School & Child Activities

Добър ден!

Dobar den!

Good day!

Walking into the school office to ask about a place for your child.

Искам да запиша детето си.

Iskam da zapisha deteto si.

I want to enroll my child.

The opening request at the office or with the head teacher.

Има ли свободни места?

Ima li svobodni mesta?

Are there any free places?

Checking whether the class or group can still take your child.

На колко години трябва да е детето?

Na kolko godini tryabva da e deteto?

How old does the child need to be?

Sorting out whether your child fits the age group for the class or club.

Кога започват и свършват часовете?

Koga zapochvat i svarshvat chasovete?

When do classes start and finish?

Planning drop-off and pick-up around the school day.

Какво трябва да носи детето?

Kakvo tryabva da nosi deteto?

What does the child need to bring?

Finding out about snacks, indoor shoes, or supplies for the first day.

Трябва ли униформа?

Tryabva li uniforma?

Is a uniform required?

Checking the dress code before you go shopping for the school year.

Има ли извънкласни дейности?

Ima li izvanklasni deynosti?

Are there extracurricular activities?

Asking about clubs and after-school programs that help your child settle in.

Може ли да запиша детето на футбол?

Mozhe li da zapisha deteto na futbol?

Can I sign the child up for football?

Signing your child up for a specific club — swap football for the activity.

Може ли да говоря с учителката?

Mozhe li da govorya s uchitelkata?

Can I speak with the teacher?

Asking to catch the class teacher at pick-up or a parents' meeting.

Не разбирам.

Ne razbiram.

I don't understand.

When the office staff use school terms you haven't met yet.

Моля, повторете.

Molya, povtorete.

Please repeat.

Catching a date or time the teacher gave you too quickly.

По-бавно, моля.

Po-bavno, molya.

Slower, please.

The teacher explains the routine fast — this slows it down.

Благодаря предварително!

Blagodarya predvaritelno!

Thanks in advance!

Warm sign-off after the office promises to sort out the paperwork.

Към кое училище сме по адресна регистрация?

Kam koe uchilishte sme po adresna registratsiya?

Which school are we assigned to by our registered address?

Bulgarian state schools and детски градини take children by catchment, so the address you registered at the municipality decides where your child has priority. Ask this before you fall in love with a school across town.

Подготвителната група е задължителна преди първи клас.

Podgotvitelnata grupa e zadalzhitelna predi parvi klas.

The preparatory group is compulsory before first grade.

Something you hear when you assume kindergarten is optional. The last year or two of детска градина is подготвителна група — state-organised school preparation, and attendance is required, not a choice.

Кандидатствате онлайн в системата за прием.

Kandidatstvate onlayn v sistemata za priem.

You apply online in the admissions system.

Something you hear at the office when you turn up in person with papers. Places in kindergartens and first grade are allocated by a municipal online system with ranking points, not by walking in. Вие form (кандидатствате) — you are on вие with school staff throughout.

Какви документи са необходими за записване?

Kakvi dokumenti sa neobhodimi za zapisvane?

Which documents are needed for enrolment?

The single most useful question at the school office — ask it before you queue, and write the answer down.

Носете удостоверението за раждане и медицинско от личния лекар.

Nosete udostoverenieto za razhdane i meditsinsko ot lichniya lekar.

Bring the birth certificate and a medical certificate from your GP.

Something you hear as the standard list. The official name is удостоверение за раждане, though everyone also says акт за раждане; личен лекар is your registered GP, and the school will not enrol without their медицинско.

Ваксините на детето са правени в чужбина.

Vaksinite na deteto sa praveni v chuzhbina.

The child's vaccinations were done abroad.

Say this early — a foreign vaccination record has to be transcribed by your личен лекар into the Bulgarian имунизационен паспорт before the school medical is issued, and that takes an extra appointment.

Документите от чужбина трябва да са преведени и легализирани.

