Asking Directions

Извинете, може ли да попитам?

Izvinete, mozhe li da popitam?

Excuse me, may I ask?

How you flag down a passer-by before firing off a question — softens the interruption.

Как да стигна до площада?

Kak da stigna do ploshtada?

How do I get to the square?

The core ask — swap in your landmark, street or stop for 'площада'.

Къде е спирката?

Kade e spirkata?

Where is the bus stop?

When you'd rather ride than walk — finds the nearest stop.

Далеч ли е оттук?

Dalech li e ottuk?

Is it far from here?

Deciding whether to walk it or hop on transport — the answer shapes your whole route.

Наляво или надясно?

Nalyavo ili nadyasno?

Left or right?

Checking the turn back with them so you set off the right way.

Направо ли е?

Napravo li e?

Is it straight ahead?

Confirming you keep going forward — 'направо' means straight on, not right.

Кой автобус да взема?

Koy avtobus da vzema?

Which bus should I take?

Once you're at the stop and need the right line number.

Къде да сляза?

Kade da slyaza?

Where do I get off?

Asked as you board or to a fellow passenger — so you don't miss your stop.

Това ли е пътят?

Tova li e patyat?

Is this the way?

A quick check partway along when you're not sure you're still on track.

Може ли да ми покажете на картата?

Mozhe li da mi pokazhete na kartata?

Can you show me on the map?

Hold up your phone map — pointing beats a string of turns you can't hold in your head.

По-бавно, моля.

Po-bavno, molya.

Slower, please.

The turns come in a rush — this gets them one step at a time.

Може ли пак?

Mozhe li pak?

Can you say that again?

The quick 'once more?' when you almost had it.

Много ви благодаря!

Mnogo vi blagodarya!

Thank you very much!

The warm thank-you to a stranger who stopped to point the way.

Извинете за безпокойството.

Izvinete za bezpokoystvoto.

Sorry to bother you.

A softer, more formal opener than a bare 'excuse me' when you interrupt someone.

Може ли да Ви попитам нещо?

Mozhe li da Vi popitam neshto?

May I ask you something?

Formal Ви to a stranger; opens the exchange before the real question.

Имате ли една минута?

Imate li edna minuta?

Do you have a minute?

Checks the person isn't rushing off before you launch into directions.

Вие оттук ли сте?

Vie ottuk li ste?

Are you from around here?

Worth checking first — a local gives better directions than another visitor.

Трябва ми малко помощ.

Tryabva mi malko pomosht.

I need a little help.

A plain, friendly flag that you're about to ask for something.

Малко се обърках.

Malko se obarkah.

I got a little confused.

Admitting you've lost your bearings invites the person to orient you.

Къде е гарата?

Kade e garata?

Where is the train station?

The rail station — say 'Централна гара' if you want the main one.

Къде е метростанцията?

Kade e metrostantsiyata?

Where is the metro station?

Sofia's metro is the fastest way across town; look for the 'M' sign.

Къде е центърът?

Kade e tsentarat?

Where is the city center?

Full definite form 'центърът' as the subject; heads you toward the main squares.

Къде има аптека наблизо?

Kade ima apteka nablizo?

Where is there a pharmacy nearby?

'Има ... наблизо' asks where you can find one nearby, not a specific known one.

Къде е банката?

Kade e bankata?

Where is the bank?

For counter service; for cash you'll want the банкомат instead.

Къде има банкомат?

Kade ima bankomat?

Where is there an ATM?

'Банкомат' is the cash machine — you withdraw euro after the changeover.

Къде е тоалетната?

Kade e toaletnata?

Where is the toilet?

Public ones are scarce; cafés and malls are your best bet.

Къде е болницата?

Kade e bolnitsata?

Where is the hospital?

For emergencies dial 112; this asks a passer-by for the nearest one.

Къде е хотел Пловдив?

Kade e hotel Plovdiv?

Where is Hotel Plovdiv?

Name the hotel after 'хотел'; locals recognize the well-known ones.

Къде има добър ресторант?

Kade ima dobar restorant?

Where is there a good restaurant?

'Има добър' asks for a recommendation as much as a location.

Къде е супермаркетът?

Kade e supermarketat?

Where is the supermarket?

For a full shop rather than the corner магазин.

