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

1. Bulgarian Classroom Greetings
2. Understand Instructions from Teachers
3. Ask for Clarifications from Teachers and Classmates
4. Explain Absence and Tardiness
5. Talk about Favorite Subjects
6. Check for School Supplies
7. 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.  ➜ If you need to recall all Bulgarian numbers from 1-100, you can check this lesson prepared by BulgarianPod101.
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.

As babies begin picking up their native language, what are some of the first words they learn? Besides the obvious “mommy” and “daddy,” most children become familiar early on with the names of animals and the sounds they make. 

So why not take a similar approach when learning a foreign language? 

BulgarianPod101 has prepared this beginner-level Bulgarian animals list to help you immerse yourself in the Bulgarian language as naturally as little children do. In this article, you’ll learn the names of pets, farm animals, wild and dangerous animals in Bulgaria, marine animals, birds, reptiles, and even endangered species that are included in The Red Data Book of Bulgaria. 

Why start with animal names? They’re easy to remember and they’re rather fun to say, so learning them will resemble a game. We advise you to make flashcards for animals in each of the categories presented here and regularly review them until you’ve achieved mastery. Enjoy!

Table of Contents

1. Pets at Home
2. Farm Animals
3. Land Animals: Mammals in the Wild / Forest / Safari
4. Aquatic / Marine Animals in the Black Sea
5. Bugs and Insects
6. Birds and Reptiles
7. Animal Body Parts
8. 9 Animal-Related Idioms and Slang Expressions
9. Animal Names Game
10. How BulgarianPod101 Can Help You Learn the Bulgarian Language
11. Answers to the Animal Names Game

Pets at Home

Just like people of other nations, Bulgarians love taking care of pets. The most preferred pets in Bulgaria are cats and dogs, though some people own more exotic pets like parrots, chameleons, or rodents.

There are many reasons we enjoy having pets around the house: 

• A pet makes a good companion, especially for seniors and lonely people.
• Having children take care of a pet is a great way to teach them how to be more responsible.
• Pets love their owners and respond to their attention and care.
• Owning a pet has many health benefits.

Now, take a look at the following list of pet names in Bulgarian:

Куче	Kuche	Dog
Котка	Kotka	Cat
Папагал	Papagal	Parrot
Заек	Zaek	Rabbit
Хамстер	Hamster	Hamster
Златна рибка	Zlatna ribka	Goldfish
Златна рибка	Morsko svinche	Guinea pig
Костенурка	Kostenurka	Turtle
Хамелеон	Hameleon	Chameleon
Игуана	Iguana	Iguana

Farm Animals

Bulgarians have been livestock breeders for centuries and have always relied on animals for food. Farm animals produce meat, dairy products, and eggs, which make up an integral part of the Bulgarian diet.

The main sectors in livestock breeding in Bulgaria are: 

• Cattle breeding
• Sheep breeding
• Goat breeding
• Pig breeding
• Horse breeding
• Poultry breeding

It’s interesting to note that ostrich farming, beekeeping, and sericulture are also well-developed in Bulgaria.

Let’s take a look at the most popular farm animals in Bulgaria:

Крава	Krava	Cow
Бик	Bik	Bull
Бивол	Bivol	Buffalo
Магаре	Magare	Donkey
Кон	Kon	Horse
Овца	Ovtsa	Sheep
Коза	Koza	Goat
Прасе	Prase	Pig
Кокошка	Kokoshka	Hen
Петел	Petel	Rooster
Пуйка	Puyka	Turkey
Патка	Patka	Duck
Гъска	Gaska	Goose

→ In our Absolute Beginner lesson Farm Animals, you can find out more about different farm animals in Bulgaria.

Land Animals: Mammals in the Wild / Forest / Safari

There are a variety of wild animals in Bulgaria. Unfortunately, many of them are threatened with extinction and are listed in The Red Data Book of Bulgaria to be protected under law. In this section, we’ve listed some of the most popular mammals that reside in Bulgaria and around the world.

Wild Animals in Bulgaria

Вълк	Valk	Wolf
Чакал	Chakal	Jackal
Лисица	Lisitsa	Fox
Белка	Belka	Beech marten
Дива котка	Diva kotka	Wildcat
Кафява мечка	Kafyava mechka	Brown bear
Див заек	Div zaek	Wild rabbit
Елен	Elen	Deer
Сърна	Sarna	Roe deer
Катерица	Kateritsa	Squirrel
Бобър	Bobar	Beaver
Видра	Vidra	Otter
Таралеж	Taralezh	Hedgehog
Глиган	Gligan	Boar

Popular Wild Animals Around the World

Лъв	Lav	Lion
Слон	Slon	Elephant
Камила	Kamila	Camel
Жираф	Zhiraf	Giraffe
Кенгуру	Kenguru	Kangaroo
Тигър	Tigar	Tiger
Бяла мечка	Byala mechka	Polar bear
Ягуар	Yaguar	Jaguar
Пантера	Pantera	Panther
Маймуна	Maymuna	Monkey
Коала	Koala	Koala
Панда	Panda	Panda

Aquatic / Marine Animals in the Black Sea

Bulgaria’s eastern border encompasses the Black Sea Coast. For this reason, Bulgaria boasts a vast diversity of marine animals. There are 1,966 animal species in the Black Sea and several more in Bulgaria’s rich collection of rivers.

Here, we’ll give you the names of popular marine animals as well as those of the most dangerous sea animals in the Black Sea.

Popular Marine Animal Names in Bulgarian

Кит	Kit	Whale
Акула	Akula	Shark
Риба	Riba	Fish
Октопод	Oktopod	Octopus
Пингвин	Pingvin	Penguin
Тюлен	Tyulen	Seal
Мида	Mida	Clam / Mussel
Рак	Rak	Crab
Омар	Omar	Lobster
Морско конче	Morsko konche	Seahorse
Сепия	Sepiya	Cuttlefish
Скарида	Skarida	Shrimp

The Most Dangerous Sea Animals in the Black Sea

Черноморска акула	Chernomorska akula	Black Sea shark
Ушата медуза	Ushata meduza	Common jellyfish
Риба-меч	Riba-mech	Swordfish
Морска котка	Morska kotka	Catfish
Морски скорпион	Morski skorpion	Lionfish
Морски дракон	Morski drakon	Weever
Риба звездоброец	Riba zvezdobroets	Stargazer fish

→ You can learn even more vocabulary in this list of marine animals by BulgarianPod101. We have included a sample sentence with each word to help you understand how to use them.

