Learning Bulgarian: Worth It for Founders, Expats and Explorers?

Plenty of people come to Bulgaria: to start a business, to live, or simply for a slow holiday. Anyone who wants to understand the country should think about learning Bulgarian — and anyone starting a company here should think about it twice. Is it a must for founders?

We would not go that far. You can get a long way in Bulgaria without Bulgarian. Many Bulgarians speak English, Russian or German, and in our experience it splits by generation: older people often still have Russian, someone who worked in Germany for a few years will still have some German, and the younger generation is usually fluent in English. Learning some Bulgarian is still worth it. It opens doors, and at the very least it pleases a lot of people that you bothered to learn a few phrases.

On Start in BG we share the experiences of founders who made it work here. One point comes up repeatedly: with Bulgarian, everything gets easier — from the company formation itself to being part of life outside work.

Where it earns its keep

• For founders: at a notary or an authority, Bulgarian is unbeatable — and reading what you sign is worth the effort on its own.
• For residents: you feel at home faster.
• For visitors: a "Nazdrave!" when glasses are raised puts you in the middle of Bulgarian life rather than beside it.

Practical and flexible

You do not need a language school or fixed hours to make progress. Fifteen minutes a day, the alphabet first, and the phrases you actually use — that is the whole method, and it fits around a working week.

In short: whether for business, everyday life or travel, learning Bulgarian is worth it. It makes your time here more direct, more successful and more personal.