🛍 Setting the scene
Clothes shopping in Bulgaria is more varied than many visitors expect. In Sofia you can move from shopping centres and chain stores to small boutiques and second-hand shops in the same afternoon, while on the Black Sea coast the rhythm changes in summer and shops fill with beachwear, sandals and light layers.
Clothing also tells a bigger Bulgarian story. Modern city shopping sits next to older traditions: embroidered shirts, woven belts, woollen layers for the mountains, and regional costume details that many Bulgarians still recognise even if they do not wear them every day.
So this lesson is not only about sizes and fitting rooms. It is also about how climate, travel, local style and practical life shape what people buy in Bulgaria.
Section 1
Clothing vocabulary
Core clothes, accessories and useful shop words.
| Bulgarian | Romanised | English | Gender | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| риза | riza | shirt | F | |
| блуза | bluza | blouse / top | F | |
| тениска | teniska | T-shirt | F | |
| пуловер | pulover | jumper / pullover | M | |
| суитшърт | suitshart | sweatshirt | M | |
| яке | yake | jacket | N | |
| палто | palto | coat | N | |
| панталон | pantalon | trousers | M | |
| дънки | danki | jeans | pl | |
| пола | pola | skirt | F | |
| рокля | roklya | dress | F | |
| костюм | kostyum | suit | M | |
| бельо | belyo | underwear | N | |
| чорапи | chorapi | socks | pl | |
| обувки | obuvki | shoes | pl | |
| маратонки | maratonki | trainers / sneakers | pl | |
| ботуши | botushi | boots | pl | |
| сандали | sandali | sandals | pl | |
| шапка | shapka | hat / winter hat | F | |
| шал | shal | scarf | M | |
| ръкавици | rakavitsi | gloves | pl | |
| колан | kolan | belt | M | |
| съблекалня | sablekalnya | fitting room | F |
Section 2
Sizes and fit
How to ask for the right size and describe how something feels.
| Bulgarian | Romanised | English | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|
| размер | razmer | size | |
| Какъв размер носите? | Kakav razmer nosite? | What size do you wear? | |
| Нося размер M. | Nosya razmer M. | I wear size M. | |
| Имате ли това в по-голям размер? | Imate li tova v po-golyam razmer? | Do you have this in a bigger size? | |
| Имате ли го в по-малък размер? | Imate li go v po-malak razmer? | Do you have it in a smaller size? | |
| Мога ли да го пробвам? | Moga li da go probvam? | Can I try it on? | |
| Съблекалнята е отдясно. | Sablekalnyata e otdyasno. | The fitting room is on the right. | |
| Стои ми добре. | Stoi mi dobre. | It fits me well. | |
| Не ми стои добре. | Ne mi stoi dobre. | It does not suit me / fit well. | |
| Малко е тясно. | Malko e tyasno. | It is a little tight. | |
| Малко е широко. | Malko e shiroko. | It is a little loose. | |
| Малко е дълго. | Malko e dalgo. | It is a little long. | |
| Малко е късо. | Malko e kaso. | It is a little short. |
Section 3
Materials, patterns and style
Talking about what something is made of and how it looks.
| Bulgarian | Romanised | English | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|
| памук | pamuk | cotton | |
| вълна | valna | wool | |
| коприна | koprina | silk | |
| лен | len | linen | |
| кожа | kozha | leather | |
| изкуствена кожа | izkustvena kozha | faux leather | |
| синтетика | sintetika | synthetic fabric | |
| райе | raye | stripes | |
| каре | kare | check / plaid | |
| на точки | na tochki | polka-dot | |
| едноцветен | ednotsveten | plain / one-colour | |
| шарен | sharen | patterned / colourful | |
| шевица | shevitsa | traditional embroidery motif |
💡 Agreement in real use
Material and style adjectives still agree with the noun: памучна риза, вълнен пуловер, кожено яке, шарена рокля, раирани дънки. Day 10 grammar is doing real work here.
Section 4
Bulgarian shopping reality
How clothes shopping connects to Bulgarian life, travel and tradition.
🇧🇬 More than malls and brands
In Sofia, clothes shopping often means a mix: chain shops, shopping centres, independent boutiques, sportswear stores, and surprisingly good second-hand shops. In Varna and Burgas, summer drives demand for sandals, swimsuits, sunglasses and light clothes, while mountain towns bring out warm layers, boots and jackets.
There is also a cultural layer. Even if most people dress in modern European styles, the idea of шевица still carries weight. Traditional embroidery patterns appear on souvenirs, shirts, accessories and gifts, and they connect modern shopping to older regional identities.
| Bulgarian | Romanised | English | Why it matters | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| бутик | butik | boutique | Common in city shopping | |
| намаление | namalenie | discount / sale | Very common shop word | |
| промоция | promotsiya | promotion / special offer | Seen in signs and adverts | |
| втора употреба | vtora upotreba | second-hand | Important real-life vocabulary | |
| лятна колекция | lyatna kolektsiya | summer collection | Useful on the coast | |
| зимно яке | zimno yake | winter jacket | Practical in Bulgarian winters | |
| народна носия | narodna nosiya | traditional folk costume | Cultural vocabulary |
Section 5
Completing a purchase
From fitting room to payment, discount and return.
