🩺 Set the scene
Health Bulgarian is unavoidable if you live in Bulgaria long enough. You need it for the pharmacy, for the GP, for a referral to a specialist, for explaining symptoms clearly, and for the rare moment when an emergency call has to happen fast and in plain language.
This lesson is built around real life in Bulgaria: state healthcare through НЗОК, the role of the личен лекар, the referral system, and the phrases that matter when you are tired, worried, or speaking under pressure.
Section 1
Symptoms and describing illness
How to say what is wrong.
| Bulgarian | Romanised | English |
|---|---|---|
| Боли ме... | Boli me... | My ... hurts (singular body part) |
| Болят ме... | Bolyat me... | My ... hurt (plural — teeth, legs etc.) |
| Имам температура. | Imam temperatura. | I have a temperature / fever. |
| Имам кашлица. | Imam kashlitsa. | I have a cough. |
| Имам хрема. | Imam hrema. | I have a runny nose. |
| Гадно ми е. | Gadno mi e. | I feel nauseous / I feel sick. |
| Повърнах. | Povarnah. | I vomited. |
| Замайва ми се. | Zamayva mi se. | I feel dizzy. |
| Трудно ми е да дишам. | Trudno mi e da disham. | I have difficulty breathing. |
| Изтръпна ми... | Iztrapna mi... | My ... has gone numb. |
| Отпаднал/а съм. | Otpadnal/a sam. | I feel weak / run-down. |
| Нямам апетит. | Nyamam apetit. | I have no appetite. |
Section 2
Body parts — for describing pain
The vocabulary you need to point to what hurts.
| Bulgarian | Romanised | English | Bulgarian | Romanised | English |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| глава | glava | head | гърло | garlo | throat |
| гръб | grab | back | корем | korem | stomach / abdomen |
| гърди | gardi | chest | сърце | sartse | heart |
| рамо | ramo | shoulder | ръка | raka | arm / hand |
| крак | krak | leg / foot | коляно | kolyano | knee |
| врата | vrata | neck | ухо | uho | ear |
| очи | ochi | eyes | зъби | zabi | teeth |
| стомах | stomah | stomach | бъбреци | babretsi | kidneys |
Section 3
The Bulgarian healthcare system
How it works and who to call.
| Term | Bulgarian | Romanised | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| GP / family doctor | личен лекар | lichen lekar | Every resident must register with a GP. Your GP refers you to specialists. |
| Specialist | специалист | spetsialist | Requires referral (направление) from GP. Some can be visited privately without referral. |
| Outpatient clinic | амбулатория | ambulatoriya | Clinic for non-emergency consultations. |
| Emergency dept. | Спешно отделение | Speshno otdelenie | A&E. Go here for urgent cases or call 112. |
| Hospital | болница | bolnitsa | In-patient treatment. |
| Pharmacy | аптека | apteka | Open late; pharmacists advise on minor ailments. |
| Emergency number | 112 | 112 | Police, ambulance and fire — all at 112. |
| Ambulance | Бърза помощ | Barza pomosht | The ambulance service. Also used as slang for the emergency dept. |
| Health insurance card | здравна карта / НЗОК | zdravna karta / NZOK | NZOK is the National Health Insurance Fund — the state insurer. |
| Referral letter | направление | napravlenie | Required to see most specialists on the state system. |
💡 How to register with a GP in Bulgaria
EU citizens and residents with a residence permit are entitled to state healthcare via НЗОК. To register: (1) Find a GP (личен лекар) accepting patients in your area. (2) Sign a registration form with your health insurance number (ЕГН for Bulgarians, or registration number for foreigners). (3) Bring your ID and residence permit. Once registered you pay a small co-payment (потребителска такса — currently 1.48 euro per GP visit, or 0.51 euro for people who have reached retirement age).
Section 4
At the doctor — essential phrases
What to say from waiting room to prescription.
| Bulgarian | Romanised | English |
|---|---|---|
| Имам записан час при д-р... | Imam zapisan chas pri d-r... | I have an appointment with Dr... |
| Нямам записан час. Спешно е. | Nyamam zapisan chas. Speshno e. | I do not have an appointment. It is urgent. |
| От кога имате оплаквания? | Ot koga imate oplakvaniya? | How long have you had symptoms? |
| От вчера / От три дни. | Ot vchera / Ot tri dni. | Since yesterday / For three days. |
| Алергичен/а съм към... | Alergichen/a sam kam... | I am allergic to... |
| Приемам лекарства за... | Priemam lekarstva za... | I take medication for... |
| Имате ли хронични заболявания? | Imate li hronichni zabolyavaniya? | Do you have any chronic conditions? |
| Нужна ми е рецепта за... | Nuzhna mi e retsepta za... | I need a prescription for... |
| Трябва ли да ми се направи кръвна картина? | Tryabva li da mi se napravi kravna kartina? | Do I need a blood test? |
| Кога трябва да се върна? | Koga tryabva da se varna? | When should I come back? |
Section 5
Emergency situations
What to say when every second counts.
| Bulgarian | Romanised | English |
|---|---|---|
| Помощ! | Pomosht! | Help! |
| Обадете се на 112! | Obadete se na 112! | Call 112! |
| Нужна ми е линейка! | Nuzhna mi e lineyka! | I need an ambulance! |
| Има пострадал. | Ima postradal. | There is a casualty / injured person. |
| Загуби съзнание. | Zagubi saznanie. | He/she lost consciousness. |
| Не диша. | Ne disha. | He/she is not breathing. |
| Имам болки в гърдите. | Imam bolki v gardite. | I have chest pains. |
| Мисля, че е инфаркт. | Mislya, che e infarkt. | I think it is a heart attack. |
| Счупих си... | Schupih si... | I have broken my... |
| Порязах се. | Poryazah se. | I have cut myself. |
| Изгорях се. | Izgoryah se. | I have burnt myself. |
| Адресът е... | Adresat e... | The address is... |
Section 6
Dialogue — at the GP
A full medical consultation.
