Picture this: Your Bulgarian colleague asks "Какво правиш обикновено сутрин?" (What do you usually do in the morning?). You want to say more than "Ставам рано" — you want to describe your whole routine: събуждам се, измивам се, закусвам, отивам на работа... These are the building blocks of everyday conversation, and most of them are reflexive verbs — verbs with a little particle се that means "oneself".
Bulgarian daily life has its own rhythm. Breakfast (закуска) is often light — a баничка and бозa from the corner bakery on the way to work. Lunch (обяд) is the main meal, traditionally eaten around 1–2 pm, and many offices still observe a proper lunch break. Dinner (вечеря) is lighter and later, often around 8 pm. Understanding this rhythm helps you sound natural when describing your day — and today's lesson gives you all the vocabulary to do it.
Section 1
Daily routine verbs
The verbs that describe a typical day from morning to night.
Many daily routine verbs in Bulgarian are reflexive — they include the particle се (myself/yourself/himself). You have already seen казвам се (I am called). The particle usually comes after the verb in a statement, before it in a question.
| Bulgarian (аз form) | Romanised | English | Reflexive? | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ставам | stavam | get up / get out of bed | No | |
| събуждам се | sabuzhdam se | wake up | Yes | |
| измивам се | izmivam se | wash (oneself) | Yes | |
| обличам се | oblicham se | get dressed | Yes | |
| закусвам | zakusvam | have breakfast | No | |
| обядвам | obyadvam | have lunch | No | |
| вечерям | vecheryam | have dinner | No | |
| отивам на работа | otivam na rabota | go to work | No | |
| прибирам се | pribiram se | come home / return | Yes | |
| почивам | pochivam | rest | No | |
| лягам си | lyagam si | go to bed | Yes (си) | |
| спя | spya | sleep | No |
💡 Reflexive particle се / си
Се indicates the action is done to oneself: измивам се (I wash myself). Си indicates something done for oneself or to one's own body: лягам си (I put myself to bed), мия си зъбите (I brush my teeth). The particle is a clitic — never at the very start of a sentence.
Section 2
Frequency adverbs
How often? — from always to never.
| Bulgarian | Romanised | English | Example | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| винаги | vinagi | always | Винаги закусвам. — I always have breakfast. | |
| обикновено | obiknoveno | usually | Обикновено ставам в седем. — I usually get up at 7. | |
| често | chesto | often | Често отивам в кафенето. — I often go to the cafe. | |
| понякога | ponyakoga | sometimes | Понякога работя от вкъщи. — Sometimes I work from home. | |
| рядко | ryadko | rarely | Рядко гледам телевизия. — I rarely watch TV. | |
| никога | nikoga | never | Никога не закъснявам. — I never arrive late. | |
| всеки ден | vseki den | every day | Уча всеки ден. — I study every day. | |
| всяка седмица | vsyaka sedmitsa | every week | Всяка седмица ходя на пазар. — Every week I go to the market. |
Section 3
Time expressions and sequences
Linking events in the right order.
| Bulgarian | Romanised | English | Example | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| преди | predi | before | Преди работа пия кафе. — Before work I drink coffee. | |
| след | sled | after | След вечеря чета. — After dinner I read. | |
| след това | sled tova | after that / then | Закусвам, след това излизам. — I have breakfast, then I go out. | |
| преди това | predi tova | before that | Преди това си вземам душ. — Before that I take a shower. | |
| накрая | nakraya | finally / at the end | Накрая си лягам. — Finally I go to bed. | |
| първо | parvo | first | Първо ставам, после се обличам. — First I get up, then I get dressed. | |
| после | posle | then / afterwards | После тръгвам за работа. — Then I leave for work. | |
| едновременно | ednovremeno | at the same time | Готвя и слушам музика едновременно. — I cook and listen to music at the same time. | |
| по-рано | po-rano | earlier | Днес ставам по-рано. — Today I get up earlier. | |
| по-късно | po-kasno | later | Вечерям по-късно в петък. — I eat dinner later on Friday. | |
| веднага | vednaga | immediately | След работа се прибирам веднага. — After work I go straight home. | |
| скоро | skoro | soon | Скоро ще вечеряме. — We will have dinner soon. | |
| вече | veche | already | Вече съм облечен. — I am already dressed. | |
| още | oshte | still / yet | Още не съм готов. — I am not ready yet. |
Section 4
Useful routine phrases
Short ready-made sentences you can immediately use in conversation.
Section 5
Describing your full day
Putting it all together in natural Bulgarian sentences.
Here is a model daily routine. Notice how frequency adverbs, time expressions and reflexive verbs combine to produce natural Bulgarian prose. Try writing your own version after reading this.
Обикновено се събуждам в шест и половина. Първо се измивам и обличам, а след това закусвам. Закусвам бързо — обикновено кафе и баница. В седем и петнадесет тръгвам за работа с метрото. Работя от осем до пет. На обяд обикновено ям в кафенето до офиса — винаги нещо вкусно. След работа понякога отивам на фитнес или се разхождам в парка. Прибирам се вкъщи около шест. Вечерям в седем и често готвя нещо лесно. След вечеря гледам телевизия или чета. Обикновено си лягам около единадесет. Спя добре и рядко имам проблеми.
