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The Ultimate Guide to Traditional Hungarian Food

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Have you ever been on vacation in a foreign country and wanted to try out the local food? If so, you know how hard it is to know exactly what to order. But you can rest assured that you won’t face this problem in Hungary after reading our Hungarian food guide!

In this article, we’ll introduce you to a variety of Hungarian cuisine staples so you can get an idea of what to expect. We’ll also provide you with some easy Hungarian recipes that you can try to make at home. All you need is an open heart, the desire to discover, and a piece of paper to take notes and write down the names of the Hungarian food dishes that make you drool.

But before we begin…

Log in to Download Your Free Cheat Sheet - Let's Cook in Hungarian Table of Contents
  1. What is Hungarian Food?
  2. Must-Try Dishes in Hungarian Restaurants
  3. Authentic Hungarian Food vs. Overseas Hungarian Food
  4. Unique Hungarian Foods and Drinks
  5. Food-Related Vocabulary
  6. Bonus: Simple Recipes to Make Authentic Hungarian Food at Home
  7. How HungarianPod101.com Makes Studying Fun

1. What is Hungarian Food? 

Hungarian food refers to the traditional dishes that Hungarian people eat. 

Hungarians love their stomach and that’s why our dishes are rich in fat, meat, and bread. (Hungarians could even eat bread with pasta!) 

We also like our food spicy, and paprika is the heart of Hungarian cuisine. Other ingredients that often star in our meals include:

  • dairy products, such as tejföl (“sour cream”), túró (“cottage cheese”), and other cheeses
  • meat (mostly pork and chicken)
  • all kinds of seasonal vegetables that can be grown in Hungary

Before continuing, you may find it useful to go over our food-themed vocabulary lists:

Now, are you ready for this greasy, juicy culinary experience? Let’s go then.

Food Is Visible on a Table, Eggs, Meat, Nuts, Salmon, Etc.

2. Must-Try Dishes in Hungarian Restaurants

In this section, we’ll introduce you to the five most popular Hungarian foods. First, it’s important to note that the majority of traditional dishes in Hungary are actually Hungarian peasant food.

Now, let’s see what they are.

Gulyás(leves)

Main ingredients:

  • beef
  • yellow onion
  • garlic
  • pork fat
  • Hungarian red paprika & green paprika
  • red wine
  • tomato, potato, carrot, root and leaf parsley, celeriac

This one is the traditional Hungarian food, without a doubt. If you were to ask someone to name a Hungarian specialty, gulyás (goulash) would certainly be their first answer. Here’s a fun fact for you: gulyás actually means “herdsman.”

To make this famous dish like a true Hungarian would, cook it over an open fire. And if you want to eat it like Hungarians do, don’t forget the bread!

(Csirke)pörkölt

Main ingredients:

  • chicken thighs
  • yellow onion
  • pork fat
  • Hungarian red paprika (ground)
  • tomato
  • water

This traditional Hungarian food is similar to a stew. While chicken is a popular meat option in this meal, people can also make pörkölt with other types of meat such as pork. The important thing here is the Hungarian powdered red paprika. 

Another traditional food called nokedli (a Hungarian noodle) is typically served with this meal. 

Halászlé

Main ingredients:

  • common carp, catfish
  • yellow onion
  • Hungarian red paprika (ground)
  • water

Halászlé (“fisherman’s soup”) is a traditional Hungarian Christmas food, so it’s the perfect choice if you want to spice up your Christmas family dinner at home. The broth has a powdered paprika base, and the soup is made with thick chunks of fish. Hungarians usually eat this dish with bread.

If you feel courageous, you can find full Hungarian Christmas food recipes online to make. Don’t forget to let us know how they turned out.

Hortobágyi palacsinta

Main ingredients:

  • pork thighs
  • yellow onion 
  • Hungarian red paprika (ground), green paprika
  • tomato
  • parsley
  • flour
  • eggs
  • cow’s milk
  • tejföl

Hortobágyi palacsinta is a kind of salty pancake that got its name from the Hungarian region (and village) of Hortobágy. The pancake (which resembles the French type more than the American type) is filled with ground meat and a creamy (due to the tejföl) paprika sauce.

Rántott sajt

Main ingredients:

  • Trappista cheese
  • eggs
  • flour
  • bread crumbs
  • oil

Last but not least, another typical and famous Hungarian food is breaded cheese. Hungarians like to, can, and will bread and then fry everything, including cheese. They usually put french fries or rice on the plate as a side dish, and they like to dip the cheese into tartar sauce (or cranberry sauce, if it’s Camembert cheese).

A Big Red-pot of Fisherman’s Soup Is Visible

3. Authentic Hungarian Food vs. Overseas Hungarian Food

As Hungarian food casts its spell on the world, it’s becoming increasingly common to find Hungarian restaurants and food shops outside the borders of Hungary. However, overseas Hungarian food may not always offer the same level of flavor and authenticity as that made in-country. 

As we stated earlier, one of the key ingredients of Hungarian cuisine is the seasonal vegetables grown in Hungary. Sometimes, Hungarian food store or restaurant owners don’t bother to (or simply can’t afford to) export vegetables from Hungary. Not to mention that shipping the products over long distances isn’t very environmentally friendly.  

When in search of authentic Hungarian food, you must take into consideration who the owner of the restaurant or shop is. Some entrepreneurs see the potential of Hungarian food to reach across borders and cultures, and decide to open a restaurant or shop without deep knowledge of how the food is actually made. While they might find recipes online, they may still miss the essentials that only a true Hungarian could implement. This is why native Hungarians are most capable of running successful Hungarian restaurants and crafting high-quality Hungarian meals. 

For example, there are overseas Hungarian food shops and restaurants in Austria, New York, Sydney, and London. However, the menu is often altered to appeal more to foreigners so that Hungarian food would seem more familiar to them. An example of this is lángos, a Hungarian dish of deep-fried dough topped with garlic, tejföl, and cheese. In Sydney, it’s sold as ‘garlic bread.’ But lángos is actually lightyears away from that!

We advise you to check the history and the owner of any overseas Hungarian food store or restaurant you’re visiting to decide whether the place is trustworthy. However, if you have the chance, you should definitely try authentic Hungarian food in its own kingdom.

Meals Are Visible from the Top, Meatballs, Lemonade, Corn, Shashlik, Etc.

4. Unique Hungarian Foods and Drinks

Hungarian food often leaves foreigners thinking “Whaaat?” But you have only seen the tip of the iceberg. 

Now we’re going to show you five truly unique Hungarian foods and drinks that you can only find in Hungary. Since we’ve been talking about main dishes so far, it’s time to introduce you to some Hungarian desserts and beverages.

    → If you want to dive further into this topic, make sure you look at our Culture Class lesson on Sweets and Desserts!

Somlói galuska

Ah… Somlói galuska, a dish that is dear to all Hungarians. And no wonder! It’s a delicious sponge cake with layers of chocolate cream and walnut kernel, spiced with rum and crowned with whipped cream. This Hungarian dessert usually has raisins in it, too.

Mákos guba

Many Hungarians associate mákos guba with their childhood. It’s kifli (a type of Hungarian bread) that’s soaked in a mixture of warm milk, vanilla, sugar, and poppy seeds. Note that poppy seeds are very common in Hungarian desserts.

