full name) и съм от ___________ (country). Аз съм в България като турист и съм в ___________ (city) за ___________ (number) дни/седмици. ___________ (city) много ми харесва и хората тук са много мили. Ще се радвам отново да посетя България някой ден.
Zdraveyte, az sam _________ (full name) i sam ot ___________ (country). Az sam v Balgariya kato turist i sam v ___________ (city) za ___________ (number) dni/sedmitsi. ___________ (city) mnogo mi haresva i horata tuk sa mnogo mili. Shte se radvam otnovo da posetya Balgariya nyakoy den.
Hello, I am _________ (full name) and I’m from ___________ (country). I am in Bulgaria as a tourist and I will stay in ___________ (city) for ___________ (number) days / weeks. I like ___________ (city) very much and the people here are very nice. I will be happy to visit Bulgaria again some day.
Example 1: Cheat Profile for a Male Tourist
Здравейте, аз съм Юки и съм от Япония. Аз съм в България като турист и съм в Пловдив за две седмици. Пловдив много ми харесва и хората тук са много мили. Ще се радвам отново да посетя България някой ден. |
Zdraveyte, az sam Yuki i sam ot Yaponiya. Az sam v Balgariya kato turist i sam v Plovdiv za dve sedmitsi. Plovdiv mnogo mi haresva i horata tuk sa mnogo mili. Shte se radvam otnovo da posetya Balgariya nyakoy den. |
Hi, I’m Yuki and I’m from Japan. I am in Bulgaria as a tourist and I am in Plovdiv for two weeks. I like Plovdiv very much and the people here are very nice. I will be happy to visit Bulgaria again one day. |
Example 2: Cheat Profile for a Female Tourist
Здравейте, аз съм Вероника Луиз и съм от Франция. Аз съм в България като турист и съм в Бургас за 5 дни. Бургас много ми харесва и хората тук са много мили. Ще се радвам отново да посетя България някой ден. |
Zdraveyte, az sam Veronika Luiz i sam ot Frantsiya. Az sam v Balgariya kato turist i sam v Burgas za pet dni. Burgas mnogo mi haresva i horata tuk sa mnogo mili. Shte se radvam otnovo da posetya Balgariya nyakoy den. |
Hello, I’m Veronica Louise and I’m from France. I am in Bulgaria as a tourist and I am in Burgas for 5 days. I like Burgas very much and the people here are very nice. I will be happy to visit Bulgaria again one day. |
2. Learn Reactions in Bulgarian
How would you react to the information your Bulgarian interlocutor says to you? We prepared four different categories of reactions based on the situation. Let’s study each one of them along with the examples.
Category 1: Reaction of astonishment & excitement
Така ли? Taka li? Really? | Наистина ли? Naistina li? Really? |
Example:
Vchera si kupih nova kola! I bought a new car yesterday! – Така ли? Честито! Taka li? Chestito! Really? Congratulations! | Example:
Utre imam rozhden den! Tomorrow is my birthday! – Наистина ли? Чудесно! Значи ще празнуваме! Naistina li? Chudesno! Znachi shtе praznuvame! Really? Great! So we will celebrate! |
Category 2: Reaction of shared joy
Това е страхотно! Tova e strahotno! That is great! | Чудесно! Chudesno! Great! |
Example 1
Sledvashtiyat mesets smyatam da se zhenya! I plan to get married next month! – Това е страхотно! Tova e strahotno! That is great! | Example 2
Dnes si vzeh izpita v universiteta! Today I passed my university exam! – Чудесно! Радвам се за теб! Chudesno! Radvam se za teb! Great! I’m happy for you! |
Category 3: Neutral reactions
Разбирам. Razbiram. I see. | Ясно. Yasno. I see. |
Example:
Utre nyama da mozhe da izlezem, zashtoto imam mnogo za uchene. We won’t be able to go out tomorrow because I have to study a lot. – Разбирам. Razbiram. I see. | Example:
Dnes se nalaga da patuvam za Plovdiv. Today I have to travel to Plovdiv. – Ясно. Yasno. I see. |
Category 4: Reaction of empathy
Много съжалявам. Mnogo sazhalyavam. I’m very sorry. | Това е много тъжно. Tova e mnogo tazhno. This is very sad. |
Example:
Vchera padnah i si schupih rakata. Yesterday I fell and broke my hand. – Много съжалявам. Mnogo sazhalyavam. I’m very sorry. | Example:
Bashtata na moya sased pochina. My neighbor’s father died. – Това е много тъжно. Tova e mnogo tazhno. This is very sad. |
3. Learn Bulgarian Filler Words
Bulgarian filler words help you not only understand what your Bulgarian interlocutor says to you but also help you learn to speak Bulgarian. Here is a list of the most popular Bulgarian filler words, along with examples of how to use them.
ами ami well * Note: this filler word usually is placed in the beginning of the sentence and a person usually uses it as a beginning of the answer to someone’s question. |
Example:
Kakvo stana vchera na praznenstvoto? What happened at the party yesterday? – Ами, всичко беше добре. Ami, vsichko beshe dobre. Well, everything was fine. |
виж vizh look * Note: this filler word is also usually placed in the beginning as a way to start a sentence that argues someone’s opinion. |
Example:
Az smyatam, che chovek ne mozhe da bade shtastliv, ako e beden. I believe that one cannot be happy if he is poor. – Виж, по принцип е така, но от друга страна щастието не се крие в парите. Vizh, po printsip e taka, no ot druga strana shtastieto ne se krie v parite. Look, generally this is true, but on the other hand, happiness doesn’t depend on money. |
такова takova No English equivalent * Note: this filler word is used in place of any word that a person is struggling to remember while he is speaking. |
Example: Отивам аз вчера на такова… на магазина и там продават такова… стоки за бита. Otivam az vchera na takova… na magazina i tam prodavat takova… stoki za bita. I went to… to a store yesterday and they were selling… household goods there. |
абе abe well * Note: this filler word is quite similar to ами but is used in “low culture” speech. |
Example:
Abe, nyama kakvo da ti obyasnyavam. Otivay da si varshish rabotata. Well, I don’t have time to explain to you. Go and do your job. |
нали nali you know * Note: this filler word is used to make the interlocutor agree with the speaker’s opinion |
Example:
Kogato vchera otidoh nali na partito, imashe mnogo hora nali i se zapoznah s edno momiche. When I went to the party yesterday, you know, there were a lot of people, you know, and I met a girl. |
When I went to the party yesterday, you know, there were a lot of people, you know, and I met a girl.
- ➜ For more Bulgarian filler words and a detailed explanation of their meaning, please go to this comprehensive Bulgarian filler word guide.
4. Learn Common Questions and Answers
Let’s now learn the most common questions you are likely to be asked when you first meet someone and possible common answers to them. They will help you feel more confident in your first conversations with Bulgarian people.
Questions | Answers |
Kak si? How are you? |
Dobre sam, blagodarya. I’m fine, thanks. – Горе-долу. Gore-dolu. So-so. |
Ot kade si? Where are you from? |
Ot Polsha. From Poland. |
Kakvo pravish? What are you doing? |
Rabotya. I work. – Уча. Ucha. I study. |
Kak nauchi balgarski? How did you learn Bulgarian? |
S uchitel. With a teacher. – Учих самостоятелно. Uchih samostoyatelno. I studied on my own. |
Zashto uchish balgarski ezik? Why do you study Bulgarian? |
Haresvam Balgariya. I like Bulgaria. – Искам да живея в България. Iskam da zhiveya v Balgariya. I want to live in Bulgaria. |
I like Bulgaria.
- ➜ You can find more questions and answers prepared for you by BulgarianPod101 in the following article.
5. Learn Conversation Starters
It is always of great benefit to know a few conversation starters, so you can naturally start a conversation with other people. Here is a list of 6 conversation starters you can use in different situations.
За къде пътувате? Za kade patuvate? Where are you traveling to? |
Кой номер автобус чакате? Koy nomer avtobus chakate? Which bus number are you waiting for? |
Извинете, колко е часът? Izvinete, kolko e chasat? Excuse me, what time is it? |
Искате ли да Ви помогна с багажа? Iskate li da Vi pomogna s bagazha? Would you like me to help you with your luggage? |
Знаете ли каква е прогнозата за времето днес? Znaete li kakva e prognozata za vremeto dnes? Do you know the weather forecast for today? |
Можете ли да ми кажете къде се намира банката? Mozhete li da mi kazhete kade se namira bankata? Can you tell me where the bank is? |
Can you tell me where the bank is?
- ➜ For more conversation starters divided into different categories based on the situation, please check this article.
6. How to Improve Your Conversation Skills
Beginners can take advantage of multiple language learning resources that can help them advance. You can follow these tips to improve Bulgarian conversational skills. Moreover, they could be used regardless of your current language level and will be a great step toward the next level.
Language learning is a combination of five essential elements, which include watching, reading, listening, writing, and speaking. To advance, you need to practice all of them on a daily basis – at least for 30 min a day. Which tools will help you practice these skills? Here is a list of them:
Watching
YouTube – You can use YouTube as a great source for educational videos. You can learn more about this option and find out the best Bulgarian YouTube channels for effective learning in the following article.