Bugs and Insects

Considering that there are at least 900,000 insect species, it’s safe to say that there are more insect species than any other animal species in the world. As already mentioned, some creepy-crawlies (like bees and silkworms) play an important role in the lives of Bulgarian people. Others (like hornets, ticks, and centipedes) can be quite dangerous. 

Below, you’ll find a brief list of the most popular Bulgarian bugs and insects.

Муха	Muha	Fly
Оса	Osa	Wasp
Пчела	Pchela	Bee
Паяк	Payak	Spider
Богомолка	Bogomolka	Praying mantis
Стършел	Starshel	Hornet
Бръмбар	Brambar	Beetle
Калинка	Kalinka	Ladybug
Скакалец	Skakalets	Grasshopper
Комар	Komar	Mosquito
Кърлеж	Karlezh	Tick
Мравка	Mravka	Mravka
Пеперуда	Peperuda	Butterfly
Гъсеница	Gasenitsa	Caterpillar

→ If you would like to learn the pronunciation of these words, make sure to visit our lesson Bugs and Insects on BulgarianPod101.com! 

Birds and Reptiles

There are 426 bird species in Bulgaria, making it the European country with the second-greatest diversity of birds. 

In addition, there are 33 species of reptiles residing in Bulgaria: 4 species of turtles, 16 species of snakes, and 13 species of lizards.

Reptiles in Bulgaria

Змия	Zmiya	Snake
Гущер	Gushter	Lizard
Костенурка	Kostenurka	Turtle

Birds in Bulgaria

Птица	Ptitsa	Bird
Чайка	Chayka	Seagull
Врабче	Vrabche	Sparrow
Врана	Vrana	Crow
Щъркел	Shtarkel	Stork
Гълъб	Galab	Pigeon
Кукумявка	Kukumyavka	Screech-owl
Кукувица	Kukuvitsa	Cuckoo
Бухал	Buhal	Owl
Пеликан	Pelikan	Pelican
Славей	Slavey	Nightingale
Орел	Orel	Eagle
Сокол	Sokol	Falcon
Лешояд	Leshoyad	Vulture
Кълвач	Kalvach	Woodpecker
Чучулига	Chuchuliga	Lark

Animal Body Parts

Now that you know the essential animal names in Bulgarian, you should also pick up a few words related to animal body parts. This will help you better describe animals and make you more familiar with the topic in general.

Глава	Glava	Head
Очи	Ochi	Eyes
Уши	Ushi	Ears
Опашка	Opashka	Tail
Крило	Krilo	Wing
Лапа	Lapa	Paw
Клюн	Klyun	Beak
Пера	Pera	Feathering
Рог	Rog	Horn
Козина	Kozina	Fur
Нокти	Nokti	Nails
Муцуна	Mutsuna	Muzzle
Гребен	Greben	Comb (of a rooster)
Перки	Perki	Fins

9 Animal-Related Idioms and Slang Expressions

There are a variety of colorful Bulgarian idioms and slang expressions inspired by the disposition, behavior, and appearance of different animals. The following phrases are likely to come up in your conversations with native Bulgarian speakers from time to time. 

#1

Bulgarian expression	Магарешки инат
Pronunciation	Magareshki inat
Literal translation	Donkey’s stubbornness
This expression refers to showing great stubbornness. It’s close in meaning to the English expression “to be as stubborn as a mule.”

#2

Bulgarian expression	Заблудена овца
Pronunciation	Zabludena ovtsa
Literal translation	Lost sheep
This one refers to a person who does not do the right thing, or in other words, someone who has lost their way.

#3

Bulgarian expression	На куково лято
Pronunciation	Na kukovo lyato
Literal translation	In cuckoo’s summer
We use this expression in reference to something that is impossible or will never happen.

#4

Bulgarian expression	Като риба на сухо
Pronunciation	Kato riba na suho
Literal translation	Like fish on dry land
This refers to someone who is not feeling well. The closest English expression is “like a fish out of water.”

#5 

Bulgarian expression	С трици маймуни ще лови.
Pronunciation	S tritsi maymuni shte lovi.
Literal translation	He is going to hunt monkeys with bran.
We use this expression in reference to someone who is trying to attain something large or valuable using very little.

#6

Bulgarian expression	За вълка говорим, а той в кошарата.
Pronunciation	Za valka govorim, a toy v kosharata.
Literal translation	We are talking about the wolf and he is in the pen.
We often use this phrase when the person we’re talking about suddenly shows up. It’s similar in meaning to the English expression “speak of the devil.”

#7

Bulgarian expression	Женя вълка за овцата.
Pronunciation	Zhenya valka za ovtsata.
Literal translation	I marry the wolf to the sheep.
We might say this if we’re trying to do something impossible.

#8

Bulgarian expression	Той е черната овца.
Pronunciation	Toy e chernata ovtsa.
Literal translation	He is the black sheep.
Like in English, we use this expression in reference to someone whom others have a bad opinion about or who has abruptly separated themself from others.

#9

Bulgarian expression	Когато стане вълка куче
Pronunciation	Kogato stane valka kuche
Literal translation	When the wolf becomes a dog
This refers to something that will never happen.

Animal Names Game

As mentioned at the beginning of this article, we advise you to use flashcards in order to memorize these Bulgarian animal names easier. Although it can take a long time to fully memorize new vocabulary, learning animal names is a critical step in your language learning journey. 

To make this a little more fun, let’s make it a game!

Below, we have provided pictures of different animals. Your job is to fill in the blanks with the corresponding Bulgarian animal names. You can check your answers at the end of this article—and don’t forget that you can also print these out to use as flashcards later on!