Как да стигна до гарата?

Kak da stigna do garata?

How do I get to the train station?

The workhorse ask — 'стигна до' plus your destination.

Как да стигна до центъра?

Kak da stigna do tsentara?

How do I get to the center?

Object form 'центъра' after 'до'; aims you at downtown.

Как да стигна до този адрес?

Kak da stigna do tozi adres?

How do I get to this address?

Show the written address on your phone as you ask.

Как да стигна дотам пеша?

Kak da stigna dotam pesha?

How do I get there on foot?

'Пеша' pins the answer to a walking route rather than transport.

Кой е най-добрият път дотам?

Koy e nay-dobriyat pat dotam?

What's the best way there?

Invites the local's preferred route, not just any route.

Как да стигна до Стария град?

Kak da stigna do Stariya grad?

How do I get to the Old Town?

'Старият град' is the historic quarter in Plovdiv and other cities.

Как да намеря входа?

Kak da namerya vhoda?

How do I find the entrance?

For when you've reached the building but can't spot the way in.

Завийте наляво.

Zaviyte nalyavo.

Turn left.

What you'll hear back — 'завийте' is the formal 'turn'.

Завийте надясно.

Zaviyte nadyasno.

Turn right.

The mirror of the last one; listen for на-ляво versus на-дясно.

Продължете направо.

Prodalzhete napravo.

Keep going straight.

'Направо' is straight on — a classic false friend, it is not 'right'.

Трябва да се върнете назад.

Tryabva da se varnete nazad.

You need to go back.

You've overshot — 'назад' sends you back the way you came.

Назад ли е?

Nazad li e?

Is it back that way?

Quick check when you suspect you've walked past it.

Обърнете се и се върнете.

Obarnete se i se varnete.

Turn around and go back.

'Обратно' is the opposite direction — a full about-face.

Завийте на ъгъла.

Zaviyte na agala.

Turn at the corner.

'На ъгъла' marks the corner as your turning point.

На светофара завийте наляво.

Na svetofara zaviyte nalyavo.

At the traffic light, turn left.

'Светофар' is the traffic light — a common landmark in directions.

На кръстовището вървете направо.

Na krastovishteto varvete napravo.

At the crossroads, go straight.

'Кръстовище' is the intersection where several streets meet.

Първата улица вдясно.

Parvata ulitsa vdyasno.

The first street on the right.

Counting streets — 'първата' is the first one you reach.

Втората улица вляво.

Vtorata ulitsa vlyavo.

The second street on the left.

'Втората' is the second; 'вляво/вдясно' are the short forms of left/right.

Накъде да тръгна?

Nakade da tragna?

Which way should I go?

'Накъде' asks in which direction to set off from where you stand.

Близо ли е?

Blizo li e?

Is it close?

The flip side of 'is it far' — decides whether you'll walk.

Далече ли е центърът?

Daleche li e tsentarat?

Is the center far?

'Далече' with the subject named — asks specifically about downtown.

Колко минути пеша е дотам?

Kolko minuti pesha e dotam?

How many minutes on foot is it?

Turns distance into time you can plan around.

На колко метра е оттук?

Na kolko metra e ottuk?

How many meters is it from here?

For a concrete sense of distance when 'close' is too vague.

На колко спирки е?

Na kolko spirki e?

How many stops is it?

By bus or metro — counts stops so you know when to get off.

Може ли да се стигне пеша?

Mozhe li da se stigne pesha?

Can you get there on foot?

Impersonal 'да се стигне' — is walking realistic at all?

Колко време ще ми отнеме?

Kolko vreme shte mi otneme?

How long will it take me?

Total travel time whichever way you go.

Далече ли е с кола?

Daleche li e s kola?

Is it far by car?

When you might take a taxi and want the driving distance.

До какво се намира?

Do kakvo se namira?

What is it next to?

'До' means next to; anchors the place to something you can find.

Срещу църквата ли е?

Sreshtu tsarkvata li e?

Is it opposite the church?

'Срещу' means across from; the church is a reliable landmark.

Зад сградата ли е?

Zad sgradata li e?

Is it behind the building?

'Зад' means behind; useful when the entrance isn't street-facing.

Между банката и аптеката.

Mezhdu bankata i aptekata.