Movies – You can start watching interesting Bulgarian movies that will help you to get used to the language specifics and will enrich your vocabulary.
Flashcards – You can practice new Bulgarian words and phrases with flashcards. In this short video prepared by BulgarianPod101 you will find out 5 ways to learn Bulgarian with flashcards.
Vocabulary Lists – To make your own flashcards, you will need some vocabulary lists consisting of new words, their meaning and proper pronunciation.
TV shows – Watch entertaining TV shows in Bulgarian to advance even more.
Reading
Bulgarian books – reading Bulgarian books will help you improve your overall language skills, so don’t ignore this essential practice. You can learn here more about the top 10 Bulgarian writers.
Online news – You can also read daily news online.
Online translators – Google Translator and other online automatic translation tools can help you comprehend the meaning of a text with multiple unknown words and could be of help to language learners.
Listening
Podcasts – Podcasts are a great way to learn while you are on a go. This article will provide you with information about Bulgarian Podcasts that are worth listening to if you would like to learn the language.
Songs – You can take advantage of Bulgarian songs with subtitles to understand the lyrics and learn the language by listening to some great songs.
Writing
BulgarianPod101 – BulgarianPod101 is a great source for guides and lessons that have many practical exercises, including in writing that you can take advantage of practicing your writing skills.
Journaling – You can practice the new words by writing your own journal, trying to incorporate all the words you have learned in the text.
Chatting/Emailing – Having a Bulgarian friend with whom you can chat or maintain email correspondence will be of great help in developing your Bulgarian writing skills.
Speaking
Bulgarian friend – You can find a Bulgarian friend who can help you practice Bulgarian daily.
Learning partner – Another idea is to seek another person who is learning Bulgarian and try to practice the language together. This will be a great motivation for both of you.
Bulgarian teacher – You can take advantage of the lessons provided by a personal Bulgarian teacher who will tailor the lessons based on your level and needs.
7. How BulgarianPod101 Can Help You Learn Bulgarian
In this detailed guide prepared by BulgarianPod101 you can find out multiple ways to improve your conversational skills in Bulgarian. There are many patterns and examples to follow to be able to start a conversation with a friend or a person you don’t know yet. Thanks to this Bulgarian conversational skills guide, you can greatly improve your language knowledge on your own.
However, if you feel like it is not enough and you miss personal guidance, you can choose a professional Bulgarian native teacher from the MyTeacher section. He or she will help you move step by step toward your goal and even surpass it. Moreover, you will quickly gain the confidence you need to start practicing your knowledge in real-life conversations.
We would be happy to hear your feedback about this review and whether it was useful for finding the best way for improving Bulgarian conversational skills. Please do not hesitate to share your thoughts with us in the comments below.
Guide: How to Say Different Nationalities in Bulgarian
Do you like traveling and visiting different countries, meeting people from different nationalities and experiencing new things? If yes, you are definitely an adventurer! But how to share all those wonderful experiences with your Bulgarian friends?
Or maybe you are trying to apply for a Bulgarian citizenship and obtain a Bulgarian passport? There are some requirements you have to meet in order to obtain citizenship in Bulgaria. Yet, you may be interested in how Bulgarian citizens live. Or you might even have ancestors who are from Bulgaria and now you are trying to obtain citizenship by origin? So it is important for you to learn Bulgarian language better.
If so, you are at the right place and in this guide you will be able to learn the countries and their nationalities in Bulgarian. This basic guide prepared by BulgarianPod101 will help you say your nationality and your country, as well as many of the other countries you have visited or wish to visit, in the local tongue.
Although studying countries and nationalities is considered a basic level of language knowledge, it can be really challenging for the foreigners to form the correct nationality word deriving from the country’s name. The reason for this is that forming nationalities in Bulgarian from countries doesn’t have any specific rules to follow, which means that you just have to memorize them and get used to the forms.
To make the process easier, we suggest you use flashcards to learn Bulgarian nationalities. How to do that? Prepare small blank cards, write on one side a country in Bulgarian and on the opposite side the corresponding nationality. Such flash cards will help you a lot with memorizing countries and nationalities in Bulgarian.
Besides, we have added a lot of exercises to help you practice and easier learn this new information. Don’t forget to have fun, while learning the Bulgarian nationalities’ vocabulary presented here.
Table of Contents- Continents and Countries
- Top 10 Nationalities in Bulgaria
- How to Ask Someone About Their Nationality
- How to Tell Someone Your Nationality
- Country, City, Nationality and Language in Bulgarian
- How BulgarianPod101 Can Help You Learn Bulgarian
- Answers to Practical Exercises
1. Continents and Countries
Before starting with the countries, let’s see how to say each of the continents in Bulgarian.
A- World’s Continents
The world’s continents below are arranged according to their population starting with the most populated continent and reaching the least populated one. In fact, the last of them – Antarctica – has only around 1000 inhabitants in the winter.
Bulgarian | Pronunciation | English |
Азия | Aziya | Asia |
Африка | Afrika | Africa |
Европа | Evropa | Europe |
Северна Америка | Severna Amerika | North America |
Южна Америка | Yuzhna Amerika | South America |
Австралия | Avstraliya | Australia |
Антарктида | Antarktida | Antarctica |
- ➜ This lesson prepared by BulgarianPod101 will help you learn more about world continents and their territories.
Note 1: You may already have noticed that all the continents in Bulgarian end on an -а, which means all of them are in female form. This fact will help you when you try to use them in a sentence. Let’s review a few examples:
- Африка е богата на полезни изкопаеми.
(Afrika e bogata na polezni izkopaemi)
Africa is rich in resources.
Note 2: Since the content of Africa is female in Bulgarian, the adjective used to describe it will also be in a female form, i.e. ending with an -а. Here is another example:
- Азия е по-голяма по територия от Европа.
(Aziya e po-golyama po teritoriya ot Evropa)
Asia is larger in territory than Europe.
* Now it’s your turn! Knowing this rule, try to write the correct form of the adjective in the following sentence:
- Австралия е (разположен) изцяло в южното полукълбо.
(Avstraliya e (razpolozhen) iztsyalo v yuzhnoto polukalbo.)
Australia is located entirely in the Southern Hemisphere.
You can check if your answer is correct at the very end of this review.
B- Countries
Countries in the Bulgarian language are assigned a grammatical gender. Here are examples for all three genders:
Male Forms of Countries
Bulgarian | Pronunciation | English |
Израел | Izrael | Israel |
Египет | Egipet | Egypt |
Казахстан | Kazahstan | Kazakhstan |
Ливан | Livan | Lebanon |
Китай | Kitay | China |
Виетнам | Vietnam | Vietnam |
- Египет е тайнствен и крие много изненади.
(Egipet e taynstven i krie mnogo iznenadi)
Egypt is mysterious and hides many surprises.
- Големият Казахстан граничи с Русия и Китай.
(Golemiyat Kazahstan granichi s Rusiya i Kitay)
Great Kazakhstan borders Russia and China.
As you can see from the examples above, the forms of adjectives are also male since the countries are in male forms.
Female Forms of Countries
Bulgarian | Pronunciation | English |
България | Balgariya | Bulgaria |
Япония | Yaponiya | Japan |
Русия | Rusiya | Russia |
Австрия | Avstriya | Austria |
Финландия | Finlandiya | Finland |
Австралия | Avstraliya | Australia |
Just like continents are in female form, these countries are also female. So we prepared an exercise here for you, which is identical to the continents.
* Open the brackets below placing the adjective in the correct form.
- България е изключително (красив).
(Balgariya e izklyuchitelno (krasiv))
Bulgaria is extremely beautiful.
- Страната на изгряващото слънце е (далечeн) Япония.
(Stranata na izgryavashtoto slantse e (dalechen) Yaponiya)
The country of the rising sun is distant Japan.
You can check if your answers are correct at the very end of this review.
Neutral Forms of Countries
Bulgarian | Pronunciation | English |
Монако | Monako | Monaco |
Косово | Kosovo | Kosovo |
Мароко | Maroko | Morocco |
Мексико | Meksiko | Mexico |
Note that the neutral form of the adjective ends in -o.
- Монако е много малко по територия, но е най-гъсто населената държава в света.
(Monako e mnogo malko po teritoriya, no e nay-gasto naselenata darzhava v sveta.)
Monaco is very small in territory, but is the most densely populated country in the world.
- Косово е разположено на Балканския полуостров.
(Kosovo e razpolozheno na Balkanskiya poluostrov)
Kosovo is located on the Balkan Peninsula.
C- How to form adjectives from the countries in Bulgarian?
Tip: Unlike in English, in Bulgarian the adjectives formed from the coutries are written with a small letter.
Forming Adjectives from Male Forms of Countries
We already reviewed some countries and their genders. Now, let’s try to make an adjective out of the country. In fact, that is easy for a male form. All you need to do is to add -ски at the end and replace the capital letter with a small letter.