___________________	___________________
	___________________
_____________________________	_____________________________
_____________________________	_____________________________
_____________________________	_____________________________
_____________________________	_____________________________
_____________________________	_____________________________
_____________________________	_____________________________
_____________________________	_____________________________
_____________________________	_____________________________

How BulgarianPod101 Can Help You Learn the Bulgarian Language

BulgarianPod101 has prepared this extensive overview of the most popular animal names in the Bulgarian language to help you memorize them more easily. 

To continue learning about the Bulgarian language and culture, create your free lifetime account on BulgarianPod101.com. We provide a range of study tools, including free vocabulary lists and a number of audio/video lessons. 

If you feel that you need some personal assistance in your Bulgarian-language studies, our MyTeacher service gives you access to your own tutor. They will guide you from beginner to advanced, helping you gain confidence in each of the key language skills: speaking, listening, reading, and writing. 

We’d be glad to hear your feedback about this lesson. Did you find the Animal Names Game easy to complete, or were some of the names difficult to remember? Speaking of…

Answers to the Animal Names Game

Куче (Kuche)	Папагал (Papagal)
Кон (Kon)	Кокошка (Kokoshka)
Костенурка (Kostenurka)	Котка (Kotka)
Коза (Koza)	Крава (Krava)
Мравка (Mravka)	Магаре (Magare)
Прасе (Prase)	Пеперуда (Peperuda)
Заек (Zaek)	Елен (Elen)
Таралеж (Taralezh)	Кенгуру (Kenguru)
Змия (Zmia)	Слон (Slon)
Жираф (Zhiraf)	Маймуна (Maymuna)

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

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

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

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

Table of Contents

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

1. Introduction to the Top 10 Bulgarian Questions and Answers

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

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

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

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

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

2. What’s your name?

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

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

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

• Как се казвате?
  Kak se kazvate?

Here’s how to respond to it:

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

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

3. Where are you from?

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

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

The formal or plural style will sound like this:

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

And here’s how to answer:

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

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

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

4. Where do you live?

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

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

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

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

Or: 

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

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

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

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

5. How long have you been studying Bulgarian?

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

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

Or:

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

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

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

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

Or:

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

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

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

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

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

6. Have you been to Bulgaria before?

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

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

Or:

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

Here are some possible answers:

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

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

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

7. What do you do?

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

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

Another way to ask this Bulgarian question is:

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

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

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

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

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

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

8. Do you like Bulgarian food?

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

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

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

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

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

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

9. How are you?

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

• Как си?
  Kak si?
  “How are you?”

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

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

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

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

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

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

10. What’s wrong?

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

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

Or: 

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

Then, you might receive one of the following answers:

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

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

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

11. How much is it?

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

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

Or:

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

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

• Два лева.
  Dva leva.
  “Two leva.”

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

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

12. Make Conversation with What You’ve Learned

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

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

– Здравей, как се казваш?
– ____________________

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

– Аз съм Петър. От къде си?
– ____________________

(Your answer here)

– А къде живееш?
– ___________________

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

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

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

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

(Your answer here. Politely decline his offer.)

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

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

13. How BulgarianPod101 Can Help You

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

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

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

Answers to Section 12 Exercise – Make a Conversation

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

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

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

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

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

(Your answer here)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(Your answer here. Politely decline his offer.)

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

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

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

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

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

Table of Contents

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

1. General Information About Official Bulgarian Proficiency Tests

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

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

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

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

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

A- General Information About the Exam

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

1- Detailed Information About the A2 Level Exam

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

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

The A2 test consists of four sections:

★ The Listening Test

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

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

★ The Reading Test

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

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

★ The Writing Test

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

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

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

★ The Speaking Test

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

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

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

2- Detailed Information About the B1 Level Exam

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

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

The B1 test consists of four sections:

★ The Listening Test

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

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

★ The Reading Test

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

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

★ The Writing Test

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

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

★ The Speaking Test

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

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

3- Detailed Information About the B2 Level Exam

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

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

The B2 test consists of four sections:

★ The Speaking Test

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

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

★ The Listening Test

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

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

★ The Reading Test

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

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

★ The Writing Test

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

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

4- Detailed Information About the C1 Level Exam

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

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

The C1 test consists of four sections:

★ The Listening Test

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

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

★ The Reading Test

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

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

★ The Writing Test

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

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

★ The Speaking Test

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

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

5- Detailed Information About the C2 Level Exam

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

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

The C2 test consists of four sections:

★ The Listening Test

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

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

★ The Reading Test

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

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

★ The Writing Test

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

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

★ The Speaking Test

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

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

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

B- Where Can the Exam be Taken?

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

C- What is the Fee for Taking this Exam?

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

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

A- General Information About the Exam

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

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

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

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

B- Detailed Information About the Examination Components

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

1- Oral Communication

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

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

2- Listening Comprehension Test

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

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

3- Writing Test

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

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

4- Reading Test

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

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

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

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

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

4. Foreign Language Proficiency Exam (FLPE)

A- General Information About the Exam

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

B- Specific Information About the Test

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

C- When Can the Bulgarian FLPE Exam be Taken? 

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

D- What is the Fee for Taking this Exam?

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

5. Official ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI)

A- General Information About the Exam

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

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

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

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

B- Specific Information About the Bulgarian OPI Test

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

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

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

There are three possible scales for assessment, which are:

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

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

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

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

6. How BulgarianPod101 Can Help You Prepare for the Test

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

7. Conclusion

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

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

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

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

Table of Contents

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

1. Becoming a Bulgarian Sentence Builder

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

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

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

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

2. Top 10 Bulgarian Sentence Patterns

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

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

Two Patterns for Presentation

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

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

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

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

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

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

*TRY IT YOURSELF*

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

This is Anton. He is a student.

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

Adding an Adjective

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

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

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

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

Adding a Pronoun

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

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

Pronoun and an Adjective

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

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

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

*TRY IT YOURSELF*

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

Anton is a good student and my close friend.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Let’s consider two compliments for a man:

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

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

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

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

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

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

*TRY IT YOURSELF*

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

You are awesome!

