Guides
Bulgarian Phrases for Visitors to Burgas
Bulgarian is written in Cyrillic. These are twenty-one standard, widely used phrases, plus the one gesture that means the opposite of what it looks like.
The short version
Bulgarian uses the Cyrillic alphabet, though Latin transliteration appears on most road signs and tourist menus. The one thing worth learning first: да (da) means yes, не (ne) means no, and the head gesture is not always reliable.
None of the phrases below are invented or approximate. Where we were not confident a phrase was standard, we left it out rather than print something a Bulgarian speaker would not recognise.
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The nod and shake inversion
Bulgarians traditionally shake the head side to side for yes and nod for no, the reverse of most of Europe. Younger Bulgarians in tourist areas often use the international gesture instead, so it cannot be trusted either way.
That makes the gesture unreliable in both directions: an older resident may use the traditional Bulgarian gesture, a younger one in a resort may use the gesture you already know, and you cannot tell which from the movement alone. The only safe reading is the word itself.
| Bulgarian | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Да | dah | Yes |
| Не | neh | No |
Greetings and courtesy
A handful of greetings and courtesy words cover most everyday exchanges: hello, goodbye, please, thank you, and excuse me. All are short, all are standard, and all are used constantly across the coast.
| Bulgarian | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Здравейте | zdra-VAY-teh | Hello (formal or to a group) |
| Здрасти | ZDRAS-tee | Hi (informal) |
| Добър ден | DO-bar den | Good day |
| Довиждане | do-VEEZH-da-neh | Goodbye |
| Моля | MO-lya | Please (also "you're welcome") |
| Благодаря | bla-go-da-RYA | Thank you |
| Извинете | iz-vee-NEH-teh | Excuse me, sorry |
Numbers, for prices and quantities
One, two and three cover most quick exchanges: table sizes, item counts, a number held up alongside the word to make sure it lands.
| Bulgarian | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Едно | ed-NO | One |
| Две | dveh | Two |
| Три | tree | Three |
Ordering, paying and the meter
Four phrases cover a restaurant table and a taxi in one go: asking for the menu, asking for the bill, asking a taxi driver to use the meter, and checking whether someone speaks English.
| Bulgarian | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Менюто, моля | men-YU-to, MO-lya | The menu, please |
| Сметката, моля | SMET-ka-ta, MO-lya | The bill, please |
| Апарата, моля | a-pa-RA-ta, MO-lya | The meter, please (to a taxi driver) |
| Говорите ли английски? | go-VO-ri-teh li an-GLIY-ski | Do you speak English? |
The meter phrase pairs with the defensive routine ontaxi scams in Bulgaria: say it before the car pulls away, not after.
Where is, and emergency basics
Five phrases cover finding your way and asking for help: where something is, the toilet, the airport, help, and the police.
| Bulgarian | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Къде е...? | ka-DEH eh | Where is...? |
| Тоалетната | to-a-LET-na-ta | The toilet |
| Летището | leh-TEE-shte-to | The airport |
| Помощ | PO-mosht | Help |
| Полиция | po-LEE-tsi-ya | Police |
Cyrillic and the road signs you will actually see
Bulgarian is written in the Cyrillic alphabet, but road signs and many tourist-facing menus in the resorts carry a Latin transliteration alongside it. In May, expect to be reading both versions, not just one.
The transliteration is what makes town names recognisable even without reading Cyrillic: Бургас becomes Burgas, Слънчев бряг becomes Slanchev bryag, the Bulgarian name for Sunny Beach. Both versions refer to the same place, and both are worth recognising if you are following signs while driving.
Common questions
- Do Bulgarians nod for no and shake their head for yes?
- Traditionally, yes, the reverse of most of Europe: a side to side shake can mean yes and a nod can mean no. Younger Bulgarians in tourist areas increasingly use the international convention, so the gesture alone is not reliable either way.
- So how do I know if someone means yes or no in Bulgaria?
- Listen for the word, not the gesture. Да (da) is yes and не (ne) is no, and both are short enough to listen for even if you catch nothing else of the sentence.
- Do I need to learn Cyrillic to visit Bulgaria?
- No. Bulgarian is written in Cyrillic, but road signs, menus and directions in tourist areas commonly carry a Latin transliteration alongside it, especially on the coast.
- Will English work in Burgas and on the coast?
- Generally yes in hotels, restaurants and shops used to visitors. A handful of Bulgarian phrases still help outside those settings, and are usually well received as an effort rather than expected as fluency.
- What is the single most useful Bulgarian phrase for a visitor?
- Благодаря (blagodarya), thank you. It is used constantly, understood everywhere, and costs nothing to get slightly wrong.