We will make a few examples and then leave the rest to you.
* Try to complete the table yourself.
Bulgarian | Pronunciation | English |
Израел + ски – израелски | izraelski | Israeli |
Египет + ски – египетски | egipetski | Egyptian |
Казахстан | Kazakh | |
Ливан | Lebanese | |
Китай | Chinese | |
Виетнам | Vietnamese |
Forming Adjectives from Female Forms of Countries
For the female form of countries, we need to remove the ending -ия and then add -ски.
* Following the model, try to finish the table yourself. See the notes for the exceptions below:
Българ | balgarski | Bulgarian |
Япония | Japanese | |
Финландия | Finland | |
Рус | ruski | Russian |
Note that руски is written with one -с instead of two “c” since in Bulgarian language there is no double consonant -c. Only the consonants -т and -н are doubled. So, writing русски is wrong. | ||
Австрия + ски – австрийски | avstriyski | Austrian |
Note that this adjective cannot be австрски because of accumulation of too many consonants and inability to pronounce it correctly. For euphony -ий is added before -ски. The same is the case with Австралия. Complete it below. | ||
Австралия | Australian |
Forming Adjectives from Neutral Forms of Countries
To form adjectives from these countries, remove the ending -o and add -ски. Another model to form adjectives from neutral forms of countries is given with Maроко.
* There are two adjectives for you to compete, following the model.
Монак | monakski | Monégasque, Monacan |
Косово | Kosovar | |
Марок | marokanski | Moroccan |
Besides Мароко, Мексико also follows this model. Try to make an adjective on your own. | ||
Мексико | Mexican |
You can check if your answers are correct at the very end of this review.
- ➜ Can you find your country in this list of countries in Bulgarian language? If not, you might be interested to check if it presents in the following list of 18 world countries.
2. Top 10 Nationalities in Bulgaria
According to a research made in 2011, there are at least ten more nationalities living in Bulgaria besides Bulgarians. We present here these countries and the corresponding nationalities in both male and female forms starting with Bulgaria and Bulgarians.
Country | Nationality | Nationality in English | |
Male | Female | ||
България /Balgariya/ | българин /balgarin/ | българка /balgarka/ | Bulgarian |
Турция /Turtsiya/ | турчин /turchin/ | туркиня /turkinya/ | Turkish |
Румъния /Rumaniya/ | румънец /rumanets/ | румънка /rumanka/ | Romanian |
Русия /Rusiya/ | руснак /rusnak/ | рускиня /ruskinya/ | Russian |
Армения /Armeniya/ | арменец /armenets/ | арменка /armenka/ | Armenian |
Гърция /Gartsiya/ | грък /grak/ | гъркиня /garkinya/ | Grecian |
Украйна /Ukrayna/ | украинец /ukrainets/ | украинка /ukrainka/ | Ukrainian |
Молдова /Moldova/ | молдовец /moldovets/ | молдовка /moldovka/ | Moldovan |
Северна Македония /Severna Makedoniya/ | македонец /makedonets/ | македонка /makedonka/ | Macedonian |
Сърбия /Sarbiya/ | сърбин /sarbin/ | сръбкиня /srabkinya/ | Serbian |
Now it is your turn to practice these new words.
* Open the brackets choosing the correct form of nationality based on the sentence.
- Този мъж е (Bulgarian).
Tozi mazh e (Bulgarian).
This man is Bulgarian.
- Тя е (Macedonian), но нейният дядо е (Serbian).
Tya e (Macedonian), no neyniyat dyado e (Serbian).
She is Macedonian, but her grandfather is Serbian.
- Лорика е (Romanian), но е омъжена за (Russian).
Lorika e (Romanian), no e omazhena za (Russian).
Lorica is Romanian, but she is married to a Russian.
- Човекът, който се нанесе в съседната къща, е (Ukrainian).
Chovekat, koyto se nanese v sasednata kashta, e (Ukrainian).
The man who moved into the house next door is Ukrainian.
- Днес на пазара срещнах една (Turkish).
Dnes na pazara sreshtnah edna (Turkish).
Today I met a Turkish woman at the market.
Tip for the last sentence: To choose the correct form of nationality in the last sentence, pay attention to the translation.
You can check if your answers are correct at the very end of this review.
3. How to Ask Someone About Their Nationality
If you are curious about the nationality of your interlocutor, you can ask them about it in Bulgarian using one of the following ways:
- Откъде си?
(Otkade si)
Where are you from?
- От коя държава си?
(Ot koya darzhava si)
Which country are you from?
- Къде си роден?
(Kade si roden)
Where were you born?
- Каква е твоята националност?
(Kakva e tvoyata natsionalnost)
What is your nationality?
- Кой е родният ти език?
(Koy e rodniyat ti ezik)
What is your native language?
- Ти (nationality) ли си?
(Ti (nationality) li si)
Are you (nationality)?
- Ти от (country) ли си?
(Ti ot (country) li si)
Are you from (country)?
Let’s use the last two models to practice!
* Translate the following questions in Bulgarian using the models and the table with countries & nationalities from the precious section:
- Are you Ukrainian? (When you turn to a woman)
- Are you from Greece?
- Are you Serbian? (When you turn to a man)
- Are you from Armenia?
- Are you Turkish? (When you turn to a woman)
- Are you from Russia?
- Are you Macedonian? (When you turn to a man)
- Are you from Bulgaria?
4. How to Tell Someone Your Nationality
Now, let’s change the roles. If you are asked what your nationality is in Bulgarian, here are a few ways to answer this question.
- Аз съм (nationality).
(Az sam (nationality))
I am (nationality).
- Аз съм от (country).
(Az sam ot (country))
I am from (country).
- Роден съм в (country), но живея в (country).
(Roden sam v (country), no zhiveya v (country))
I was born in (country), but I live in (country).
- Имам двойно гражданство. Аз съм (nationality) и (nationality).
(Imam dvoyno grazhdanstvo. Az sam (nationality) i (nationality))
I have dual citizenship. I am (nationality) and (nationality).
Now, let’s practice these models.
* Using the table with countries and their nationalities in Bulgarian and models, translate the following sentences:
I am Bulgarian. (for a man)
I am Russian. (for a woman)
I am Turkish. (for a man)
I am Romanian. (for a woman)
I am from China.
I am from Russia.
I am from Mexico.
I am from Egypt.
I was born in Israel, but I live in Bulgaria.
I was born in Kazakhstan, but I live in Vietnam.
I have dual citizenship. I am Moldovan and Russian. (for a woman)
I have dual citizenship. I am Grecian and Armenian. (for a man)
I have dual citizenship. I am Serbian and Turkish. (for a woman)
- ➜ If your country is not in the list of top 10 nationalities in Bulgarian and you wonder what your nationality is in Bulgarian, you can check the following list of 35 nationalities prepared by BulgarianPod101.
5. Country, City, Nationality and Language in Bulgarian
Now, let’s add two more columns to the table – the capital city of the country and its language. It is easy to form the language of each country in Bulgarian: Just remove the ending of the country and add -ски.
For example:
България + -ски – български (balgarski) Bulgarian
Монголия + -ски – монголски (mongolski) Mongolian
Of course, there are some exceptions just like Turkish and Greek, given in the table below.
Tip: Please, note that the language in Bulgarian also starts with a small letter just like the nationality.
Now, let’s take a look at the table:
Country | Capital | Nationality | Language | Nationality in English | |
Male | Female | ||||
България /Balgariya/ | София | българин /balgarin/ | българка /balgarka/ | бългаски | Bulgarian |
Турция /Turtsiya/ | Анкара | турчин /turchin/ | туркиня /turkinya/ | турски | Turkish |
Румъния /Rumaniya/ | Букурещ | румънец /rumanets/ | румънка /rumanka/ | румънски | Romanian |
Русия /Rusiya/ | Москва | руснак /rusnak/ | рускиня /ruskinya/ | руски | Russian |
Армения /Armeniya/ | Ереван | арменец /armenets/ | арменка /armenka/ | арменски | Armenian |
Гърция /Gartsiya/ | Атина | грък /grak/ | гъркиня /garkinya/ | гръцки | Grecian |
Украйна /Ukrayna/ | Киев | украинец /ukrainets/ | украинка /ukrainka/ | украински | Ukrainian |
Молдова /Moldova/ | Кишинев | молдовец /moldovets/ | молдовка /moldovka/ | молдовски | Moldovan |
Северна Македония /Severna Makedoniya/ | Скопие | македонец /makedonets/ | македонка /makedonka/ | македонски | Macedonian |
Сърбия /Sarbiya/ | Белград | сърбин /sarbin/ | сръбкиня /srabkinya/ | сръбски | Serbian |
Let’s do some exercices, following the model:
Аз живея в (city) и говоря (language).
(Az zhiveya v (city) i govorya (language))
I live in (city) and speak (language).
Exercise 1: * Translate the following sentences in Bulgarian:
I live in Kiev and speak Ukrainian and Russian.
I live in Sofia and speak Bulgarian and Turkish.
