Have you ever thought of learning Bulgarian as an impossible task? Or maybe you’re thinking about studying the language, but want to make sure it’s actually worth the effort?

Well, BulgarianPod101 is here to encourage you and assure you that it’s both possible and beneficial to study Bulgarian. All it takes is some regular and purposeful effort on your part, and you can begin to reap the numerous advantages this knowledge will bring you. 

Today we’ll answer the question, “Why learn Bulgarian?” by outlining the top 10 reasons that knowing this language will benefit your life. 

Knowing why you should learn Bulgarian is important because…

→ …it can give you extra motivation to get through the harder periods of your language studies.
→ …you’ll realize that learning Bulgarian has multiple benefits and is worth your current efforts.
→ …if any of the reasons we list matches your goal, you’ll know that you’re on the right path toward reaching it successfully.

Table of Contents

1. Reason #1: Bulgaria has a rich culture and history.
2. Reason #2: Knowing the Bulgarian language will help you understand other Slavic languages.
3. Reason #3: You’ll be able to make friends with Bulgarians.
4. Reason #4: Language learning improves overall brain health.
5. Reason #5: You’ll get better acquainted with the Bulgarian cuisine.
6. Reason #6: Knowing Bulgarian will bring you more business opportunities.
7. Reason #7: You can use your language skills to impress a Bulgarian spouse or partner.
8. Reason #8: You’ll have better travel experiences.
9. Reason #9: There will be more opportunities to live in rural Bulgaria.
10. Reason #10: It has never been easier to learn Bulgarian!
11. How BulgarianPod101 Can Help You Learn Bulgarian

Reason #1: Bulgaria has a rich culture and history.

Learning the Bulgarian language presents a great opportunity for learners to get acquainted with the unique culture and people of Bulgaria. And let us tell you: Bulgaria has a rich and exciting history! 

Bulgarian history dates back to at least 1500 BC, when the ancient Thracians inhabited this land. The Thracians were later followed by the Romans and the Greeks. 

The following migration of the Slavs and Bulgars played an important role in forming the Old Great Bulgaria, and later, the First Bulgarian Empire in 681 AD. This empire lasted until 1018, when the Byzantine Empire occupied its territory. After Bulgaria was liberated in 1185, the Second Bulgarian Empire was formed, which succeeded in making the nation great again. 

Unfortunately, it lasted for only two centuries and Bulgaria was occupied again in 1396—this time by the Ottomans. The Ottoman yoke lasted for five long centuries before the country was liberated in 1878 by the Russian army, which helped Bulgarian patriots after the failure of the April Uprising in 1876. After the liberation of Bulgaria, the beginning of the Third Bulgarian State started.

There are multiple artifacts that speak of the mix of cultures, nations, and tribes that once lived in this land. In fact, they serve as a Holy Grail of sorts for today’s archaeologists, paleontologists, and the scientific community as a whole. Some examples of artifacts include:

• Ancient churches
• Fortresses
• Tombs
• Roman baths
• Parts of walls
• Stadiums
• Ancient theatres 

In addition, Bulgaria features nine attractions that are included on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Reason #2: Knowing the Bulgarian language will help you understand other Slavic languages.

Bulgarian is part of the Slavic language family, namely its southern branch, which also includes the following languages: 

• Serbian
• Macedonian
• Slovenian
• Bosnian

Knowing Bulgarian will give you a key that allows you to access all of these languages. In other words: If you understand Bulgarian, you’ll have a much easier time learning languages of the same branch.

Of course, knowing either Bulgarian or one of the other Slavic languages will make your travel experiences much smoother and more fulfilling. Skills in one of these languages will allow you to visit Bulgaria, the Balkans, and even one of the following countries that have large groups of Bulgarian speakers:

• Turkey
• Kosovo
• Moldova
• Romania
• Greece
• Serbia
• Albania
• Ukraine
• Macedonia 

Some other countries with fairly large Bulgarian-speaking groups are Spain, the United States, Italy, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Canada.

Reason #3: You’ll be able to make friends with Bulgarians.

One of the most exciting perks of learning a foreign language is the ability to communicate with and befriend the local people. This is also a great way to immerse yourself even deeper into their culture.

The more phrases you learn, the easier it will be to communicate with Bulgarian people. Although many Bulgarians (especially the younger generations) speak English fluently, speaking to them in their own language will make it easier to form strong, meaningful bonds with them. On the other hand, having Bulgarian friends is a great opportunity to practice your speaking and listening skills in real life!

→ BulgarianPod101 provides you with a list of the top 15 Bulgarian questions to know for your future conversations with Bulgarians. Check it out for some inspiration!

Reason #4: Language learning improves overall brain health.

Mastering a second or third language is advantageous for your brain health and function. So while learning a foreign language is both fun and fascinating, it’s also worth the effort in terms of the mental benefits you’ll gain. These include: 

• An enhanced memory 
• A stronger ability to make connections
• Better problem-solving skills 

Language learning is a challenge that’s certainly good for the brain!

Reason #5: You’ll get better acquainted with the Bulgarian cuisine.

Bulgaria is known for the longevity of its people. Research shows that one of the reasons Bulgarians tend to live so long is their regular consumption of Bulgarian yogurt, especially the homemade kind. 