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

When to avoid using “I want” in Bulgarian

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

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

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

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

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

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

How to safely use “I want” in Bulgarian

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

• Искам!
  Iskam.
  “I do.”

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

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

*TRY IT YOURSELF*

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

I want to ask a question.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I need to learn the Bulgarian language.

I need to go to the toilet.

I need help.

I feel bad. I need a doctor.

I have to go.

I need a pen.

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

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

харесвам (haresvam), “I like”

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

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

обичам (obicham), “I love”

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

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

обожавам (obozhavam), “I adore”

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

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

*TRY IT YOURSELF*

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

I love to drink orange juice.

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

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

You have two options:

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

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

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

You can use the following sentence:

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

*TRY IT YOURSELF*

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

Your shopping list contains:

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

Examples:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

*TRY IT YOURSELF*

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

Excuse me, can I close the door?

Excuse me, may I have one loaf of bread?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

*TRY IT YOURSELF*

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

What is your mood today?

What was your mood yesterday?

What will be your mood tomorrow?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

*TRY IT YOURSELF*

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

When is the train arriving?

When is their car arriving?

When is the motorcycle arriving?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

*TRY IT YOURSELF*

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

Where is the cathedral?

Where is the park?

Where is the beach?

3. Practice Time: What Have You Learned?

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

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

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

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

4. How BulgarianPod101 Can Help You

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

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

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

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

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

Answers to Translation Exercises

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Let us know how you did in the comments!

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

Table of Contents

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

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

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

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

2. Setting up Your Computer and Mobile Devices for Bulgarian

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

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

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

3. How to Activate an Onscreen Keyboard on Your Computer

1- Mac

1. Go to System Preferences > Keyboard.

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

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

2- Windows

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

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

3- Online Keyboards

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

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

4- Add-ons of Extensions for Browsers

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

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

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

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

1- Windows 8 (and higher)

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

2- Windows 7

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

3- Mac (OS X and higher)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

1- iOS

1. Go to Settings > General > Keyboard.

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

3. Select “Bulgarian” from the list.

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

2- Android

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

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

3. Select “Български” from the list.

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

3- Applications for Mobile Phones

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

• Gboard – the Google Keyboard

6. Bulgarian Keyboard Typing Tips

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

1- Computer

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

2- Mobile Phones

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

7. How to Practice Typing Bulgarian

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

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

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

Then you need a Bulgarian tutor.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Gain Unlimited Access to Audio and Video Lessons!

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

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

• Reading
• Writing
• Listening
• Speaking
• Conversation

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

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

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

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Practice Speaking with the Voice Recording Tool!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Example Scenario:

The host asks the following question:

어디에 살고 있습니까?

eodieseo salgo isseumnikka

“Where do you live?”

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

도쿄에 살고 있습니다.

Tokyo-e salgo isseumnida.

“I live in Tokyo.”

Increase Your Vocab with Spaced-Repetition Flashcards and More!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Complete Homework Assignments!

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

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

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

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

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

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

Get Your Own Personal Language Teacher!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

은행 계좌를 만들고 싶어요

eunhaeng gyejwaleul mandeulgo sip-eoyo.

I want to open a bank account.

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

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

Why You Should Subscribe to Premium PLUS

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Table of Contents

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

1. Talking about position and direction in Bulgarian

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

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

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

1- Top – връх (vrah)

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

2- Bottom – основа (osnova)

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

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

3- Up – нагоре (nagore)

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

4- Down – надолу (nadolu)

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

5- Middle – среда (sreda)

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

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

6- Center – център (tsentar)

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

7- Front – лице (litse)

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

8- Back – гръб (grab)

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

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

9- Side – страна (strana)

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

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

10- East – изток (iztok)

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

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

11- West – запад (zapad)

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

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

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

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

12- North – север (sever)

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

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

13- South – юг (yug)

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

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

14- Outside – отвън (otvan)

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

15- Inside – вътре (vatre)

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

16- Opposite – противоположен (protivopolozhen)

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

17- Adjacent – съседен (saseden)

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

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

18- Toward – към (kam)

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

“Go straight ahead, toward the park.”

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

19- Facing – изправен пред (izpraven pred)

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

20- Beside – до (do)

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

21- Corner – ъгъл (agal)

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

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

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

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

22- Distant – далечен (dalechen)

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

23- Close – близък (blizak)

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

24- Surrounding – заобикалящ (zaobikalyasht)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

27- Above – над (nad)

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

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

28- Under – под (nagore)

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

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

2. Getting directions in Bulgarian

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

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

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

“Turn left.”

“Go straight.”

“Turn right.” 

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

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

3. Conclusion

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What is the most defining moment you will face this year? From memories that you immortalize in a million photographs, to days you never wish to remember, one thing’s for certain: big life events change you. The great poet, Bukowski, said, “We are here to laugh at the odds and live our lives so well, that death will tremble to take us.” The older I get, the more I agree with him!

Talking about significant events in our lives is part of every person’s journey, regardless of creed or culture. If you’re planning to stay in Bulgaria for more than a quick visit, you’re sure to need at least a few ‘life events’ phrases that you can use. After all, many of these are shared experiences, and it’s generally expected that we will show up with good manners and warm wishes.

Table of Contents

1. Life Events
2. Marriage Proposal Lines
3. Talking About Age
4. Conclusion

1. Life Events

Do you know how to say “Happy New Year” in Bulgarian? Well, the New Year is a pretty big deal that the whole world is in on! We celebrate until midnight, make mindful resolutions, and fill the night sky with the same happy words in hundreds of languages. No doubt, then, that you’ll want to know how to say it like a local!

Big life events are not all about fun times, though. Real life happens even when you’re traveling, and certain terminology will be very helpful to know. From talking about your new job to wishing your neighbors “Merry Christmas” in Bulgarian, here at BulgarianPod101, we’ve put together just the right vocabulary and phrases for you.

1- Birthday – рожден ден (rozhden den)

If you’re like me, any excuse to bring out a pen and scribble a note is a good one. When there’s a birthday, even better: hello, handwriting!