Between the bank and the pharmacy.

'Между ... и ...' places it between two landmarks you can spot.

След парка ли е?

Sled parka li e?

Is it after the park?

'След' means after or past; you'll pass the park before you reach it.

Пред мола ли е?

Pred mola li e?

Is it in front of the mall?

'Пред' means in front of; 'мол' is the shopping mall.

Близо до площада ли е?

Blizo do ploshtada li e?

Is it near the square?

'Близо до' means near to; the square is the easiest anchor downtown.

Значи наляво?

Znachi nalyavo?

So, left?

'Значи' means 'so' — you're reading the turn back to check it.

И после направо, така ли?

I posle napravo, taka li?

And then straight, right?

'Така ли?' tags a yes/no confirmation onto what you just repeated.

На правилната улица ли съм?

Na pravilnata ulitsa li sam?

Am I on the right street?

'Правилната улица' is the correct street; checks you haven't drifted.

Това ли е?

Tova li e?

Is this it?

Pointing at the building to confirm you've arrived.

Правилно ли разбрах?

Pravilno li razbrah?

Did I understand correctly?

A whole-message check after they've explained the route.

Кой номер беше?

Koy nomer beshe?

Which number was it?

Pinning down the bus line or building number they mentioned.

Повторете, моля.

Povtorete, molya.

Repeat, please.

Perfective 'повторете' for a one-off 'say it once more'.

Кажете още веднъж.

Kazhete oshte vednazh.

Tell me once more.

Perfective 'кажете' — asks for a single clean repeat, not a lecture.

Кой автобус отива до центъра?

Koy avtobus otiva do tsentara?

Which bus goes to the center?

'Отива до' means goes to; asks which line serves your destination.

Кой трамвай да взема?

Koy tramvay da vzema?

Which tram should I take?

Trams run in Sofia; 'да взема' is which one to catch.

Метрото стига ли дотам?

Metroto stiga li dotam?

Does the metro go there?

Checks whether the metro reaches your stop at all.

Къде да купя билет?

Kade da kupya bilet?

Where do I buy a ticket?

At a kiosk, machine or from the driver — this asks which.

Колко струва билетът?

Kolko struva biletat?

How much is the ticket?

Single-ride fares are a euro or two after the changeover.

На коя спирка да сляза за центъра?

Na koya spirka da slyaza za tsentara?

Which stop do I get off at for the center?

'На коя спирка' names the exact stop for downtown.

Може ли да ми кажете кога да сляза?

Mozhe li da mi kazhete koga da slyaza?

Can you tell me when to get off?

Ask the driver or a fellow passenger to prompt you at your stop.

От кой перон тръгва?

Ot koy peron tragva?

Which platform does it leave from?

'Перон' is the platform; matters at the station and the metro.

Изгубих се.

Izgubih se.

I'm lost.

The plain admission that unlocks help from a stranger.

Не съм оттук.

Ne sam ottuk.

I'm not from here.

Signals you don't know the area so they explain from scratch.

Не познавам района.

Ne poznavam rayona.

I don't know this area.

'Района' is the district; a step up from 'not from here'.

Покажете ми на картата, моля.

Pokazhete mi na kartata, molya.

Show me on the map, please.

Perfective 'покажете' — pointing beats a spoken chain of turns.

Може ли да го напишете?

Mozhe li da go napishete?

Can you write it down?

For a street name or number you can't hold in your head.

Кажете го по-бавно, моля.

Kazhete go po-bavno, molya.

Say it more slowly, please.

Perfective 'кажете' plus 'по-бавно' to slow the whole thing down.

На коя улица съм сега?

Na koya ulitsa sam sega?

Which street am I on now?

Re-anchors you when you've no idea where you're standing.

Покажете ми накъде да вървя.

Pokazhete mi nakade da varvya.

Point me which way to go.

Asks for a pointed direction when words aren't landing.

Много ми помогнахте.

Mnogo mi pomognahte.

You helped me a lot.

A warmer thank-you than a bare 'мерси' after real help.

Приятен ден!

Priyaten den!

Have a nice day!

The standard friendly sign-off as you part.

Благодаря за отделеното време.

Blagodarya za otdelenoto vreme.

Thanks for your time.

Acknowledges they stopped what they were doing to help.