The Around the World phrasebook
Let's learn traveller's Bulgarian
Not the school kind — the airport, taxi and dinner-table kind. Every phrase with a say-it-out-loud pronunciation.
Nobody expects you to speak fluent Bulgarian. But ten words in the right places — and the market seller smiles, the driver drops the price, the waiter brings the good stuff. We've gathered 65 phrases that actually work, sorted by the moment you'll need them: the landing, the taxi, check-in, the table. Each with a pronunciation you can read aloud without cringing.
Phrasebook · 1/8
First words
| What you want to say | Bulgarian | How to say it |
|---|---|---|
| Hello (formal) | Здравейте | zdrav-EY-teh |
| Hello (informal) | Здрасти | ZDRAS-ti |
| Goodbye | Довиждане | do-VIZH-da-neh |
| Thank you | Благодаря | bla-go-DAR-ya |
| Please | Моля | MO-lya |
| Yes | Да | DA |
| No | Не | NE |
| Sorry | Извинете | iz-vi-NE-teh |
| I don't understand | Не разбирам | ne raz-BI-ram |
| Do you speak English? | Говорите ли английски? | go-VO-ri-teh li an-GLIS-ki? |
Phrasebook · 2/8
Courtesy & introductions
| What you want to say | Bulgarian | How to say it |
|---|---|---|
| Good morning | Добро утро | DOB-roh OO-troh |
| Good evening | Добър вечер | DO-bar VE-cher |
| How are you? | Как си? | KAK si? |
| My name is... | Казвам се... | KAZ-vam se... |
| Nice to meet you | Приятно ми е | pri-YAT-no mi e |
| I am from Israel | Аз съм от Израел | AZ sam ot IZ-rael |
| See you | Ще се видим | shte se VI-dim |
Phrasebook · 3/8
At the airport & on the flight
| What you want to say | Bulgarian | How to say it |
|---|---|---|
| Where is the gate? | Къде е изходът? | ka-DEH eh IZ-kho-dat? |
| Is the flight delayed? | Полетът закъснява ли? | PO-le-tat zak-snyA-va li? |
| Boarding pass | Бордова карта | bor-DO-va KAR-ta |
| My suitcase didn't arrive | Куфарът ми не пристигна | KU-fa-rat mi ne pris-TIG-na |
| I have a connecting flight | Имам свързващ полет | I-mam SVAR-zvasht PO-let |
| Window/aisle seat | Място до прозореца/до пътеката | MYAS-to do pro-ZO-re-tsa/do pa-TE-ka-ta |
| Where is passport control? | Къде е паспортният контрол? | ka-DEH eh pas-PORT-ni-yat kon-TROL? |
Phrasebook · 4/8
Transport & directions
| What you want to say | Bulgarian | How to say it |
|---|---|---|
| To this address, please. | До този адрес, моля. | DO TO-zi a-DRES MO-lya |
| How much to the center? | Колко струва до центъра? | KOL-ko STRU-va do TSEN-tra |
| One ticket to… | Един билет за… | e-DIN bi-LET za… |
| Which platform? | Кой перон? | KOY pe-RON |
| Where is the bus station? | Къде е автобусната спирка? | k-DE e a-vu-TObus-na-ta SPIR-ka |
| Stop here, please. | Спри тук, моля. | SPRI tuk MO-lya |
| Is it far? | Далече ли е? | da-LE-che li e |
| Turn left/right. | Завий наляво/надясно. | za-VI na-LYA-vo/na-DYAS-no |
| Straight. | Направо. | na-PRA-vo |
Phrasebook · 5/8
Hotel & stay
| What you want to say | Bulgarian | How to say it |
|---|---|---|
| I have a reservation | Имам резервация | I-mam re-zer-VAT-si-ya |
| Check-in | Настаняване | nas-tan-YA-va-ne |
| Check-out | Напускане | na-PUS-ka-ne |
| Is breakfast included? | Закуската включена ли е? | za-KUS-ka-ta vklu-CHE-na li e |
| Room key | Ключ за стаята | klyuch za STA-ya-ta |
| Wi-Fi password | Парола за Wi-Fi | pa-RO-la za VAI-fai |
| Can I leave my luggage? | Мога ли да оставя багажа си? | MO-ga li da os-TA-vya ba-GA-zha si |
| The air conditioner doesn't work | Климатикът не работи | kli-ma-TI-kat ne ra-BO-ti |
Phrasebook · 6/8
Restaurant & food
| What you want to say | Bulgarian | How to say it |
