It is essential to have a basic understanding of the vocabulary to communicate effectively in Bulgarian. You will likely use basic Bulgarian verbs, nouns and adjectives in your everyday interactions with friends, neighbors, and coworkers.

Learning the most common vocabulary first is key to fluency in any language. Research has shown that 92% of spoken Bulgarian is made up of 2500 words. 82% of all Bulgarian text you will ever encounter is made up out of the top 2500 Bulgarian words. This is remarkable, because there are currently around 150,000 words in modern use. Learning by frequency is an excellent method to quickly increase your knowledge of common words in Bulgarian.

Learning common Bulgarian words can open doors and facilitate communication fast. Even if you’re not considered fluent yet by a long shot regarding grammar and verb conjugation, you can still “get by” if you just know enough words. If you have a broad enough vocabulary, it is easier for you to understand, read, speak and write Bulgarian. You’ll be no Pulitzer Prize winner, but are able to go about your daily life well enough. 

Knowing the common words in any language is essential for forming a strong foundational vocabulary. First learn the common words, then expand your vocabulary to more unique terms that are relevant to your situation. Example: Going to spend some time surfing in Bulgaria? First get your base vocabulary up, and then find or create a vocabulary list that teaches you specific surfing related vocabulary. 

The MostUsedWords Lists of Common Bulgarian Words

To help you learn Bulgarian vocabulary fast, we create frequency dictionaries. Our Bulgarian dictionary gives you a neatly organized list of the most common words in Bulgarian. If you’re not convinced that learning the most common Bulgarian words first is a good way of learning Bulgarian, you can try it out. Purchase the book and return it within a 30 days period. No questions asked.

Our book is organized by a general frequency list, as frequency as part of speech, and by alphabet. Each word on the list has IPA phonetic spelling, so you know how to pronounce the Bulgarian word right. Because you learn vocabulary in chunks, all entries come with a Bulgarian to English sample sentence.

Get the most out of your Bulgarian studies by purchasing our Bulgarian Frequency Dictionary available in ebook format on our website, or purchase the paperback on Amazon. With 2500 common words, you can communicate confidently in various situations. This is an affiliate link. That means we might get a small commission if you make a purchase after clicking this link. 

Bulgarian Words for Beginners

To help you get started learning Bulgarian, here are some of the most common Bulgarian words and sentences. These are a great method to get your basic Bulgarian vocab started.

Common Bulgarian Greetings

Without knowing the Bulgarian greetings, it is difficult to communicate with small groups. Thus, it is important you know these common greetings:

“добро утро” which means “Good morning”

“добър ден” which means “Good afternoon”

“добър вечер” which means “Good evening”

“Как сте?” which means “How are you?”

“как върви?” which means “How’s it going?”

“какво правиш?” which means “What are you doing?”

“какво се случва?” which means “What’s happening?”

If someone asks you the following questions, you can reply with these conversational Bulgarian phrases:

“добре, благодаря”, meaning: Good, thank you

“много добре”, meaning: Very well

“горе-долу”, meaning: so so or good-enough

“както винаги”, meaning: As always

“а ти?”, meaning: And you?

How to Introduce Yourself in Bulgarian

You can say these to introduce yourself:

“моето име е” - My name is

“Аз съм..” - I am..

You can ask for the name of the person you are talking to by saying:

“Как се казваш?” - What is your name?

And you can answer them by saying:

“приятно ми е да се запознаем”, which means “nice to meet you”

Common Polite Words and Expressions in Bulgarian

These Bulgarian phrases are sure to come in handy to avoid offending anyone during a conversation. Being polite can take you anywhere! Try it by saying:

“Благодаря ти” - Thank you

“Много благодаря!” - Thank you so much!

“Моля” - You’re welcome!

“няма проблем” - No problem!

“Моля те” - Please

“Съжалявам” - Sorry

“Извинете ме” - Excuse me!

Common Question Words in Bulgarian

Asking questions is a great way to make your conversations more effective. Here are some Bulgarian question words that you can learn immediately:

“какво?” - What?

“кой?” - Who?

“кога?” - When?

“където?” - Where?

“защо?” - Why?

“който?” - Which?

“как?” - How?

Here are more useful questions you might like to know:

Saying “Колко е часът?” is how you ask what time is it

Saying “от къде си?” is how you ask where they are from

Saying “къде живееш?” is how you ask where they live

Saying “можеш ли да ми помогнеш?” is how you ask if they can help you

Saying “Мога ли да ти помогна?” is how you ask if you can help them

Saying “колко струва” is how you ask how much it cost

Saying “разбираш ли?” is how you ask if they understand

Saying “говориш ли английски?” is how you ask if they speak English

Saying “Какво означава това?” is how you ask what this means

Saying “Моля, говорете бавно” is how you ask them if they can speak slowly

Saying “къде мога да намеря такси?” is how you ask where to find a taxi

And you should know what to answer:

“да” means: Yes

“не” means: No

“може би” means: Maybe

“винаги” means: Always

“никога” means: Never

“разбира се” means: Of course

“няма проблем!” means: No problem!

“не разбирам” means: I don’t understand

“Не знам” means: I don’t know

“нямам идея” means: I have no idea

“Аз не говоря български” means: I don’t speak Bulgarian

“изгубих се” means: I’m lost

“моят български е лош” means: My Bulgarian is bad

Celebrate in Bulgarian

There are many expressions in Bulgarian that can be used to celebrate special occasions. These phrases are ideal for events such as birthdays or parties with friends:

“Честит Рожден ден” to say “Happy Birthday”

“Честито” to say “Congratulations!”

“забавлявай се!” to say “Have fun!”

“наслаждавай се на храната си” to say “Enjoy your food!”

“добре дошли!” to say “Welcome!”

“наздраве!” to say “Cheers!”

Saying goodbye in Bulgarian

It's difficult to say goodbye, especially if you don’t know how. Here are some Bulgarian phrases you can use to end a conversation and leave:

“Довиждане” means “Goodbye”

“до скоро” means “See you later” or “See you soon”

“ще се видим утре” means “See you tomorrow”

“ще се видим” means “See you” 

“Пази се!” means “Take care!”

“Приятен ден” means “Have a nice day!”

“приятно пътуване” means “Have a good trip!”

If you want to have your first conversation with a native Bulgarian speaker, knowing these most common words will definitely help. Just keep practicing the phrases and vocabulary, and you'll make progress that leads to fluency. Get familiar with the words, and they'll come to you naturally in no time.

Resources for Adding More Bulgarian Words to Your Vocabulary

 

Of course, not all Bulgarian words can be put in just one article. If you want to really learn Bulgarian, you need a reliable and practical source to learn from. Our Bulgarian frequency dictionary: Essential Vocabulary is designed specifically for learners looking to quickly improve their Bulgarian.

MostUsedWords created this book for learners who are aiming to reach a certain language fluency. The book contains the first 2500 Bulgarian words, which can accommodate learners with beginner language proficiency.

The frequency dictionary can either be used alone or together with other language learning programs, apps, or books. You can get them in ebook format on our website, or as a paperback from Amazon.