Bejgli

Here is yet another Hungarian Christmas food. Bejgli is a pastry roll traditionally filled with poppy seeds or walnuts. Nowadays, you can find versions that are filled with chestnuts, sour cherries, or dried plums.

Pálinka

Pálinka is a traditional fruit brandy that all Hungarians are proud of. It can be fermented from almost any kind of fruit, but the most common ones are plum and apricot. It’s usually 37.5% – 86% ABV. Pretty strong, to say the least.

Tokaji aszú

Tokaji aszú is the most famous wine of Hungary. Aszú is a type of Tokaji wine that comes from Tokaj, Hungary. The berries of this sweet wine are picked individually. The final beverage is kept in wooden casks.

A Wine Cellar Is Seen, Wooden Casks In a Row

5. Food-Related Vocabulary

By now, we’re sure you’re excited to try some famous Hungarian cuisine yourself! Following is a list of words and phrases that might come in handy while you’re visiting a restaurant in Hungary.

If you want even more practical phrases, see our vocabulary lists of Useful Phrases for Ordering Food and Vocabulary and Phrases at the Restaurant

Szeretnék egy üveg bort.

In English: I would like a bottle of wine.

  • “I would like” – Szeretnék 
  • “a bottle of” – egy üveg 
  • “wine” – bor

Van tejtermék ebben az ételben?

In English: Is there any dairy (products) in this dish?

  • “dairy product” – tejtermék
  • “dish” – étel

Mi a mai ajánlat?

In English: What are today’s specials?

  • “today’s special” – mai ajánlat

Please note that in Hungarian, you would ask this question in singular form rather than plural.

Beszélhetek a szakáccsal? Nagyon meg vagyok elégedve az étellel.

In English: Can I speak to the chef? I’m very satisfied with the food.

  • “to speak” – beszélni
  • “chef” – szakács
  • “satisfied” – elégedett
  • “food” – étel

Szeretnék fizetni a vacsoráért.

In English: I’d like to pay for the dinner.

  • “to pay” – fizetni
  • “dinner” – vacsora

A Group of Friends Is Having Dinner, Three Women and Two Guys Are Seen Around a Table, They Are All Laughing

6. Bonus: Simple Recipes to Make Authentic Hungarian Food at Home

Now that you’re familiar with some of the most popular Hungarian foods, we’ll teach you how to make Hungarian food at home. We’ve included three simple recipes that anyone can make, so be courageous in the kitchen and get ready for a delicious culinary journey.

Recipe #1: Mákos guba

Ingredients:

  • 8 ps. kifli
  • 1 l. cow’s milk
  • 2 packs vanilla sugar
  • 15 dkg poppy seed, ground
  • 15 dkg powdered sugar

Method:

  1. Cut the kiflis into 1 cm-wide circles. Pour the mixture of warmed-up milk and vanilla sugar on them in a pot.
  2. Once the kifli circles soak up the milk, sprinkle them with the poppy seed and sugar mixture. Serve immediately.

Recipe #2: Babfőzelék

We haven’t yet discussed this type of Hungarian food, though it’s an important one. Főzelék can be described as a very, very thick soup—and Hungarians love it! They can turn almost any vegetable into one.

Ingredients:

  • 30 dkg dry beans, soaked the night before
  • 1-2 bay leaf
  • 1 small yellow onion (chopped)
  • 2 cloves garlic (crushed)
  • 2 Tbsp flour
  • 4 Tbsp oil
  • 1 tsp powdered Hungarian red paprika
  • 2 dl tejföl
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 tsp vinegar, 10%
  • salt
  • pepper (ground)

Method:

  1. Cook beans over medium heat, for approx. 10-15 minutes, then drain. In the meantime, in another pot, boil water and pour it over the beans until they are just covered. This prevents it from puffing. Put the bay leaves and salt in it, and cook until tender.
  2. While the beans are cooking (over low heat), whisk together oil and flour, then add the chopped onion and garlic and sauté until glassy. Remove from fire and add paprika, tejföl, and 1 dl of cold water. Whisk until combined and without lumps. Add the mixture to the beans and bring to a boil while constantly stirring. When boiling, reduce the heat and leave it like that. If the főzelék seems to be too thick, add more water. In the meantime, add sugar, salt, pepper, and vinegar to suit your taste.

Recipe #3: Meggyleves

Ingredients:

  • 50 dkg sour cherry
  • 8 dl water
  • sugar
  • 5 ps. dried clove
  • 1 p. cinnamon stick (2 cm)
  • juice of 1/2 lemon and zest
  • 5-6 lemongrass leaves
  • 2 pack vanilla sugar
  • pinch of salt
  • 1/2 pack vanilla pudding powder
  • 2 dl sour cream

Method:

  1. Put the pitted sour cherries in a pot and pour water on them. Sweeten with sugar and vanilla sugar to your liking. Zest a lemon into it, and put it in the pot with the lemongrass leaves and the rest of the spices. Bring to a boil and then cook for approx. 10 minutes on low heat.
  2. When it’s cooked, mush the sour cherries with a mixer. If you want, you can half-mush them so there are a few chunks still left. Then, put it back on the stove and bring to a boil again.
  3. Whisk the sour cream together with the vanilla pudding powder and, while constantly stirring, pour it into the soup.
  4. Cook for a few more minutes, until the soup is thick enough.
  5. This soup is usually served cold, so you might want to wait until it cools down or put it in the fridge for 30 minutes. Enjoy.
Lots of Food on a Table in Aluminium Pots, Rice, Chicken Wings, Etc.

7. How HungarianPod101.com Makes Studying Fun

Today, you explored the most important traditional Hungarian foods, and you even learned how to make some of them at home! 

We hope we brought you—or at least your stomach—closer to the Hungarian culture. It’s truly amazing to get to know a culture through its foods; cuisine plays just as large a role in a nation’s culture as things like habits and architecture do!

We recommend that you continue exploring this topic first-hand. Whether you visit Hungary to try some authentic dishes, dine at a nearby Hungarian restaurant, or try your hand at Hungarian cuisine in the kitchen, making this country’s cuisine a part of your life will greatly improve your language learning!

If you would like to learn more about the Hungarian language and culture in a fun and exciting way, join the HungarianPod101 family. Our lessons are designed to keep you engaged and entertained, while providing practical information and learning materials.

Before you go: Which of these Hungarian foods do you most want to try? How many of these dishes have you had already? We look forward to hearing from you!

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Change in Hungary: 1848 Revolution Memorial Day

1848 was a time of forradalom (revolution), upheaval, and general discontent throughout Europe. Several different nations vied to achieve their unique political and social goals, and the Hungarian revolts of 1848 were particularly significant. 

In this article, you’ll learn about the 1848 Revolution of Hungary and how it’s commemorated today. Let’s get started!

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1. What is 1848 Revolution Memorial Day? 

A Cockade with Hungarian Flag Colors

The Hungarian Revolution of 1848 began on March 15, 1848, as Hungary followed the lead of many other European nations. Much of Europe was caught in a great upheaval during this time, with different nations trying to achieve varying—though similar—goals regarding the political and societal status of their people. Of all the 1848 revolutions in Europe, the one in Hungary lasted the longest and was arguably one of the most successful; the Hungarian uprising didn’t end until August 1849, when Austria employed the help of Russia.

