Bulgarian 60-by-60
Module 8 – Hobbies and Leisure
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Module 8 – Hobbies and Leisure
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What do you do for fun? This module gives you the language to talk about your hobbies, from sports and music to reading and relaxing. We will also cover making and responding to social invitations, with cultural context to support real conversations.
Whether you are an active participant or a spectator, sports are a universal topic. In Bulgaria, some sports spark strong passions and make excellent small talk.
| English | Bulgarian |
|---|---|
| football, basketball, volleyball | футбол, баскетбол, волейбол |
| tennis, swimming, skiing | тенис, плуване, ски |
| wrestling, gymnastics | борба, гимнастика |
| to play / to train / to watch | играя / тренирам / гледам |
| team / match / fan | отбор / мач / фен |
Football (футбол) is widely loved in Bulgaria. The most intense rivalry, known as The Eternal Derby (Вечното дерби), is between Sofia's two biggest clubs: CSKA Sofia and Levski Sofia. The whole country seems to pause for these matches.
Bulgarians are also strong followers of international football, particularly the English Premier League and the German Bundesliga. You will easily find people to talk to about Manchester United, Liverpool, or Bayern Munich. Famous Bulgarian players include the legendary Hristo Stoichkov (Христо Стоичков) and Dimitar Berbatov (Димитър Бербатов).
Beyond football, Bulgaria has a strong tradition in wrestling (борба), weightlifting (вдигане на тежести), and rhythmic gymnastics (художествена гимнастика), with many Olympic medals.
To feel the passion of Bulgarian football, watch a clip from the country's biggest match.
You do not need to be a sports expert. Three verbs cover most cases.
Think about whether you do the sport or just watch it:
Easy starter: Ask „На кой отбор си фен?“ (Which team are you a fan of?).
The idea: Choose one verb (play, train, watch), add the sport, and you have a clear sentence.
Art and music are windows into a culture. Bulgaria has a rich heritage, from folk traditions to modern pop and classical artists.
| English | Bulgarian |
|---|---|
| music / song | музика / песен |
| folk music / pop music | фолклор / поп музика |
| concert / band | концерт / група |
| film / cinema | филм / кино |
| theatre / exhibition | театър / изложба |
| instrument (e.g., bagpipe) | инструмент (напр. гайда) |
Bulgarian music often uses complex rhythms such as 5/8 or 7/8. A key expression is the Horo (Хоро), a traditional circle dance central to weddings and festivals. Common instruments include the gaida (гайда, bagpipe) and kaval (кавал, a flute).
In modern culture you will also hear Chalga (Чалга) everywhere. It blends Balkan melodies with pop and dance. Some look down on it, but it is a large part of the current scene.
To understand the Horo, watch it in action.
Two simple phrases will let you talk about music.
1. To state your taste: Use Харесвам (I like) or Слушам (I listen to).
Харесвам класическа музика. (I like classical music.)
Слушам рок. (I listen to rock.)
2. To invite someone: Искаш ли да отидем на...? (Do you want to go to...?).
Искаш ли да отидем на кино? (Do you want to go to the cinema?)
Tip: Mentioning the Horo makes a good talking point: Харесвам традиционното българско хоро.
Discuss books, TV shows, and films. Learn to ask for and give recommendations, and get a brief look at Bulgaria's literary world.
| English | Bulgarian |
|---|---|
| to read / book / writer | чета / книга / писател |
| novel / short story | роман / разказ |
| to watch / series / film | гледам / сериал / филм |
| subtitles / dubbed | субтитри / дублиран |
Many Bulgarians value literature. The "Patriarch of Bulgarian literature" is Ivan Vazov (Иван Вазов), whose novel „Под игото“ ("Under the Yoke") is a classic. You will see streets and theatres named after him.
In cinemas, foreign films are usually shown in the original language with Bulgarian subtitles (субтитри). Dubbing is common mainly for children’s animation. This helps learners who want to watch in English while reading Bulgarian.
The pattern for talking about books and TV is the same as for music.
Your core verbs:
The question: Какво препоръчваш? (What do you recommend?).
Reply template: Препоръчвам ти [title]. Много е [adjective].
Example: Препоръчвам ти „Под игото“. Много е интересен.
Bulgaria's geography—from sunny beaches to snowy mountains—makes outdoor activities a large part of life. Learn weather phrases to plan your next outing.
| English | Bulgarian |
|---|---|
| the weather | времето |
| It's sunny / cloudy / raining | слънчево е / облачно е / вали дъжд |
| It's hot / warm / cold | горещо е / топло е / студено е |
| forecast | прогноза за времето |
The "if..., then..." structure is useful for planning.
