Confirming the Address

Какъв е точният адрес?

Kakav e tochniyat adres?

What's the exact address?

The one question that saves a lost hour in a strange city.

На кой етаж сте?

Na koy etazh ste?

Which floor are you on?

Apartment blocks rarely label doors — the floor is what you need.

Кой вход да използвам?

Koy vhod da izpolzvam?

Which entrance do I use?

Bulgarian blocks often have several entrances ('вход А, Б, В').

Може ли да ми изпратите локацията?

Mozhe li da mi izpratite lokatsiyata?

Can you send me the location pin?

A dropped map pin beats any spoken address — ask for it.

Как да стигна до вас?

Kak da stigna do vas?

How do I get to you?

Opens the door to directions in their own words.

Близо ли е до центъра?

Blizo li e do tsentara?

Is it near the center?

Orients you before you even see a map.

Има ли метро наблизо?

Ima li metro nablizo?

Is there a metro nearby?

Sofia has a metro — knowing the nearest stop plans your whole route.

Колко струва с такси?

Kolko struva s taksi?

How much is it by taxi?

A rough number so you know if a quoted fare is fair.

Близо до какво се намирате?

Blizo do kakvo se namirate?

What are you near?

A nearby shop or square is easier to find than a house number.

Вече съм близо.

Veche sam blizo.

I'm nearly there.

Keeps them expecting you as you close the last streets.

Можете ли да повторите адреса?

Mozhete li da povtorite adresa?

Can you repeat the address?

Addresses are the one thing you must get exactly right.

Може ли буква по буква?

Mozhe li bukva po bukva?

Letter by letter, please?

For a street name you can't quite catch.

Пратете ми адреса, моля.

Pratete mi adresa, molya.

Text me the address, please.

The safest fallback — a written address can't be misheard.

Намерих ви, благодаря!

Namerih vi, blagodarya!

Found you, thanks!

The relief line when the door finally appears.

Адресът ми е улица Раковски номер 12.

Adresat mi e ulitsa Rakovski nomer 12.

My address is 12 Rakovski Street.

The courier has your parcel in the van and asks where he's driving — street name first, then номер and the number.

Живея на булевард Витоша, номер 45.

Zhiveya na bulevard Vitosha, nomer 45.

I live at 45 Vitosha Boulevard.

Written addresses shorten улица to ул. and булевард to бул., but on the phone you say the whole word out loud.

Адресът е в жилищен комплекс Младост 1, блок 34.

Adresat e v zhilishten kompleks Mladost 1, blok 34.

The address is in the Mladost 1 housing complex, block 34.

Most of Sofia lives in a ж.к. — a жилищен комплекс with no street names, only block numbers. Say the complex, then the block.

Ще ви кажа адреса бавно.

Shte vi kazha adresa bavno.

I'll give you the address slowly.

You know your accent makes the street name hard — warn them first instead of being asked to repeat it three times.

В кой квартал сте?

V koy kvartal ste?

Which neighbourhood are you in?

Something you hear first from a taxi driver or courier — the same street name repeats across Sofia districts, so квартал comes before the street.

Пощенският код е 1000.

Poshtenskiyat kod e 1000.

The postcode is 1000.

Dictating a delivery form over the phone — 1000 is central Sofia and they will ask for it.

Кой е номерът на блока?

Koy e nomerat na bloka?

What's the block number?

In a ж.к. there is no street number — the block number is the address, so pin it down before you set off.

Блок 512, вход Б.

Blok 512, vhod B.

Block 512, entrance B.

The whole address in five words — this is how a neighbour would actually say it to a delivery driver.

Кой вход?

Koy vhod?

Which entrance?

Something you hear — the courier is standing at the block and needs the letter, not the street, right now.

Вход Б е от другата страна на блока.

Vhod B e ot drugata strana na bloka.

Entrance B is on the other side of the block.

Long panel blocks have entrances on both faces — this saves the courier a full lap around the building.

Виждам вход А, но търся вход Б.

Vizhdam vhod A, no tarsya vhod B.

I can see entrance A, but I'm looking for entrance B.

You're on the phone at the wrong door — naming what you can see lets them steer you left or right.

На блока не пише номер.

Na bloka ne pishe nomer.