For Hungary, the revolutions of 1848 largely focused on gaining autonomy from the Habsburg Monarchy and having its 12 Points of Demands met. These 12 Points, co-written by famous poet Petőfi Sándor (Sándor Petőfi), were read out by the nationalists throughout Pest on March 15.

A major leader of the revolution was Lajos Kossuth, often thought of as the face of the revolution. He was a radicalist who sought to have Hungary’s goals met in the fastest way possible, through any means necessary.

Hungary was successful toward the beginning, but the revolution ultimately failed after the Russian army came to Austria’s aid. However, the events of the revolution paved the way for Hungary to reach its goals later on. 


2. Celebrations and Key Events

The Hungarian Parliament Building

There are a few different celebrations and observances that take place to commemorate the 1848 Hungarian Revolution. If you happen to be walking the streets of Hungary, you’ll have the privilege of admiring the colors of the Hungarian flag all around you—the flag itself waving in front of buildings, people wearing red, white, and green clothing, and a few even donning kokárdák (cockades).

Most of the events for this holiday take place at Castle Hill and the Hungarian Parliament building. People gather at these locations to hear speeches from government leaders and to join in singing the National Song of Hungary. They can also see the raising of the Hungarian flag in Kossuth Square, and enter the Parliament and a variety of museums for free.

There are also plenty of kid- and family-friendly activities: guided horseback riding, folk music and dancing performances, theatrical performances, arts and crafts, fencing demonstrations, and more! If you plan on visiting, keep in mind that there will be plenty of restaurants open on this day, as well as food-tasting events you can experience. Those who get the day off may also enjoy a trip to the nearby Budapest Baths, where they can relax in the thermal baths and get a massage.  

    → Castle Hill and the Parliament Building are only two of the most popular locations in the country. Do you know of any other Tourist Attractions in Hungary?

3. More on Sándor Petőfi

A Man Clip Art

Sándor Petőfi may be best known for his major role in the 1848 Hungarian Revolution, though his poetry was well-loved at the time and the poet was known for his unique writing style. Today, he is the national poet of Hungary. In addition to co-writing the notorious 12 Points and penning the poem Nemzeti Dal, Petőfi crafted the National Song of Hungary and a number of other famous poems (such as John the Valiant). 

As for his personal life, Sándor Petőfi married a woman named Júlia Szendrey (also a poet, as well as a translator), and they had a son named Zoltán. He is thought to have died in one of the final battles of the revolution, though this has never been confirmed because his body was never found. 

4. Vocabulary to Know for 1848 Revolution Memorial Day

Black-and-White Depiction of Someone Standing Beside a Waving Flag

Ready to expand your Hungarian vocabulary? Then let’s review some of the words and phrases from this article, plus a few more! 

  • Szaval (Recite) – verb
  • Az 1848-as forradalom ünnepe (1848 Revolution Day) – proper noun
  • Petőfi Sándor (Sándor Petőfi) – proper noun
  • Forradalom (Revolution) – noun
  • Nemzeti Múzeum (National Museum) – proper noun
  • Kormány (Government) – noun
  • Harc (Combat) – noun
  • Kokárda (Cockade) – noun
  • Csata (Battle) – noun
  • Szabadságharc (War of independence) – noun
  • Nyomda (Press) – noun
  • Hadsereg (Army) – noun

To practice your pronunciation, be sure to visit our 1848 Revolution Day vocabulary list. It features audio recordings that you can listen to and repeat after! 

Final Thoughts

In this article, you learned about the revolutions of 1848, Hungary’s role in them, and more. The 1848 Hungarian Revolution may have been only one of many such revolutions of the time, but it was also one of the most significant. Though the revolutions did not end as hoped, it paved the way for Hungary’s later autonomy and independence. 

If you enjoyed this article and would like to learn more about Hungarian culture and holidays, we think you’ll like the following articles on HungarianPod101.com:

Thinking about learning the Hungarian language, or looking for the best place to continue your studies? We recommend:

It’s our goal to make every aspect of your language learning journey both effective and enjoyable, so we hope to see you around!

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The Top 45 Quotes in Hungarian for Language Learners

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Have you ever been in a situation where everything lined up just right…but the perfect quote was missing? We’ve all been there. That’s why it’s important to become familiar with quotes and quips beforehand, so that when the time comes you know exactly what to say.

Well, this is your lucky day! In this article, we’re going to list 45 quotes in Hungarian with translations so that you can find the perfect one for any occasion. Now you’ll never have to miss out on a quote opportunity.

If some of these quotes seem familiar to you, it’s not just your mind playing tricks on you. We’ve intentionally translated several famous quotes in Hungarian from English so that the text wouldn’t be so alien to you. The rest of the quotes—those that are not cited—are just common phrases used in everyday life.

Ready yet? Then let’s dive in.

Log in to Download Your Free Cheat Sheet - Beginner Vocabulary in Hungarian Table of Contents
  1. Quotes About Success
  2. Quotes About Life
  3. Quotes About Time
  4. Quotes About Love
  5. Quotes About Family
  6. Quotes About Friendship
  7. Quotes About Food
  8. Quotes About Health
  9. Quotes About Language Learning
  10. How HungarianPod101.com Motivates You to Become Better and Better

Quotes About Success

In this section, you’re going to read a few motivational quotes in Hungarian about success. If you need a little encouragement for your next step toward your goals, put some of these quotes up on your wall or somewhere else you’ll see them often—that will certainly give you the boost of self-esteem you need!


1. “Behind every successful man there’s a lot of unsuccessful years.”

Author: Bob Brown

In Hungarian: Minden sikeres ember mögött rengeteg sikertelen év van.

This quote emphasizes how trial-and-error is necessary for success. It takes time to better yourself and reach your goals.

  • “behind” – mögött
  • “every” – minden
  • “successful” – sikeres
  • “unsuccessful” – sikertelen

2. “Success is not in what you have, but who you are.”

Author: Robert Foster Bennett

In Hungarian: A siker nem arról szól, hogy mid van, hanem hogy ki vagy.

This quote about success says that the only thing that’s important is who you are as a person. The things you’ve gathered, such as money, really hold no weight in how successful you are.  

3. “Don’t wait for an opportunity. Create it.”

In Hungarian: Ne várj lehetőségre! Teremtsd meg!

This is a terrific motivational quote. Those who wait around miss lots of opportunities. Instead of waiting forever, you should act now!

  • “to wait” – vár
  • “opportunity” – lehetőség
  • “to create” – megteremt

4. “Don’t tell people your plans. Show them your results.”

In Hungarian: Ne mondd el másoknak a terveidet! Mutasd meg nekik az eredményt!

Those who tell people what they would do instead of what they did are wasting their time.

  • “to tell” – mond
  • “to show” – mutat
  • “result” – eredmény

5. “There is no elevator to success. You have to take the stairs.”

Author: Zig Ziglar

In Hungarian: A sikerhez nincs lift. A lépcsőt kell megmásznod.

This quote is similar to the first one in this section. It implies that success takes time—just like taking the stairs—and doesn’t happen as quickly as one would like.