Dokumentite ot chuzhbina tryabva da sa prevedeni i legalizirani.

Documents from abroad have to be translated and legalised.

Something you hear when you hand over a foreign school report or birth certificate. Легализиран means apostilled and translated by a licensed agency — budget a week for it, not an afternoon.

Учебната година започва на петнайсети септември.

Uchebnata godina zapochva na petnaysti septemvri.

The school year starts on the fifteenth of September.

Something you hear every August. The date is fixed nationally — 15 септември is the first day of school for the whole country, and the first day is a short ceremony rather than lessons.

В колко часа е тържеството за първия учебен ден?

V kolko chasa e tarzhestvoto za parviya ucheben den?

What time is the ceremony for the first day of school?

Тържество is the opening assembly in the schoolyard — first-graders line up, someone rings първия звънец, the first bell of the year. Parents come and it is photographed heavily.

Децата носят цветя за госпожата.

Detsata nosyat tsvetya za gospozhata.

The children bring flowers for the teacher.

Something you hear in the class chat before 15 септември. Turning up without a bouquet is the classic expat mistake. Note госпожата — parents and children call a female teacher госпожата, a male one господина, almost never by the word учителка in speech.

Кой ще е класният ръководител тази година?

Koy shte e klasniyat rakovoditel tazi godina?

Who will be the form teacher this year?

Класният ръководител is the one teacher who owns your child's class — attendance, discipline, parent meetings, the money collections. In grades one to four they teach almost everything; from fifth grade they are your single point of contact.

Аз съм класният ръководител на трети клас.

Az sam klasniyat rakovoditel na treti klas.

I am the form teacher of the third grade.

Something you hear when someone introduces themselves at the door. The title stays grammatically masculine — класният ръководител — even when the speaker is a woman, so do not expect it to agree with her.

Кога имате приемно време за родители?

Koga imate priemno vreme za roditeli?

When do you have consultation hours for parents?

Every teacher has a fixed weekly slot for parents (приемно време, also called консултации). Catching them at the door at pick-up is frowned on; asking for the slot is the correct move. Вие throughout — teachers are never ти.

Приемното ми време е във вторник от един до два.

Priemnoto mi vreme e vav vtornik ot edin do dva.

My consultation time is Tuesday from one to two.

Something you hear as the answer. Times are said on the twelve-hour clock in speech — от един до два means 13:00 to 14:00 here, because school consultation hours are in the afternoon.

Тази година в коя смяна сме?

Tazi godina v koya smyana sme?

Which shift are we on this year?

Bulgarian schools are crowded, so classes rotate between първа смяна (mornings) and втора смяна (afternoons), often changing every term or year. This question reorganises your whole working week, so ask it early.

Втора смяна сме, часовете започват в един и половина.

Vtora smyana sme, chasovete zapochvat v edin i polovina.

We are on the second shift, lessons start at half past one.

Something you hear from the teacher or another parent. В един и половина is 13:30 — the afternoon shift typically runs until early evening.

Утре програмата е променена и часовете свършват по-рано.

Utre programata e promenena i chasovete svarshvat po-rano.

Tomorrow the timetable is changed and lessons finish earlier.

Something you hear or read in the class chat, often the evening before. Програма here means the timetable, not a programme — miss this message and your child stands at the gate.

В колко часа да взема детето?

V kolko chasa da vzema deteto?

What time should I collect the child?

Asked on the first days and again whenever занималня or a club changes the finish time. Using детето rather than a son or daughter keeps the phrase gender-free.

Днес бабата ще дойде да вземе детето.

Dnes babata shte doyde da vzeme deteto.

The grandmother will come to collect the child today.

Say this to the teacher in the morning. Schools will not release a child to an adult they were not told about, and grandparents doing the school run is the norm here rather than the exception.

Кой ще взема детето след часовете?

Koy shte vzema deteto sled chasovete?

Who will be collecting the child after lessons?