Tourists can try authentic Bulgarian yogurt (and plenty of other traditional dishes) when they visit the more rural areas of Bulgaria. That said, most people living in these areas do not know English, so communicating with them would be difficult without knowing at least a little Bulgarian. 

If you visit these places during a national holiday, you might even be invited into their homes for a dinner, as Bulgarian villagers are very hospitable and open to foreigners. Knowing Bulgarian will make this a truly once-in-a-lifetime experience!

Reason #6: Knowing Bulgarian will bring you more business opportunities.

Thanks to the rapid economic growth in Bulgaria and the country’s status as an increasingly attractive tourist destination, the country has become a hub for multiple business opportunities. The business potential in this country is huge, with job and investment potential in numerous sectors including: 

• The IT field
• Tourism
• Education
• Real estate
• New business development

These conditions and opportunities provide favorable conditions for multiple business industries, including eco products and manufacturing.

Bulgarian and foreign investors gather annually at the special trading fairs and meetings that allow them to enhance their field of influence while meeting new partners and prospects. Even though English is spoken widely at such events, foreigners who speak Bulgarian have a clear advantage as they can better communicate with local business people.

→ In the following 15-minute video, you’ll learn some great business phrases that you might need during your meetings with Bulgarian business people:

Reason #7: You can use your language skills to impress a Bulgarian spouse or partner.

One of the sweetest reasons to learn Bulgarian is to impress your Bulgarian spouse or girlfriend/boyfriend. They’ll definitely appreciate your efforts and will double their support in helping you learn the language faster. The first phrase you should learn?

• Обичам те!
  Obicham te!
  I love you!

Better still, being able to speak the language fluently will certainly impress your Bulgarian partner’s parents! Try a phrase like this, and see what happens:

• Приятно ми е да се запознаем!
  Priyatno mi e da se zapoznaem!
  Nice to meet you!

And there is your key to winning their hearts.

Reason #8: You’ll have better travel experiences.

Learning some basic Bulgarian will enhance your travel experiences in the country. After all, you never know when you’ll need to ask someone for help! In these types of situations, you should definitely know at least the very basics, such as:

• Къде е ресторантът?
  Kade e restorantat?
  Where is the restaurant?

• Къде е тоалетната?
  Kade e toaletnata?
  Where is the toilet?

• Къде е болницата?  
  Kade e bolnitsata?
  Where is the hospital?

In addition, there are some signs that are printed only in Bulgarian letters, so it’s good to know how to read the Bulgarian alphabet. This will be super-helpful when it comes to understanding directions.

→ BulgarianPod101 offers an Absolute Beginner Pathway, from which you can easily learn the Bulgarian alphabet and more!

Reason #9: There will be more opportunities to live in rural Bulgaria.

Bulgarian villages have preserved ancient traditions and customs that cannot be seen in the big cities. In addition, these rural areas have an impressive combination of natural landscapes and clear air that can aid in stress reduction. Many foreigners visit these areas for at least a few days for the beautiful scenery and the emotional benefits it brings—some people even make the decision to live in these areas permanently! 

If this sounds like something you’d like to do yourself, knowing some Bulgarian will help you a lot when it comes to communicating with the locals. Bulgarian villagers are very warm-hearted and would gladly help you with whatever you need, but very few of them can speak other languages. For this reason, learning Bulgarian will be quite worth it!

Reason #10: It has never been easier to learn Bulgarian!

Have you come this far and are still wondering why to learn Bulgarian?

Well, thanks to modern technologies, it’s so much easier to learn the Bulgarian language now compared to a few decades ago. Imagine if there was no internet…no online tutorials, guides, educational materials, or teachers! We would have to go back to paper dictionaries and textbooks, with grammar explanations that take a long time to study. 

The Bulgarian language may not have changed much, but our available learning resources and methods have! 

Our present-day technologies allow you to learn new languages completely online, at your own pace, and using the methods that best suit you. BulgarianPod101, for example, provides a variety of free lessons and vocabulary lists that are designed to help you gradually improve your Bulgarian. We help you learn all five core elements (reading, writing, listening, speaking, conversation) simultaneously!

Of course, you can also supplement your learning nowadays through a variety of means that were not previously available, such as Bulgarian TV shows and YouTube channels.

11. How BulgarianPod101 Can Help You Learn Bulgarian

BulgarianPod101 prepared this review of the top 10 reasons to learn Bulgarian in order to motivate you in your language learning journey. We hope you’ll now be able to move forward with your Bulgarian studies with even greater confidence.

If you’re ready to commit, create your free lifetime account with BulgarianPod101 and start learning real Bulgarian today. We also offer a great free app that allows you to take BulgarianPod101 with you wherever you go. This innovative app will give you access to hundreds of entertaining audio and video lessons taught by real Bulgarian teachers.

If you’d prefer to have a personal tutor who can explain everything in greater detail and help you advance even faster, you can upgrade to Premium PLUS and choose a professional from our MyTeacher service. With your teacher, you’ll be able to more easily understand all language specifics, including grammar rules (and exceptions), vocabulary, and pronunciation. 

Before you go: Did any of the reasons we listed inspire you to start learning, or are you still on the fence? Or maybe you have your own reason for learning that we didn’t mention! Let us know in the comments, because we always love to hear from you. 

Happy learning!