There's no number written on the block.

Half the blocks in an older complex have lost their painted number — say so before they insist you're at the wrong one.

На кой етаж?

Na koy etazh?

Which floor?

Something you hear through the intercom the second you buzz someone in — a two-word question you must answer instantly.

На третия етаж съм, апартамент 9.

Na tretiya etazh sam, apartament 9.

I'm on the third floor, apartment 9.

The standard answer back down the intercom — floor first, then the flat number.

Апартаментът е на партера.

Apartamentat e na partera.

The flat is on the ground floor.

Партер is the ground floor and is not counted as етаж 1 — saying 'първи етаж' would send them one flight too high.

Последният етаж, вдясно от асансьора.

Posledniyat etazh, vdyasno ot asansyora.

Top floor, to the right of the lift.

Landings have two or three unmarked doors — say which one as you buzz them in.

Кой е номерът на апартамента?

Koy e nomerat na apartamenta?

What's the apartment number?

Confirming the flat number with a landlord before a viewing, so you don't knock on a stranger's door.

Асансьорът не работи, ще сляза долу.

Asansyorat ne raboti, shte slyaza dolu.

The lift isn't working, I'll come down.

A courier with a heavy box will not climb eight floors — offer to meet him at the entrance.

Кой бутон да натисна на домофона?

Koy buton da natisna na domofona?

Which button do I press on the intercom?

The intercom panel is a grid of unlabelled numbers and you're standing in the rain — ask before you buzz the wrong flat.

Позвънете на домофона, ще ви отворя.

Pozvanete na domofona, shte vi otvorya.

Ring the intercom and I'll let you in.

Telling the courier what to do at the door before he even arrives.

Домофонът не работи.

Domofonat ne raboti.

The intercom isn't working.

You've pressed the button four times and nothing happens — say it on the phone so they come down instead.

Обадете ми се, като стигнете до входа.

Obadete mi se, kato stignete do vhoda.

Call me when you get to the entrance.

The safest arrangement in a block where the intercom is unreliable — a phone call instead of a buzzer.

Отварям ви сега.

Otvaryam vi sega.

I'm buzzing you in now.

Said into the handset as you press the door release, so they know to push the door.

Входната врата е с код 1234.

Vhodnata vrata e s kod 1234.

The main door has code 1234.

Many entrances open with a keypad code rather than a buzzer — give it before they get stuck outside.

Блокът е срещу аптеката.

Blokat e sreshtu aptekata.

The block is opposite the pharmacy.

Срещу — 'opposite' — is the single most useful word for finding a door in a Bulgarian neighbourhood.

Точно до автобусната спирка е.

Tochno do avtobusnata spirka e.

It's right by the bus stop.

A bus stop is on every map and every driver knows it — better than a house number nobody can read.

Зад супермаркета, вляво.

Zad supermarketa, vlyavo.

Behind the supermarket, on the left.

Guiding someone the last thirty metres once they've reached the shop you both know.

Знаете ли къде е пазарът? Блокът е точно зад него.

Znaete li kade e pazarat? Blokat e tochno zad nego.

Do you know where the market is? The block is right behind it.

Checking they know the landmark before you build directions on top of it.

На ъгъла на улица Оборище и улица Дунав.

Na agala na ulitsa Oborishte i ulitsa Dunav.

On the corner of Oborishte Street and Dunav Street.

In the old centre a corner of two streets pins the spot faster than a number does.

Б като Борис.

B kato Boris.

B as in Boris.

Bulgarians spell out loud with като plus a first name — this is the move that gets your surname written down right.

Фамилията ми е трудна, ще ви я кажа буква по буква.

Familiyata mi e trudna, shte vi ya kazha bukva po bukva.

My surname is difficult, I'll spell it out for you.

A foreign surname on a delivery slip — offer to spell it before they guess and get it wrong.

Как се пише името на улицата?

Kak se pishe imeto na ulitsata?

How is the street name written?

You heard the street but can't type it into the map — ask for the written form.

С коя буква започва?

S koya bukva zapochva?

Which letter does it start with?

One letter unlocks the whole name in the map's autocomplete — ask for just the first one.

Може ли пак последната буква?

Mozhe li pak poslednata bukva?

The last letter again, please?