I live in Belgrade and speak Serbian and Macedonian.
I live in Atina and speak Greek and Armenian.
Exercise 2: * Now try to form languages yourself from the following countries:
Япония
Финландия
Казахстан
Израел
Египет
Китай
Ливан
Tip: Note that you don’t have to change anything in the countries that are of male gender. Just add the ending -ски next to the country. Don’t forget to begin the language with a small letter.
Exercise 3: * In the last exercise try to form the male form of nationality from the following countries:
Япония
Финландия
Казахстан
Израел
Ливан
Tip: To do that just add the ending -ец to all of them. However, you need to remove the current ending of those countries that are in a female gender.
* When you are done, it’s time to form the female form of nationality from the same countries given above.
Tip: To do that just add the ending -ка to all of them. However, you need to remove the current ending of those countries that are in a female gender.
You can check whether your answers are correct at the end of this review.
- ➜ You might find this lesson about the gender of Bulgarian adjectives very helpful.
6. How BulgarianPod101 Can Help You Learn Bulgarian
Knowing nationalities in Bulgarian can be challenging but BulgarianPod101 prepared this guide to give you more confidence when you speak about your nationality in Bulgarian. Now you know how to say nationalities in Bulgarian male and female form for a great number of countries.
Yet, many exceptions related to countries, nationalities and languages in Bulgarian may be confusing, especially for beginner level learners. If that is the case, you may search for a teacher in the MyTeacher section and choose a Bulgarian native language expert to help you resolve all those difficulties you may come across during your study.
We would be happy to hear your feedback about this guide. Did you find the exercises easy or difficult? Which part do you find the most challenging? Please do not hesitate to share your thoughts with us in the comments below.
And now it’s time to check your answers to the practical exercises given above.
7. Answers to Practical Exercises
1. Continents and Countries
A- World’s Continents
- Австралия е разположена изцяло в южното полукълбо.
(Avstraliya e razpolozhena iztsyalo v yuzhnoto polukalbo)
Australia is located entirely in the southern hemisphere.
B- Countries
Female Forms of Countries
- България е изключително красива.
(Balgariya e izklyuchitelno krasiva)
Bulgaria is extremely beautiful.
- Страната на изгряващото слънце е далечна Япония.
(Stranata na izgryavashtoto slantse e dalechna Yaponiya)
The country of the rising sun is distant Japan.
C- How to form adjectives from the countries in Bulgarian?
Bulgarian | Pronunciation | English |
Израел + ски – израелски | izraelski | Israeli |
Египет + ски – египетски | egipetski | Egyptian |
Казахстан + ски – казахстански | kazahstanski | Kazakh |
Ливан + ски – ливански | livanski | Lebanese |
Китай + ски – китайски | kitayski | Chinese |
Виетнам + ски – виетнамски | vietnamski | Vietnamese |
Forming Adjectives from Female Forms of Countries
Българ | balgarski | Bulgarian |
Япон | yaponski | Japanese |
Финланд | finlandski | Finland |
Рус | ruski | Russian |
Note that руски is written with one -с instead of two c since in Bulgarian language there is no double consonant -c. Only the consonants -т and -н are doubled. So writing русски is wrong. | ||
Австрия + ски – австрийски | avstriyski | Austrian |
Note that this adjective cannot be австрски because of accumulation of too many consonants and inability to pronounce correctly. For euphony -ий is added before -ски. The same is the case with Австралия. | ||
Австралия + ски – австралийски | avstraliyski | Australian |
Forming Adjectives from Neutral Forms of Countries
Монак | monakski | Monégasque, Monacan |
Косов | kosovski | Kosovar |
Марок | marokanski | Moroccan |
Besides Мароко, Мексико also follows this model. Try to make an adjective on your own. | ||
Мексик | meksikanski | Mexican |
2. Top 10 Nationalities in Bulgaria
- Този мъж е българин.
Tozi mazh e balgarin.
This man is Bulgarian.
- Тя е македонка, но нейният дядо е сърбин.
Tya e makedonka, no neyniyat dyado e sarbin.
She is Macedonian, but her grandfather is Serbian.
- Лорика е румънка, но е омъжена за руснак.
Lorika e rumanka, no e omazhena za rusnak.
Lorica is Romanian, but she is married to a Russian.
- Човекът, който се нанесе в съседната къща, е украинец.
Chovekat, koyto se nanese v sasednata kashta, e ukrainets.
The man who moved into the house next door is Ukrainian.
- Днес на пазара срещнах една туркиня.
Dnes na pazara sreshtnah edna turkinya.
Today, I met a Turkish woman on the market.
3. How to Ask Someone Their Nationality
- Are you Ukrainian? (When you turn to a woman)
Ти украинка ли си?
(Ti ukrainka li si)
- Are you from Greece?
Ти от Гърция ли си?
(Ti ot Gartsiya li si)
- Are you Serbian? (When you turn to a man)
Ти сърбин ли си?
(Ti sarbin li si)
- Are you from Armenia?
Ти от Армения ли си?
(Ti ot Armeniya li si)
- Are you Turkish? (When you turn to a woman)
Ти туркиня ли си?
(Ti turkinya li si)
- Are you from Russia?
Ти от Русия ли си?
(Ti ot Rusiya li si)
- Are you Macedonian? (When you turn to a man)
Ти македонец ли си?
(Ti makedonets li si)
- Are you from Bulgaria?
Ти от България ли си?
(Ti ot Balgariya li si)
4. How to Tell Someone Your Nationality
I am Bulgarian. (for a man)
Аз съм българин.
Az sam balgarin.
I am Russian. (for a woman)
Аз съм рускиня.
Az sam ruskinya.
I am Turkish. (for a man)
Аз съм турчин.
Az sam turchin.
I am Romanian. (for a woman)
Аз съм румънка.
Az sam rumanka.
I am from China.
Аз съм от Китай.
Az sam ot Kitay.
I am from Russia.
Аз съм от Русия.
Az sam ot Rusiya.
I am from Mexico.
Аз съм от Мексико.
Az sam ot Meksiko.
I am from Egypt.
Аз съм от Египет.
Az sam ot Egipet.
I was born in Israel, but I live in Bulgaria.
Роден съм в Израел, но живея в България.
Roden sam v Izrael, no zhiveya v Balgariya.
I was born in Kazakhstan, but I live in Vietnam.
Роден съм в Казахстан, но живея във Виетнам.
Roden sam v Kazahstan, no zhiveya vav Vietnam.
I have dual citizenship. I am Moldovan and Russian. (for a woman)
Имам двойно гражданство. Аз съм молдовка и рускиня.
Imam dvoyno grazhdanstvo. Az sam moldovka i ruskinya.
I have dual citizenship. I am Grecian and Armenian. (for a man)
Имам двойно гражданство. Аз съм грък и арменец.
Imam dvoyno grazhdanstvo. Az sam grak i armenets.
I have dual citizenship. I am Serbian and Turkish. (for a woman)
Имам двойно гражданство. Аз съм сръбкиня и туркиня.
Imam dvoyno grazhdanstvo. Az sam srabkinya i turkinya.
5. Country, City, Nationality and Language in Bulgarian
Exercise 1
I live in Kiev and speak Ukrainian and Russian.
Аз живея в Киев и говоря украински и руски.
Az zhiveya v Kiev i govorya ukrainski i ruski.
I live in Sofia and speak Bulgarian and Turkish.
Аз живея в София и говоря български и турски.
Az zhiveya v Sofiya i govorya balgarski i turski.
I live in Belgrad and speak Serbian and Macedonian.
Аз живея в Белград и говоря сръбски и македонски.
Az zhiveya v Belgrad i govorya srabski i makedonski.
I live in Atina and speak Greek and Armenian.
Аз живея в Атина и говоря гръцки и арменски.
Az zhiveya v Atina i govorya gratski i armenski.
Exercise 2
Япония +ски – японски (yaponski)
Финландия +ски – финландски (finlandski)
Казахстан +ски – казахстански (kazahstanski)
Египет+ски – египетски (egipetski)
Китай +ски – китайски (kitayski)
Ливан +ски – ливански (livanski)
Exercise 3
Male form of Nationality
Япония +ец – японец (yaponets)
Финландия +ец – финландец (finlandets)
Казахстан +ец – казахстанец (kazahstanets)
Израел +ец – израелец (izraelets)
Ливан +ец – ливанец (livanets)
Female form of Nationality
Япония +ка – японка (yaponka)
Финландия +ка – финландка (finlandka)
Казахстан +ка – казахстанка (kazahstanka)
Израел +ка – израелка (izraelka)
Ливан +ка – ливанка (livanka)
Advanced Bulgarian Phrases: Become an Expert
Many language learners reach a middle level in their studies and stop advancing further because they lack confidence in their ability to succeed. But BulgarianPod101 is here to encourage you to reach even higher—because you can!
If you plan on working in Bulgaria, building a solid relationship with Bulgarian business partners, studying a major of choice in a Bulgarian university, or moving to Bulgaria for any other reason, we recommend you go through this comprehensive overview of advanced Bulgarian phrases. Memorizing and practicing these phrases will help you start speaking and writing like a native.
