Taxi and Rideshare

Такси

Get from the airport to your address without getting lost or overcharged

90 phrases · 14 parts · Elizabeth, native voice, Sofia · free to read and hear

Taxi and Rideshare · 1 / 8Elizabeth · native voice, Sofia

До центъра, моля.

Do tsentara, molya.

To the center, please.

The simplest destination — swap in a neighborhood or street name once you know it.

Greet the driver and say where you're going

4 phrases

Здравейте!
Zdraveyte!
Hello!
As you open the car door — Bulgarian drivers notice when you greet them first.
До центъра, моля.
Do tsentara, molya.
To the center, please.
The simplest destination — swap in a neighborhood or street name once you know it.
До този адрес, моля.
Do tozi adres, molya.
To this address, please.
Hold up your phone with the address on screen as you say it — no pronunciation battle needed.
Може ли да отворите багажника?
Mozhe li da otvorite bagazhnika?
Can you open the trunk?
Standing at the back of the car with your suitcase — the driver pops it from inside.

Pin down the price before and pay without surprises after

3 phrases

Колко ще струва до центъра?
Kolko shte struva do tsentara?
How much will it cost to the center?
Ask before you get in — a fair driver names a normal number, a shark hesitates.
Включете таксиметъра, моля.
Vklyuchete taksimetara, molya.
Turn on the meter, please.
If the car moves and the meter doesn't — say this firmly and politely. It's your ride.
Може ли да платя с карта?
Mozhe li da platya s karta?
Can I pay by card?
Ask before the ride starts — many Bulgarian taxis are still cash-only.

Steer the end of the ride and get out where you want

1 phrase

Спрете тук, моля.
Sprete tuk, molya.
Stop here, please.
You've spotted your building — say it a few seconds early so the driver can pull over.

Recover when the driver chats faster than you can follow

3 phrases

Може ли пак?
Mozhe li pak?
Can you say that again?
The quick, everyday 'once more?' — perfect for chatty drivers.
По-бавно, моля.
Po-bavno, molya.
Slower, please.
Keeps the small talk going in Bulgarian instead of shutting it down.
Не разбирам.
Ne razbiram.
I don't understand.
The honest reset button when the conversation has fully escaped you.

Flag down or order a taxi and confirm it's yours

9 phrases

Свободен ли сте?
Svoboden li ste?
Are you free?
Leaning to a driver's window at a rank or curb — the first thing you ask before getting in.
Повикайте такси, моля.
Povikayte taksi, molya.
Call a taxi, please.
Ask a hotel receptionist or restaurant host to phone one for you when none are in sight.
Поръчах такси.
Porachah taksi.
I ordered a taxi.
Say it to the dispatcher or to a driver pulling up so they know you're the fare.
Поръчах такси през приложение.
Porachah taksi prez prilozhenie.
I ordered a taxi through an app.
Useful when the driver asks how you booked — apps like TaxiMe and Yellow are the norm in Sofia.
Вие ли сте таксито, което поръчах?
Vie li ste taksito, koeto porachah?
Are you the taxi I ordered?
Check before you climb in — stops you from taking the wrong car and losing your booked fare.
Може ли да ме закарате до центъра?
Mozhe li da me zakarate do tsentara?
Can you take me to the center?
The polite full ask when you want to be sure the driver is willing to go your way.
Колко трябва да чакам?
Kolko tryabva da chakam?
How long do I have to wait?
After the dispatcher confirms — good to know if you're standing outside in the cold.
След колко минути ще дойдете?
Sled kolko minuti shte doydete?
In how many minutes will you arrive?
On the phone with a driver who's on the way — the honest 'when' before you head down.
Къде сте в момента?
Kade ste v momenta?
Where are you right now?
When the app map freezes and you just want to know if the driver is close.

Name exactly where you want to go — airport, station, street or neighborhood

11 phrases

До летището, моля.
Do letishteto, molya.
To the airport, please.
The one you'll say most on the way out — add 'терминал две' if you know your terminal.
До гарата, моля.
Do garata, molya.
To the train station, please.
'Гарата' means the railway station — say 'централна гара' for Sofia's main one.
До автогарата, моля.
Do avtogarata, molya.
To the bus station, please.
'Автогара' is the coach/bus terminal — don't mix it up with 'гара' for trains.
До хотела, моля.
Do hotela, molya.
To the hotel, please.
Show the hotel name on your phone right after — many share the same street.
До стария град, моля.
Do stariya grad, molya.
To the old town, please.
Handy in Plovdiv or Nesebar where 'старият град' is the historic quarter drivers know well.
До квартал Лозенец, моля.
Do kvartal Lozenets, molya.
To the Lozenets neighborhood, please.
'Квартал' plus the name is how locals give a district — swap Лозенец for wherever you live.
На улица Раковски номер десет.
Na ulitsa Rakovski nomer deset.
On Rakovski Street, number ten.
The full address form: 'улица' + street name + 'номер' + number.
Аз ще ви показвам пътя.
Az shte vi pokazvam patya.
I'll show you the way.
Say it when your street is tricky and you'll guide turn by turn from the back seat.
Знаете ли къде е това?
Znaete li kade e tova?
Do you know where this is?
Ask as you show the address — saves you both time if the driver already knows it.
Близо до мола е.
Blizo do mola e.
It's near the mall.
Anchoring to a big landmark is often clearer than a street name a driver may not know.
Първо до центъра, после ще кажа.
Parvo do tsentara, posle shte kazha.
First to the center, then I'll tell you.
When you know the general direction but need to nail the exact street once you're closer.