Planning with the weather uses a simple if–then formula.
The formula: "If [weather], [we will activity]." In Bulgarian: Ако [weather], ще [activity].
Try it:
The idea: Start with Ако (If), state the weather, then add what you ще (will) do.
The final step is inviting people, and accepting or declining invitations politely. Understanding customs such as Name Days helps.
In Bulgaria, a Name Day (Имен ден) is often celebrated more than a birthday. Many traditional names correspond to Orthodox saints, and the saint's feast day is the celebration day. For example, on St George's Day (Гергьовден, 6 May), people named Georgi, Gergana, and others celebrate.
Traditionally you do not issue formal invitations. You are expected to host or treat friends and colleagues. Guests may visit or call to say "Честит имен ден!" and bring a small gift.
Below is a list of common Name Days. Knowing these helps you connect with Bulgarian friends and colleagues.
| Date | Holiday | Names Celebrated |
|---|---|---|
| January 1 | St Basil's Day (Васильовден) | Vasil, Vasilka, Veselin, Veselina |
| January 6 | Epiphany (Богоявление / Йордановден) | Yordan, Yordanka, Bogdan, Bogdana, Dancho |
| January 7 | St John's Day (Ивановден) | Ivan, Ivanka, Yoan, Yoana, Vanina, Ivaylo |
| January 17 | St Anthony's Day (Антоновден) | Anton, Antonia, Donka, Toni |
| January 18 | St Athanasius' Day (Атанасовден) | Atanas, Atanaska, Nasko |
| February 1 | St Tryphon's Day (Трифоновден) | Trifon, Lozan, Grozdan |
| February 10 | St Haralampius' Day (Хараламповден) | Haralampi, Valentina, Valya |
| Saturday before Lent | St Theodore's Day (Тодоровден) | Todor, Todorka, Teodor, Teodora |
| Palm Sunday | Tsvetnitsa (Цветница) | All names from flowers/plants (Tsvetan, Tsvetanka, Violeta, Margarita, Liliya) |
| May 6 | St George's Day (Гергьовден) | Georgi, Gergana, Galina, Ginka |
| May 11 | Saints Cyril and Methodius' Day (Св. св. Кирил и Методий) | Kiril, Kirilka, Metodi |
| May 21 | St Constantine and Helena's Day (Св. св. Константин и Елена) | Konstantin, Elena, Elka, Kostadin |
| June 24 | Midsummer (Еньовден) | Enyo, Encho, Yana, Yanina |
| June 29 | St Peter and Paul's Day (Петровден) | Petar, Petra, Pavel, Pavlina, Kamen |
| July 20 | St Elijah's Day (Илинден) | Ilia, Ilian, Iliana |
| August 15 | Dormition of the Mother of God (Успение Богородично) | Maria, Mariya, Mariyana |
| September 14 | Exaltation of the Holy Cross (Кръстовден) | Krastan, Krastana, Krastyo |
| September 17 | St Sophia's Day (Ден на Света София) | Sofia, Sofka, Vyara, Nadezhda, Lyubov |
| October 14 | St Petka's Day (Петковден) | Petko, Petkana, Paraskeva |
| October 26 | St Demetrius' Day (Димитровден) | Dimitar, Dimitrina, Mitko |
| November 8 | St Michael's Day (Архангеловден) | Angel, Angelina, Mihail, Mihaela, Rangel |
| November 25 | St Catherine's Day (Екатеринин ден) | Ekaterina, Katerina, Katya |
| November 30 | St Andrew's Day (Андреевден) | Andrey, Andrea |
| December 4 | St Barbara's Day (Варварин ден) | Varvara, Barbara |
| December 6 | St Nicholas' Day (Никулден) | Nikolay, Nikola, Nikolina, Nina |
| December 9 | St Anna's Day (Света Анна) | Anna, Ana, Anka |
| December 27 | St Stephen's Day (Стефановден) | Stefan, Stefana, Stoyan, Stoyanka |
Making plans follows a simple order: invite, set time and place, confirm.
Script:
You (invite): Искаш ли да отидем на кафе утре? (Do you want to go for a coffee tomorrow?)
Friend (accept): Да, супер! (Yes, great!)
You (suggest time/place): В три часа пред Народния театър? (At 3 o'clock in front of the National Theatre?)
Friend (confirm): Добре, до утре! (Okay, see you tomorrow!)
Polite refusal: За съжаление, не мога. (Unfortunately, I cannot.) You may add Имам други планове. (I have other plans.)
The idea: Use Искаш ли да...? to invite, then agree on where and when.