| Bulgarian | Romanised | English | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ще го взема. | Shte go vzema. | I'll take it. (M/N) | |
| Ще я взема. | Shte ya vzema. | I'll take it. (F) | |
| Не ми харесва. | Ne mi haresva. | I do not like it. | |
| Търся нещо по-евтино. | Tarsya neshto po-evtino. | I am looking for something cheaper. | |
| Има ли намаление? | Ima li namalenie? | Is there a discount? | |
| Колко е с намалението? | Kolko e s namalenieto? | How much is it with the discount? | |
| Мога ли да го върна? | Moga li da go varna? | Can I return it? | |
| Каква е политиката ви за връщане? | Kakva e politikata vi za vrashtane? | What is your returns policy? | |
| Касова бележка, моля. | Kasova belezhka, molya. | Receipt, please. | |
| Ще платя с карта. | Shte platya s karta. | I will pay by card. | |
| Ще го опаковате ли за подарък? | Shte go opakovate li za podarak? | Will you wrap it as a gift? |
Section 6
Dialogue — buying a jacket
A more natural clothes-shopping conversation, line by line.
Добър ден. Мога ли да ви помогна?
Dobar den. Moga li da vi pomogna?
Good afternoon. Can I help you?
Да, търся яке за есента - нещо леко, но топло.
Da, tarsya yake za esenta - neshto leko, no toplo.
Yes, I am looking for a jacket for autumn, something light but warm.
Какъв размер носите обикновено?
Kakav razmer nosite obiknoveno?
What size do you usually wear?
Обикновено нося M, но понякога ми трябва L.
Obiknoveno nosya M, no ponyakoga mi tryabva L.
I usually wear M, but sometimes I need L.
Това тъмносиньо яке е нов модел. Искате ли да го пробвате?
Tova tamnosinyo yake e nov model. Iskate li da go probvate?
This dark-blue jacket is a new model. Would you like to try it on?
Да, разбира се. Къде е съблекалнята?
Da, razbira se. Kade e sablekalnyata?
Yes, of course. Where is the fitting room?
Отдясно. Ако искате, ще ви донеса и размер L.
Otdyasno. Ako iskate, shte vi donesa i razmer L.
On the right. If you want, I will also bring you size L.
Много ми харесва, но M е малко тясно в раменете.
Mnogo mi haresva, no M e malko tyasno v ramenete.
I like it a lot, but M is a little tight in the shoulders.
Ето и L. Стои ви по-добре.
Eto i L. Stoi vi po-dobre.
Here is the L too. It fits you better.
Да, това е. Колко струва?
Da, tova e. Kolko struva?
Yes, this is it. How much is it?
Петдесет и пет евро, но днес има десет процента намаление.
Petdeset i pet evro, no dnes ima deset protsenta namalenie.
Fifty-five euros, but today there is a ten percent discount.
Чудесно. Ще го взема и ще платя с карта.
Chudesno. Shte go vzema i shte platya s karta.
Excellent. I will take it and pay by card.
Section 7
Writing task
✏️ Writing task — Day 30
- Write the Bulgarian for 8 items of clothing and include their genders or plural forms.
- Translate: "I wear size L. Can I try these jeans on? They are a little long."
- You want to return a shirt because it is the wrong size. Write what you say.
- Give two examples of adjective agreement with clothes and materials.
- What kind of clothes shopping might be more common in Sofia compared with Varna or Burgas in summer?
- Write 4-5 sentences: you are looking for a practical Bulgarian gift with a traditional touch, not just a cheap souvenir.
Show answers
1. E.g. риза (F), пуловер (M), яке (N), дънки (pl), обувки (pl), шапка (F), шал (M), рокля (F)
2. Нося размер L. Мога ли да пробвам тези дънки? Малко са дълги.
3. Искам да върна тази риза, защото размерът не е правилен. Имате ли по-малък размер?
4. E.g. памучна риза, кожено яке, шарена рокля
5. Sofia may have more boutiques, malls and second-hand shops, while Varna and Burgas in summer often focus more on beachwear, sandals and light clothes.
6. E.g. Търся подарък с българска шевица. Искам нещо красиво, но и практично. Може би риза или чанта. Не търся нещо много скъпо. Искам да е типично българско.
Day 30 Quiz
8 questions · score 6+ to mark day complete
Question 1 of 8
"Can I try it on?" in Bulgarian:
Question 2 of 8
"The fitting room is over there":
Question 3 of 8
"It is a little tight" in Bulgarian:
Question 4 of 8
"Is there a sale?" in Bulgarian:
Question 5 of 8
"I wear size M" in Bulgarian:
Question 6 of 8
"Trousers" in Bulgarian:
Question 7 of 8
"Cotton" in Bulgarian:
Question 8 of 8
"Can I return it?" in Bulgarian:
Day 30 Recap
Review before Day 31. Every point builds on the last.
| Topic | Key point | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Clothing | риза · тениска · пуловер · яке · палто · дънки · рокля · обувки | Add plural awareness, not just gender |
| Sizing | Какъв размер носите? · по-голям/по-малък размер · Мога ли да го пробвам? | Use with real fit comments |
| Fit | Стои ми добре · тясно · широко · дълго · късо | These often stay neuter in use |
| Style | памук · кожа · райе · каре · едноцветен · шевица | Grammar plus cultural vocabulary |
| Shopping in Bulgaria | бутик · намаление · промоция · втора употреба · народна носия | Modern shops plus traditional context |
| Purchase | Ще го/я взема · Касова бележка, моля · Мога ли да го върна? | go = M/N, ya = F |
| 🌎 Culture | Sofia has malls, boutiques, and втора употреба (second-hand) shops side by side; шевица embroidery is having a modern revival on contemporary fashion | Bulgarian народна носия (folk costume) varies by region |