— Добър ден. Боли ме гърлото от четири дни и имам температура.
— Колко е температурата?
— Вчера беше 38 и половина.
— Добре. Имате ли кашлица или хрема?
— Имам лека кашлица, но хрема нямам.
— Ще Ви прегледам. Отворете уста, моля... Да, гърлото е зачервено. Алергичен ли сте към антибиотици?
— Алергичен съм към пеницилин. Друго — не.
— Ще Ви изпиша антибиотик, различен от пеницилин. Три пъти дневно по една таблетка, пет дни.
— Трябва ли да почивам?
— Препоръчително е да останете вкъщи поне два дни. Пийте много течности.
— Добре. Нужна ли ми е болничен лист?
— Да, ще Ви изпиша болничен за три дни. Ако не се подобрите, върнете се.
— Dobar den. Boli me garloto ot chetiri dni i imam temperatura.
— Kolko e temperaturata?
— Vchera beshe 38 i polovina.
— Dobre. Imate li kashlitsa ili hrema?
— Imam leka kashlitsa, no hrema nyamam.
— Shte Vi pregledam. Otvorete usta, molya... Da, garloto e zacherveno. Alergichen li ste kam antibiotitsi?
— Alergichen sam kam penitsilin. Drugo — ne.
— Shte Vi izpisha antibiotik, razlichen ot penitsilin. Tri pati dnevno po edna tabletka, pet dni.
— Tryabva li da pochivam?
— Preporachitelno e da ostanete vkashti pone dva dni. Piyte mnogo technosti.
— Dobre. Nuzhen li mi e bolnichen list?
— Da, shte Vi izpisha bolnichen za tri dni. Ako ne se podobrite, varnete se.
— Good afternoon. My throat has been hurting for four days and I have a temperature.
— How high is the temperature?
— Yesterday it was 38 and a half.
— Good. Do you have a cough or a runny nose?
— I have a slight cough, but no runny nose.
— I will examine you. Open your mouth, please... Yes, the throat is inflamed. Are you allergic to antibiotics?
— I am allergic to penicillin. Nothing else.
— I will prescribe an antibiotic, different from penicillin. Three times a day, one tablet, five days.
— Do I need to rest?
— It is advisable to stay home for at least two days. Drink plenty of fluids.
— Good. Do I need a sick note?
— Yes, I will issue a sick note for three days. If you do not improve, come back.
Section 7
Writing task
✏️ Writing task — Day 58
- Describe three different symptoms in Bulgarian using Боли ме / Болят ме / Имам / Гадно ми е.
- What is the difference between "личен лекар" and "специалист"? What do you need to see a specialist on the state system?
- Translate: "I have chest pains since this morning. I think it might be serious. I need an ambulance. The address is 15 Rakovski Street."
- What number do you call for an ambulance in Bulgaria, and what does "Бърза помощ" mean?
Show answers
1. E.g. Боли ме гърлото. Болят ме зъбите. Имам температура и кашлица. Гадно ми е.
2. Личен лекар = GP / family doctor. Специалист = hospital consultant / specialist. You need a направление (referral letter) from your GP to see most specialists on the state НЗОК system.
3. Имам болки в гърдите от тази сутрин. Мисля, че може да е сериозно. Нужна ми е линейка. Адресът е булевард Раковски 15.
4. 112 — the single emergency number for all services. Бърза помощ = literally "fast help" — the Bulgarian ambulance service.
Day 58 Quiz
8 questions · score 6+ to mark day complete
Question 1 of 8
"My teeth hurt" in Bulgarian:
Question 2 of 8
"I feel nauseous" in Bulgarian:
Question 3 of 8
Emergency number in Bulgaria:
Question 4 of 8
"Sick note" in Bulgarian:
Question 5 of 8
"Referral letter" (to see a specialist) in Bulgarian:
Question 6 of 8
"He/she lost consciousness" in Bulgarian:
Question 7 of 8
"I am allergic to penicillin" in Bulgarian:
Question 8 of 8
What is "Бърза помощ"?
Day 58 Recap
Review before Day 59. Every point builds on the last.
| Topic | Key point | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Symptoms | Боли ме (sing.) · Болят ме (pl.) · Имам температура/кашлица · Гадно ми е · Замайва ми се | |
| Healthcare system | Личен лекар → направление → специалист. НЗОК = state insurer. Current GP fee: 1.48 euro, or 0.51 euro for retirement-age patients. | |
| Key places | аптека · амбулатория · спешно отделение · болница | |
| At the doctor | От кога · Алергичен съм към · Нужна ми е рецепта · Болничен лист | |
| Emergencies | 112 · Нужна ми е линейка · Загуби съзнание · Не диша · Имам болки в гърдите | Know these cold |
| Ambulance | Бърза помощ = ambulance service. Call 112. Give address immediately. | |
| 🌎 Culture | НЗОК (national health insurance) is mandatory; private clinics in Sofia offer fast English-speaking care at affordable prices; 112 is the universal emergency number | Болничен лист (sick note) is required for any absence from work |