In this article, we will acquaint you with useful Bulgarian phrases for academic writing, composing your resume, applying for jobs, and having business meetings with your Bulgarian partners. At the end, you’ll also find some advanced idioms, sayings, and proverbs that Bulgarians use in their everyday speech. We hope that you enjoy this journey to the very top of Bulgarian language learning with us!
Become a Bulgarian language expert with us!
Table of Contents- Useful Phrases for Academic Writing
- Powerful Phrases for a Resume
- Smart Phrases for Business and Meetings
- Advanced Idioms, Sayings, and Proverbs for Everyday Usage
- How BulgarianPod101 Can Help You Learn Bulgarian
- Answers to Practical Exercises
1. Useful Phrases for Academic Writing
There are different types of academic writing that students might be asked to use during their studies in a Bulgarian university. That said, each type makes use of the most common advanced Bulgarian words and phrases in order to obtain an academic style. Let’s take a look at some of these advanced Bulgarian phrases for students, as they’ll be useful to know in a variety of academic contexts. To help you understand how to use them in a sentence, we have included examples.
1) When you need to make a conclusion based on a certain fact or piece of information, use the following academic phrases:
Bulgarian Academic Word/Phrase | Pronunciation | English Translation |
С оглед на | S ogled na | In view of |
Example | С оглед на казаното дотук можем да си извадим извода, че работодателят има право да наложи такива санкции. S ogled na kazanoto dotuk mozhem da si izvadim izvoda, che rabotodatelyat ima pravo da nalozhi takiva sanktsii. In view of what has been said so far, we can conclude that the employer has the right to impose such sanctions. |
Bulgarian Academic Word/Phrase | Pronunciation | English Translation |
В светлината на | V svetlinata na | In light of |
Example | В светлината на споделеното от него става ясно, че той не е предизвикал кризата. V svetlinata na spodelenoto ot nego stava yasno, che toy ne e predizvikal krizata. In light of what he shared, it is clear that he did not cause the crisis. |
2) When you need to quote or cite a certain person, use the following academic words and phrases:
Bulgarian Academic Word/Phrase | Pronunciation | English Translation |
според | spored | according to |
Example | Според Айнщайн вселената се състои от 3 пространствени измерения и 1 времево измерение. Spored Aynshtayn vselenata se sastoi ot tri prostranstveni izmereniya i edno vremevo izmerenie. According to Einstein, the universe consists of three spatial dimensions and one temporal dimension. |
Bulgarian Academic Word/Phrase | Pronunciation | English Translation |
заявява, че | zayavyava, che | states that |
Example | Айнщайн заявява, че е агностик в писмо от 1950 г. Aynshtayn zayavyava, che e agnostik v pismo ot 1950 godina. Einstein states that he is agnostic in a letter from 1950. |
3) When you need to include another important fact in your writing, use the following words and phrases:
Bulgarian Academic Word/Phrase | Pronunciation | English Translation |
в допълнение | v dopalnenie | in addition |
Example | В допълнение, струва си да приведем резултата от друго научно изследване. V dopalnenie, struva si da privedem rezultata ot drugo nauchno izsledvane. In addition, it is worth adding the result of another scientific study. |
Bulgarian Academic Word/Phrase | Pronunciation | English Translation |
нещо повече | neshto poveche | furthermore |
Example | Нещо повече, това ни навежда на мисълта, че в тази теория се крие и нещо друго. Neshto poveche, tova ni navezhda na misalta, che v tazi teoriya se krie i neshto drugo. Furthermore, this leads us to think that there is something else in this theory. |
Bulgarian Academic Word/Phrase | Pronunciation | English Translation |
трябва да се отбележи | tryabva da se otbelezhi | it should be noted |
Example | Трябва да се отбележи, че всички тези доказателства не са достатъчни, за да си направим цялостен извод. Tryabva da se otbelezhi, che vsichki tezi dokazatelstva ne sa dostatachni, za da si napravim tsyalosten izvod. It should be noted that all this evidence is not sufficient to draw a comprehensive conclusion. |
4) When you would like to illustrate different aspects of a given fact, you can use the following academic phrases:
Bulgarian Academic Word/Phrase | Pronunciation | English Translation |
от една страна … от друга страна … | ot edna strana … ot druga strana … | on the one hand … on the other hand … |
Example | От една страна правителството реши да подкрепи производителите, но от друга страна повиши данъците. Ot edna strana pravitelstvoto reshi da podkrepi proizvoditelite, no ot druga strana povishi danatsite. On the one hand, the government decided to support producers, but on the other hand, it raised taxes. |
Bulgarian Academic Word/Phrase | Pronunciation | English Translation |
друг ключов момент | drug klyuchov moment | another key point |
Example | Друг ключов момент, който не можем да пропуснем, е влиянието на възпитанието му. Drug klyuchov moment, koyto ne mozhem da propusnem, e vliyanieto na vazpitanieto mu. Another key point that we cannot miss out on is the influence of his upbringing. |
5) Some other important academic phrases include:
Bulgarian Academic Word/Phrase | Pronunciation | English Translation |
с други думи | s drugi dumi | in other words |
Example | С други думи, въпросът се свежда до стойността на живота. S drugi dumi, vaprosat se svezhda do stoynostta na zhivota. In other words, the question comes down to the value of life. |
Bulgarian Academic Word/Phrase | Pronunciation | English Translation |
казано с прости думи | kazano s prosti dumi | in simple words |
Example | Казано с прости думи, това е е абсолютно ненужно за хората. Kazano s prosti dumi, tova e e absolyutno nenuzhno za horata. In simple words, this is absolutely unnecessary for people. |
Bulgarian Academic Word/Phrase | Pronunciation | English Translation |
по подобен начин | po podoben nachin | in a similar way |
Example | По подобен начин можем да разсъждаваме и за предимствата от класическата музика. Po podoben nachin mozhem da razsazhdavame i za predimstvata ot klasicheskata muzika. In a similar way, we can think about the advantages of classical music. |
6) You can use these academic phrases to conclude your writing:
Bulgarian Academic Word/Phrase | Pronunciation | English Translation |
в заключение | v zaklyuchenie | in conclusion |
Example | В заключение можем да кажем, че смисълът на живота е в даването. V zaklyuchenie mozhem da kazhem, che smisalat na zhivota e v davaneto. In conclusion, we can say that the meaning of life is in giving. |
Bulgarian Academic Word/Phrase | Pronunciation | English Translation |
в резюме/заключение | v rezyume/zaklyuchenie | in summary |
Example | В резюме можем да направим извода, че животът и делото на поета са съдействали за възраждането на нацията. V rezyume mozhem da napravim izvoda, che zhivotat i deloto na poeta sa sadeiystvali za vazrazhdaneto na natsiyata. In summary, we can conclude that the poet’s life and work contributed to the revival of the nation. |
Let’s Practice: Academic Writing
The more you practice new words and phrases, the easier it will become for you to use them appropriately. Eventually, you’ll reach the level where they naturally appear in your mind as soon as you need them. To expedite this process, we have prepared some practical exercises throughout the article that will help you learn these advanced Bulgarian phrases more easily.
In this exercise, you need to choose the correct option from the brackets (only one correct option per bracket). You can check your answers at the end of this article. Note that the given sentences are arranged in a logical sequence.
- [Друг ключов момент; Според; Нещо повече] някои специалисти, ученето на чужд език в онлайн среда има свои предимства.
[Drug klyuchov moment; Spored; Neshto poveche] nyakoi spetsialisti, ucheneto na chuzhd ezik v onlayn sreda ima svoi predimstva.
[Another key point; According to; Something more] some professionals, learning a foreign language in an online environment has its advantages.
- [Заявява, че; Според; От една страна] онлайн обучението дава възможност на учителите да споделят много иновативни образователни ресурси, а от друга страна могат да изработят индивидуален подход към всеки ученик.
[Zayavyava, che; Spored; Ot edna strana] onlayn obuchenieto dava vazmozhnost na uchitelite da spodelyat mnogo inovativni obrazovatelni resursi, a ot druga strana mogat da izrabotyat individualen podhod kam vseki uchenik.
[States that; According to; On the one hand] online learning enables teachers to share many innovative educational resources, and on the other hand, they can develop an individual approach for each student.
- [С други думи; Друг ключов момент; Трябва да се отбележи] ученето в електронна среда е не само полезно, но и забавно.
[S drugi dumi; Drug klyuchov moment; Tryabva da se otbelezhi] ucheneto v elektronna sreda e ne samo polezno, no i zabavno.
[In other words; Another key point; It should be noted] learning in an electronic environment is not only useful but also fun.
- [В светлината на; По подобен начин; В заключение] стои и въпросът с изучаването на чужд език.
[V svetlinata na; Po podoben nachin; V zaklyuchenie] stoi i vaprosat s izuchavaneto na chuzhd ezik.
