моля
Please and You Are Welcome
Моля means please, you're welcome and Pardon?: Едно кафе, моля. (A coffee, please.)
How It Works
Моля is the I-form of a verb meaning to ask, to request, but it is used as a polite word in several situations.
1. Please. Put моля at the start or end of a request. It is separated by a comma:
- Моля, седнете. (Please sit down.)
- Едно кафе, моля. (A coffee, please.)
2. You're welcome. Say Моля. when someone thanks you: — Благодаря! — Моля. Няма защо (Don't mention it) is also common, and the two often go together: Моля, няма защо.
3. Pardon? Моля? with a rising voice asks someone to repeat something you did not hear. It is more polite than Какво? (What?).
A personal appeal. With a pronoun, моля sounds warmer and more urgent: Моля те to someone you call ти, Моля Ви to someone you call Вие. Keep the verb in the same form: Моля те, ела. but Моля Ви, елате. See ти and Вие.
Here you are is different. When you hand something to someone, Bulgarian uses заповядай/заповядайте, not моля.
Examples (6)
- Едно кафе, моля.
A coffee, please.
Word by Word: One coffee, please.
- Моля, седнете.
Please sit down.
Word by Word: Please, sit-down.
- — Благодаря! — Моля.
Thank you! — You are welcome.
In reply to thanks, моля means you are welcome.
- — Моля? — Казах, че съм уморен.
Pardon? — I said I am tired.
Word by Word: Please? — I-said that I-am tired.
- Моля те, затвори вратата.
Please close the door.
Word by Word: I-ask you, close door-the.
Моля те is used with someone you address as ти.
- Моля, говорете по-бавно.
Please speak more slowly.
Word by Word: Please, speak more-slowly.
Common Mistakes
Using моля when handing something to someone.
— Един чай, моля. — Моля.— Един чай, моля. — Заповядайте.When you hand someone what they asked for, Bulgarians say заповядай or заповядайте (here you are). Моля does not mean here you are. Моля is for asking and for answering thanks.
Mixing ти and Вие in the same request.
Моля те, седнете.Моля Ви, седнете.Моля те goes with the ти-form седни, and Моля Ви goes with the Вие-form седнете. Keep both parts in the same form of address.
Related Patterns
- благодаря/мерсиSaying Thank You
Моля is the usual reply to благодаря.
Level 1 - заповядай/заповядайтеHere You Are and Come in
The word for here you are, which learners often replace with моля.
Level 1 - извинете/извинявайExcuse Me and Sorry
Another key polite word, used to get attention or apologize.
Level 1 - може лиAsking Permission with Може Ли
Another polite way to ask for something.
Level 1 - ти / ВиеFamiliar Ти and Polite Вие
Decides whether you say моля те or моля Ви.
Level 1 - The Imperative
The command forms such as седнете that моля often softens.
Level 2
Words in This Pattern
Practice моля in Bubblegum
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