|---|---|---|
| A table for two, please. | Маса за двама, моля. | MA-sa za DVA-ma, MO-lya. |
| The menu, please. | Менюто, моля. | me-NYU-to, MO-lya. |
| What do you recommend? | Какво препоръчвате? | kak-VO pre-po-RACH-va-te? |
| The bill, please. | Сметката, моля. | SMET-ka-ta, MO-lya. |
| Tap water, please. | Чешмяна вода, моля. | chesh-MYA-na vo-DA, MO-lya. |
| I have a nut allergy. | Имам алергия към ядки. | I-mam a-LER-gi-ya kam YAD-ki. |
| No meat, please. | Без месо, моля. | bez me-SO, MO-lya. |
| It was excellent. | Беше отлично. | BE-she ot-LICH-no. |
| Can I pay by card? | Мога ли да платя с карта? | MO-ga li da pla-TYA s KAR-ta? |
Phrasebook · 7/8
Shopping & money
| What you want to say | Bulgarian | How to say it |
|---|---|---|
| How much does it cost? | Колко струва? | KOL-ko STRU-vah? |
| It's too expensive | Това е твърде скъпо | to-VAH eh TVIR-deh SKA-po |
| Do you accept card? | Приемате ли карта? | pri-YE-ma-teh lee KAR-ta? |
| I'm just looking | Просто разглеждам | PRO-sto raz-GLEZ-dam |
| Can I have a receipt? | Може ли касова бележка? | MO-zheh lee KA-so-va be-LEZH-ka? |
| Where is an ATM? | Къде има банкомат? | ka-DEH EE-mah ban-ko-MAT? |
| A smaller size | По-малък размер | po-MA-lak raz-MER |
Phrasebook · 8/8
Emergencies & health
| What you want to say | Bulgarian | How to say it |
|---|---|---|
| Help! | Помощ! | PO-mosh! |
| Call a doctor | Обадете се на лекар | o-ba-DE-teh seh nah LE-kar |
| Call the police | Обадете се на полицията | o-ba-DE-teh seh nah po-li-TSI-yah-tah |
| Where is a pharmacy? | Къде е аптеката? | keh-DEH eh ap-TE-ka-tah? |
| I don't feel well | Не се чувствам добре | neh seh CHUV-stvam DO-breh |
| I'm lost | Изгубих се | iz-GU-bikh seh |
| I need a hospital | Имам нужда от болница | I-mam NUZH-da ot BOL-ni-tsa |
| It hurts here | Боли ме тук | BO-li meh tuk |
Q&A
Answers to your questions
How do you say "thank you" in Bulgarian?
"Благодаря" (bla-go-DAR-ya). It's one of the five words worth knowing by heart before you land.
How much Bulgarian do I need for a trip?
Not much. Five or six courtesy words (hello, thank you, please, sorry, yes/no) open doors, and another ten to fifteen phrases for fixed situations — a taxi, check-in, the restaurant bill — cover almost any trip. The rest: a camera-translation app.
Can you get by in English where Bulgarian is spoken?
In city centres, hotels and tourist sites — usually yes, especially with younger people. Outside them — markets, transport, small towns — a few words of the local language make a real difference and are warmly received.
Which countries have Bulgarian as an official language?
Bulgarian is a main language in 1 countries: Bulgaria.
What's the difference between the formal and casual greeting?
Most languages have a formal "hello" for strangers, service staff and elders, and an everyday version for friends and peers. As a traveller it's always safer to open with the formal one — nobody is offended by too much politeness.
How do you politely ask someone to speak English?
"Говорите ли английски?" (go-VO-ri-teh li an-GLIS-ki?) — "do you speak English?". Lead with "excuse me" in the local language and it comes across as respectful.
About this page
Written and checked by the Around the World team. We compare prices across the major providers, cross-check official sources, and update when something changes. We have no stake in any one provider — links are affiliate links, and the price is the same for you.
Sources: Phrasebook: the Around the World team · Language-to-country: Around the World data