Section 1
Everyday idioms — body parts
Bulgarian idioms built around the human body.
Like all languages, Bulgarian uses body parts metaphorically in many of its most colourful idioms. These are extremely common in everyday speech.
| Bulgarian idiom | Romanised | Literal meaning | Actual meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Излезе ми от акъла. | Izleze mi ot akala. | It came out of my mind. | I forgot about it completely. / It slipped my mind. |
| Не ми излиза от главата. | Ne mi izliza ot glavata. | It won't come out of my head. | I can't stop thinking about it. |
| Дава ми зор. | Dava mi zor. | It gives me pressure. | It's bothering me / stressing me out. |
| Стиска ми се сърцето. | Stiska mi se sartse to. | My heart is squeezing. | I feel a pang of sadness / my heart aches. |
| Хваща ме за гърлото. | Hvashta me za garloto. | It grabs me by the throat. | It's overwhelming / it moves me deeply. |
| Студена вода по гръбнака. | Studena voda po grabna ka. | Cold water down the spine. | A shiver / a scare — something chilling. |
| Яде ми акъла. | Yade mi akala. | It's eating my mind. | It's driving me crazy / it's eating me up. |
| На едно ухо влиза, на друго излиза. | Na edno uho vliza, na drugo izliza. | In one ear, out the other. | Said when someone ignores advice. Same as English. |
Section 2
Common everyday idioms
Idioms you will hear constantly.
| Bulgarian idiom | Romanised | Actual meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Направо на точка. | Napravo na tochka. | Spot on. / Exactly right. |
| Нямам думи. | Nyamam dumi. | I'm speechless. / Words fail me. |
| Горещо желязо. | Goresto zhelyazo. | A hot topic / contentious issue. (lit: hot iron) |
| Пада ми камъкът от сърцето. | Pada mi kamakat ot sartse to. | A weight lifts from my heart. / What a relief. |
| Вземам присърце. | Vzemam prisartse. | I take it to heart. / I take it personally. |
| Колкото вълкът зъбите. | Kolkoto valkat zabite. | As much as a wolf [shows] its teeth. |
| Гони се с опашката. | Goni se s opashkata. | Chasing its own tail. / Going around in circles. |
| Хич не ми пука. | Hich ne mi puka. | I couldn't care less. / I don't give a damn. |
| Вземам си бележка. | Vzemam si belezhka. | I'll take note of that. / I'll remember that. |
| Не е за изхвърляне. | Ne e za izkhvarlyane. | Not to be dismissed / not bad at all. |
| Прехвърля топката. | Prekhvarlyа topkata. | Passes the buck. / Shifts the blame. |
| Търси се козел отпущение. | Tarsi se kozel otpushtenie. | Looking for a scapegoat. |
Section 3
Bulgarian proverbs — пословици
The wisdom encoded in Bulgarian folk sayings.
Bulgarian proverbs (пословици) are deeply embedded in everyday conversation. Many are still used by all generations — you will hear them from grandparents and teenagers alike. They often appear in formal speeches and newspaper commentary.
| Proverb (Bulgarian) | Romanised | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Без труд, нема плод. | Bez trud, nema plod. | Without work, there is no fruit. — Nothing comes without effort. |
| Утре, утре — не днеска. | Utre, utre — ne dneska. | Tomorrow, tomorrow — not today. — The Bulgarian proverb about procrastination. |
| Казаното — казано. | Kazanoto — kazano. | What is said is said. — Said and done / you can't unsay it. |
| Добрата дума желязна врата отваря. | Dobrata duma zhelyazna vrata otvaryа. | A good word opens an iron gate. — Politeness and kind words can achieve anything. |
| По дрехите посрещат, по ума изпращат. | Po drekhite posreshtат, po uma izprashtаt. | By clothes you are welcomed, by brains you are sent off. — First impressions are by looks, lasting impressions by intelligence. |
| Каквото посееш, това ще жънеш. | Kakvoto poseyesh, tova shte zhanesh. | You reap what you sow. |
| Гладна мечка хоро не играе. | Gladna mechka horo ne igrae. | A hungry bear won't dance the horo. — You can't expect results without proper sustenance/motivation. |
| Две глави са по-добри от една. | Dve glavi sa po-dobri ot edna. | Two heads are better than one. — Same as English. |
| Не оставяй за утре, каквото можеш да направиш днес. | Ne ostavyay za utre, kakvoto mozhesh da napravish dnes. | Don't leave for tomorrow what you can do today. |
| Лъжата е с кратки крака. | Lazhata e s kratki kraka. | Lies have short legs. — Lies don't get you far. |
Section 4
Expressions for everyday situations
The set phrases every fluent speaker knows.
| Situation | Bulgarian expression | Romanised | English equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Expressing relief | Слава богу! | Slava bogu! | Thank God! / Phew! |
| Expressing disbelief | Недей! | Nedey! | No way! / You're kidding! |
| Encouragement | Стискам ти палците! | Stiskam ti paltsete! | I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you! |
| Good luck | Успех! | Uspeh! | Good luck! / Success! |
| No problem / it's nothing | Няма нищо. | Nyama nishto. | No problem. / It's nothing. / Don't worry about it. |
| Showing solidarity | Заедно сме. | Zaedno sme. | We're in this together. |
| Frustration | Ами сега! | Ami sega! | Oh great! / What now! (ironic/frustrated) |
| Getting to the point | Накратко казано... | Nakratko kazano... | In short... / To put it briefly... |
| Sarcasm/irony | Много умно. | Mnogo umno. | Very clever. (sarcastic) |
| Deflecting blame | Не е моя работа. | Ne e moya rabota. | It's not my business / not my problem. |
| Wrapping up | Накрая на краищата... | Nakraya na kraishata... | At the end of the day... |
Section 5
Dialogue — idioms in natural conversation
Hear how idioms flow in real speech.