Understand the meter, the tariff and what the ride will cost

9 phrases

Колко струва до летището?
Kolko struva do letishteto?
How much is it to the airport?
Ask before departure — airport runs are where overcharging is most common.
Колко струва до гарата?
Kolko struva do garata?
How much is it to the station?
A rough number up front lets you spot a rigged meter when the total comes in.
Включете апарата, моля.
Vklyuchete aparata, molya.
Turn on the meter, please.
'Апаратът' is the everyday spoken word for the meter, next to the formal 'таксиметър'.
Каква е тарифата?
Kakva e tarifata?
What is the tariff?
The rate is posted on the door and window sticker — ask if you can't see it.
Колко е на километър?
Kolko e na kilometar?
How much is it per kilometer?
The per-km rate is the honest way to compare drivers waiting at a rank.
Има ли нощна тарифа?
Ima li noshtna tarifa?
Is there a night tariff?
Night rates are higher and legitimate — worth confirming after 22:00 so the total makes sense.
Таксиметърът не работи.
Taksimetarat ne raboti.
The meter isn't working.
Point it out calmly — a dead meter usually means a made-up price at the end.
Това е твърде скъпо.
Tova e tvarde skapo.
That's too expensive.
Say it plainly if the quote is way off — it signals you know the going rate.
Колко показва таксиметърът?
Kolko pokazva taksimetarat?
What does the meter show?
Ask as you arrive so you pay what the meter reads, not a rounded-up guess.

Shape the route — shortest way, no highway, or through a landmark

8 phrases

По най-краткия път, моля.
Po nay-kratkiya pat, molya.
By the shortest way, please.
Signals you'd rather not be taken the scenic long way to pad the fare.
Без магистралата, моля.
Bez magistralata, molya.
Without the highway, please.
Useful if you'd rather avoid a toll or a longer motorway loop for a short hop.
Минете през центъра.
Minete prez tsentara.
Go via the center.
When you want the driver to route through a particular area you know.
Минете през булеварда.
Minete prez bulevarda.
Go via the boulevard.
Handy when a big 'булевард' is the landmark road you actually recognize.
Може ли да избегнем задръстването?
Mozhe li da izbegnem zadrastvaneto?
Can we avoid the traffic jam?
Sofia rush hour is brutal — a local driver often knows a side street around it.
Кой път е по-бърз?
Koy pat e po-barz?
Which way is faster?
Let the driver choose but show you care about time, not sightseeing.
Хванете околовръстното, моля.
Hvanete okolovrastnoto, molya.
Take the ring road, please.
'Околовръстното' is Sofia's ring road — often faster than crossing the center.
Тук завийте надясно.
Tuk zaviyte nadyasno.
Turn right here.
For guiding the last stretch — pair with 'наляво' when you need left instead.

Steer the driver mid-ride — stop, wait, slow down or pull over

10 phrases

Спрете на ъгъла, моля.
Sprete na agala, molya.
Stop at the corner, please.
Precise drop-off when your door is just past the intersection.
Изчакайте ме, моля.
Izchakayte me, molya.
Wait for me, please.
When you're dashing in for something and coming straight back to the same car.
Изчакайте две минути.
Izchakayte dve minuti.
Wait two minutes.
Puts a number on the wait so the driver knows it's a quick stop, not an errand.
Още малко напред, моля.
Oshte malko napred, molya.
A little further ahead, please.
When the driver starts slowing too early — nudges them to the right spot.
Спрете след светофара.
Sprete sled svetofara.
Stop after the traffic light.
'Светофар' is the traffic light — a clear reference point for the drop.
Отбийте вдясно, моля.
Otbiyte vdyasno, molya.
Pull over to the right, please.
'Отбийте' asks the driver to pull off to the side, not just stop in the lane.
Не бързам, карайте спокойно.
Ne barzam, karayte spokoyno.
I'm not in a hurry, drive calmly.
A gentle way to slow down a fast driver without sounding like a complaint.
Може ли да отворите прозореца?
Mozhe li da otvorite prozoretsa?
Can you open the window?
For a stuffy car or if you get carsick — polite and easy to ask.
Малко е студено, може ли по-слабо?
Malko e studeno, mozhe li po-slabo?
It's a bit cold, can you turn it down?
For a blasting air-con — 'по-слабо' means 'weaker/lower'.
Ето там вляво, моля.
Eto tam vlyavo, molya.
Right there on the left, please.
Point as you say it — 'вляво' pins the exact side for the final stop.

Deal with suitcases and bags at the trunk

6 phrases

Помогнете ми с багажа, моля.
Pomognete mi s bagazha, molya.
Help me with the luggage, please.
'Багаж' is your luggage — most drivers will lift a heavy case if you ask nicely.
Багажът е в багажника.
Bagazhat e v bagazhnika.
The luggage is in the trunk.
A reminder at drop-off so you don't drive away without your suitcase.
Внимавайте, чупливо е.
Vnimavayte, chuplivo e.
Careful, it's fragile.
For a bag with breakables — 'чупливо' means fragile/breakable.
Имам два куфара.
Imam dva kufara.
I have two suitcases.
Say it before you get in so the driver knows the trunk needs to fit both.
Чантата е тежка.
Chantata e tezhka.
The bag is heavy.
A quick heads-up so the driver braces before lifting it.
Може ли да затворите багажника?
Mozhe li da zatvorite bagazhnika?
Can you close the trunk?
Once your bag is loaded — the driver usually shuts it from the side.

Arrive, settle the fare, get your change and a receipt