Grocery Shopping

Добър ден!

Dobar den!

Good day!

Walking up to the produce stall or into the shop — greet before you start picking.

Колко струва килограмът?

Kolko struva kilogramat?

How much is a kilo?

Loose fruit and veg are priced by the kilo — ask before you fill a bag.

Половин килограм домати, моля.

Polovin kilogram domati, molya.

Half a kilo of tomatoes, please.

Point at the crate and name the amount — swap in whatever you're buying.

Пресни ли са доматите?

Presni li sa domatite?

Are the tomatoes fresh?

At a market stall where you can't handle everything yourself — the seller expects the question.

Трябва ли да претегля плодовете?

Tryabva li da preteglya plodovete?

Do I need to weigh the fruit myself?

In many Bulgarian supermarkets you weigh and label produce at a scale before the till.

Имате ли сирене?

Imate li sirene?

Do you have cheese?

At the fresh counter — 'сирене' is the everyday white brine cheese, in every fridge here.

Двеста грама кашкавал, моля.

Dvesta grama kashkaval, molya.

Two hundred grams of yellow cheese, please.

The deli slices and weighs to order — name grams, not slices.

Къде е касата?

Kade e kasata?

Where is the checkout?

In a bigger shop where the tills aren't obvious from the aisles.

Приемате ли карти?

Priemate li karti?

Do you accept cards?

Ask at a small neighborhood shop before you reach the till — some are still cash only.

По колко е килограмът?

Po kolko e kilogramat?

How much per kilo?

The everyday market phrasing for the per-kilo price — sellers use it more than 'колко струва'.

Узрели ли са?

Uzreli li sa?

Are they ripe?

Nodding at the peaches or melons before you commit to a bagful.

Зряло ли е авокадото?

Zryalo li e avokadoto?

Is the avocado ripe?

For a single item you want to use today — the seller will pick you a soft one.

Дайте ми един килограм ябълки.

Dayte mi edin kilogram yabalki.

Give me one kilo of apples.

At a stall where the seller bags and weighs for you — name the amount and the fruit.

Три краставици, моля.

Tri krastavitsi, molya.

Three cucumbers, please.

Some veg is sold by the piece, not the kilo — count them out instead of weighing.

Кои са по-сладки?

Koi sa po-sladki?

Which ones are sweeter?

Two crates of the same fruit side by side — let the seller steer you to the better batch.

Може ли по-зелени банани?

Mozhe li po-zeleni banani?

Can I have greener bananas?

You want fruit that lasts the week, not one that's ripe today.

Доматите български ли са?

Domatite balgarski li sa?

Are the tomatoes Bulgarian?

Locals prize home-grown produce — a normal question at any market stall in season.

Къде е кантарът?

Kade e kantarat?

Where is the scale?

You've bagged your veg and need the self-service scale before the till.

Може ли да претеглите това?

Mozhe li da preteglite tova?

Can you weigh this?

Handing a bag to the staff member when there's no self-weigh scale.

Трябва ли етикет?

Tryabva li etiket?

Do I need a label?

Checking whether the scale prints a barcode sticker you must attach yourself.

Как работи кантарът?

Kak raboti kantarat?

How does the scale work?

First time at a touchscreen produce scale and the buttons don't make sense.

Претеглете ги заедно, моля.

Preteglete gi zaedno, molya.

Weigh them together, please.

Same fruit, one price — tell the seller to put it all on the scale at once.

Имате ли пилешко?

Imate li pileshko?

Do you have chicken?

Opening the order at the meat counter when the case is picked over.

Половин килограм кайма, моля.

Polovin kilogram kayma, molya.

Half a kilo of mince, please.

Mince is weighed to order — name the amount and the butcher scoops it.

Покажете ми това парче.

Pokazhete mi tova parche.

Show me that piece.

Pointing through the glass at a specific cut you want a closer look at.

Може ли по-тънко?

Mozhe li po-tanko?

Can it be thinner?

Asking the butcher to slice a schnitzel or steak thinner than the default.

Без кости, моля.

Bez kosti, molya.

Without bones, please.

Choosing a boneless cut when the counter offers both.

Прясно ли е месото?

Pryasno li e mesoto?

Is the meat fresh?

A fair thing to ask before you buy meat you'll cook a couple of days later.

Две пилешки филета, моля.

Dve pileshki fileta, molya.

Two chicken fillets, please.

Ordering by the piece when you know exactly how many you need for dinner.

Имате ли кашкавал?

Imate li kashkaval?

Do you have yellow cheese?

'Кашкавал' is the yellow cheese every fridge here keeps alongside white сирене.