They spelled it fast and you lost the ending — ask for the one letter, not the whole word.

Пише ли се с ер голям?

Pishe li se s er golyam?

Is it written with an er golyam?

Ъ is called ер голям out loud and has no English equivalent, but it sits inside street names like Дъбница — name the letter instead of guessing at the sound.

Може ли да ми го кажете цифра по цифра?

Mozhe li da mi go kazhete tsifra po tsifra?

Can you say it digit by digit?

A six-digit number rattled off at speed — break it up rather than guessing at it.

Петнайсет или петдесет?

Petnayset ili petdeset?

Fifteen or fifty?

The classic mishearing in any language, and in Bulgarian петнайсет and петдесет really do blur on a bad line.

Блок петстотин и дванайсет.

Blok petstotin i dvanayset.

Block five hundred and twelve.

Block numbers in a ж.к. run into the hundreds — saying it in full words is clearer than digits.

Апартамент седем, етаж три.

Apartament sedem, etazh tri.

Apartment seven, floor three.

Two small numbers said as words down a crackly intercom, where digits get lost.

Ще ви продиктувам телефона си.

Shte vi prodiktuvam telefona si.

Let me dictate my phone number to you.

The courier wants a number to call when he's outside — announce it before you start reeling off digits.

Няма такъв номер.

Nyama takav nomer.

There's no such number.

Something you hear — the driver is on the street and the number you gave doesn't exist there.

Не, не е тази улица.

Ne, ne e tazi ulitsa.

No, it isn't that street.

They read the address back and it's the wrong street — stop them before they drive off.

Сгреших блока, не е 512, а 521.

Sgreshih bloka, ne e 512, a 521.

I got the block wrong, it's not 512 but 521.

Owning your own mistake quickly — block numbers in a complex are easy to transpose.

Има две улици със същото име, моята е в Люлин.

Ima dve ulitsi sas sashtoto ime, moyata e v Lyulin.

There are two streets with the same name, mine is in Lyulin.

Sofia genuinely repeats street names across districts — naming the квартал is what disambiguates.

Нека повторя адреса отначало.

Neka povtorya adresa otnachalo.

Let me give you the address again from the start.

The exchange has gone sideways — reset cleanly instead of patching one piece at a time.

Пред блока съм.

Pred bloka sam.

I'm in front of the block.

Something you hear from the courier the moment he parks — and the same three words you'll use yourself.

Слизам долу след минута.

Slizam dolu sled minuta.

I'm coming down in a minute.

The reply that keeps a waiting driver from leaving with your parcel.

Стоя пред вход Б.

Stoya pred vhod B.

I'm standing at entrance B.

You've found a door but not the person — say exactly which entrance you're at.

Виждам ви, махам ви с ръка.

Vizhdam vi, maham vi s raka.

I can see you, I'm waving.

The last ten metres — a wave ends the phone call faster than more directions.

Изчакайте две минути, моля.

Izchakayte dve minuti, molya.

Please wait two minutes.

You're mid-shower or on the top floor — buy yourself the time politely.

Спрете точно пред входа.

Sprete tochno pred vhoda.

Stop right in front of the entrance.

Directing a taxi the last few metres so you don't have to walk around the block with luggage.

Тук е синя зона.

Tuk e sinya zona.

This is a paid parking zone.

Синя зона is Sofia's paid street parking — warn a visiting friend before they collect a ticket.

Има място за паркиране зад блока.

Ima myasto za parkirane zad bloka.

There's parking behind the block.

The front of a block is usually full — send them round the back where residents park.

С кола не може да се влезе, улицата е затворена.

S kola ne mozhe da se vleze, ulitsata e zatvorena.

You can't drive in, the street is closed.

Pedestrianised or dug-up streets are common in the centre — say it before they try.

Значи улица Раковски 12, вход А, етаж 3?

Znachi ulitsa Rakovski 12, vhod A, etazh 3?

So that's 12 Rakovski Street, entrance A, floor 3?

The read-back that catches the mistake while you can still fix it, before you set off.

Правилно ли записах?

Pravilno li zapisah?

Did I write that down correctly?

You've scribbled the address on your phone — invite them to correct it.

Повтарям: блок 512, вход Б, апартамент 9.