— Как мина интервюто?
— Не питай. Яде ми акъла. Мисля, че се справих зле.
— Недей! Стисках ти палците. Разкажи ми.
— Ами, в началото вървеше добре. После ме питаха за опит, когото нямам.
— И какво каза?
— Честно казах, че нямам, но показах ентусиазъм. Направо на точка не беше.
— Слушай, не вземай присърце. Всяко интервю е опит.
— Знам, знам. Пада ми камъкът от сърцето малко като говоря с теб.
— Ами сега — ако не вземеш тази работа, ще намериш друга.
— Слава богу, че имам добри приятели. Без труд нема плод — продължавам напред.
— Това е! Успех!
— Kak mina intervyuto?
— Ne pitay. Yade mi akala. Mislya, che se spravikh loshe.
— Nedey! Stiskah ti paltsete. Razkazhi mi.
— Ami, v nachaloto varvashe dobre. Posle me pitaha za opit, kogoto nyamam.
— I kakvo kaza?
— Chestno kazah, che nyamam, no pokazah entuziyazum. Napravo na tochka ne beshe.
— Slushaу, ne vzemay prisartse. Vsyako intervyu e opit.
— Znam, znam. Pada mi kamakat ot sartseto malko kato govorya s teb.
— Ami sega — ako ne vzemesh tazi rabota, shte nameresh druga.
— Slava bogu, che imam dobri priyateli. Bez trud nema plod — prodalzhavam napred.
— Tova e! Uspeh!
— How did the interview go?
— Don't ask. It's driving me crazy. I think I did badly.
— No way! I had my fingers crossed for you. Tell me about it.
— Well, it was going well at the start. Then they asked about experience I don't have.
— And what did you say?
— I honestly said I didn't have it, but I showed enthusiasm. It wasn't spot on.
— Listen, don't take it to heart. Every interview is experience.
— I know, I know. A weight lifts from my heart a little when I talk to you.
— Oh well — if you don't get this job, you'll find another.
— Thank God I have good friends. No pain, no gain — I'm moving forward.
— That's the spirit! Good luck!
Section 6
Writing task
✏️ Writing task — Day 42
- Write a short story (8 sentences) using at least 4 Bulgarian idioms from today.
- Match these idioms to their meanings: (a) Хич не ми пука (b) Пада ми камъкът от сърцето (c) Прехвърля топката (d) Яде ми акъла.
- Translate these proverbs into English and explain the meaning: (a) Без труд, нема плод (b) Лъжата е с кратки крака (c) По дрехите посрещат, по ума изпращат.
- Write the Bulgarian expression for: (a) fingers crossed (b) no problem (c) speechless (d) spot on.
Show answers
1. Free answer — use at least 4 idioms from sections 1 and 2 in a coherent narrative.
2. (a) I couldn't care less (b) A weight lifts from my heart / relief (c) Passes the buck (d) Driving me crazy.
3. (a) No work no reward (b) Lies don't get you far (c) First impressions by looks, lasting by brains.
4. (a) Стискам ти палците (b) Няма нищо (c) Нямам думи (d) Направо на точка
Day 42 Quiz
8 questions · score 6+ to mark day complete
Question 1 of 8
"I couldn't care less" — Bulgarian idiom:
Question 2 of 8
"I'm keeping my fingers crossed" in Bulgarian:
Question 3 of 8
"A weight lifts from my heart" — Bulgarian idiom:
Question 4 of 8
"No way! / You're kidding!" in Bulgarian:
Question 5 of 8
"Without work there is no fruit" — proverb about:
Question 6 of 8
"It's driving me crazy" — Bulgarian idiom:
Question 7 of 8
"Passes the buck" — Bulgarian idiom:
Question 8 of 8
"Good luck!" (single word) in Bulgarian:
Day 42 Recap
Review before Day 43. Every point builds on the last.
| Topic | Key point | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Body idioms | Яде ми акъла · Не ми излиза от главата · Стиска ми се сърцето · Пада ми камъкът | Very common in speech |
| Reactions | Недей! · Слава богу! · Нямам думи · Ами сега! · Успех! | Know all 5 for natural conversation |
| Expressions | Направо на точка · Хич не ми пука · Стискам ти палците · Вземам си бележка | |
| Key proverbs | Без труд нема плод · Лъжата е с кратки крака · По дрехите посрещат... | These 3 appear most often |
| Idiom structure | Many use ми/ти/му as indirect object pronoun — яде МИ акъла, пада МИ камъкът. | The pronoun changes with the person |
| Passive idioms | Търси се козел отпущение · Горещо желязо · Казаното — казано | Fixed set phrases — don't modify |