Something you hear at enrolment — the school writes down the named adults allowed to collect, and asks you to keep the list current.

Носете спортен екип.

Nosete sporten ekip.

Bring sports kit.

Something you hear or read constantly — the highest-frequency school instruction there is. It is addressed to the children in the plural imperative, so it arrives in the class chat with no name attached: your job is simply to notice it.

Утре трябват боички и четка за рисуване.

Utre tryabvat boichki i chetka za risuvane.

Tomorrow paints and a brush are needed.

Something you hear the afternoon before. Боички is the everyday diminutive for a child's paint set — the shop shelf will say бои, the chat message will say боички.

Утре носете пари за помагалото.

Utre nosete pari za pomagaloto.

Tomorrow bring money for the workbook.

Something you hear a few times a year. Помагало is a workbook or supplementary book that parents pay for, unlike учебниците, which the state provides free — the teacher will name a euro amount right after this sentence.

Какво точно трябва да носи детето утре?

Kakvo tochno tryabva da nosi deteto utre?

What exactly does the child need to bring tomorrow?

The repair question when the message in the chat was too fast or too abbreviated. Точно does the work here — it asks for the list, not a summary.

Днес не носете нищо, само учебниците.

Dnes ne nosete nishto, samo uchebnitsite.

Today bring nothing, just the textbooks.

Something you hear on a light day. Worth learning as a set phrase so you can recognise the relief version of the same daily message.

Проверявайте електронния дневник всеки ден.

Proveryavayte elektronniya dnevnik vseki den.

Check the electronic diary every day.

Something you hear at the first parent meeting. Електронният дневник is the online register where marks, absences, homework and notes to parents all appear — it is the official channel, and not reading it is treated as your fault.

Домашните пишат ли се в електронния дневник?

Domashnite pishat li se v elektronniya dnevnik?

Is the homework written in the electronic diary?

Ask this in the first week — some teachers post homework in the diary, some only dictate it in class for the children to copy into тетрадката.

Детето не си е написало домашното.

Deteto ne si e napisalo domashnoto.

The child has not done their homework.

Something you hear at the door or read as a note in the diary. Because детето is neuter, this sentence sounds the same whatever the child's gender.

Как да помогна на детето с домашните?

Kak da pomogna na deteto s domashnite?

How can I help the child with the homework?

A good opener at приемно време when you cannot read the textbook yourself — it invites the teacher to name a concrete routine rather than reassure you.

Оценките са от две до шест, шест е отличен.

Otsenkite sa ot dve do shest, shest e otlichen.

Marks go from two to six, six is excellent.

Something you hear at the first parent meeting, and the single fact foreigners get wrong. The scale is 6 отличен, 5 много добър, 4 добър, 3 среден, 2 слаб — six is the top, two is a fail, and there is no one.

Четворката добра оценка ли е?

Chetvorkata dobra otsenka li e?

Is a four a good mark?

Worth asking out loud, because the honest answer is no — четворка is добър, which in practice reads as mediocre. Marks are named by their noun form in speech: двойка, тройка, четворка, петица, шестица.

Детето получи четири по математика.

Deteto poluchi chetiri po matematika.

The child got a four in maths.

Something you hear from the teacher. Do not hear this as praise — it is a mid mark, and the sentence is usually the opening of a conversation about extra work.

Детето взе двойка и трябва да я поправи.

Deteto vze dvoyka i tryabva da ya popravi.

The child got a two and has to correct it.

Something you hear when there is a fail. Да я поправи means re-sitting the test to replace the mark — a normal, expected step, not a punishment. Двойка is feminine, hence я.

Има шестица по български, браво на детето.

Ima shestitsa po balgarski, bravo na deteto.

There's a six in Bulgarian, well done to the child.

Something you hear on a good day. Шестица is the top mark — for a child learning Bulgarian as a second language it is a genuine milestone worth marking.

Как се справя детето в клас?

