Friends often hug or kiss on the cheek and say "Здравей!"
. When leaving, they may say "Чао!"
. In a formal setting, wait for the other person to offer their hand. When you join a small group, greet everyone, not just the host. Remember: "Здравей"
is for one person you know, "Здравейте"
is polite or for several people.
Explore Bulgaria
Handshakes, hugs and kisses
Strangers and business contacts shake hands and say "Здравейте!"
or "Добър ден!"
.
History of Bulgaria
An illustrated history of Bulgaria
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Tipping
In restaurants a tip, "бакшиш"
, of about 10% is usual if you liked the service; in a café, rounding up is enough.
Bulgarian letter shapes
Bulgarian Cyrillic has a look of its own.
Diminutives: little and sweet
Bulgarians love diminutives — words made "small and sweet" with endings like "-че", "-ка", "-ичка"
.