  • “elevator” – lift
  • “success” – siker
  • “stairs” – lépcső
Two People Are Seen on a Sketch, One of Them Is Going Up the Stairs, the Other Is Going Up a Ladder

Quotes About Life

Life can be difficult, positive, and negative all at once, but the important thing is that you always look at the bright side. These life quotes in Hungarian aim to help you see the silver lining.


6. “The best time for new beginnings is now.”

In Hungarian: A legjobb idő az új kezdetekhez most van.

This quote encourages you to take opportunities right away and to begin bettering yourself now. If you hesitate, you won’t see results until much later.

  • “best time” – legjobb idő
  • “new beginning” – új kezdet
  • “now” – most

7. “Rise above the storm and you will find the sunshine.”

Author: Mario Fernández

In Hungarian: Emelkedj felül a viharon, és megtalálod a napfényt!

This quote means that if you’re able to overcome negativity in your life and see the good in things, you’ll find the silver lining.

  • “to rise” – emelkedik
  • “above” – felül
  • “storm” – vihar
  • “to find” – megtalál
  • “sunshine” – napfény

8. “Life is too short to wake up with regrets.”

In Hungarian: Az élet túl rövid ahhoz, hogy megbánással ébredjünk fel.

According to this saying, you shouldn’t regret anything you’ve done, because life is too short to get caught up in things like that. Live life to the fullest and regret nothing.

  • “life” – élet
  • “too short” – túl rövid
  • “to wake up” – felébred
  • “regret” – megbánás

9. “Dream as if you’ll live forever, live as if you’ll die today.”

Author: James Dean

In Hungarian: Álmodj úgy, mintha örökké élnél, élj úgy, mintha ma halnál meg!

This quote focuses on living life to the fullest. It says that you should seize every opportunity because you don’t know if you’ll ever have another chance.

  • “to dream” – álmodik
  • “to live” – él
  • “forever” – örökké
  • “to die” – meghal
  • “today” – ma

10. “In three words I can sum up everything I learnt about life: it goes on.”

Author: Robert Frost

In Hungarian: Két szóban össze tudok foglalni mindent, amit az életről tanultam: megy tovább.

This quote is somewhat consoling. It says that you shouldn’t worry about what’s in the past because life goes on. The past is in the past, and you should focus on the future and the opportunities it offers.

In Hungarian, “life goes on” can be translated in two words. That’s why we wrote két (“two”) instead of három (“three”).

  • “to sum up” – összefoglal
  • “to learn” – tanul
  • “about (the) life” – az életről
  • “to go” – megy
A Man Is Holding Soil and a Plant in His Hands Representing Life

Quotes About Time

We all know that time flies, making it our most precious possession.

The following quotes in Hungarian emphasize the importance of time and encourage you to seize the day. They’re perfect to put up on your wall!


11. “Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.”

Author: Benjamin Franklin

In Hungarian: A korán fekvés és korán kelés egészségessé, gazdaggá és bölccsé teszi az embert.

This quote says that getting up early is the best way to achieve your goals and live a good life. This is because rising early gives you more time to get things done. In other words: The early bird catches the worm.

  • “early” – korán
  • “bed” – ágy
  • “healthy” – egészséges
  • “wealthy” – gazdag
  • “wise” – bölcs

12. “The two most powerful warriors are patience and time.”

Author: Leo Tolstoy

In Hungarian: A két legerősebb harcos a türelem és az idő.

This saying means that the only two things you should be concerned about are patience and the time you have.

  • “most powerful” – legerősebb
  • “warrior” – harcos
  • “patience” – türelem
  • “time” – idő

13. “Be not afraid of growing slowly, be afraid only of standing still.”

In Hungarian: Ne félj attól, hogy lassan haladsz, félj attól, hogy egy helyben állsz!

This quote means that not making any progress is all you need to worry about. As long as you’re making even a little bit of progress, you’re doing good!

  • “to be afraid” – fél
  • “slowly” – lassan
  • “to stand still” – egy helyben áll

14. “There are no shortcuts to any place worth going.”

In Hungarian: Nincs rövidebb út azokhoz a helyekhez, ahová érdemes elmenni.

This quote says that you have to work hard for the greatest things in life. No success comes easily or quickly.

  • “shortcut” – rövidebb út
  • “place” – hely
  • “to be worth something” – érdemes
  • “to go” – elmegy

15. “There’s only one thing more precious than our time and that’s who we spend it on.” 

Author: Leo Christopher

In Hungarian: Egyetlen dolog van, ami értékesebb az időnknél, mégpedig az, akire szánjuk azt.

According to Leo Christopher, our time is indeed precious because no-one can gain more of it. That makes it important to choose wisely who we spend our limited time with.

  • “thing” – dolog
  • “precious” – értékes
  • “to spend (time)” – szánni
A Girl in a Shirt with Her Hair Up Is Pointing at an Alarm Clock, Grey Background

Quotes About Love

And now, probably the most important section of them all: love quotes. If you want to make your Hungarian partner swoon, all you have to do is present them with one of these romantic quotes in Hungarian. We promise you it will pay off later!

Ready to make hearts melt? Let’s go.

    → For more sweet quotes to whisper in your partner’s ear, see our vocabulary list of the Top 10 Quotes About Love!
    → We know that things don’t always work out in a relationship… If you’re recovering from a heartache, these Breakup Quotes in Hungarian can help!

16. “Dream without fear, love without limits.”

In Hungarian: Álmodj félelem nélkül, szeress határok nélkül!

Do you want the key to a happy life? Be fearless and love everybody unconditionally. 

  • “fear” – félelem
  • “to love” – szeretni
  • “limit” – határ
  • “…-less” – nélkül

17. “Love is not what you say. Love is what you do.”

In Hungarian: A szeretet nem arról szól, mit mondasz. A szerelem arról szól, mit teszel.

It doesn’t matter if someone says nice things to you if they don’t act accordingly.

  • “love” – szeretet, szerelem
  • “to say” – mond
  • “to do” – csinál, tesz

18. “To the world you may be one person, but to one person you may be the world.”

Author: Taylor Hanson

In Hungarian: A világnak lehet, hogy csak egy valaki vagy, de egy valakinek lehet, hogy a világ vagy.

Even if you feel small sometimes in this big world, you must not forget that there’s at least one person that finds you unique and out of this world.

  • “the world” – a világ
  • “one person” – egy valaki

19. “You don’t marry someone you can live with. You marry someone you can’t live without.”

In Hungarian: Nem valaki olyanhoz mész hozzá, akivel tudsz élni. Ahhoz mész hozzá, aki nélkül nem tudsz.

This quote encourages you not to settle for less than what you deserve and truly desire. There are so many mediocre things in life that love should not be one of them.

  • “to marry” – hozzámegy
  • “to live” – él
  • “without” – nélkül

20. “Sometimes I look at you and wonder how I got to be so lucky.” 

In Hungarian: Néha rád nézek, és azon gondolkodom, hogy lehetek ilyen szerencsés.

Surprise your partner with this quote during a romantic date night and make them swoon!

  • “sometimes” – néha
  • “to look” – néz
  • “to wonder” – gondolkodik
  • “lucky” – szerencsés
Two Heart-Shaped Red Balloons Are in the Air, in Front of the Blue Sky and a Few Clouds

Quotes About Family

Your family is just as important as your lover, if not even more important! Here are some inspirational quotes in Hungarian that talk about family.