Kak se spravya deteto v klas?

How is the child doing in class?

The standard opener at приемно време or after a parent meeting. Се справя covers coping and performing at once, which is exactly what you want to know.

Детето има нужда от повече внимание по математика.

Deteto ima nuzhda ot poveche vnimanie po matematika.

The child needs more attention in maths.

Something you hear as the teacher's polite way of saying the subject is a problem. It is usually an indirect suggestion that you arrange частни уроци — hear it as a recommendation, not a comment.

Още не говори много, но разбира всичко.

Oshte ne govori mnogo, no razbira vsichko.

He or she doesn't speak much yet, but understands everything.

Something you hear in the first months about a child learning Bulgarian. Bulgarian drops the subject pronoun, so the sentence names no gender at all — it works for any child.

Има ли допълнителни часове по български за деца чужденци?

Ima li dopalnitelni chasove po balgarski za detsa chuzhdentsi?

Are there extra Bulgarian lessons for foreign children?

Schools do run допълнително обучение по български for children whose home language is not Bulgarian, but it is rarely offered unprompted — you have to ask.

Има голям напредък от началото на годината.

Ima golyam napredak ot nachaloto na godinata.

There has been big progress since the start of the year.

Something you hear at the spring parent meeting — the standard formula for good news about a child who started behind.

Притеснявам се, че тормозят детето.

Pritesnyavam se, che tormozyat deteto.

I'm worried the child is being bullied.

Тормоз is the standard word for bullying and schools are obliged to act on it. The impersonal тормозят (they bully) lets you raise it without naming a child, which is the tactful opening here.

Имаше спречкване между децата в междучасието.

Imashe sprechkvane mezhdu detsata v mezhduchasieto.

There was a scuffle between the children during break.

Something you hear when the school calls you. Спречкване is deliberately mild — a squabble — so listen to what follows it rather than to the word itself. Междучасие is the break between lessons.

Ще говоря с двете деца и ще ви се обадя.

Shte govorya s dvete detsa i shte vi se obadya.

I'll talk to both children and call you.

Something you hear as the teacher closing the conversation. Ще ви се обадя is the promise to phone — note вие, the register a teacher keeps with parents.

Родителската среща е в четвъртък.

Roditelskata sreshta e v chetvartak.

The parent meeting is on Thursday.

Something you hear or read in the class chat, often with only a couple of days' notice. Родителска среща is the whole-class evening meeting — attendance is socially close to compulsory.

В колко часа е родителската среща?

V kolko chasa e roditelskata sreshta?

What time is the parent meeting?

The follow-up question when the day was announced but not the hour. Meetings are almost always early evening, after the second shift clears the building.

Няма да мога да дойда на срещата, извинявайте.

Nyama da moga da doyda na sreshtata, izvinyavayte.

I won't be able to come to the meeting, I'm sorry.

Send this to the form teacher rather than simply not appearing — absences from родителска среща are noticed, and this keeps you in good standing.

Срещата ще е онлайн, ще пуснем линк в групата.

Sreshtata shte e onlayn, shte pusnem link v grupata.

The meeting will be online, we'll post a link in the group.

Something you hear in the class chat. Групата means the parents' chat group, and линк is the everyday word for a meeting link — watch the chat, not your email.

Събираме по десет евро за подаръка.

Sabirame po deset evro za podaraka.

We're collecting ten euro each for the gift.

Something you hear in the class chat several times a year — for the teacher at Christmas, for the end of year, for a class trip. По десет евро means ten each. Money has been in euro since January 2026; nobody quotes leva.

За какво събираме пари този път?

Za kakvo sabirame pari tozi pat?

What are we collecting money for this time?

A normal, non-confrontational question in the parent group. Този път (this time) is the softener that keeps it from sounding like an objection.

Парите отиват в касата на класа.

Parite otivat v kasata na klasa.

The money goes into the class fund.

