да + Verb (Wish or Toast)

1. The shape. Да + present tense. The verb is most often съм, but any verb works, as with живее:

• Да сте живи и здрави! (May you be alive and well!), a common toast and birthday wish
• Да живее България! (Long live Bulgaria!)
• Да ти е честито! (Congratulations!, literally may it be happy for you)
• Да ви е сладко! (Enjoy your meal!, said to people who are eating)
• Да се върнете живи и здрави! (Come back safe and sound!)

2. Short pronouns. The short pronouns and се go directly after да, with the dative before е: Да ти е честито, Да ви е сладко. See placement of short pronouns.

3. With a subject. A subject may come before да: Бог да те пази! (God keep you!)

4. Negative wishes and curses. Put не after да: Да не ти се случва! (May it never happen to you!) The same pattern also carries curses in folk speech and literature, but everyday use is mostly friendly.

5. Related patterns. Дано expresses a personal hope (Дано успееш! I hope you succeed). Нека is a more neutral let. Да with a past form wishes for something unreal (Да бях богат! If only I were rich!). Да to a listener can also be an insistent instruction, so tone and context tell a blessing from a command.