[In light of; In a similar way; In conclusion] is the question of learning a foreign language.
- [В заключение; В светлината на; Според] можем да кажем, че ученето на чужд език онлайн не е губене на време, a съдейства за достигането на реални резултати.
[V zaklyuchenie; V svetlinata na; Spored] mozhem da kazhem, che ucheneto na chuzhd ezik onlayn ne e gubene na vreme, no sadeiystva za dostiganeto na realni rezultati.
[In conclusion; In light of; According to] we can say that learning a foreign language online is not a waste of time but contributes to achieving real results.
2. Powerful Phrases for a Resume
It’s time to learn advanced Bulgarian phrases that will help you write a powerful resume. Using these phrases in your resume will make it stand out, help you efficiently describe your relevant knowledge and abilities, and leave a strong impression on the employer.
Advanced Bulgarian Phrase | Pronunciation | English Translation |
Мога да анализирам и решавам проблеми. | Moga da analiziram i reshavam problemi. | I can analyze and solve problems. |
Мога да изграждам успешни административни стратегии. | Moga da izgrazhdam uspeshni administrativni strategii. | I can build successful administrative strategies. |
Информиран съм за новите технологии в офис автоматизацията. | Informiran sam za novite tehnologii v ofis avtomatizatsiyata. | I am informed about the new technologies in office automation. |
Фокусирам се върху резултатите. | Fokusiram se varhu rezultatite. | I focus on the results. |
Постигам трайни резултати. | Postigam trayni rezultati. | I achieve lasting results. |
Ефективен съм в комуникациите и взаимодействието с другите. | Efektiven sam v komunikatsiite i vzaimodeystvieto s drugite. | I am effective in communicating and interacting with others. |
Имам богат опит в областта. | Imam bogat opit v oblastta. | I have extensive experience in the field. |
Посещавал съм семинари за подобряване на ефективността в работата. | Poseshtaval sam seminari za podobryavane na efektivnostta v rabotata. | I have attended seminars to improve work efficiency. |
Вземам решения с увереност. | Vzemam resheniya s uverenost. | I make decisions with confidence. |
Изпълнявам всички поети ангажименти. | Izpalnyavam vsichki poeti angazhimenti. | I fulfill all my commitments. |
Имам желание и способност за лично израстване. | Imam zhelanie i sposobnost za lichno izrastvane. | I have the desire and ability for personal growth. |
Не се страхувам да прилагам нововъведения. | Ne se strahuvam da prilagam novovavedeniya. | I am not afraid of innovations. |
Гледам на трудностите като на възможности. | Gledam na trudnostite kato na vazmozhnosti. | I see difficulties as opportunities. |
Let’s Practice: Resume
Now it’s time to practice what we covered in this section. This time, your task is to replace the English phrases with their corresponding advanced Bulgarian phrases.
Кандидатствам за позицията мениджър във вашата компания, защото I have extensive experience in the field, работейки на същата позиция за две други фирми преди това, I can build successful administrative strategies и I see difficulties as opportunities. I have attended seminars to improve work efficiency и I have the desire and ability for personal growth. Нещо повече, I am not afraid of innovations и I make decisions with confidence.
Kandidatstvam za pozitsiyata menidzhar vav vashata kompaniya, zashtoto I have extensive experience in the field, raboteyki na sashtata pozitsiya za dve drugi firmi predi tova, I can build successful administrative strategies i I see difficulties as opportunities. I have attended seminars to improve work efficiency i I have the desire and ability for personal growth. Neshto poveche, I am not afraid of innovations i I make decisions with confidence.
I am applying for the position of manager in your company because I have extensive experience in the field (having worked in the same position for two other companies before), I can build successful administrative strategies, and I see difficulties as opportunities. I have attended seminars to improve work efficiency, and I have the desire and ability for personal growth. Moreover, I am not afraid of innovations, and I make decisions with confidence.
3. Smart Phrases for Business and Meetings
If you intend to conduct business of any kind with Bulgarians, it will be useful to know some common advanced Bulgarian phrases that you can use during business meetings, online conferences, negotiations, etc. Here’s a practical list to get you started.
Advanced Bulgarian Phrase | Pronunciation | English Translation |
Бихте ли повторили, моля? | Bihte li povtorili, molya? | Could you repeat that, please? |
Боя се, че не ви разбрах. | Boya se, che ne vi razbrah. | I’m afraid I didn’t understand you. |
Налага се да изляза за десет минути. Всички съгласни ли са? | Nalaga se da izlyaza za deset minuti. Vsichki saglasni li sa? | I need to leave for ten minutes. Is it okay with everyone? |
Добре дошли на всички. Казвам се ___ и съм ръководител на проекта. | Dobre doshli na vsichki. Kazvam se ___ i sam rakovoditel na proekta. | Welcome, everybody. My name is ___, and I am the project manager. |
Ще съм кратък, тъй като знам, че всички сте заети хора. | Shte sam kratak, tay kato znam, che vsichki ste zaeti hora. | I’m going to keep this brief, as I know you are all busy people. |
Първо ще говоря за… | Parvo shte govorya za… | First, I will talk about… |
След това ще преминем на… | Sled tova shte preminem na… | Then, we’ll go over… |
В заключение ще разгледаме… | V zaklyuchenie shte razgledame… | To conclude, we’ll touch on… |
Извинете, прекъснах ви. Вие казвахте… | Izvinete, prekasnakh vi. Vie kazvahte… | Sorry, I interrupted you. You were saying… |
Бих искал да си уговорим среща възможно най-скоро. Кога сте свободен/на? | Bih iskal da si ugovorim sreshta vazmozhno nay-skoro. Koga ste svoboden/na? | I would like to set a meeting with you as early as possible. When are you available? |
Let’s Practice: Business Meetings
Below is a sample business dialogue. Your task is to choose the correct option for the answer.
г-н Смит: Добър ден, г-н Петров. Аз съм г-н Смит и бих искал да Ви представя основния продукт на нашата фирма. Мисля, че той ще е изключително полезен за общността в България, а Вашата компания би могла да бъде отличен дистрибутор за страната Ви.
g-n Smit: Dobar den, g-n Petrov. Az sam g-n Smit i bih iskal da Vi predstavya osnovniya produkt na nashata firma. Mislya, che toy shte e izklyuchitelno polezen za obshtnostta v Balgariya, a Vashata kompaniya bi mogla da bade otlichen distributor za stranata Vi.
Mr. Smith: Good afternoon, Mr. Petrov. I am Mr. Smith, and I would like to present to you the main product of our company. I think it will be extremely useful for the community in Bulgaria, and your company could be an excellent distributor for your country.
г-н Петров: Здравейте г-н Смит. Много ми е приятно и се интересувам от предложението Ви, но в момента имам неотложни дела.
g-n Petrov: Zdraveyte g-n Smit. Mnogo mi e priyatno i se interesuvam ot predlozhenieto Vi, no v momenta imam neotlozhni dela.
Mr. Petrov: Hello, Mr. Smith. I am very pleased and interested in your proposal, but I have an urgent job at the moment.
Choose the next words of Mr. Smith from the options below:
Извинете, прекъснах ви. Вие казвахте…
(Izvinete, prekasnah vi. Vie kazvahte…)
Ще съм кратък, тъй като знам, че сте зает.
(Shte sam kratak, tay kato znam, che ste zaet.)
Бих искал да си уговорим среща възможно най-скоро. Кога сте свободен?
(Bih iskal da si ugovorim sreshta vazmozhno nay-skoro. Koga ste svoboden?)
4. Advanced Idioms, Sayings, and Proverbs for Everyday Usage
It will be useful for you to know some advanced sayings, idioms, and proverbs that local people use in their everyday conversations. Once a foreigner understands them well, it indicates that they have mastered the highest level of language proficiency.
Advanced Bulgarian Phrase | Pronunciation | Literal English Translation |
пълна къща | palna kashta | a full house |
Meaning | The whole household gathered together | |
Example | Днес имам пълна къща. Дошли са ми на гости всички деца и внуци. Dnes imam palna kashta. Doshli sa mi na gosti vsichki detsa i vnutsi. Today, I have a full house. All my children and grandchildren came to visit me. |
- ➜ Please visit our free vocabulary list Must-Know Terms for Family Members to pick up more useful vocabulary on the topic.
Advanced Bulgarian Phrase | Pronunciation | Literal English Translation |
час пик | chas pik | rush hour |
Meaning | The busiest time of the workday | |
Example | Обикновено в час пик е трудно да се придвижиш бързо с автомобил в града. Obiknoveno v chas pik e trudno da se pridvizhish barzo s avtomobil v grada. Usually, during rush hour, it is difficult to get around quickly by car in the city. |
- ➜ In this lesson from BulgarianPod101, you can learn more about the most widely used modes of transportation in Bulgaria.
Advanced Bulgarian Phrase | Pronunciation | Literal English Translation |
час по час | chas po chas | hour by hour |
Meaning | Very often | |
Example | Не съм добре с бъбреците и се налага час по час да ходя до тоалетна. Ne sam dobre s babretsite i se nalaga chas po chas da hodya do toaletna. My kidneys are not well, and I have to go to the toilet very often. |
- ➜ There is a specific holiday on the Bulgarian folklore calendar related to diseases. You can learn more about it in this lesson.