Something you hear from the родителски комитет. Касата на класа is the informal pot the parents' committee runs for repairs, decorations, water and gifts — informal, but everybody pays in.

Може ли да помогна с нещо на родителския комитет?

Mozhe li da pomogna s neshto na roditelskiya komitet?

Can I help the parents' committee with anything?

The fastest way into the parent community as a newcomer. Родителският комитет is the elected handful of parents who collect the money and organise the events.

Има мероприятие в петък.

Ima meropriyatie v petak.

There's an event on Friday.

Something you hear with almost no detail attached. Мероприятие is the catch-all word for anything organised — a concert, a competition, a visit — and it usually means a change to the timetable, so ask what it involves.

Децата да са с бели ризи за тържеството.

Detsata da sa s beli rizi za tarzhestvoto.

The children should wear white shirts for the ceremony.

Something you hear before any тържество. The unwritten formal code for school ceremonies is a white shirt with dark trousers or skirt — turning up in everyday clothes stands out badly in the photographs.

Има ли тържество за двайсет и четвърти май?

Ima li tarzhestvo za dvayset i chetvarti may?

Is there a ceremony for the twenty-fourth of May?

24 май, the day of the Slavic alphabet and Bulgarian culture, is the biggest school celebration of the year — songs, poems, flowers and a procession. Spoken as двайсет и четвърти, not двадесет.

Детето трябва да научи стихотворението наизуст.

Deteto tryabva da nauchi stihotvorenieto naizust.

The child has to learn the poem by heart.

Something you hear before every тържество and often as ordinary homework. Reciting наизуст in front of the class and the parents is a fixed part of Bulgarian schooling from the first grade on.

Кое стихотворение трябва да научи?

Koe stihotvorenie tryabva da nauchi?

Which poem does he or she have to learn?

Ask this in the chat the same evening — the title is usually assigned per child, and you will need to find the text yourself.

Утре имаме репетиция преди тържеството.

Utre imame repetitsiya predi tarzhestvoto.

Tomorrow we have a rehearsal before the ceremony.

Something you hear from the teacher or in the chat. Репетиции are held during school hours and often change the finishing time, so treat this as a schedule message too.

Детето е болно и днес няма да дойде на училище.

Deteto e bolno i dnes nyama da doyde na uchilishte.

The child is ill and won't come to school today.

Send this to the form teacher first thing in the morning. Because детето is neuter, болно stays neuter and the sentence works for any child.

Донесете бележка от лекаря.

Donesete belezhka ot lekarya.

Bring a note from the doctor.

Something you hear the moment the child returns. A медицинска бележка from the личен лекар is what converts the missed days into извинени отсъствия; without it they count against the child.

Може ли да извиня детето по семейни причини?

Mozhe li da izvinya deteto po semeyni prichini?

Can I excuse the child for family reasons?

A parent may excuse a limited number of days a year in writing to the класен ръководител, no doctor involved — по семейни причини is the standard wording. Ask how many days you are allowed before you use them.

Без бележка отсъствията се водят неизвинени.

Bez belezhka otsastviyata se vodyat neizvineni.

Without a note the absences are recorded as unexcused.

Something you hear as a warning. Неизвинени отсъствия accumulate in the електронен дневник, affect the conduct mark and, in quantity, trigger formal consequences — this is not a soft threat.

Подпишете декларацията за екскурзията.

Podpishete deklaratsiyata za ekskurziyata.

Sign the permission form for the trip.

Something you hear before any outing. Декларация is the parental consent form — printed, signed by hand and sent back in the child's bag, even when everything else happens in the chat.

Къде и кога е екскурзията?

Kade i koga e ekskurziyata?

Where and when is the trip?

The question to ask before you sign anything — the form often names only a price and a date.

Догодина класът заминава на зелено училище.

Dogodina klasat zaminava na zeleno uchilishte.

Next year the class is going on a green school trip.

