Ways to say it
| Bulgarian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| здраве́й | zdravéj | familiar, singular |
| здра́сти | zdrásti | familiar |
| здраве́йте | zdravéjte | formal, plural |
These terms are used as greetings to say hello or hi.
What does it mean word for word?
The form здраве́й is derived from the noun здраве́, meaning 'health' and functions as an imperative meaning 'be healthy'.
Which one should you use?
Здра́сти is a casual, shorthand version of the greeting, similar to 'hi' in English and is used primarily among friends and peers. Здраве́й is used when addressing one person you are on familiar terms with. In contrast, здраве́йте is used for multiple people or to show formal respect to a single person.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Здра́сти and здраве́й are informal greetings. Здраве́йте is the formal version used to address a stranger or a superior to show politeness.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form здраве́йте is the plural form of the imperative.
How do you pronounce it?
zdravéj
When do people say it?
When addressing a group or someone you wish to show respect to, you might use the formal greeting здраве́йте or the common formal greeting Dobar den (Добър ден), which means 'Good day'.
Did you know?
- In Bulgaria, some people traditionally avoid saying здраве́й or добър ден at the very start of a phone call, opting instead for ало which is borrowed from French.
- The root здраве is related to the English word 'health' through the ancient Proto-Indo-European root for 'whole' or 'uninjured'.
- If you use the formal здраве́йте with a close friend, it might sound as if you are jokingly pretending to be a stranger or being sarcastically polite.
Examples in context
- Здраве́й, приятелю!Zdravey, priyateliu!Hello, friend!
- Здраве́й, как си?Zdravey, kak si?Hello, how are you?
- Здраве́й, добро утро!Zdravey, dobro utro!Hello, good morning!
Example conversation
Ivan meets his friend Elena on the street.
- Иван IvanЗдраве́й, Елена!Zdravey, Elena!Hello, Elena!
- Елена ElenaЗдраве́й, Иван! Как си?Zdravey, Ivan! Kak si?Hello, Ivan! How are you?
- Иван IvanДобре съм, благодаря.Dobre sam, blagodarya.I am well, thank you.
- Елена ElenaРадвам се да те видя.Radvam se da te vidya.I am glad to see you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hello” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