21. “Family: where life begins and love never ends.”

In Hungarian: Család: ahol az élet kezdődik és ahol a szeretetnek sosincs vége.

You can always count on the love of your family because you’re bound by blood.

  • “family” – család
  • “where” – ahol
  • “to begin” – kezdődik
  • “to end” – végződik

22. “Family is like branches of a tree. We grow in different directions yet our roots remain as one.”

In Hungarian: A család olyan, mint egy fa ágai. Különböző irányba megyünk, a gyökereink mégis ugyanazok maradnak.

This Hungarian quote explains how, even though we might choose different paths, we’ll always remember that we came from the same place.

  • “branch” – ág
  • “tree” – fa
  • “to grow” –
  • “different direction” – különböző irány
  • “root” – gyökér
  • “to remain” – marad

23. “Family is anyone who loves you unconditionally.”

In Hungarian: Családtag bárki, aki feltétel nélkül szeret téged.

According to this quote, family doesn’t always mean being bound by blood. Family is the unconditional love you feel toward another person.

  • “to love” – szeret
  • “unconditionally” – feltétel nélkül

24. “The strength of a family, like the strength of an army, lies in its loyalty to each other.”

Author: Mario Puzo

In Hungarian: A család ereje, csakúgy, mint egy sereg ereje, az egymás iránti hűségből fakad.

It’s crucial that you’re loyal to family members because they are the ones who will be there for you no matter what. And in that loyalty, you can find strength.

  • “strength” – erő
  • “army” – sereg
  • “to lie” – fakad
  • “loyalty” – hűség
  • “each other” – egymás

25. “Family is not about blood. It’s about who is willing to hold your hand when you need it the most.”

In Hungarian: A család nem a vérrokonságról szól, hanem arról, hogy ki hajlandó fogni a kezed, amikor a legnagyobb szükséged van rá.

This is another quote that claims family is not about being bound by blood, but rather about who will stand next to you during the darkest of times.

  • “blood” – vér
  • “to be willing to” – hajlandó
  • “to hold” – fog, tart
  • “to need” – szüksége van
A Family Is Seen: Dad, Mom, a Girl and a Boy, Grocery Shopping, They Stand Around a Shopping Cart

Quotes About Friendship

Who isn’t thankful for their friends being by their side all the time? Why don’t you thank them for being such great friends with these cool and heart-warming quotes? You can create a nice card for them, pop one of these quotes in it, and there you go: a thoughtful just-because gift.


26. “It’s not that diamonds are a girl’s best friend, but it’s your best friends who are your diamonds.”

Author: Gina Barreca

In Hungarian: Nem arról van szó, hogy egy lány legjobb barátai az ékszerei, hanem hogy a legjobb barátaid az ékszereid.

This quote emphasizes that friendship is more valuable to a person than materialistic things.

  • “diamond” – gyémánt
  • “jewelry” – ékszer
  • “girl” – lány
  • “friend” – barát

27. “Good friends are hard to find, harder to leave, and impossible to forget.”

In Hungarian: Egy jó barátot nehéz találni, még nehezebb elhagyni, és lehetetlen elfelejteni.

This quote about friends describes the defining footprint that good friends leave in a person’s life. 

  • “hard” – nehéz
  • “to find” – találni
  • “to leave” – elhagy
  • “impossible” – lehetetlen
  • “to forget” – elfelejt

28. “There are friends, there is family, and then there are friends who become family.”

In Hungarian: Vannak barátok, vannak családtagok, és vannak barátok, akik családtagokká válnak.

Sometimes, friends can be so supportive and play such a crucial role in your life that it almost feels as if they were family, too.

  • “there are” – vannak
  • “there is” – van

29. “Walking with a friend in the dark is better than walking alone in the light.”

Author: Helen Keller

In Hungarian: Egy baráttal sétálni a sötétben jobb, mint egyedül sétálni a fényben.

Helen Keller talks about the importance of friends here. Friends can help us through some very dark times that we wouldn’t be able to get through alone, and that is priceless.

  • “to walk” – sétál
  • “the dark” – a sötétség
  • “better” – jobb
  • “than” – mint
  • “alone” – egyedül
  • “rain” – eső

30. “A good friend knows all your best stories. A best friend has lived them with you.”

In Hungarian: Egy barát ismeri a legjobb sztorijaidat. Egy legjobb barát átélte őket veled.

This quote describes the difference between regular friends and best friends. There’s nothing better than the bond you have with your best friend. Sometimes, it feels like they are your siblings, having been there for you on every step of your journey.

  • “good” –
  • “to know” – ismer, tud
  • “story” – sztori, történet
  • “to live” – átél
  • “with you” – veled
A Group of Friends Is Seen, Three Girls, Two Guys, All Laughing and Kind of on Top of Each Other

Quotes About Food

We really don’t praise food enough. Well, not anymore! We’ve dedicated an entire section to quotes about food, so there you go. Fill your heart (and stomach) up with this handful of quotes. Feast your eyes…

    → Warning: These quotes might make you hungry. If so, why not see our list of Hungarian words for different Foods?

31. “Food is the ingredient that binds us together.”

In Hungarian: Az étel az az összetevő, ami összeköt minket.

Food is an international language that has the power to bring everybody together.

  • “food” – étel
  • “ingredient” – hozzávaló
  • “to bind” – összeköt
  • “together” – együtt

32. “The only time to eat diet food is when you’re waiting for the steak to cook.”

Author: Julia Child

In Hungarian: Egyedül akkor szabad diétás ételt enni, amikor várunk, hogy megsüljön a bélszín.

Julia Child supports peace of mind with this quote. She says that food is to be enjoyed and that one shouldn’t suppress the desire for good, nutritious food.

  • “to eat” – eszik
  • “diet food” – diétás étel
  • “steak” – bélszín
  • “to (be) cook(ed)” – megsülni

33. “People who love to eat are the best people.”

Author: Julia Child

In Hungarian: Azok az emberek, akik imádnak enni, a legjobb emberek.

People who make sure that their belly is full and satisfied can only be happy, right? Thus, they are fantastic to be around.

34. “Food tastes better when you eat it with your family.”

In Hungarian: Az ételnek jobb íze van, mikor a családoddal eszed.

Food unifies. So, what could be better than enjoying fine cuisine with those you love? That’s right: probably nothing.

  • “to taste better” – jobb íze van

35. “I followed my heart and it led me to the fridge.”

In Hungarian: Követtem a szívemet, és a hűtőhöz vezetett.

Everybody tells you to follow your heart, and it always takes you to the best of places…

  • “to follow” – követ
  • “heart” – szív
  • “to lead” – vezet
  • “fridge” – hűtő
  • “refrigerator” – hűtőszekrény
Pots of Food Is Seen, Curry, Rice, Meat Etc

Quotes About Health

Health is very important, but sometimes it’s difficult to keep up a healthy lifestyle. Here are some motivational quotes in Hungarian that touch on the topic of health.

36. “It is health that is real wealth and not (pieces of) gold and silver.”