Нарежете салама, моля.

Narezhete salama, molya.

Slice the salami, please.

Asking for a whole sausage to be machine-sliced rather than sold as a block.

Сто грама луканка, моля.

Sto grama lukanka, molya.

A hundred grams of lukanka, please.

Луканка is the flat dry Bulgarian sausage — ordered in grams at the deli.

Кое сирене е по-малко солено?

Koe sirene e po-malko soleno?

Which cheese is less salty?

Brine cheeses vary a lot in saltiness — let the counter recommend one.

Може ли да опитам?

Mozhe li da opitam?

Can I taste it?

At a market deli a small taste before buying is normal and expected.

Още малко, моля.

Oshte malko, molya.

A bit more, please.

The scale shows just under what you wanted — nudge the amount up.

Толкова стига.

Tolkova stiga.

That's enough.

Stopping the counter at the right weight as they keep adding slices.

Може ли да го вакуумирате?

Mozhe li da go vakuumirate?

Can you seal it up?

Asking for cheese or meat to be wrapped tightly so it keeps longer.

Къде е млякото?

Kade e mlyakoto?

Where is the milk?

The dairy fridge is often tucked at the back — ask a stocker on the way.

Имате ли пълномаслено кисело мляко?

Imate li palnomasleno kiselo mlyako?

Do you have full-fat yogurt?

Кисело мляко is the famous Bulgarian yogurt — full-fat is the classic tub.

Десет яйца, моля.

Deset yaytsa, molya.

Ten eggs, please.

At a market stall eggs are counted out loose rather than sold by the carton.

Търся масло.

Tarsya maslo.

I'm looking for butter.

Opening line to a staff member when you can't spot the butter shelf.

Имате ли мляко без лактоза?

Imate li mlyako bez laktoza?

Do you have lactose-free milk?

A real need for many shoppers — worth asking as stock varies by shop.

Къде е хлябът?

Kade e hlyabat?

Where is the bread?

The bread rack moves around between shops — a quick question saves a lap.

Пресен ли е хлябът?

Presen li e hlyabat?

Is the bread fresh?

Bakeries bake in batches through the day — check before you take a loaf.

Половин хляб, моля.

Polovin hlyab, molya.

Half a loaf, please.

Small bakeries will cut and wrap half a loaf if a whole one is too much.

Две банички, моля.

Dve banichki, molya.

Two banitsa pastries, please.

Баница is the everyday cheese pastry — grabbed by the piece at the counter.

Имате ли пълнозърнест хляб?

Imate li palnozarnest hlyab?

Do you have whole-grain bread?

Asking past the white loaves for a wholemeal option.

Къде са макароните?

Kade sa makaronite?

Where is the pasta?

Hunting the dry-goods aisle — 'макарони' covers pasta broadly here.

Имате ли ориз?

Imate li oriz?

Do you have rice?

Asking at a small corner shop that may not stock everything.

Търся боб в консерва.

Tarsya bob v konserva.

I'm looking for tinned beans.

Beans are a staple here — the tinned version sits with the other conserves.

На кой рафт е олиото?

Na koy raft e olioto?

Which shelf is the oil on?

Олио is sunflower cooking oil, the default for frying in most kitchens here.

Имате ли брашно тип 500?

Imate li brashno tip 500?

Do you have type 500 flour?

Bulgarian flour is graded by type number — 500 is the standard white for baking.

Един пакет захар, моля.

Edin paket zahar, molya.

One pack of sugar, please.

Grabbing a standard bag of sugar at a counter shop where you ask for items.

Може ли да ми помогнете?

Mozhe li da mi pomognete?

Can you help me?

Flagging down a shelf-stocker before you ask where something is.

Къде са замразените храни?

Kade sa zamrazenite hrani?

Where are the frozen foods?

Looking for the freezer cabinets, often lined up along one wall.

Продавате ли подправки?

Prodavate li podpravki?

Do you sell spices?

Checking whether a small shop carries a whole category before you search.

Кога ще имате отново?

Koga shte imate otnovo?

When will you have it again?

The shelf spot for what you want is empty — ask when it's restocked.

Дайте ми четвърт килограм.

Dayte mi chetvart kilogram.

Give me a quarter kilo.

A quarter kilo is a common small order at the deli or produce scale.

Триста грама, моля.

Trista grama, molya.

Three hundred grams, please.

Naming a weight in grams once the counter already knows the item.

Един литър прясно мляко.

Edin litar pryasno mlyako.

One liter of fresh milk.

Прясно мляко is drinking milk, the opposite of the fermented кисело мляко.