Your Bulgarian friend will love hearing you wish them a “Happy birthday” in Bulgarian, but how much more will they appreciate a thoughtful written message? Whether you write it on their Facebook wall or buy a cute card, your effort in Bulgarian is sure to get them smiling! Write it like this:

Честит Рожден ден
Chestit Rozhden den

Now that you know the words, I challenge you to put them to music and sing your own “Happy birthday” song in Bulgarian! It’s not impossible to figure out even more lyrics, once you start discovering the language from scratch.

2- Buy – купувам (kupuvam)

If there’s a special occasion, you might want to buy somebody a gift. As long as you’ve checked out Bulgarian etiquette on gift-giving (do a Google search for this!), it will be a lovely gesture. If you’re not sure what to buy, how about the awesome and universally-appealing gift of language? That’s a gift that won’t stop giving!

3- Retire – пенсионирам се (pensioniram se)

If you’re planning to expand your mind and retire in Bulgaria, you can use this word to tell people why you seem to be on a perpetual vacation!

Retirement is also a great time to learn a new language, don’t you think? And you don’t have to do it alone! These days it’s possible to connect to a vibrant learning community at the click of a button. The added benefit of a Daily Dose of Language is that it keeps your brain cells alive and curious about the world. After all, it’s never too late to realize those long-ignored dreams of traveling the globe…

4- Graduation – дипломиране (diplomirane)

When attending a graduation ceremony in Bulgaria, be prepared for a lot of formal language! It will be a great opportunity to listen carefully and see if you can pick up differences from the everyday Bulgarian you hear.

5- Promotion – повишение (povishenie)

Next to vacation time, receiving a promotion is the one career highlight almost everyone looks forward to. And why wouldn’t you? Sure, it means more responsibility, but it also means more money and benefits and – the part I love most – a change of scenery! Even something as simple as looking out a new office window would boost my mood.

6- Anniversary – годишнина (godishnina)

Some anniversaries we anticipate with excitement, others with apprehension. They are days marking significant events in our lives that can be shared with just one person, or with a whole nation. Whether it’s a special day for you and a loved one, or for someone else you know, this word is crucial to know if you want to wish them a happy anniversary in Bulgarian.

7- Funeral – погребение (pogrebenie)

We tend to be uncomfortable talking about funerals in the west, but it’s an important conversation for families to have. Around the world, there are many different customs and rituals for saying goodbye to deceased loved ones – some vastly different to our own. When traveling in Bulgaria, if you happen to find yourself the unwitting observer of a funeral, take a quiet moment to appreciate the cultural ethos; even this can be an enriching experience for you.

8- Travel – пътувам (patuvam)

Travel – my favorite thing to do! Everything about the experience is thrilling and the best cure for boredom, depression, and uncertainty about your future. You will surely be forever changed, fellow traveler! But you already know this, don’t you? Well, now that you’re on the road to total Bulgarian immersion, I hope you’ve downloaded our IOS apps and have your Nook Book handy to keep yourself entertained on those long bus rides.

9- Graduate – завършвам (zavarshvam)

If you have yet to graduate from university, will you be job-hunting in Bulgaria afterward? Forward-looking companies sometimes recruit talented students who are still in their final year. Of course, you could also do your final year abroad as an international student – an amazing experience if you’d love to be intellectually challenged and make a rainbow of foreign friends!

10- Wedding – сватба (svatba)

One of the most-loved traditions that humans have thought up, which you’ll encounter anywhere in the world, is a wedding. With all that romance in the air and months spent on preparations, a wedding is typically a feel-good affair. Two people pledge their eternal love to each other, ladies cry, single men look around for potential partners, and everybody has a happy day of merrymaking.

Ah, but how diverse we are in our expression of love! You will find more wedding traditions around the world than you can possibly imagine. From reciting love quotes to marrying a tree, the options leave no excuse to be boring!

11- Move – премествам се (premestvam se)

I love Bulgaria, but I’m a nomad and tend to move around a lot, even within one country. What are the biggest emotions you typically feel when moving house? The experts say moving is a highly stressful event, but I think that depends on the circumstances. Transitional periods in our lives are physically and mentally demanding, but changing your environment is also an exciting adventure that promises new tomorrows!

12- Be born – роден (roden)

I was not born in 1993, nor was I born in Asia. I was born in the same year as Aishwarya Rai, Akon, and Monica Lewinsky, and on the same continent as Freddy Mercury. When and where were you born? More importantly – can you say it in Bulgarian?

13- Get a job – намирам работа (namiram rabota)

The thought of looking for a job in a new country can be daunting, but English speakers are in great demand in Bulgaria – you just have to do some research, make a few friends and get out there! Also, arming yourself with a few Bulgarian introductions that you can both say and write will give you a confidence boost. For example, can you write your name in Bulgarian?

14- Die – умирам (umiram)

Death is a universal experience and the final curtain on all other life events. How important is it, then, to fully live before we die? If all you have is a passport, a bucket list, and a willingness to learn some lingo, you can manifest those dreams!

15- Home – дом (dom)

If home is where the heart is, then my home is on a jungle island completely surrounded by the turquoise ocean. Right now, though, home is an isolation room with a view of half a dry palm tree and a tangle of telephone wires.

If you’re traveling to Bulgaria for an extended stay, you’ll soon be moving into a new home quite unlike anything you’ve experienced before!

16- Job – работа (rabota)

What job do you do? Does it allow you much time for travel, or for working on this fascinating language that has (so rightfully) grabbed your attention? Whatever your job, you are no doubt contributing to society in a unique way. If you’re doing what you love, you’re already on the road to your dream. If not, just remember that every single task is one more skill to add to your arsenal. With that attitude, your dream job is coming!

17- Birth – раждане (razhdane)

Random question: do you know the birth rate of Bulgaria?

If you’re lucky enough to be invited to see a friend’s baby just after they are born, you’ll have all my respect and all my envy. There is nothing cuter! Depending on which part of the country you’re in, you may find yourself bearing witness to some pretty unexpected birth customs. Enjoy this privilege!