Advanced Bulgarian Phrase | Pronunciation | Literal English Translation |
час по-скоро | chas po-skoro | an hour sooner |
Meaning | As soon as possible; right away | |
Example | Налага се да отида на лекар час по-скоро. Nalaga se da otida na lekar chas po-skoro. I have to go to the doctor as soon as possible. |
- ➜ Are you interested in learning some useful phrases for talking to your Bulgarian doctor? BulgarianPod101 has you covered!
Advanced Bulgarian Phrase | Pronunciation | Literal English Translation |
на бърза ръка | na barza raka | with a quick hand |
Meaning | Hastily; in a hurry | |
Example | На бърза ръка направих една баница за гостите. Na barza raka napravih edna banitsa za gostite. I hastily made banitsa for the guests. |
- ➜ Here is a list of 10 popular Bulgarian dishes that you might want to try during your stay in Bulgaria.
Advanced Bulgarian Phrase | Pronunciation | Literal English Translation |
ябълка на раздора | yabalka na razdora | apple of discord |
Meaning | Something that causes controversy or misunderstandings | |
Example | Този въпрос се превърна в ябълка на раздора сред присъстващите на конференцията. Tozi vapros se prevarna v yabalka na razdora sred prisastvashtite na konferentsiyata. This issue became an apple of discord among those present at the conference. |
Advanced Bulgarian Phrase | Pronunciation | Literal English Translation |
има си хас | ima si has | – |
Meaning | Unbelievable; impossible | |
Example | Има си хас той да получи добра оценка по български език, като го знам колко учи. Ima si has toy da poluchi dobra otsenka po balgarski ezik, kato go znam kolko uchi. It is impossible for him to get a good grade in Bulgarian, knowing how little he studies. |
Advanced Bulgarian Phrase | Pronunciation | Literal English Translation |
барабар Петко с мъжете | barabar Petko s mazhete | Petko together with the men |
Meaning | When someone goes to do something along with others | |
Example | Барабар Петко с мъжете! Тръгнал и моят син да цепи дърва. Barabar Petko s mazhete! Tragnal i moyat sin da tsepi darva. Petko is alongside the men! My son also went chopping wood. |
Advanced Bulgarian Phrase | Pronunciation | Literal English Translation |
парите говорят | parite govoryat | money talks |
Meaning | Money rules a situation | |
Example | Там нямаш шанс да те послушат—там парите говорят. Tam nyamash shans da te poslushat—tam parite govoryat. You have no chance to be heard—money rules there. |
Advanced Bulgarian Phrase | Pronunciation | Literal English Translation |
всичко си има цена | vsichko si ima tsena | everything has a price |
Meaning | It all came at a price | |
Example | Той се преуморяваше постоянно, но всичко си има цена—накрая се разболя тежко. Toy se preumoryavashe postoyanno, no vsichko si ima tsena—nakraya se razbolya tezhko. He was constantly overworked, but it all came at a price—in the end, he became seriously ill. |
Let’s Practice: Advanced Idioms, Sayings, and Proverbs
Now that you’ve seen a few advanced Bulgarian slang phrases, it’s time to test how much you remember. Choose the correct idiom for each sentence. You can check your answers at the very end of this article.
- Остават ми само 10 минути до урока, затова се налага [час по час; на бърза ръка; има си хас] да направя домашното.
Ostavat mi samo 10 minuti do uroka, zatova se nalaga [chas po chas; na barza raka; ima si has] da napravya domashnoto.
I only have 10 minutes left until the lesson, so I have to do my homework (…).
- Сигурно искаш да надминеш всичките си конкуренти в бизнеса, но [всичко си има цена; барабар Петко с мъжете; парите говорят]—семейството ще остане на заден план.
Sigurno iskash da nadminesh vsichkite si konkurenti v biznesa, no [vsichko si ima tsena; barabar Petko s mazhete; parite govoryat]—semeystvoto shte ostane na zaden plan.
You probably want to surpass all your business competitors, but (…)—the family will remain in second place.
- Жена ми се обади по телефона и се налага да си тръгна [час пик; час по час; час по-скоро].
Zhena mi se obadi po telefona i se nalaga da si tragna [chas pik; chas po chas; chas po-skoro].
My wife called me on the phone, and I had to leave (…).
- Той ми е голям приятел и [час пик; час по час; час по-скоро] идва у дома.
Toy mi e golyam priyatel i [chas pik; chas po chas; chas po-skoro] idva u doma.
He is a great friend of mine and (…) comes to my house.
- С него вече не сме приятели, след като едно момиче се превърна в [час пик; ябълката на раздора; парите говорят].
S nego veche ne sme priyateli, sled kato edno momiche se prevarna v [chas pik; yabalkata na razdora; parite govoryat].
We are no longer friends with him after a girl became (…).
5. How BulgarianPod101 Can Help You Learn Bulgarian
BulgarianPod101 has prepared this extensive overview of advanced Bulgarian phrases to help you move from the intermediate to the advanced level in Bulgarian. As an advanced learner, you’ll be able to write academic texts, craft powerful resumes, and speak freely in Bulgarian with colleagues, friends, and acquaintances.
If you still don’t feel confident in your knowledge, you can turn to our MyTeacher service for Premium PLUS members and choose an experienced native Bulgarian teacher. They will provide you with needed help by clarifying any points of difficulty that you come across while studying advanced-level Bulgarian.
We would be happy to hear your feedback about this article. Did you find it difficult or easy to understand? Do you plan to add some of these advanced Bulgarian words and phrases to your academic texts or your resume? And which of the advanced Bulgarian idioms do you plan to use most often in your daily conversations with Bulgarians? Please don’t hesitate to share your thoughts with us in the comments below.
And now it’s time to check your answers to the practical exercises given above.
6. Answers to Practical Exercises
Answers to the practical exercise for Academic Writing
- [
друг ключов момент;според;нещо повече] някои специалисти, ученето на чужд език в онлайн среда има свои предимства.
Spored nyakoi spetsialisti, ucheneto na chuzhd ezik v onlayn sreda ima svoi predimstva.
According to some professionals, learning a foreign language in an online environment has its advantages.
- [
заявява, че; според;от една страна] онлайн обучението дава възможност на учителите да споделят много иновативни образователни ресурси, а от друга страна могат да изработят индивидуален подход към всеки ученик.
Ot edna strana onlayn obuchenieto dava vazmozhnost na uchitelite da spodelyat mnogo inovativni obrazovatelni resursi, a ot druga strana mogat da izrabotyat individualen podhod kam vseki uchenik.
On the one hand, online learning enables teachers to share many innovative educational resources, and on the other hand, they can develop an individual approach for each student.
- [с други думи
; друг ключов момент; трябва да се отбележи] ученето в електронна среда е не само полезно, но и забавно.
S drugi dum ucheneto v elektronna sreda e ne samo polezno, no i zabavno.
In other words, learning in an electronic environment is not only useful but also fun.
- [
в светлината на;по подобен начин; в заключение] стои и въпросът с изучаването на чужд език.
Po podoben nachin stoi i vaprosat s izuchavaneto na chuzhd ezik.
In a similar way is the question of learning a foreign language.
- [в заключение
; в светлината на; според]можем да кажем, че ученето на чужд език онлайн не е губене на време, но съдейства за достигането на реални резултати.
V zaklyuchenie mozhem da kazhem, che ucheneto na chuzhd ezik onlayn ne e gubene na vreme, no sadeiystva za dostiganeto na realni rezultati.
In conclusion, we can say that learning a foreign language online is not a waste of time but contributes to achieving real results.
Answers to the practical exercise for Resume
Кандидатствам за позицията мениджър във вашата компания, защото имам богат опит в областта, работейки на същата позиция за две други фирми преди това, мога да изграждам успешни административни стратегии и гледам на трудностите като на възможности. Посещавал съм семинари за подобряване на ефективността в работата и имам желание и способност за лично израстване. Нещо повече, не се страхувам да прилагам нововъведения и вземам решения с увереност.
—
Kandidatstvam za pozitsiyata menidzhar vav vashata kompaniya, zashtoto imam bogat opit v oblastta, raboteyki na sashtata pozitsiya za dve drugi firmi predi tova, moga da izgrazhdam uspeshni administrativni strategii i gledam na trudnostite kato na vazmozhnosti. Poseshtaval sam seminari za podobryavane na efektivnostta v rabotata i imam zhelanie i sposobnost za lichno izrastvane. Neshto poveche, ne se strahuvam da prilagam novovavedeniya i vzemam resheniya s uverenost.
—
I am applying for the position of manager in your company because I have extensive experience in the field (having worked in the same position for two other companies before), I can build successful administrative strategies, and I see difficulties as opportunities. I have attended seminars to improve work efficiency, and I have the desire and ability for personal growth. Moreover, I am not afraid of innovations, and I make decisions with confidence.
