Bedeutung
Being very scared.
Kultureller Hintergrund
In Bulgarian folklore, the heart is often personified. It can 'jump,' 'sink,' or 'burn.' This idiom is a remnant of a very physical way of speaking about the soul. Similar versions exist in Serbian and Macedonian, showing a shared linguistic approach to emotional expression in the region. Younger generations use this phrase frequently when talking about extreme sports or horror gaming, keeping the traditional idiom alive in digital spaces. Classic authors like Ivan Vazov used this idiom to describe the fear of revolutionaries, grounding the phrase in the national historical narrative.
Use 'отиде' for stories
When telling a story about something that happened, 'отиде' (went) sounds much more natural than 'е' (is).
Don't use for 'sadness'
In English, 'my heart sank' can mean you are sad. In Bulgarian, 'сърцето ми е в петите' is ONLY for fear, not sadness.
Bedeutung
Being very scared.
Use 'отиде' for stories
When telling a story about something that happened, 'отиде' (went) sounds much more natural than 'е' (is).
Don't use for 'sadness'
In English, 'my heart sank' can mean you are sad. In Bulgarian, 'сърцето ми е в петите' is ONLY for fear, not sadness.
The 'Short' Pronoun
Always place 'ми' right after 'сърцето'. Never say 'Ми сърцето е в петите'.
Teste dich selbst
Попълнете празното място с правилната форма на притежателното местоимение (ми, ти, му, й, ни, ви, им).
Когато видях паяка, сърцето ___ отиде в петите.
Since the sentence starts with 'I saw' (видях), the possessive must be 'my' (ми).
Коя дума липсва в идиома?
Сърцето ми е в _______.
The standard idiom uses 'петите' (heels).
В коя ситуация е най-подходящо да използвате идиома?
Ситуация: Гледате страшен филм и някой изскача внезапно.
This idiom is used for sudden fear.
Довършете диалога.
А: Защо трепериш? Б: ____________________. Едва не паднах от стълбите!
The person is trembling because they almost fell, which is a scary situation.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Visuelle Lernhilfen
Aufgabensammlung
4 AufgabenКогато видях паяка, сърцето ___ отиде в петите.
Since the sentence starts with 'I saw' (видях), the possessive must be 'my' (ми).
Сърцето ми е в _______.
The standard idiom uses 'петите' (heels).
Ситуация: Гледате страшен филм и някой изскача внезапно.
This idiom is used for sudden fear.
А: Защо трепериш? Б: ____________________. Едва не паднах от стълбите!
The person is trembling because they almost fell, which is a scary situation.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Häufig gestellte Fragen
10 FragenNot really. It's usually reserved for strong fear or a sudden shock. For mild nerves, use 'притеснен съм'.
Only if you have a very friendly, informal relationship. Otherwise, it's better to use more formal language.
Yes! If a group is scared, you say 'Сърцата ни са в петите' (Our hearts are in our heels).
'Е' describes the state (is), while 'отиде' describes the action of the heart moving (went), which feels more dramatic.
Yes, 'изкарах си акъла' or 'напълних гащите' (the latter is quite vulgar).
No, it is almost exclusively for negative fear or shock.
The heels are seen as the very bottom of the body's core structure. It's a traditional choice in the language.
Yes, Russian has 'Сердце в пятки ушло', which is nearly identical.
You would say: 'Изплаши ме! Сърцето ми отиде в петите!'
No, it is considered an idiom and is too informal for academic or formal writing.
Verwandte Redewendungen
Изкарах си акъла
similarI was scared out of my wits.
Настръхна ми косата
similarMy hair stood on end.
Пулсът ми е 200
modern alternativeMy pulse is 200.
Глътнах си езика
similarI swallowed my tongue.
