Picture this: You wake up with a pounding headache and a sore throat. You need to visit the аптека (pharmacy) on the corner, but how do you explain what's wrong? "Боли ме главата и имам температура." (My head hurts and I have a fever.) The pharmacist nods, reaches behind the counter, and hands you exactly what you need — no prescription required for common remedies.
Healthcare in Bulgaria is a mix of public and private systems. Every town has at least one аптека, and Bulgarian pharmacists are highly trained — they'll often recommend medicines and dosages for common complaints, saving you a doctor's visit. If you do need a GP (личен лекар, literally "personal doctor"), the public system requires you to register with one. Many expats opt for private clinics in larger cities, where English-speaking staff are common and consultations are very affordable by Western standards. The EU emergency number 112 works across Bulgaria. Today you'll learn the body vocabulary and health phrases to handle anything from a cold to a pharmacy visit.
Section 1
Parts of the body
Head to toe — the vocabulary every learner needs.
| Bulgarian | Romanised | English | Gender | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| тяло | tyalo | body | N | |
| глава | glava | head | F | |
| коса | kosa | hair | F | |
| лице | litse | face | N | |
| очи | ochi | eyes (pl) | N pl | |
| ухо / уши | uho / ushi | ear / ears | N | |
| нос | nos | nose | M | |
| уста | usta | mouth | F | |
| зъби | zabi | teeth (pl) | M pl | |
| врат | vrat | neck / throat | M | |
| рамо / рамене | ramo / ramene | shoulder / shoulders | N | |
| ръка / ръце | raka / ratse | hand and arm / hands | F | |
| пръст | prast | finger | M | |
| гръб | grab | back | M | |
| гърди | gardi | chest | F pl | |
| корем | korem | stomach / abdomen | M | |
| крак / крака | krak / kraka | leg and foot / legs | M | |
| коляно | kolyano | knee | N | |
| сърце | sartse | heart | N | |
| бял дроб | byal drob | lung | M |
Section 2
Saying what hurts — боли ме
The single most important health construction.
In Bulgarian, pain is expressed with боли ме — literally "it hurts me". The body part is the subject; ме/те/го/я/ни/ви/ги are the indirect object pronouns. The verb боли does not change for person — only for singular vs plural body parts.
| Bulgarian | Romanised | English | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Боли ме главата. | Boli me glavata. | My head hurts. (I have a headache.) | |
| Боли ме гърлото. | Boli me garloto. | My throat hurts. | |
| Боли ме коремът. | Boli me koremat. | My stomach hurts. | |
| Болят ме зъбите. | Bolyat me zabite. | My teeth hurt. (plural — болят) | |
| Болят ме краката. | Bolyat me krakata. | My legs hurt. (plural) | |
| Боли ли те нещо? | Boli li te neshto? | Does something hurt you? / Are you in pain? | |
| Не ме боли. | Ne me boli. | It doesn't hurt. / I am not in pain. |
💡 боли vs болят
Боли ме — singular body part hurts (главата, гърлото, коремът). Болят ме — plural body part hurts (зъбите, краката, очите). The object pronoun changes for person: боли ме (me) · боли те (you) · боли го/я (him/her).
Section 3
Common illnesses and symptoms
Describing how you feel.
| Bulgarian | Romanised | English | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|
| температура | temperatura | fever / temperature | |
| настинка | nastinka | cold (illness) | |
| грип | grip | flu | |
| кашлица | kashlitsa | cough | |
| хрема | hrema | runny nose | |
| гадене | gadene | nausea | |
| повръщане | povrashtane | vomiting | |
| диария | diariya | diarrhoea | |
| алергия | alergiya | allergy | |
| рана | rana | wound / cut | |
| изгаряне | izgaryane | burn | |
| счупен | schupen | broken (bone) | |
| Чувствам се зле. | Chuvstvam se zle. | I feel unwell. | |
| Чувствам се добре. | Chuvstvam se dobre. | I feel well. | |
| Имам температура. | Imam temperatura. | I have a fever. |
Section 4
At the doctor and pharmacy
Essential phrases for a medical appointment.
| Bulgarian | Romanised | English | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|
| лекар | lekar | doctor | |
| лекарски кабинет | lekarski kabinet | doctor's surgery | |
| болница | bolnitsa | hospital | |
| спешно отделение | speshno otdelenie | A and E / emergency department | |
| аптека | apteka | pharmacy | |
| лекарство | lekarstvo | medicine / medication | |
| рецепта | retsepta | prescription | |
| хапче | hapche | pill / tablet | |
| сироп | sirop | syrup | |
| Имате ли нещо за...? | Imate li neshto za...? | Do you have something for...? | |
| Нужна ли е рецепта? | Nuzhna li e retsepta? | Is a prescription needed? | |
| Колко пъти на ден? | Kolko pati na den? | How many times a day? | |
| Обадете се на 112. | Obadete se na 112. | Call 112. (Bulgarian emergency number) |
🚨 Emergency numbers in Bulgaria
112 — general emergency (police, ambulance, fire). 150 — ambulance only. 166 — police only. 160 — fire brigade. In hospital, you will be asked for your здравна осигуровка (health insurance). EU citizens should carry their EHIC card.
