What’s your relationship with the clock like? Does it run your day from a morning alarm to a cut-off chime for bed, or are you more of a go-with-the-flow type, letting your mood and emotions decide how much you fall in line with time? Understanding time in Bulgarian is an important part of your studies. As humans, our lives are filled with habits and schedules. From waking up and going to work or gym, to missing rush hour traffic on our way home, we’re always aware of time. We have routines around coffee breaks, meetings, soccer games and vacations. In fact, time can seem rather capricious - going slowly, going fast, sometimes against us, other times on our side - like a force that has a life of its own. In science, time is often... Show more

Do you know your left from your right in Bulgarian? Asking for directions can mean the difference between a heavenly day on the beach and a horrible day on your feet, hot and bothered and wondering how to even get back to the hotel. Believe me - I know! On my earlier travels, I didn’t even know simple terms like ‘go straight ahead’ or ‘go west,’ and I was always too shy to ask locals for directions. It wasn’t my ego, but rather the language barrier that held me back. I've ended up in some pretty dodgy situations for my lack of directional word skills. This never needs to happen! When traveling in , you should step out in confidence, ready to work your Bulgarian magic and have a full day of exploring. It’s about knowing a few basic... Show more

Compliments provide encouragement that makes people feel valuable and important. These words can even improve their self-esteem and help them believe that they can achieve more. Moreover, compliments imply that you have something—whether it’s a great appearance, a cheerful character, or an exceptional mind—which other people find noteworthy. In fact, every person is unique and possesses something that he or she can receive compliments for. Although Bulgarians are sparing with their praise and compliments, just like people of many other nations, they also love to get sincere compliments. You probably want to learn various Bulgarian compliments, such as how to compliment a Bulgarian girl or how to praise someone in Bulgarian. Or maybe... Show more

Anger is a natural response to pain of some sort; when you’re angry, you’re angry with a cause and want someone to pay! It’s so much harder when you’re traveling, because your routines are off-kilter, there’s culture shock to deal with and the smallest problems can seem overwhelming. How do you handle someone who’s just pushed your last button? At home, we often have a go-to person who is good at calming us down, but emotions are tricky to deal with in a foreign country. Sometimes people may treat you unfairly, but you’re completely baffled as to why. You have to remember that people in think differently to how you do and it’s not impossible to inadvertently cause offense. Don’t stress about it too much, because you’ll adapt! Once you... Show more

What is the most defining moment you will face this year? From memories that you immortalize in a million photographs, to days you never wish to remember, one thing's for certain: big life events change you. The great poet, Bukowski, said, "We are here to laugh at the odds and live our lives so well, that death will tremble to take us." The older I get, the more I agree with him! Talking about significant events in our lives is part of every person's journey, regardless of creed or culture. If you're planning to stay in for more than a quick visit, you're sure to need at least a few 'life events' phrases that you can use. After all, many of these are shared experiences, and it's generally expected that we will show up with good manners... Show more

Did you know that every minute of the day, one billion tons of rain falls on the earth? Hard to believe, considering the climate crisis! Of course, all that rain is not equally shared across the planet. So, would you mention this fascinating fact to your new acquaintance? Well, small talk about local weather is actually a great conversation-starter. Everyone cares about the weather and you’re sure to hear a few interesting opinions! Seasons can be quite unpredictable these days and nobody knows the peculiarities of a region better than the locals. BulgarianPod101 will equip you with all the weather vocabulary you need to plan your next adventure. The weather can even be an important discussion that influences your adventure plans.... Show more

Palm Sunday in Bulgaria, also called Tsvetnitsa or Vrabnitsa, is a major Christian celebration with many fascinating traditions. In this article, you’ll learn about the significance of Palm Sunday for believers, look at how Bulgarians celebrate it, and gain some relevant Bulgarian vocabulary. Let’s get started! 1. What is Palm Sunday? On Palm Sunday, Christians celebrate Влизането на Иисус в Йерусалим (Vlizaneto na Iisus v Yerusalim), or "Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem." According to the Bible, Jesus entered Jerusalem exactly one week before his Resurrection. Upon Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem, a crowd of believers greeted him and threw palm sprigs at his feet. On Palm Sunday, Bulgarians also celebrate the name day for anyone... Show more

In Bulgaria, Baba Marta Day (also called Grandma March Day) is a unique holiday associated with the beginning of spring, and can last all through the month of March. At its center is the mythical Baba Marta Bulgarian folktale character, who personifies every aspect of the month of March. In this article, you’ll learn all about Baba Marta Day, the character behind it, and the most common traditions for the Baba Marta Bulgaria holiday. Are you ready? Let’s get started! 1. What is Grandma March Day? Baba Marta (Granny March Day) is a feast associated with the coming of spring and the mythical figure of Baba Marta. According to the Baba Marta legend, she is the sister of two other characters, named Big Sechko and Little... Show more

You probably already know a lot of basic Bulgarian words. However, to connect them properly in a sentence, you need to learn more about different Bulgarian conjunctions. They enable you to learn bulgarian words, phrases, and clauses in order to form grammatically correct sentences. BulgarianPod101 not only reveals the most common types of Bulgarian conjunctions in this guide, but has also added examples to show you how to use them and help you transform your own thoughts into understandable sentences using Bulgarian conjunctions like "and," "or," "but," to name a few. But that’s not all. To help you memorize the most common Bulgarian conjunctions  easier, we prepared some practical Bulgarian conjunctions exercises. There is no more... Show more

The Day of Epiphany is a Christian holiday on which people celebrate the epiphany of the триединен Бог (triedinen Bog), or "triune God." In this article, you’ll learn more about how Christians view the Epiphany holiday, and more specifically, how Bulgarians celebrate Epiphany. At BulgarianPod101.com, we always aim to ensure that your language-learning journey is both fun and informative—starting with this article on Epiphany! Bulgarian customs may just surprise you. ;) Let’s get started. 1. What is Epiphany? Epiphany is a very old holiday. According to the Orthodox Church, this is the day Jesus Christ was baptized in the River Jordan. Thus the holiday is also called "Baptism of the Lord." The name Bogoyavlenie is formed by... Show more