18- Engaged – сгодявам се (sgodyavam se)

EE Cummings said, “Lovers alone wear sunlight,” and I think that’s most true at the moment she says “yes.” Getting engaged is something young girls dream of with stars in their eyes, and it truly is a magical experience – from the proposal, to wearing an engagement ring, to the big reveal!

In the world of Instagram, there’s no end to the antics as imaginative couples try more and more outrageous ways to share their engagement with the world. I love an airport flashmob, myself, but I’d rather be proposed to on a secluded beach – salt, sand, and all!

Engagement customs around the world vary greatly, and Bulgaria is no exception when it comes to interesting traditions. Learning their unique romantic ways will inspire you for when your turn comes.

Speaking of romance, do you know how to say “Happy Valentine’s Day” in Bulgarian?

19- Marry – женя (zhenya)

The one you marry will be the gem on a shore full of pebbles. They will be the one who truly mirrors your affection, shares your visions for the future, and wants all of you – the good, the bad and the inexplicable.

From thinking up a one-of-a-kind wedding, to having children, to growing old together, finding a twin flame to share life with is quite an accomplishment! Speaking of which…

2. Marriage Proposal Lines

Ah, that heart-stopping moment when your true love gets down on one knee to ask for your hand in marriage, breathlessly hoping that you’ll say “Yes!” If you haven’t experienced that – well, it feels pretty darn good, is all I can say! If you’re the one doing the asking, though, you’ve probably had weeks of insomnia agonizing over the perfect time, location and words to use.

How much more care should be taken if your love is from a different culture to yours? Well, by now you know her so well, that most of it should be easy to figure out. As long as you’ve considered her personal commitment to tradition, all you really need is a few words from the heart. Are you brave enough to say them in Bulgarian?

3. Talking About Age

Part of the wonder of learning a new language is having the ability to strike up simple conversations with strangers. Asking about age in this context feels natural, as your intention is to practice friendly phrases – just be mindful of their point of view!

When I was 22, I loved being asked my age. Nowadays, if someone asks, I say, “Well, I’ve just started my fifth cat life.” Let them ponder that for a while.

In Bulgaria, it’s generally not desirable to ask an older woman her age for no good reason, but chatting about age with your peers is perfectly normal. Besides, you have to mention your birthday if you want to be thrown a birthday party!

4. Conclusion

Well, there you have it! With so many great new Bulgarian phrases to wish people with, can you think of someone who has a big event coming up? If you want to get even more creative, BulgarianPod101 has much to inspire you with – come and check it out! Here’s just some of what we have on offer at BulgarianPod101:

• Free Resources: Sharing is caring, and for this reason, we share many free resources with our students. For instance, start learning Bulgarian with our basic online course by creating a lifetime account – for free! Also get free daily and iTunes lessons, free eBooks, free mobile apps, and free access to our blog and online community. Or how about free Vocabulary Lists? The Bulgarian dictionary is for exclusive use by our students, also for free. There’s so much to love about BulgarianPod101…!
• Innovative Learning Tools and Apps: We make it our priority to offer you the best learning tools! These include apps for iPhone, iPad, Android and Mac OSX; eBooks for Kindle, Nook, and iPad; audiobooks; Roku TV and so many more. This means that we took diverse lifestyles into account when we developed our courses, so you can learn anywhere, anytime on a device of your choice. How innovative!
• Live Hosts and One-on-One Learning: Knowledgeable, energetic hosts present recorded video lessons, and are available for live teaching experiences if you upgrade. This means that in the videos, you get to watch them pronounce those tongue-twisters, as if you’re learning live! Add octane to your learning by upgrading to Premium Plus, and learn two times faster. You can have your very own Bulgarian teacher always with you, ensuring that you learn what you need, when you need to – what a wonderful opportunity to master a new language in record time!
• Start Where You Are: You don’t know a single Bulgarian word? Not to worry, we’ve absolutely got this. Simply enroll in our Absolute Beginner Pathway and start speaking from Lesson 1! As your learning progresses, you can enroll in other pathways to match your Bulgarian level, at your own pace, in your own time, in your own place!

Learning a new language can only enrich your life, and could even open doors towards great opportunities! So don’t wonder if you’ll regret enrolling in BulgarianPod101. It’s the most fun, easy way to learn Bulgarian.

Did you know that every minute of the day, one billion tons of rain falls on the earth? Hard to believe, considering the climate crisis! Of course, all that rain is not equally shared across the planet.

So, would you mention this fascinating fact to your new Bulgarian acquaintance? Well, small talk about local weather is actually a great conversation-starter. Everyone cares about the weather and you’re sure to hear a few interesting opinions! Seasons can be quite unpredictable these days and nobody knows the peculiarities of a region better than the locals.

BulgarianPod101 will equip you with all the weather vocabulary you need to plan your next adventure. The weather can even be an important discussion that influences your adventure plans. After all, you wouldn’t want to get caught on an inflatable boat with a two-horsepower motor in Hurricane Horrendous!

Table of Contents

1. Talking about the weather in Bulgaria
2. Words for the first day of spring
3. Do You Know the Essential Summer Vocabulary?
4. Must-Know Autumn vocabulary
5. Winter
6. BulgarianPod101 can prepare you for any season.

1. Talking about the weather in Bulgaria

If you’re like me, your day’s activity plan is likely to begin with a strong local coffee and a chat about what the sky is doing. After all, being prepared could be the difference between an amazing day and a miserable one! Luckily, it’s not difficult to comment on Bulgarian weather – just start with these simple words and phrases.

1- The rain is falling on the street – Дъждът пада на улицата (Dazhdat pada na ulitsata).

Watercolor artists, take out your paints! You might not be able to venture out on foot today, but just embrace the rain as part of your Bulgarian experience. When the rain stops, the air will be clean and colours vibrant.

2- The snow has covered everything – Снегът покрива всичко (Snegat pokriva vsichko).

A fresh blanket of snow is irresistibly beautiful. Pull on your boots and beanie, and leave your tracks in this foreign landscape. Don’t resist the urge to build a snowman – you need this!

