English, German, French and Russian is spoken in the country's bigger cities and resorts, hotels and restaurants.

Something very important is to remember that the Bulgarians shake their heads from side to side when they mean `yes` and nod when they mean `no`.

It is advisable to listen carefully to the spoken words, such as DA, which means yes, and NE, which means no. If Bulgarians know they are speaking to foreigners, sometimes the nodding and shaking can be reversed, adding further to the confusion and general misunderstanding.

You will find English-speaking Bulgarians in every major cities and larger towns but, on the whole, Bulgarian is the national language and is spoken everywhere. If you intend to relocate permanently you will need not only to speak a little of the language, but also to have some understanding of written Bulgarian; the Cyrillic alphabet is used, which bears little resemblance to our Latin alphabet. A few basic phrases of Bulgarian go a long way and would enable you to get by in most places. However your daily life would certainly be a lot easier if you could master the language, because English isn’t that widely spoken in rural areas. In the ski resorts and along the cost, you will almost certainly find people who speak English but if you are relocating in a very remote area then the chances of this are quite slim. You will find English-speaking estate agents, lawyers and other professionals, but when comes to employing a gardener, builder or any sort of daily help, a little knowledge of Bulgarian is vital. English is the most common second language spoken in Bulgaria, especially among the young, followed by German and French; it is compulsory for school students to study a second language from an early age. Many older Bulgarians speak Russian.