Author: Mahatma Gandhi

In Hungarian: Az egészség az igazi gazdagság, nem pedig az arany és az ezüst.

Gandhi speaks the truth here—the truth that nobody realizes until something grave happens. Take care of yourself and the ones you love.

  • “health” – egészség
  • “real” – igazi
  • “wealth” – gazdagság
  • “gold” – arany
  • “silver” – ezüst

37. “Your body is your most priceless possession. Take care of it.”

In Hungarian: A tested az igazán megfizethetetlen tulajdonod. Vigyázz rá!

Without a healthy body, you can’t really do anything. By maintaining a healthy lifestyle and trying to stay healthy, you’re keeping your body in good enough condition to live life to the fullest.

  • “body” – test
  • “priceless” – megfizethetetlen
  • “possession” – tulajdon
  • “to take care” – vigyázni valamire

38. “To keep the body in good health is a duty, otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear.”

Author: Buddha

In Hungarian: Az a feladatunk, hogy jó egészségben tartsuk a testet, másképp nem fogjuk tudni erősen és tisztán tartani elménket.

Both physical health and mental health are crucial in living a happy life. And guess what? Those two go hand in hand. Take care of your body and your mind will thank you for it.

  • “to keep” – tartani
  • “duty” – feladat
  • “otherwise” – másképp(en)
  • “to be able” – tud
  • “mind” – elme
  • “strong” – erős
  • “clear” – tiszta

By the way, if you want to learn the names of different religions in Hungarian, see our Religions vocabulary list. 

39. “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”

Author: Benjamin Franklin

In Hungarian: Egy uncia megelőzés annyit ér, mint egy font gyógymód.

Prevention should always be a priority. Taking care of yourself from the beginning is a much better tactic than panicking and trying to cure the illness you could have prevented.

  • “ounce” – uncia
  • “prevention” – megelőzés
  • “to be worth” – ér valamennyit
  • “pound” – font
  • “cure” – gyógymód

40. “Take care of your body. It’s the only place you have to live.”

Author: Jim Rohn

In Hungarian: Vigyázz a testedre! Az az egyetlen hely, ahol muszáj élned.

In most cases, you can leave a place when you feel uncomfortable there—but this is not the case with your body. If you’re uncomfortable in your own skin, that needs to be changed straight away. That’s why you must take care of your body and love yourself. 

  • “the only” – az egyetlen
  • “place” – hely
  • “have to” – muszáj, kell
  • “to live” – élni
A Couple Is Running, the Guy Is in a Blue Shirt, the Girl Is in a Red One

Quotes About Language Learning

Just like sticking to our diet or making other healthy life choices, language learning is a challenge. You can easily become unmotivated or lazy, especially when you’re learning on your own. 

Let’s take a look at some inspirational quotes in Hungarian that will boost your motivation levels every time you look at them. We recommend keeping these written down somewhere near your working or learning space!


41. “To learn a language is to have one more window from which to look at the world.” 

Hungarian: Egy nyelv tanulásával újabb ablak nyílik ki, amin keresztül szemlélhetjük a világot.

Learning a language might be challenging at times, but it will allow you to understand the mentality of a whole nation later. Definitely worth it!

  • “to learn” – tanul
  • “language” – nyelv
  • “window” – ablak
  • “to look” – néz
  • “world” – világ

42. “Learning another language is like becoming another person.”

Author: Haruki Murakami

In Hungarian: Egy másik nyelv megtanulása olyan, mint egy másik emberré válni.

Each language has its own grammar rules and sentence structures. That’s why speaking a foreign language allows you to think about things from a very different perspective.

  • “another” – egy másik
  • “to become” – válik valamivé
  • “person” – ember

43. “Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. In learning languages, nothing feels better than getting it right after getting it wrong.”

Author: Professor Usama Soltan

In Hungarian: Ne félj hibázni! Nyelvtanulás esetén semmi sem jobb annál, mint amikor valamit jól mondasz miután rosszul mondtad.

The biggest (and actually, the only real) mistake you can make when learning languages is being afraid. Loosen up, embrace the mistakes you make, and learn from them.

  • “to make a mistake” – hibázik
  • “nothing” – semmi
  • “right” – jól
  • “wrong” – rosszul

44. “To have another language is to possess a second soul.”

Author: Charlemagne

In Hungarian: Tudni egy másik nyelven olyan, mintha lenne egy másik lelkünk.

Speaking a language distinct from your mother tongue allows you to look at the world in a different way, almost as if you were looking at it with someone else’s eyes.

  • “to possess” – birtokol, van (neki)
  • “second” – második
  • “soul” – lélek

45. “Learn a language and you’ll avoid a war.”

In Hungarian: Tanulj meg egy nyelvet, és kerülj el egy háborút!

Based on what we touched on previously, if everyone would speak more languages, we would be able to understand more nations. And if we could find common ground, we would never have to go to war again.

  • “to avoid” – elkerül
  • “war” – háború
Books on Top of Each Other, Blue Background

How HungarianPod101.com Motivates You to Become Better and Better

You now have 45 quotes in Hungarian up your sleeves to use when the right moment arrives. From motivational quotes about success to romantic love quotes in Hungarian and beyond, you should have no trouble finding the right words once you memorize these phrases.

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to us in the comments. Also, let us know which of these quotes you liked the most!

Become a part of the HungarianPod101 family for more articles like this one, as well as audio lessons, well-structured lesson pathways, and much more. In the meantime, happy language learning!

Log in to Download Your Free Cheat Sheet - Beginner Vocabulary in Hungarian

The Top 30 Common Business Phrases in Hungarian

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Let’s talk business. 

If you’re planning to start your own business in Hungary, want to find a job here, or need to talk with Hungarian clients or partners, you need to know how to speak the language. Knowing even a few basic phrases can give you a huge advantage in the business world—and that’s exactly what you’re going to learn today.

Of course, in addition to knowing Hungarian business phrases, it’s important that you have a solid understanding of other Hungarian basics. To help you with this, HungarianPod101.com has created an Absolute Beginner Pathway to get you started in the right direction. 

But if you’re already confident in your everyday Hungarian skills and feel like you can get onboard with business Hungarian, you’re in the right place.

In this article, we’re going to provide you with business phrases in Hungarian for common business situations, from nailing a job interview to interacting with your new coworkers. We’ll also teach you how to handle business phone calls and emails, as well as the must-know Hungarian words and phrases for your business trip.

Ready to be the best Hungarian businessman or businesswoman who ever existed? Let’s get started.

Log in to Download Your Free Cheat Sheet - Business Words and Phrases in Hungarian Table of Contents
  1. Nailing a Job Interview
  2. Interacting with Coworkers
  3. Sounding Smart in a Meeting
  4. Handling Business Phone Calls and Emails
  5. Going on a Business Trip
  6. HungarianPod101.com Can Boost Your Career

1. Nailing a Job Interview

Job Interview

Even though you’re a foreigner applying for a job in Hungary, it will leave a good first impression on your interviewer if you know some business phrases in Hungarian. It will show your potential employer how dedicated and eager you are to learn and work with them. While there are lots of business terms in Hungarian you could use, you can usually get by knowing just one or two.

    → If you want to learn more vocabulary related to work, see our vocabulary list of terms for the Workplace.