Само едно парче.

Samo edno parche.

Just one piece.

Keeping an order small when the counter reaches for more than you need.

Колко са в пакета?

Kolko sa v paketa?

How many are in a pack?

Deciding how many packs to buy when the count isn't printed clearly.

Какъв е срокът на годност?

Kakav e srokat na godnost?

What is the expiry date?

Срок на годност is the printed use-by date — ask when it's rubbed off or hidden.

До кога е годно?

Do koga e godno?

Until when is it good?

A softer way to ask the same thing about counter goods with no label.

Не е ли развалено?

Ne e li razvaleno?

It's not spoiled, is it?

Double-checking something near its date before it goes in your basket.

Това мирише странно.

Tova mirishe stranno.

This smells odd.

Flagging a dodgy smell at the counter so they swap it for another.

Имате ли по-пресни?

Imate li po-presni?

Do you have fresher ones?

The front stock looks tired — ask whether there's a newer batch in the back.

Нямате ли прясно мляко?

Nyamate li pryasno mlyako?

Don't you have fresh milk?

Gently surprised the shelf is bare — the phrasing invites them to check the back.

Имате ли нещо подобно?

Imate li neshto podobno?

Do you have something similar?

Your first choice is out — open the door to a close alternative.

Какво препоръчвате?

Kakvo preporachvate?

What do you recommend?

Handing the choice to the counter when you don't know the local brands.

Има ли друга марка?

Ima li druga marka?

Is there another brand?

Only one brand on the shelf and you'd like to compare — ask for options.

Може ли един плик?

Mozhe li edin plik?

Can I have a bag?

Bags aren't automatic here — you ask for one at the till.

Имам си торба.

Imam si torba.

I have my own bag.

Waving off the offer of a plastic bag when you brought a reusable one.

Два плика, моля.

Dva plika, molya.

Two bags, please.

A big shop — one bag won't hold it, so ask for a second up front.

Без плик, благодаря.

Bez plik, blagodarya.

No bag, thanks.

Just a couple of items you can carry — declining the bag politely.

Пликът плаща ли се?

Plikat plashta li se?

Is the bag charged for?

Most shops charge a few cents per bag — worth confirming before you take one.

Внимателно с яйцата, моля.

Vnimatelno s yaytsata, molya.

Careful with the eggs, please.

Reminding the cashier not to bury the eggs under the tins.

Колко прави всичко?

Kolko pravi vsichko?

How much is it all together?

Asking for the running total at a counter shop before you hand over money.

Мога ли да платя в брой?

Moga li da platya v broy?

Can I pay in cash?

Checking cash is fine at a place that clearly prefers cards.

Може ли безконтактно?

Mozhe li bezkontaktno?

Can I pay contactless?

Reaching for a tap payment when the terminal isn't obviously set up for it.

Може ли касова бележка?

Mozhe li kasova belezhka?

Can I have a receipt?

Asking for the printed receipt when the cashier doesn't offer it.

Нямам дребни.

Nyamam drebni.

I don't have small change.

Paying with a large note and warning the cashier before they ask for coins.

Мисля, че цената е грешна.

Mislya, che tsenata e greshna.

I think the price is wrong.

The till rings up more than the shelf tag — flag it calmly.

Това на промоция ли е?

Tova na promotsiya li e?

Is this on sale?

Checking whether a shelf promotion actually applies to the item you grabbed.

Нямам клиентска карта.

Nyamam klientska karta.

I don't have a loyalty card.

The cashier's first question is almost always about the loyalty card.

Това е всичко.

Tova e vsichko.

That's everything.

Signalling the counter you're done adding items and ready to total up.

Може ли да повторите?

Mozhe li da povtorite?

Can you repeat that?

The cashier said something fast and you need the whole thing again.

Може ли да го напишете?

Mozhe li da go napishete?

Can you write it down?

You keep missing the total by ear — ask for the number on paper or the screen.

Покажете ми, моля.

Pokazhete mi, molya.

Show me, please.

Words aren't landing — ask the staff to point at what they mean.

Колко казахте?

Kolko kazahte?

How much did you say?

You missed the total the cashier rattled off — this asks for just the number again.

Не разбирам.

Ne razbiram.

I don't understand.

The cashier asks about a loyalty card or bags and you go blank — this resets the exchange.

По-бавно, моля.

Po-bavno, molya.

Slower, please.

You caught part of what the cashier said — this keeps it in Bulgarian at your pace.

Благодаря, приятен ден!

Blagodarya, priyaten den!

Thanks, have a good day!

Bagging up and heading out — the everyday send-off the cashier will return.