3- Fluffy cloud – пухкав облак (puhkav oblak)

When you’re waiting for a warm beach day, fluffy white clouds in a blue sky are a good sign. Don’t forget your sunscreen, as clouds will intensify the UV rays hitting your skin.

4- The water froze on the glass – Водата замръзна на стъклото (Vodata zamrazna na stakloto).

Night temperatures can get chilly and might freeze the condensation on your windows. A good way to clear them up is with warm salt water.

5- The heavy rain could cause flash flooding – Този порой може да причини светкавично наводнение (Tozi poroy mozhe da prichini svetkavichno navodnenie).

If you’re visiting Bulgaria in the wet season, it’s important to stay informed when heavy rain sets in, so keep an eye on the weather radar. Avoid river activities and rather spend this time making a home-cooked meal and brushing up on your Bulgarian weather words.

6- Flood – наводнение (navodnenie)

If you do get caught in a flood, your destination should no longer be ‘home’, but the nearest high ground.

7- The typhoon has hit – Тайфунът удари (Tayfunat udari).

Not all countries experience typhoons, but you need to know when to prepare for one! It will be very scary if you’ve never experienced one before. Your local neighbours are the best people to advise you on where to take shelter, as they’ve been doing it for generations. Be sure to get the low-down at the first sign of rough weather!

8- Check the weather report before going sailing – Провери прогнозата за времето преди да отплаваш (Proveri prognozata za vremeto predi da otplavash).

When planning an outdoor activity, especially on a body of water, always be prepared for a change in the weather. Ask your hotel receptionist or neighbour where you can get a reliable daily weather report, and don’t forget your sweater!

9- Today’s weather is sunny with occasional clouds – Времето днес е слънчево с краткотрайни облаци (Vremeto dnes e slanchevo s kratkotrayni oblatsi).

Sunny weather is the dream when traveling in Bulgaria! Wake up early, pack the hats and sunblock and go and experience the terrain, sights and beautiful spots. You’ll be rewarded with happy vibes all around.

10- A rainy day – дъждовен ден (dazhdoven den)

Remember when you said you’d save the Bulgarian podcasts for a rainy day? Now’s that day!

11- Scenic rainbow – живописна дъга (zhivopisna daga)

The best part about the rain is that you can look forward to your first rainbow in Bulgaria. There’s magic in that!

12- Flashes of lightning can be beautiful, but are very dangerous – Просветванията на мълнията може да са красиви, но са много опасни (Prosvetvaniyata na malniyata mozhe da sa krasivi, no sa mnogo opasni).

Lightning is one of the most fascinating weather phenomena you can witness without really being in danger – at least if you’re sensible and stay indoors! Did you know that lightning strikes the earth 40-50 times per second? Fortunately, not all countries experience heavy electric storms!

13- 25 degrees Celsius – двадесет и пет градуса по Целзий (dvadeset i pet gradusa po Tselziy)

Asking a local what the outside temperature will be is another useful question for planning your day. It’s easy if you know the Bulgarian term for ‘degrees Celsius’.

14- Fahrenheit – Фаренхайт (Farenhayt)

Although the Fahrenheit system has been replaced by Celsius in almost all countries, it’s still used in the US and a few other places. Learn this word in Bulgarian in case one of your companions develops a raging fever in one of those places.

15- Today the sky is clear – Днес небето е ясно (Dnes nebeto e yasno).

Clear skies mean you’ll probably want to get the camera out and capture some nature shots – not to mention the great sunsets you’ll have later on. Twilight can lend an especially magical quality to a landscape on a clear sky day, when the light is not filtered through clouds.

16- Light drizzle – лек ситен дъждец (lek siten dazhdets)

Days when it’s drizzling are perfect for taking in the cultural offerings of Bulgaria. You could go to the mall and watch a Bulgarian film, visit museums and art galleries, explore indoor markets or even find the nearest climbing wall. Bring an umbrella!

17- Temperature – температура (temperatura)

Because of the coronavirus, many airports are conducting temperature screening on passengers. Don’t worry though – it’s just a precaution. Your temperature might be taken with a no-touch thermometer, which measures infrared energy coming off the body.

18- Humid – влажен (vlazhen)

I love humid days, but then I’m also a water baby and I think the two go
together like summer and rain. Find a pool or a stream to cool off in – preferably in the shade!

19- With low humidity the air feels dry – При ниска влажност въздухът се чувства сух (Pri niska vlazhnost vazduhat se chuvstva suh).

These are the best days to go walking the hills and vales. Just take at least one Bulgarian friend with you so you don’t get lost!

20- The wind is really strong – Вятърът е наистина силен (Vyatarat e naistina silen).

A strong wind blows away the air pollution and is very healthy in that respect. Just avoid the mountain trails today, unless you fancy being blown across the continent like a hot air balloon.

21- It’s windy outside – Навън е ветровито (Navan e vetrovito).

Wind! My least favourite weather condition. Of course, if you’re a kitesurfer, a windy day is what you’ve been waiting for!

22- Wet roads can ice over when the temperature falls below freezing – Мокрите пътища могат да се заледят, когато температурата падне под замръзване (Mokrite patishta mogat da se zaledyat, kogato temperaturata padne pod zamrazvane).

The roads will be dangerous in these conditions, so please don’t take chances. The ice will thaw as soon as the sun comes out, so be patient!

23- Today is very muggy – Днес е много задушно (Dnes e mnogo zadushno).

Muggy days make your skin feel sticky and sap your energy. They’re particular to high humidity. Cold shower, anyone? Ice vest? Whatever it takes to feel relief from the humidity!

24- Fog – мъгла (magla)

Not a great time to be driving, especially in unknown territory, but keep your fog lights on and drive slowly.

25- Hurricane – ураган (uragan)

Your new Bulgarian friends will know the signs, so grab some food and candles and prepare for a night of staying warm and chatting about wild weather in Bulgaria.

26- Big tornado – голямо торнадо (golyamo tornado)

If you hear these words, it will probably be obvious already that everyone is preparing for the worst! Definitely do whatever your accommodation hosts tell you to do when a tornado is expected.