1- Hi. My name is ___ [name]. I’m from ___ [country / city].

In Hungarian: Jó napot kívánok! A nevem ___ [name]. ___ [country / city]-ból származom.

This is the perfect way to hit it off instantly with your interviewers. Do you remember that first impression we talked about earlier, and the importance of making an effort? This introduction is the best way to start your interview.

2- I’ve been working in this field for three years. I have a lot of experience.

In Hungarian: Három éve dolgozom ezen a területen. Sok tapasztalatom van.

During any job interview, you’ll likely be asked about your previous experience. But if the question doesn’t come up, it’s always good to mention it so that your interviewers see that you’re competent for the position you’re applying for.

Vocabulary Breakdown:

  • “for three years” – három éve
  • “in this field” – ezen a területen
  • “a lot of experience” – sok tapasztalat

Concerning the last phrase, note that in the example, tapasztalatom has the linking vowel o and the suffix -m. This causes the word to mean “my experience.”

3- I have great communication skills and math is a strength of mine.

In Hungarian: Nagyszerűek a kommunikációs készségeim, és a matek az egyik erősségem.

The interviewer will also want to know what your strengths are when deciding whether they want to hire you or someone else.

Vocabulary Breakdown:

  • “communication skill” – kommunikációs készség* 
  • “great” – nagyszerű** 
  • “strength of mine” – erősségem
  • “mathematics,” “maths,” or “math” – matematika vagy matek

* Készségeim means “my skills.” E is a linking vowel, i is an indication of the plural form, and -m is a suffix that refers to the first person singular.

** In the original sentence, nagyszerű is in the plural form with a k at the end and an e linking vowel. This word is in the plural because it refers to “my skills,” which is also plural.

4- Sorry, could you please repeat this sentence? I didn’t understand you well.

In Hungarian: Elnézést, volna szíves megismételni ezt a mondatot? Nem értettem Önt jól.

This is one of the best Hungarian business phrases you could learn, because you never know when it will come in handy. In this case, you can use it to ask your interviewer to repeat what they said if you didn’t quite hear or understand. In Hungarian, make sure that you say this phrase using formal language (like the French ‘vouvoyer’), and not using informal language.

Vocabulary Breakdown:

  • “Could you please ___?” – Volna szíves___?
  • “to repeat” – megismételni
  • “this sentence” – ez a mondat* 

* In the sentence above, “this sentence” is the object. In Hungarian, the object takes a suffix, in this case -t. This is how it becomes ezt a mondatot.

5- May I ask when I can expect a response about the job?

In Hungarian: Megkérdezhetem, hogy mikorra várhatom a visszajelzést a munkával kapcsolatban?

This is another one of the most important Hungarian business phrases, because you’ll probably want to know when to expect a response.

Vocabulary Breakdown:

  • “May I ask ___?” – Megkérdezhetem ___?
  • “can expect” – várhat
  • “response” – visszajelzés
  • “about the job” – a munkával kapcsolatban

6- Thank you for reaching out to me and for this opportunity.

In Hungarian: Köszönöm a megkeresést és a lehetőséget!

In Hungarian business culture, it’s very polite to thank your interviewers for the opportunity. 

Vocabulary Breakdown:

  • “thank you” – köszönöm
  • “opportunity” – lehetőség
Two Black Man in Blue and White Shirts Are Doing an Interview Facing Each Other at a Desk

2. Interacting with Coworkers

Jobs

Interacting with coworkers is an important aspect of work life, no matter what your job is or where you work. It’s crucial to your work performance to be able to discuss the outcome of a project with your partner, or chit-chat with a fellow worker during coffee breaks to preserve your sanity. 

In this section, you’ll learn about Hungarian business phrases that you can use to connect with coworkers. Keep in mind that we’ve also created a vocabulary list of Phrases for Doing Business Successfully that you can check out to broaden your workplace vocabulary.

1- Hi all. I’d like to introduce myself. I’m going to be working with you from now on as well.

In Hungarian: Sziasztok! Szeretnék bemutatkozni. Mostantól én is veletek fogok dolgozni.

You might want to start your self-introduction with this phrase after you’ve joined a new company. Even though you have the job now, it’s important that you leave a good impression on your coworkers.

Vocabulary Breakdown:

  • “to introduce oneself” – bemutatkozni
  • “to be working” – dolgozni
  • “from now on” – mostantól
  • “as well” – is

2- Could you help me with this task, please?

In Hungarian: Tudnál segíteni nekem ebben a feladatban, kérlek?

Vocabulary Breakdown:

  • “Could you ___?” – Tudnál ___?
  • “to help” – segíteni
  • “task” – feladat

3- I apologize for having submitted the report late.

In Hungarian: Elnézést kérek, hogy későn adtam le a jelentést.

Vocabulary Breakdown:

  • “I apologize” – elnézést kérek
  • “to submit late” – későn ad le
  • “report” – jelentés

4- Thank you for the persistent hard work.

In Hungarian: Köszönöm a kitartó, kemény munkát!

Vocabulary Breakdown:

  • “persistent” – kitartó
  • “hard work” – kemény munka

5- Unfortunately, I’m not satisfied with your work. You submit the reports too late too often. 

In Hungarian: Sajnos nem vagyok megelégedve a munkájával. Túl gyakran adja le túl későn a jelentéseket.

You have to be honest with each other in the workplace, even if it means criticizing the other party. But don’t forget that there is a difference between constructive criticism and being arrogant and disrespectful.

Vocabulary Breakdown:

  • “unfortunately” – sajnos
  • “satisfied” – elégedett
  • “too late” – túl későn
  • “too often” – túl gyakran

6- Are you free today after work? How about going out together? 

In Hungarian: Szabadok vagytok ma munka után? Mit szólnátok, ha mind elmennénk szórakozni?

In addition to talking business with your coworkers, it’s important to really hit it off with them and form a good relationship. Try inviting them out for a drink sometime.

Vocabulary Breakdown:

  • “free” – szabad
  • “after work” – munka után
  • “How about ___?” – Mit szólnátok ___?
  • “going out” – szórakozni
Four Colleagues, 3 Men and 1 Woman, Are Standing and Chatting with Each Other

3. Sounding Smart in a Meeting

Business Phrases

If you’re anxious about your first business meeting in your new company, you’re going to love this section. You can use any of the following Hungarian phrases for business meetings to impress your boss and coworkers. 

1- In my opinion, this presentation would be more expressive if you used graphs.

In Hungarian: Szerintem szemléletesebb lenne ez a prezentáció, ha grafikonokat használnál.

When doing business in Hungary, giving constructive criticism in the workplace is always welcome. Everybody wants to do a nice job and better themselves, so if you have a good idea or advice about what the person could have done better, feel free to let them know. Remember that sharing is caring.

Vocabulary Breakdown:

  • “in my opinion” – szerintem
  • “presentation” – prezentáció
  • “expressive” – szemléletes
  • “graph” – grafikon

2- Maybe if you illustrated this data on a pie chart, the presentation would be easier to follow.

In Hungarian: Talán ha kördiagramon szemléltetnéd ezeket az adatokat, a prezentáció könnyebben követhető lenne.