Something you hear a long way in advance. Зелено училище is the classic Bulgarian institution — a week away at the seaside or in the mountains, lessons included, paid for by the parents and organised through the родителски комитет.

Има ли занималня за първи клас?

Ima li zanimalnya za parvi klas?

Is there an after-school club for first grade?

Занималня (officially целодневна организация) is the supervised afternoon group where children do their homework at school. Places are limited and allocated at enrolment, so ask before the year starts.

Занималнята е до пет часа.

Zanimalnyata e do pet chasa.

The after-school club runs until five.

Something you hear when you ask about the afternoon. The end time is firm — staff go home, and late collection is remembered.

Търся частен учител по математика.

Tarsya chasten uchitel po matematika.

I'm looking for a private maths tutor.

Say this in the parent group and you will have three recommendations within the hour. Частен учител and репетитор both work; уроци по математика is how the lessons themselves are named.

Почти всички деца в класа ходят на частни уроци.

Pochti vsichki detsa v klasa hodyat na chastni urotsi.

Almost all the children in the class have private lessons.

Something you hear from another parent, usually as a gentle warning. Частни уроци are near-universal from the middle grades on, especially before entrance exams — the school day is assumed not to be enough.

Колко пъти седмично са уроците?

Kolko pati sedmichno sa urotsite?

How many times a week are the lessons?

The practical question when you agree terms with a tutor — ask this before you ask the price, and the price answer will come unprompted.

Ще ви добавя в групата на класа във Вайбър.

Shte vi dobavya v grupata na klasa vav Vayber.

I'll add you to the class group on Viber.

Something you hear from another parent in the first week. Written Viber — it is still the default Bulgarian group chat, and the class group is where the real school information lives. Note вие from a parent you have just met; ти comes later.

Извинявайте, какво писаха в групата за утре?

Izvinyavayte, kakvo pisaha v grupata za utre?

Sorry, what did they write in the group about tomorrow?

The single most useful repair phrase for a foreign parent — ask another parent at the gate rather than guessing at a message you half-read.

Ще се съберем на площадката в събота, елате и вие.

Shte se saberem na ploshtadkata v sabota, elate i vie.

We're meeting at the playground on Saturday, do come along.

Something you hear once the other parents have decided you are part of the class. Елате и вие is a real invitation, not politeness — turning up is how a new family gets absorbed.

Благодаря ви за търпението с детето.

Blagodarya vi za tarpenieto s deteto.

Thank you for your patience with the child.

The right thing to say at the end of приемно време, especially in the first year when your child is still finding the language. Вие — благодаря ви, never благодаря ти, with a teacher.

Няма проблем, детето е много старателно.

Nyama problem, deteto e mnogo staratelno.

No problem, the child is very diligent.

Something you hear in reply. Старателно (hard-working) is the highest routine compliment a Bulgarian teacher gives, and it stays neuter to agree with детето.

Приятен ден и до следващия път!

Priyaten den i do sledvashtiya pat!

Have a nice day, and until next time!

The standard sign-off leaving the classroom or the office — warm, brief, and it does not commit you to a date.

Какво значи думата занималня?

Kakvo znachi dumata zanimalnya?

What does the word zanimalnya mean?

School Bulgarian is full of words no course teaches — занималня, помагало, мероприятие, класен ръководител. Swap in whichever word just landed; asking is normal and teachers explain readily.

Значи утре трябва да носи спортен екип, така ли?

Znachi utre tryabva da nosi sporten ekip, taka li?

So tomorrow he or she needs to bring sports kit, is that right?

The confirmation move that prevents the real daily failure — repeating the instruction back with значи ... така ли? gets a yes or a correction on the spot.

Може ли да повторите по-бавно, за да запиша?

Mozhe li da povtorite po-bavno, za da zapisha?

Could you repeat that more slowly so I can write it down?

Better than a bare repeat request because it says why — teachers slow right down when they see a parent taking notes. Вие form (повторите).