27- It’s cloudy today – Днес е облачно (Dnes e oblachno).

While there won’t be any stargazing tonight, the magnificent clouds over Bulgaria will make impressive photographs. Caption them in Bulgarian to impress your friends back home!

28- Below freezing temperatures – температури под нулата (temperaturi pod nulata)

When the temperature is below freezing, why not take an Uber and go shopping for some gorgeous Bulgarian winter gear?

29- Wind chill is how cold it really feels outside – Вятърното охлаждане е колко студено се чувства навън (Vyatarnoto ohlazhdane e kolko studeno se chuvstva navan).

Wind doesn’t change the ambient temperature of the air, it just changes your body temperature, so the air will feel colder to you than it actually is. Not all your Bulgarian friends will know that, though, so learn this Bulgarian phrase to sound really smart!

30- Water will freeze when the temperature falls below zero degrees celsius – Водата ще замръзне, когато температурата падне под нула градуса по Целзий (Vodata shte zamrazne, kogato temperaturata padne pod nula gradusa po Tselziy).

If you’re near a lake, frozen water is good news! Forgot your ice skates? Don’t despair – find out where you can hire some. Be cautious, though: the ice needs to be at least four inches thick for safe skating. Personally, I just slide around on frozen lakes in my boots!

31- Waiting to clear up – чакам да се изясни (chakam da se izyasni)

Waiting for the weather to clear up so you can go exploring is frustrating, let’s be honest. That’s why you should always travel with two things: a scintillating novel and your Bulgarian Nook Book.

32- Avoid the extreme heat – избягвам горещината (izbyagvam goreshtinata)

Is the heat trying to kill you? Unless you’re a hardened heatwave hero, definitely avoid activity, stay hydrated and drink electrolytes. Loose cotton or linen garb is the way to go!

33- Morning frost – сутрешна слана (sutreshna slana)

Frost is water vapour that has turned to ice crystals and it happens when the earth cools so much in the night, that it gets colder than the air above it. Winter is coming!

34- Rain shower – преваляване от дъжд (prevalyavane ot dazhd)

Rain showers are typically brief downpours that drench the earth with a good drink of water.

35- In the evening it will become cloudy and cold – Привечер ще се заоблачи и ще застудее (Privecher shte se zaoblachi i shte zastudee).

When I hear this on the Bulgarian weather channel, I buy a bottle of wine (red, of course) and wood for the fireplace. A cold and cloudy evening needs its comforts!

36- Severe thunderstorm – силна гръмотевична буря (silna gramotevichna burya)

Keep an eye on the Bulgarian weather maps if it looks like a big storm is coming, so you’ll be well-informed.

37- Ice has formed on the window – Образувал се е лед на прозореца (Obrazuval se e led na prozoretsa).

You could try this phrase out on the hotel’s helpful cleaning staff, or fix the problem yourself. Just add a scoop or two of salt to a spray bottle of water – that should work!

38- Large hailstones – големи парчета град (golemi parcheta grad)

As a kid, I found hail crazy exciting. Not so much now – especially if I’m on the road and large hailstones start pummeling my windscreen!

39- Thunder – гръмотевица гръмотевица (gramotevitsa)

The rumble of rolling thunder is that low-volume, ominous background sound that goes on for some time. It’s strangely exciting if you’re safely in your hotel room; it could either suddenly clear up, or escalate to a storm.

40- Sleet – суграшица (sugrashitsa)

Sleet is tiny hard pieces of ice made from a mixture of rain and melted snow that froze. It can be messy, but doesn’t cause major damage the way hail does. Pretty cool to know this word in Bulgarian!

2. Words for the first day of spring

You know the feeling: your heart skips a beat when you wake up and spring has sprung! Spring will reward you with new blossoms everywhere, birdsong in the air, kittens being born in the neighborhood and lovely views when you hit the trails. Pack a picnic and ask a new Bulgarian friend to show you the more natural sights. Don’t forget a light sweater and a big smile. This is the perfect time to practice some Bulgarian spring words!

3. Do You Know the Essential Summer Vocabulary?

Summer! Who doesn’t love that word? It conjures up images of blue skies, tan skin, vacations at the beach and cruising down the coast in an Alfa Romeo, sunglasses on and the breeze in your hair. Of course, in Bulgaria there are many ways to enjoy the summer – it all depends on what you love to do. One thing’s for sure: you will have opportunities to make friends, go on picnics, sample delicious local ice-cream and maybe even learn to sing some Bulgarian songs. It’s up to you! Sail into Bulgarian summer with this summer vocab list, and you’ll blend in with ease.

4. Must-Know Autumn vocabulary

Victoria Ericksen said, “If a year was tucked inside of a clock, then autumn would be the magic hour,” and I agree. Who can resist the beauty of fall foliage coloring the Bulgarian landscape? Birds prepare to migrate; travelers prepare to arrive for the best weather in Bulgaria.

The autumnal equinox marks the moment the Sun crosses the celestial equator, making day and night almost equal in length. The cool thing about this event is that the moon gets really bright – the ‘harvest moon’, as it’s traditionally known.

So, as much as the change of season brings more windy and rainy days, it also brings celebration. Whether you honor Thanksgiving, Halloween or the Moon Festival, take some time to color your vocabulary with these Bulgarian autumn words.

5. Winter

Winter is the time the natural world slows down to rest and regroup. I’m a summer girl, but there are fabulous things about winter that I really look forward to. For one, it’s the only season I get to accessorize with my gorgeous winter gloves and snug down coat!

Then, of course, there’s ice skating, holiday decorations and bonfires. As John Steinbeck said, “What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness?” Get ready for the cold season with our list of essential Winter words!

6. BulgarianPod101 can prepare you for any season.

Now that you know how to inquire and comment on the weather in Bulgaria, you
can confidently plan your weather-ready travel itinerary. How about this for an idea: the next
time you’re sitting in a Bulgarian street café, try asking someone local this question:

“Do you think the weather will stay like this for a few days?” If you loved learning these cool Bulgarian weather phrases with us, why not take it a step further and add to your repertoire? BulgarianPod101 is here to help!