Section 5
Useful health phrases
Short practical sentences for doctors, pharmacists and everyday health problems.
Section 6
Dialogue — at the pharmacy
Describing symptoms and getting medicine.
— Добър ден. Мога ли да ви помогна?
— Да, моля. Чувствам се зле. Боли ме гърлото и имам хрема.
— От кога сте така?
— От два дни. Имам и лека температура.
— Имате ли кашлица?
— Да, малко.
— Ще ви дам сироп за гърло и хапчета за температура.
— Нужна ли е рецепта?
— Не, тези са без рецепта. Вземайте ги три пъти на ден след хранене.
— Благодаря. Колко струват?
— Четири евро и двадесет цента.
— Dobar den. Moga li da vi pomogna?
— Da, molya. Chuvstvam se zle. Boli me garloto i imam hrema.
— Ot koga ste taka?
— Ot dva dni. Imam i leka temperatura.
— Imate li kashlitsa?
— Da, malko.
— Shte vi dam sirop za garlo i hapcheta za temperatura.
— Nuzhna li e retsepta?
— Ne, tezi sa bez retsepta. Vzemayte gi tri pati na den sled hranene.
— Blagodarya. Kolko struvat?
— Chetiri evro i dvadeset tsenta.
— Good afternoon. Can I help you?
— Yes please. I feel unwell. My throat hurts and I have a runny nose.
— How long have you been like that?
— For two days. I also have a slight fever.
— Do you have a cough?
— Yes, a little.
— I will give you throat syrup and tablets for fever.
— Is a prescription needed?
— No, these are over the counter. Take them three times a day after meals.
— Thank you. How much are they?
— Four euros and twenty cents.
Section 7
Writing task
✏️ Writing task — Day 22
- Write the Bulgarian for: my head hurts, my teeth hurt, my legs hurt.
- Describe 5 symptoms of flu in Bulgarian.
- You are at the pharmacy with a stomach ache and nausea. Write what you say.
- What is the emergency number in Bulgaria? Write a sentence using it.
Show answers
1. Боли ме главата. Болят ме зъбите. Болят ме краката.
2. Имам температура, кашлица, хрема, боли ме гърлото, чувствам се зле.
3. Чувствам се зле. Боли ме коремът и имам гадене. Имате ли нещо за стомах?
4. 112. E.g. Обадете се на 112 при спешен случай.
Day 22 Quiz
8 questions · score 6+ to mark day complete
Question 1 of 8
"My head hurts" in Bulgarian:
Question 2 of 8
Why use "болят" instead of "боли"?
Question 3 of 8
"I feel unwell" in Bulgarian:
Question 4 of 8
What is "хрема"?
Question 5 of 8
What does "Имате ли нещо за...?" mean?
Question 6 of 8
The emergency number in Bulgaria is:
Question 7 of 8
"Prescription" in Bulgarian:
Question 8 of 8
"Three times a day" in Bulgarian:
Day 22 Recap
Review before Day 23. Every point builds on the last.
| Topic | Key point | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Body parts | глава · очи · ухо · нос · врат · ръка · гръб · корем · крак · сърце | 20 key body parts with gender |
| Боли ме | боли ме + singular body part. болят ме + plural body part. | Боли ме главата. / Болят ме зъбите. |
| Symptoms | температура · настинка · грип · кашлица · хрема · гадене · алергия | Имам + symptom |
| Чувствам се | чувствам се зле (unwell) · чувствам се добре (well) | Reflexive — always with се |
| Pharmacy | лекарство · рецепта · хапче · сироп · без рецепта · три пъти на ден | след хранене = after meals |
| Emergency | 112 = general emergency in Bulgaria. Обадете се на 112. | EU EHIC card for health cover |
| 🌎 Culture | Bulgarian pharmacists can recommend medicines for common ailments; many meds available без рецепта; expats register a личен лекар (GP) | Private clinics in cities are affordable with English-speaking staff |