Obiknoveno se sabuzhdam v shest i polovina. Parvo se izmivam i oblicham, a sled tova zakusvam. Zakusvam barzo — obiknoveno kafe i banitsa. V sedem i petnadeset tragvam za rabota s metroto. Rabotya ot osem do pet. Na obyad obiknoveno yam v kafeneto do ofisa — vinagi neshto vkusno. Sled rabota ponyakoga otivam na fitnes ili se razhozhdam v parka. Pribiram se vkashti okolo shest. Vecheryam v sedem i chesto gotvya neshto lesno. Sled vecherya gledam televiziya ili cheta. Obiknoveno si lyagam okolo edinadeset. Spya dobre i ryadko imam problemi.
I usually wake up at half past six. First I wash and get dressed, and after that I have breakfast. I have breakfast quickly — usually coffee and a banitsa. At quarter past seven I leave for work by metro. I work from eight to five. At lunch I usually eat in the cafe next to the office — always something tasty. After work I sometimes go to the gym or take a walk in the park. I get home at around six. I have dinner at seven and often cook something simple. After dinner I watch TV or read. I usually go to bed at around eleven. I sleep well and rarely have problems.
Section 6
Dialogue — comparing routines
Two friends compare their days.
— В колко часа ставаш обикновено?
— В шест. Трябва ми повече време сутрин. А ти?
— Аз ставам в осем — работя от вкъщи.
— Завиждам ти! Аз всеки ден вземам автобуса.
— Скучно ли е?
— Понякога. Но харесвам работата си, затова не ми пречи.
— Кога вечеряш обикновено?
— Около осем. Рядко по-рано, защото се прибирам в седем.
— V kolko chasa stavash obiknoveno?
— V shest. Tryabva mi poveche vreme sutrin. A ti?
— Az stavam v osem — rabotya ot kashti.
— Zavizhdam ti! Az vseki den vzimam avtobusa.
— Skuchno li e?
— Ponyakoga. No haresvam rabotata si, zatova ne mi prechi.
— Koga vecheryash obiknoveno?
— Okolo osem. Ryadko po-rano, zashtoto se pribiram v sedem.
— What time do you usually get up?
— At six. I need more time in the morning. And you?
— I get up at eight — I work from home.
— I envy you! I take the bus every day.
— Is it boring?
— Sometimes. But I like my job, so it doesn't bother me.
— When do you usually have dinner?
— Around eight. Rarely earlier, because I get home at seven.
Section 7
Writing task
✏️ Writing task — Day 20
- Write your own daily routine in Bulgarian — at least 10 sentences. Include times, frequency adverbs and at least 3 reflexive verbs.
- Translate these sentences: "I usually wake up at 7. I never have breakfast. I often work late."
- Put these events in order using time connectors: вечерям / ставам / обядвам / лягам си / закусвам.
- What is the difference between вече (already) and още (still/yet)? Give an example of each.
Show answers
1. Free answer — use събуждам се, ставам, измивам се, закусвам, отивам, прибирам се, лягам си.
2. Обикновено се събуждам в седем. Никога не закусвам. Често работя до късно.
3. Първо ставам. След това закусвам. После обядвам. След работа вечерям. Накрая лягам си.
4. вече = already done: Вече съм готов. (I am already ready.) · още = still ongoing/not yet: Още не съм готов. (I am not ready yet.)
Day 20 Quiz
8 questions · score 6+ to mark day complete
Question 1 of 8
"I wake up" (reflexive) in Bulgarian:
Question 2 of 8
"Usually" in Bulgarian:
Question 3 of 8
"After that" in Bulgarian:
Question 4 of 8
"I come home" (reflexive verb) in Bulgarian:
Question 5 of 8
"I already ate" — which word means "already"?
Question 6 of 8
"Every week" in Bulgarian:
Question 7 of 8
"I go to bed" (reflexive) in Bulgarian:
Question 8 of 8
"I rarely watch TV" in Bulgarian:
Day 20 Recap
Review before Day 21. Every point builds on the last.
| Topic | Key point | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Reflexive се | Means "oneself" — събуждам се, измивам се, обличам се, прибирам се. | Never at start of sentence |
| Reflexive си | For self-directed actions — лягам си, мия си зъбите. | More personal/intimate than се |
| Frequency | винаги · обикновено · често · понякога · рядко · никога | Никога requires не before verb |
| Sequence | първо · след това · после · накрая · преди · след | Tell a story chronologically |
| Вече vs още | вече = already (done). още = still / not yet. | Вече съм тук. / Още не съм готов. |
| По-рано/по-късно | Earlier / later — comparatives of рано and късно. | Прибирам се по-късно днес. |
| 🌎 Culture | Bulgarians eat a light закуска, big обяд (1–2 pm), and lighter вечеря (~8 pm); offices still observe proper lunch breaks | Баничка + боза from the bakery is a classic morning combo |