Bulgaria Learning Center
Enjoy Bulgaria!
Bulgaria 2024 Tour itinerary pdf
Increase your travel fun!
Increase your travel fun by memorizing the words below. Try them out on Bulgarians on the street, in their shops, restaurants, anywhere. And don’t forget, Bulgarians shake their head to the side when they mean yes, and up and down when they mean no.
10 Magic Bulgarian Words
Dobŭr den (DO-bur DEN). . . Good morning
Doviždane (do-VIZ-dane). . . Goodbye (ž as in “measure”)
Kak ste? (KAK STE?)…How are you?
Blagodarya (bla-go-dar-YA). . .Thank you
Da (DA)…Yes
Ne (NE)…No
Dobre (do-BRE)…Good
Kude (GDE)…Where
These 9 magic words have a double love benefit:
1. Bulgarians love you for saying them
2. You’ll love yourself for trying.
Bulgarian is written in the Cyrillic alphabet.
Start using your magic Bulgarian words today! Practice them aloud, with nerve, energy, verve, gusto, and enthusiasm! Try them out on family members, friends, neighbors; say them in shopping malls, restaurants, on the street, and in your home. You’ll be amazed at the reactions, and your progress.
Whatever magic Bulgarian word you say, in whatever order you say them, Bulgarians will reward you with a nod, smile, and sometimes even an answer! That’s when the fun begins.
Suze Stentz just added: You might mention that a large Ж (for Жени, women) is often seen on the door of the Ladies’ room! A useful letter to learn!
Bulgaria Books
Culture:
1. Bulgaria: Nagel’s Encyclopedia Guide
2. Bulgaria: The Rough Guide. . . Jonathan Bousfield and Dan Richardson
3. May It Fill Your Soul: Experiencing Bulgarian Music. . . Timothy Rice
4. Listen Daughter, and Remember Well. . . Martha Forsyth
5. Traditional Bulgarian Wedding. . . . .Radost Ivanova
Fiction:
1. Under the Yoke. . . Ivan Vazov
2. Mad Shoes: The Adventures of Sylvan Woods from Bronx Violinist to Bulgarian Folk Dancer. . . Jim Gold
Videos: Tour and folk Dance videos
Jim Gold Koprivshtitsa Festival Tour of Bulgaria: 2010
Jim Gold Koprivshtitsa Festival Tour of Bulgaria: 2015
Jim Gold Balkan Adventure: 2018
a. Great Danubian Lunch: 2018
History:
1. The Early Medieval Balkans: 6th to Late 12th Centuries. . . John V.A. Fine Jr.
2. The Late Medieval Balkans: 12th Century to Ottoman Conquest. . . John V. A, Fine Jr.
3. Beyond Hitler’s Grasp: The Heroic Rescue of Bulgaria’s Jews. . .Michael Bar-Zohar
Geography
In my humble opinion, to get the big picture, paper maps give the most perspective.
Of course, for local searching, on-line is easiest and best.
Even better, and more fun, is asking a local person for directions. When they answer, especially in Bulgarian, that’s when the fun starts!
Language
1. A Course in Modern Bulgarian: Part I and II: Milka Hubenova, Ana Dzhumadanova and Milka Marinova
2. Colloquial Bulgarian: A Complete Language Course. . . George Papantchev
3. Bulgarian-English English-Bulgarian Dictionary (Whatever you can find).
Language web sites:
1. Learn Bulgarian Online: Do a Google search.
THE BULGARIAN ALPHABET
БЪЛГАРСКАТА АЗБУКА
In Bulgarian, we use the Cyrillic alphabet. The same alphabet (with some modifications) is used in other languages -Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian, Serbian, Macedonian and some Central Asian Altaic languages.
a a in car; u in cut ah
б b in bit b
в v in vine v
г g in go g
д d in do d
e ye in yet yeh
ё yo in yolk yo
ж s in measure zh
з z in zoo z
и ee in see ee
й y in boy y
к k in kiss k
л l in lady l
м m in mist m
н n in not n
o o in folk o
п p in pipe p
р trilled r in rrroll r
с s in soft s
т t in tie t
y oo in root oo
ф f in farm f
х ch in Scottish loch kh
ц ts in lists ts
ч ch in chapter ch
ш sh in shut sh
щ sh in sheep shch
ъ is used to separate
two parts of the word ‘
ы i in ill i
ь is used to make the
preceding consonant soft ‘
э e in net eh
ю u in use yoo
я ya in yard yah
Letter combinations
Letters Pronounced as Symbol
ай igh in might igh
яй aй, preceded by the y as in yes yigh
ой oy in toy oy
ей ay in pay, preceded by a short y yay
уй oo in food followed by y as in yes ooy
юй уй, preceded by a short y yooy