Language/Bulgarian/Culture/How-to-say-‘Hello’-in-Bulgarian

Bulgarian Culture – How to say ‘Hello’ in Bulgarian

How to greet at different times of the day

You can say Добър ден! – Good afternoon, at any time of the day (9 a.m. – 6 p.m.). except the early morning (before 9 a.m.), when you use Добро утро! – Good morning, and in the evening (after 6 p.m.), when you say Добър вечер! – Good evening. Before going to bed Bulgarians say Лека нощ! – Good night.

How to nod your head

In most countries in the world, you nod your head to say “Yes” (“Да”) and shake it to say “No” (“Не”). In Bulgaria, it is just the opposite. If you are not sure about the answer, always ask again and listen to the verbal answer.

Handshaking

When you meet somebody for the first time you shake hands. Handshaking is appropriate for formal meetings. Some Bulgarians (especially from the older generation) shake hands whenever they meet. Young people (especially girls) kiss each other.

Ciao/Merci

Bulgarians often use ciao for good-bye (instead of “Довиждане“) and merci for thank you (instead of “Благодаря“).

Knowledge of foreign languags

Most young Bulgarians have at least a basic knowledge of English or/and a second foreign language (usually German, French or Spanish). Those born before the 1970s are most likely to speak Russian or German.

Sources

• https://caritas.bg/cms/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/A1-English.pdf?x10535