You’re standing in a small bakery in Plovdiv. The smell of buttery banitsa is driving you crazy. You point to the pastry, look the baker in the eye, and nod. He puts the tongs back. He doesn’t give you the food. You nod again, more vigorously this time. He looks confused, maybe even a little annoyed.
Welcome to Bulgaria. You just told him "no" twice without saying a single word.
Finding out what language in Bulgaria is spoken is only half the battle. Sure, the official tongue is Bulgarian, but the real challenge for most travelers—and even some expats—is navigating the layers of history, the confusing gestures, and the surprising way English is (or isn't) used across the country.
The Core: Bulgarian and the Cyrillic Pride
Honestly, Bulgarians are incredibly proud of their language. They should be. It’s an Indo-European language, part of the Slavic branch, and it’s the oldest written Slavic language. But here is the thing that usually trips people up: the alphabet.
If you think the Cyrillic alphabet belongs to Russia, don't say that out loud in Sofia.
Bulgarians will quickly, and correctly, point out that the Cyrillic script was actually developed in the First Bulgarian Empire during the 9th century. Specifically, it happened at the Preslav Literary School. It was named after Saint Cyril, but his disciples—guys like Clement of Ohrid and Naum of Preslav—were the ones who really got it off the ground under the wing of Tsar Simeon the Great.
Today, Bulgarian is the native tongue for about 85% of the population. It’s phonetic, which means once you learn the 30 letters of the alphabet, you can pretty much read anything, even if you don't know what it means.
A Language Without Cases
If you’ve ever tried to learn Russian or Polish, you know the nightmare of "cases." Bulgarian is the weird cousin of the Slavic family because it basically threw cases out the window. Instead, it uses articles that attach to the end of the word.
📖 Related: Food in Kerala India: What Most People Get Wrong About God's Own Kitchen
For example:
- Kniga = Book
- Kniga-ta = The book
It sounds simple until you realize this makes it structurally more similar to English or Romanian than to its North Slavic relatives.
The Minority Voices: Turkish and Romani
Bulgaria isn't a monolith. You’ve got a significant Turkish-speaking minority, roughly 9% of the population. This isn't just a recent thing; it's a legacy of five centuries of Ottoman rule. If you head south toward the Rhodope Mountains or northeast toward Razgrad, you’ll hear Turkish in the cafes and see it on some shop signs.
Then there’s Romani. About 4% of people speak it as their first language. It’s an Indo-Aryan language, which means it’s actually distantly related to Hindi. It’s a fascinating linguistic pocket that survives mostly through oral tradition within the Roma communities.
Can You Get By With English?
Basically, yes—if you stay in the "tourist bubble."
In 2026, English proficiency in Bulgaria is higher than it’s ever been, but it’s very age-dependent. If you’re talking to someone under 35 in Sofia, Varna, or Plovdiv, they likely speak decent to excellent English. Statistics show that nearly 45% of young Bulgarians are comfortable in English.
But step into a rural village in the Balkan Mountains or talk to someone over 60? You’re better off with Russian. Because of the country's communist past, older generations were taught Russian in school. It’s fading, but it’s still the "lingua franca" for the older folks.
👉 See also: Taking the Ferry to Williamsburg Brooklyn: What Most People Get Wrong
Current stats for foreign languages in Bulgaria:
- English: ~25-29% (and growing)
- Russian: ~15-20% (and shrinking)
- German: ~5%
The "Yes" and "No" Trap (Seriously, Be Careful)
We have to talk about the head nodding. It is the single most common cause of "language" failure in Bulgaria.
In most of the world:
- Nodding up and down = Yes
- Shaking side to side = No
In Bulgaria (traditionally):
- Nodding up and down = NO
- Shaking side to side = YES
There’s a dark legend about this. The story goes that during the Ottoman occupation, Janissaries would hold a sword to a Bulgarian’s throat and ask if they would renounce their faith. If the Bulgarian shook their head "no" (sideways), the sword would cut their throat. So, they reversed the gesture to stay alive. Whether that’s 100% historically accurate or just a gritty folk tale, the habit stuck.
Nowadays, people in big cities know foreigners are confused. They might "reverse the reversal" for you, which makes it even more confusing.
Pro Tip: Watch for the "click." Often, a Bulgarian "no" is a single upward flick of the head, sometimes accompanied by a subtle "ts" sound with the tongue. If you see that, you’re not getting that second beer.
✨ Don't miss: Lava Beds National Monument: What Most People Get Wrong About California's Volcanic Underworld
Survival Phrases for Your Pocket
You don't need to be fluent, but "Kinda" trying goes a long way. Bulgarians find it charming when a foreigner struggles through a "Blagodarya."
- Zdraveyte (Zdra-VEY-teh) – Hello (Formal)
- Zdrasti (ZDRA-stee) – Hi (Casual)
- Dovizhdane (Doh-VEEZH-dah-neh) – Goodbye
- Molya (MOH-lya) – Please / You're welcome
- Blagodarya (Bla-go-da-RYA) – Thank you (Formal)
- Mersi (Mer-SEE) – Thank you (Very common, borrowed from French)
- Da / Ne – Yes / No
Navigating the Script
You’re going to see signs for "РЕСТОРАНТ." It looks like "Pektopaht," right? Nope. It’s "Restaurant."
The "P" is an R. The "H" is an N. The "C" is an S.
Learning just these five "false friend" letters will save you from getting lost on the Sofia Metro:
- В = V (as in Varna)
- Н = N (as in No)
- Р = R (as in Roma)
- С = S (as in Sofia)
- Х = H (as in Hello)
Actionable Insights for Your Trip
Don't let the language barrier scare you off. Bulgaria is one of the most underrated spots in Europe. To make your life easier:
- Download Google Lens: It's a lifesaver for menus. Point your camera at the Cyrillic text, and it'll overlay the English translation.
- Use the "Thumbs Up": Since the nodding thing is a mess, use a thumbs up for "yes" or a hand wave for "no." It's universal and avoids the "sword-to-the-throat" confusion.
- Learn the Alphabet: Spend 20 minutes on the plane learning the letters. Being able to read the name of a bus station or a street sign changes the whole experience.
- Say "Mersi": While Blagodarya is the "real" word, almost everyone uses the French Mersi in casual shops. It’s easier to pronounce and perfectly acceptable.
If you’re heading to the coast or the ski resorts like Bansko, you’ll be fine with English. But if you want the real Bulgaria—the hidden monasteries and the hole-in-the-wall mehanas—knowing the basics of the local tongue is the difference between being a tourist and being a guest.
Start by memorizing the Cyrillic "R" and "N" today. It's the first step to actually reading the map when you land in Sofia.