Expressions and Proverbs

Bulgarian proverbs combine peasant practicality with philosophical irony. Here are some favourites, with explanations for the uninitiated. (Rakia is the national fruit brandy.)

• „Бърза работа – срам за майстора.“ (“Hasty work is a shame to the craftsman.”) – haste comes back to bite you. The craftsman, specifically.
• „Тиха вода брегове рони.“ (“Quiet water wears away the banks.”) – the English “still waters run deep”; beware of the quiet ones. They know more.
• „Който копае гроб другиму, сам пада в него.“ (“He who digs a grave for another falls into it himself.”) – karma was invented long before yoga.
• „Не е луд този, който яде зелника, а този, който му го дава.“ (“The madman is not the one who eats the zelnik, but the one who gives it to him.” Zelnik is a savoury pie.) – the generous one is to blame.
• „Като на гости с празни ръце.“ (“Like visiting with empty hands.”) – there are things no Bulgarian does. Turning up without a gift is one of them.
• „Дал Господ, че и в торбата турил.“ (“The Lord gave, and even put it in the bag.”) – for when luck overdoes it.
• „Гарга гарга око не вади.“ (“A crow doesn't pluck out another crow's eye.”) – use when discussing politics.
• „Сит на гладен не вярва.“ (“The full man doesn't believe the hungry one.”) – explains a large part of tax policy.
• „Обеща ми попа баница.“ (“The priest promised me a banitsa.” Banitsa is the famous cheese pastry.) – the promise exists, the pastry doesn't.

Modern expressions

• „Майка му стара!“ (“His old mother!”) – a universal exclamation of surprise, irritation and admiration. Delivered with feeling.
• „Абе…“ (“Well…”, “Look…”) – introduces every second line. Without it a conversation has no beginning.
• „Ще видим.“ (“We'll see.”) – means “no”. Politely.
• „Утре ще го оправим.“ (“We'll fix it tomorrow.”) – means “next week, if at all”.
• „Айде наздраве!“ (“Come on, cheers!”) – the end of one conversation and the start of the next.