Let's speak Bulgarian

GREETINGS AND GESTURES

When meeting someone, Bulgarians usually shake hands. Formal greetings include Kak ste? (“How are you?”) or Zdravaite (“Hello”). The informal equivalents, Kak si? and Zdrasti , are used among friends, relatives, and colleagues. Other phrases include Dobro utro (“Good morning”), Dober den (“Good day”), Dober vetcher (“Good evening”), or Leka nosht (“Good night”). Close female friends may kiss each other on the cheek. First names are used in informal circumstances. Otherwise, professional titles or Gospodin (“Mr”), Gospozha (“Mrs”), or Gospozhitsa (“Miss”) and family names are used. In a small gathering it is good manners to greet people individually. When parting, it is common to say Do vizhdane (“Till I see you again”). Friends may also say Vsichko hubavo (“All the best”) or Ciao (“Goodbye”).

Agreement is indicated by shaking the head from side to side, and disagreement is expressed with one or two nods of the head. “No” can be emphasized by shaking the index finger back and forth; making a tsk sound expresses displeasure. It is considered impolite to point with the index finger and for men to sit with an ankle crossed over the knee. In a queue or crowd, physical contact is common and accepted. Bulgarians often touch while conversing, and female friends sometimes walk arm in arm down the street.

I am a little Bulgarian - a poem

The Bulgarian Alphabet :