Answers to the practical exercise for Business Meetings
г-н Смит: Добър ден, г-н Петров. Аз съм г-н Смит и бих искал да Ви представя основния продукт на нашата фирма. Мисля, че той ще е изключително полезен за общността в България, а Вашата компания би могла да бъде отличен дистрибутор за страната Ви.
g-n Smit: Dobar den, g-n Petrov. Az sam g-n Smit i bih iskal da Vi predstavya osnovniya produkt na nashata firma. Mislya, che toy shte e izklyuchitelno polezen za obshtnostta v Balgariya, a Vashata kompaniya bi mogla da bade otlichen distributor za stranata Vi.
Mr. Smith: Good afternoon, Mr. Petrov. I am Mr. Smith, and I would like to introduce the main product of our company to you. I think it will be extremely useful for the community in Bulgaria, and your company could be an excellent distributor for your country.
г-н Петров: Здравейте г-н Смит. Много ми е приятно и се интересувам от предложението Ви, но в момента имам неотложни дела.
g-n Petrov: Zdraveyte g-n Smit. Mnogo mi e priyatno i se interesuvam ot predlozhenieto Vi, no v momenta imam neotlozhni dela.
Mr. Petrov: Hello, Mr. Smith. I am very pleased and interested in your proposal, but I have an urgent job at the moment.
Choose the next words of Mr. Smith from the options below:
Бих искал да си уговорим среща възможно най-скоро. Кога сте свободен?
Bih iskal da si ugovorim sreshta vazmozhno nay-skoro. Koga ste svoboden?
I would like to set a meeting with you as soon as possible. When are you free?
Answers to the practical exercise for Advanced Idioms, Sayings, and Proverbs
- Остават ми само 10 минути до урока, затова се налага [
час по час; на бърза ръка; има си хас] да направя домашното.
Ostavat mi samo 10 minuti do uroka, zatova se nalaga na barza raka da napravya domashnoto.
I only have 10 minutes left until the lesson, so I have to do my homework in a hurry.
- Сигурно искаш да надминеш всичките си конкуренти в бизнеса, но [всичко си има цена
; барабар Петко с мъжете; парите говорят]—семейството ще остане на заден план.
Sigurno iskash da nadminesh vsichkite si konkurenti v biznesa, no vsichko si ima tsena—semeystvoto shte ostane na zaden plan.
You probably want to surpass all your business competitors, but it will all come at a price—the family will remain in second place.
- Жена ми се обади по телефона и се налага да си тръгна [
час пик; час по час;час по-скоро].
Zhena mi se obadi po telefona i se nalaga da si tragna chas po-skoro.
My wife called me on the phone, and I had to leave right away.
- Той ми е голям приятел и [
час пик;час по час; час по-скоро] идва у дома.
Toy mi e golyam priyatel i chas po chas idva u doma.
He is a great friend of mine and comes very often to my house.
- С него вече не сме приятели, след като едно момиче се превърна в [
час пик;ябълката на раздора; парите говорят].
S nego veche ne sme priyateli, sled kato edno momiche se prevarna v yabalkata na razdora.
We are no longer friends with him after a girl became an apple of discord.
Intermediate Bulgarian Phrases: Learn to Speak Freely
It’s quite challenging to progress from the beginner to the intermediate level. There are many things to learn, many rules to remember, and many sentence patterns to follow. This is why many people give up at the beginning of their foreign language studies and never move forward.
BulgarianPod101 has prepared this useful overview of intermediate Bulgarian phrases to help you overcome these difficulties, gain more self-confidence, and not give up too soon. In this practical guide, you’ll learn how to:
- Talk about past events
- Make plans
- Explain how you’re feeling
- React to different everyday conversations
- Much more!
You don’t have to remain a beginner-level speaker. Study the Bulgarian phrases for intermediate-level students given below, and you’ll gain much more confidence in your everyday communication with your Bulgarian friends. What’s more, you won’t be afraid of making mistakes. In fact, each mistake will help you learn more and progress. This is what the great Albert Einstein said:
“Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new.”
So, with or without mistakes, let’s give it a try!
Table of Contents- Talking About Past Events
- Making and Changing Plans
- Explaining and Listing Reasons
- Making Recommendations and Complaints
- Reaction Phrases for Everyday Conversations
- Etiquette Phrases for Social and Business Settings
- How BulgarianPod101 Can Help You Learn Bulgarian
1. Talking About Past Events
There are many cases where you will need to talk about past events and experiences. For example, how did you feel at the party yesterday or on your vacation last year? Here are some useful intermediate Bulgarian phrases in the form of questions and their possible corresponding answers. You could use them to ask your friends about their past experiences or answer the questions yourself. We encourage you to learn them in pairs (the question with the answer) so that you’ll always be ready to keep the conversation going.
Question 1:
Как мина партито вчера? |
Kak mina partito vchera? |
How was the party yesterday? |
Possible Answer:
Вчера прекарах страхотно на партито. |
Vchera prekarah strahotno na partito. |
I had a great time at the party yesterday. |
I had a great time at the party yesterday.
- ➞ You might be interested in this list of the top twenty Bulgarian words for positive emotions.
********************** *********************** ***********************
Question 2:
Ходил ли си на почивка в Лондон? |
Hodil li si na pochivka v London? |
Have you been to London on holiday? |
Possible Answer:
В Лондон не съм бил, но миналата година ходих на почивка в Париж. |
V London ne sam bil, no minalata godina hodih na pochivka v Parizh. |
I haven’t been to London, but last year I went on holiday to Paris. |
- ➞ You can take a look at this lesson on the most popular Bulgarian cities to get some fresh ideas for your upcoming vacation or holiday!
********************** *********************** ***********************
Question 3:
Как мина денят ти? |
Kak mina denyat ti? |
How was your day? |
Possible Answer:
Имах много работа и сега съм уморен. |
Imah mnogo rabota i sega sam umoren. |
I had a lot of work, and now I’m tired. |
********************** *********************** ***********************
Question 4:
Миналата събота отиде ли на рождения ден? |
Minalata sabota otide li na rozhdeniya den? |
Did you go to the birthday party last Saturday? |
Possible Answer:
Да, прекарахме си чудесно! |
Da, prekarahme si chudesno! |
Yes, we had a great time! |
********************** *********************** ***********************
Question 5:
Какво направи, след като завърши училище? |
Kakvo napravi, sled kato zavarshi uchilishte? |
What did you do after graduating from school? |
********************** *********************** ***********************
Possible Answer:
Кандидатствах в университет и ме приеха в специалност Мениджмънт. |
Kandidatstvah v universitet i me prieha v spetsialnost Menidzhmant. |
I applied to a university and was accepted as a Management major. |
Question 6:
Ял ли си някога вкусна китайска храна? |
Yal li si nyakoga vkusna kitayska hrana? |
Have you ever eaten delicious Chinese food? |
Possible Answer:
Храната в китайския ресторант, който посетихме миналата седмица, беше много вкусна. |
Hranata v kitayskiya restorant, koyto posetihme minalata sedmitsa, beshe mnogo vkusna. |
The food at the Chinese restaurant we visited last week was very tasty. |
- ➞ BulgarianPod101 has prepared a list of famous Bulgarian meals in case you’d like to learn more about our wonderful cuisine.
********************** *********************** ***********************
Question 7:
Кога започна работа в тази фирма? |
Koga zapochna rabota v tazi firma? |
When did you start working for this company? |
Possible Answer:
Започнах работа в тази фирма преди три години. |
Zapochnah rabota v tazi firma predi tri godini. |
I started working for this company three years ago. |
2. Making and Changing Plans
It’s important to tell your friends about your plans, but sometimes plans change. In case this happens, you should know how to let your Bulgarian acquaintances know. Below, we’ll show you several intermediate phrases in Bulgarian that you could use for these purposes.
Making Plans
#1
Какво ще кажеш да отидем на кино вечерта? |
Kakvo shte kazhesh da otidem na kino vecherta? |
How about going to the cinema tonight? |
#2
Следващият месец ще пътувам за Австрия. |
Sledvashtiyat mesets shte patuvam za Avstriya. |
I will travel to Austria next month. |
- ➞ Here, “Austria” could be replaced with any other country name. You can find the country name you’re looking for in our World Countries vocabulary list or in this lesson.
#3
Това лято планираме да почиваме в Испания. |
Tova lyato planirame da pochivame v Ispaniya. |
This summer, we plan to go on a vacation in Spain. |
#4
Смятам да кандидатствам за работа в международна фирма. |
Smyatam da kandidatstvam za rabota v mezhdunarodna firma. |
I plan to apply for a job in an international company. |
#5
Искаш ли да отидем на китайски ресторант във вторник? |
Iskash li da otidem na kitayski restorant vav vtornik? |
Do you want to go to a Chinese restaurant on Tuesday? |
- ➞ Would you like to learn (or review) the other days of the week? Then visit our free vocabulary list Talking About Days in Bulgarian!
Changing Plans
#1