Phrases You Need To Know Before Visiting Bulgaria

Bulgarians are warm and friendly to foreigners but sometimes they find it hard to express their amiability in English. Furthermore, most of the middle-aged and older people speak better Russian than English, so if you learn a few words in Bulgarian, you’ll break the ice and bring a smile to their face. Here’s a list of 12 useful phrases to learn before you visit Bulgaria.

Did you know you can now travel with Culture Trip? Book now and join one of our premium small-group tours to discover the world like never before.

Dobar den! (Добър ден!/Doh-bur dehn!)

Meaning: “Hello!” in the local language is always a great start no matter where in the world you are.

Blagodarya! (Благодаря!/Blah-goh-da-rya!)

Dovijdane! (Довиждане!/Doh-veezh-dah-nay!)

Meaning: “Goodbye” is another long and tongue-twisting word and again you have an easier option. Bulgarians use the Italian “Ciao” as a more informal equivalent.

Izvinete(Извинете/Eez-vee-neh-teh)

Meaning: “Excuse me”. You might need this word if you happen to use the public transportation in rush hour and have to get to the door to get off. Just keep on repeating “Izvinete, izvinete” while pushing your way to the door.

Nazdrave! (Наздраве!/Naz-drah-veh!)

Meaning: In Bulgarian they use the same word for “Cheers” when drinking and for “Bless you” when you sneeze. It literally means “To your health!”, or “Be healthy”. Remember that in Bulgaria, it’s not acceptable to say “Cheers” if you’re not drinking alcohol.

Molya (Моля/Moh-lya)

Meaning: “Please” or “welcome”.

Edna golyama bira/rakia, molya! (Една голяма бира/ракия, моля!/Eh-dna goh-lya-ma rah-kiya beera moh-lya)

Meaning: “One big beer/rakia, please!”. You already know molya, all you have to do is learn the numbers in Bulgarian and you’re ready to order at the bar! All the alcohol names are the same or very similar to English, so you’ll find it easy to compile a sentence. If you don’t have time to learn the numbers, use your fingers, it’s a universal language.

Mnogo si krasiva! (Много си красива!Mnoh-goh see kra-see-vah!)

Meaning: “You’re very beautiful!” – you can only say this phrase to a woman. Depending on what country you come from, you might find Bulgarian men too pushy when trying to impress a woman (if you come from Germany or Sweden, for example) or you might feel at home (if you come from Italy).

Yako (Яко/Yah-koh)

Meaning:“Cool”. Your Bulgarian friend has just got a new job? Yako!

Da be! (Да бе!Dah beh!)

Meaning: “Really? Get away! It can’t be true!” – such a complex meaning compressed in only two short words.

Kolko struva? (Колко струва?/Kol-koh stroo-vah?)

Meaning: “How much is it?” is a useful phrase when you are visiting a market or other place where you can’t see the prices. It’s good to know that there’s a law in Bulgaria obligating all shops to put clearly visible prices on all the products for sale.

Skapo e (Скъпо е/Sku-po eh)

Meaning: “It’s expensive” is the phrase to use when you know the price of what you are about to buy and won’t let anyone rip you off just because you are not a local.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.