Reading Bulgarian Cyrillic: A Traveller's Guide to Signs and Menus

Arriving in a country with a different alphabet can feel like stepping into a code you have no key for. Bulgaria uses the Cyrillic script, and while many signs in tourist areas include English, a little knowledge of the letters opens up a whole new layer of independence. You will be able to read street names, spot the difference between a restaurant and a pharmacy, and order from a menu without pointing at random. This guide gives you the basics to start decoding Bulgarian signs and menus with confidence.

Meet the Bulgarian Cyrillic alphabet

Bulgarian Cyrillic has 30 letters. Some look familiar to English speakers, some look familiar but sound different, and some are completely new. The good news is that Bulgarian is largely phonetic—each letter has one sound, and words are pronounced as they are written. Here are the letters that matter most for travellers, with approximate English sounds:

• А а – as in “father”
• Б б – as in “book”
• В в – as in “victory”
• Г г – as in “go”
• Д д – as in “dog”
• Е е – as in “bed”
• Ж ж – as “s” in “measure”
• З з – as in “zoo”
• И и – as “ee” in “see”
• Й й – as “y” in “yes” (short)
• К к – as in “kite”
• Л л – as in “lamp”
• М м – as in “mother”
• Н н – as in “net”
• О о – as in “or”
• П п – as in “pen”
• Р р – rolled “r” as in Spanish “pero”
• С с – as in “sun”
• Т т – as in “top”
• У у – as “oo” in “boot”
• Ф ф – as in “fish”
• Х х – as “ch” in Scottish “loch”
• Ц ц – as “ts” in “cats”
• Ч ч – as “ch” in “chop”
• Ш ш – as “sh” in “ship”
• Щ щ – as “sht” in “pushed” (Bulgarian-specific)
• Ъ ъ – as “u” in “but” (the “dark vowel”)
• Ь ь – softens the previous consonant (rare)
• Ю ю – as “u” in “use”
• Я я – as “ya” in “yard”

Don’t worry about perfecting each sound. Even a rough pronunciation will usually be understood, and locals appreciate any attempt.

Common words on signs and menus

Once you can sound out letters, you’ll start recognising whole words. Many Bulgarian words for food and places are similar to English or other European languages, but the script makes them look alien. Here are some you’ll see often:

• Ресторант (restorant) – restaurant
• Кафе (kafe) – café
• Бар (bar) – bar
• Хотел (hotel) – hotel
• Аптека (apteka) – pharmacy
• Магазин (magazin) – shop
• Банка (banka) – bank
• Поща (poshta) – post office
• Улица (ulitsa) – street
• Площад (ploshtad) – square
• Вход (vhod) – entrance
• Изход (izhod) – exit
• Отворено (otvoreno) – open
• Затворено (zatvoreno) – closed
• Тоалетна (toaletna) – toilet
• Меню (menyu) – menu
• Сметка (smetka) – bill/check
• Вода (voda) – water
• Бира (bira) – beer
• Вино (vino) – wine
• Хляб (hlyab) – bread
• Сирене (sirene) – white cheese (like feta)
• Кисело мляко (kiselo mlyako) – yoghurt
• Месо (meso) – meat
• Пиле (pile) – chicken
• Риба (riba) – fish
• Зеленчуци (zelenchutsi) – vegetables
• Плодове (plodove) – fruit

Practice makes progress

Try reading street signs as you walk around. Start with the big ones: Център (tsentar) means centre, Гара (gara) means train station, and Летище (letishte) means airport. In Sofia, you’ll see Сердика (Serdika) on the metro – that’s the ancient name of the city. Menus often have English translations, but spotting the Bulgarian words for your favourite dishes can turn ordering into a fun game.

If you’re unsure how a word sounds, try saying each letter aloud in sequence – because Bulgarian is phonetic, it will often come out close to the real word. For example, България is B-uh-l-g-a-r-i-ya, which quickly becomes “Bulgaria”.

Why it’s worth the effort

You don’t need to become fluent to get around, but knowing a handful of Cyrillic letters transforms your experience. You’ll navigate buses and trains with less stress, avoid ordering something unexpected, and you’ll be able to ask for the bill without miming. Best of all, you’ll connect with locals in small but meaningful ways – a correctly pronounced “Благодаря” (blagodarya, thank you) goes a long way.

So before your trip, spend an afternoon with the alphabet. It’s a small investment that pays off in confidence, and it might just turn out to be your favourite souvenir from Bulgaria.