Povtaryam: blok 512, vhod B, apartament 9.

Repeating: block 512, entrance B, apartment 9.

Announcing that you're reading it back, so they listen for errors instead of talking over you.

Да, точно така.

Da, tochno taka.

Yes, exactly.

Something you hear the moment your read-back is right — and what you say when theirs is.

Може ли да ми го пратите с есемес?

Mozhe li da mi go pratite s esemes?

Can you send it to me by text?

The line is bad and the street name isn't landing — a text can't be misheard.

Може ли да го напишете?

Mozhe li da go napishete?

Can you write it down?

Face to face with a landlord or neighbour — hand them your phone or a pen.

Пратете ми го по Вайбър, моля.

Pratete mi go po Vaybar, molya.

Send it to me on Viber, please.

Viber, not WhatsApp, is the default messaging app in Bulgaria — asking for it marks you as someone who lives here.

Ще ви пратя адреса със съобщение.

Shte vi pratya adresa sas saobshtenie.

I'll send you the address in a message.

Offering to do the writing yourself when your spoken address keeps getting mangled.

Не мога да намеря адреса.

Ne moga da namerya adresa.

I can't find the address.

Something you hear — the courier's opening line when he's circled the complex twice.

Къде сте в момента?

Kade ste v momenta?

Where are you right now?

Before you give any directions, find out where he actually is.

Какво виждате около вас?

Kakvo vizhdate okolo vas?

What can you see around you?

He can't read the block numbers either — a shop sign or a playground is enough to place him.

Останете там, идвам при вас.

Ostanete tam, idvam pri vas.

Stay there, I'm coming to you.

Faster than more directions when he's already close but in the wrong entrance.

Пратете ми локацията си на живо.

Pratete mi lokatsiyata si na zhivo.

Send me your live location.

When words have failed twice, a live pin on the map ends the argument.

Оставете го пред вратата, моля.

Ostavete go pred vratata, molya.

Leave it at the door, please.

You're not home and the driver won't wait — the standard instruction for a parcel.

Не ви чувам добре.

Ne vi chuvam dobre.

I can't hear you well.

Say it early — it invites them to speak up rather than assume you don't know the language.

Връзката прекъсва.

Vrazkata prekasva.

The line keeps cutting out.

In a lift, a basement or the metro — name the problem so they don't think you hung up.

Обадете ми се пак, моля.

Obadete mi se pak, molya.

Please call me back.

Ending a hopeless call cleanly, with the promise that you still want to talk.

Може ли по-високо?

Mozhe li po-visoko?

Can you speak louder?

Street noise on their end — this asks for volume, not for a different language.

Получих адреса, благодаря.

Poluchih adresa, blagodarya.

I got the address, thank you.

The one-line reply that tells the landlord the text arrived and you're set.

Ще бъда там в седем часа.

Shte bada tam v sedem chasa.

I'll be there at seven.

Pinning the time as well as the place, so nobody waits in the stairwell.

Пишете ми, като тръгнете.

Pishete mi, kato tragnete.

Message me when you set off.

Asking for a heads-up so you're at the door instead of in the shower.

На звънеца пише фамилията ми.

Na zvanetsa pishe familiyata mi.

My surname is on the doorbell.

Intercom panels list surnames, not flat numbers — say which name to look for.

Благодаря, много ми помогнахте.

Blagodarya, mnogo mi pomognahte.

Thank you, you've helped me a lot.

Closing a call where someone patiently spelled a street name three times for you.

До скоро, ще съм при вас след няколко минути.

Do skoro, shte sam pri vas sled nyakolko minuti.

See you shortly, I'll be with you in a few minutes.

Signing off the call as you turn the last corner.

Извинявайте, българският ми не е добър. Може ли да говорим на английски?

Izvinyavayte, balgarskiyat mi ne e dobar. Mozhe li da govorim na angliyski?

Sorry, my Bulgarian isn't good. Could we speak English?

Only after you've genuinely tried in Bulgarian and it has failed twice — leading with this instead of trying lands badly here, but framed as an apology after a real attempt it's fine.

Благодаря, че изчакахте.

Blagodarya, che izchakahte.

Thank you for waiting.

Said to the courier who stood by the entrance while you came down eight floors.