Vocabulary Breakdown:

  • “to illustrate” – szemléltetni
  • “data” – adat
  • “pie chart” – kördiagram
  • “easy to follow” – könnyen követhető

3- I have to agree with you. Holding a conference would be the best publicity for our company.

In Hungarian: Egyet kell értenem Önnel. Egy konferencia megtartása lenne a legjobb reklám a cégünknek.

Expressing your feelings is crucial when working with other people. If you don’t speak up, nobody is going to know what you think.

Vocabulary Breakdown:

  • “to agree” – egyetérteni
  • “conference” – konferencia
  • “best” – legjobb
  • “publicity” – reklám
  • “our company” – cégünk

4- I don’t agree with you. Your argument is weak.

In Hungarian: Nem értek egyet Önnel. Gyenge az érvelése.

Vocabulary Breakdown:

  • “argument” – érvelés
  • “weak” – gyenge

5- I’d like these financial reports to be on my desk by Wednesday.

In Hungarian: Szeretném, ha ezek a pénzügyi jelentések az íróasztalomon lennének szerdára.

When you’re working with others, especially at a relatively big company, demands are almost impossible to avoid. It’s important to note that everyone working there probably depends on another person within the firm, so if somebody is late with a report, another person might get in trouble for it. Requests and demands are just a normal part of worklife, and they should be given politely. 

Vocabulary Breakdown:

  • “financial” – pénzügyi
  • “report” – jelentés
  • “desk” – íróasztal
  • “Wednesday” – szerda

6- Would you please ask the contract manager if they already sent out the invoice?

In Hungarian: Megkérdeznéd, kérlek, a szerződésmenedzsert, hogy kiküldték-e már a számlát?

Vocabulary Breakdown:

  • “Would you ask ___?” – Megkérdeznéd ___?
  • “contract” – szerződés
  • “manager” – menedzser
  • “already” – már
  • “invoice” – számla
3 Colleagues, 1 Old Man and 2 Young Women Are Having a Meeting

4. Handling Business Phone Calls and Emails

There are a few Hungarian business words you need to learn for handling business phone calls and emails. When you communicate this way, you don’t have direct contact with the person you’re talking to, so you can’t rely on non-verbal cues—all you have is words. This makes it extra-important to compose your Hungarian business phrases well. 

But don’t worry! We’ve listed some of the most common business phrases in Hungarian that you’re likely to encounter in these contexts.

1- Hello. This is ___ [name]’s office. You’re speaking to his / her assistant. 

In Hungarian: Halló! ___ [name] irodája. Az asszisztensével beszél.

This is how you would pick up the phone if you were an assistant in somebody’s office. Pretty easy, huh?

Vocabulary Breakdown:

  • “office” – iroda
  • “assistant” – asszisztens

2- She / He is not in the office at the moment. Can I take a message?

In Hungarian: Per pillanat nem tartózkodik az irodában. Átadhatok egy üzenetet?

Vocabulary Breakdown:

  • “at the moment” – per pillanat
  • “message” – üzenet

3- As soon as she / he is back in the office, I will deliver your urgent message to her / him.

In Hungarian: Amint visszaérkezik az irodába, átadom neki az Ön sürgős üzenetét.

Vocabulary Breakdown:

  • “as soon as” – amint
  • “to deliver” – átadni
  • “urgent” – sürgős

4- Thank you for your call. We’ll try to notify you about the news as soon as possible.

In Hungarian: Köszönjük a hívását! Igyekszünk minél hamarabb értesíteni Önt a fejleményekről.

This is a very polite way to end a call. The person on the other end of the phone will probably be very pleased to hear it. A little politeness never hurt anybody.

Vocabulary Breakdown:

  • “call” – hívás
  • “to notify” – értesíteni
  • “news” – fejlemény, hír
  • “as soon as possible” – minél hamarabb, amint lehet

5- Dear Sir / Madam,

In Hungarian: Kedves Hölgyem / Uram!

This is how you would address a Hungarian business email or a letter. However, if you know the person’s name, it’s always better and more personal to use that instead of just “sir” or “madam.”

Vocabulary Breakdown:

  • “dear” – kedves
  • “sir” – úr
  • “madam” – hölgy* 

* In the sentence above, hölgyem and uram mean “my lady” and “my lord” in Hungarian, respectively. 

6- I’m looking forward to your reply. Best wishes,

In Hungarian: Várom mielőbbi válaszát. Üdvözlettel,

This is a standard way to end Hungarian business emails and letters.

Vocabulary Breakdown:

  • “to be looking forward to” – várni
  • “reply” – válasz
  • “best wishes” – üdvözlet
A Man in a Blue Shirt in Glasses Is on the Phone and Taking Notes

5. Going on a Business Trip

Most people go on a business trip at least once in their lifetime. If you want to navigate your business trip like a pro, make sure to memorize these common business phrases in Hungarian. 

1- I’d like to make a hotel room reservation for one for two nights.

In Hungarian: Hotelszobát szeretnék foglalni egy főre két éjszakára.

When on a business trip, you’ll probably be sleeping in a hotel. This phrase will help you make a reservation.

Vocabulary Breakdown:

  • “hotel room” – hotelszoba
  • “reservation” – foglalás
  • “for one” – egy főre
  • “for two nights” – két éjszakára

2- Thank you for the great service. I’ll be sure to come back to your hotel.

In Hungarian: Köszönöm a remek kiszolgálást! Mindenképp visszatérek még a szállodájukba.

And of course, it’s always nice to say goodbye politely and make sure the staff knows you had a great time.

Vocabulary Breakdown:

  • “great” – remek
  • “service” – kiszolgálás
  • “to be sure to” – mindenképp
  • “to come back” – visszatérni
  • “hotel” – szálloda, hotel

3- I’d like to buy a return plane ticket from London to Paris.

In Hungarian: Szeretnék retúr repülőjegyet vásárolni Londonból Párizsba.

Vocabulary Breakdown:

  • “to buy” – vásárolni
  • “return” – retúr
  • “ticket” – jegy
  • “plane ticket” – repülőjegy

4- Hi. It’s nice to finally meet you in person. I’ve come, on behalf of our company, to pick you up.

In Hungarian: Jónapot! Örülök, hogy végre személyesen is találkoztunk. Én jöttem, a cégünk nevében, hogy üdvözöljem Önt.

This sentence can be useful when you come to pick somebody up on behalf of your company. It’s a nice gesture to address someone in their own language, and it’s a great way to earn points with a Hungarian client.

Vocabulary Breakdown:

  • “finally” – végre
  • “to meet” – találkozni
  • “to come” – jönni
  • “on behalf of” – ___ nevében

5- We’ve had a great conference. We’re going to have a meeting with my team and we will let you know about our decision during next week.

In Hungarian: Remek tárgyalás volt. Megbeszélést tartunk majd a csapatommal, és a jövő hét folyamán értesítjük Önöket a döntésünkről.

If you’re going on a business trip, it’s very likely to involve a meeting or a conference.

Vocabulary Breakdown:

  • “conference” – tárgyalás
  • “meeting” – megbeszélés
  • “team” – csapat
  • “to let know” – értesíteni
  • “decision” – döntés
  • “next week” – jövő hét

6- This is a one-time offer. Consider it.

In Hungarian: Ez egy egyszeri ajánlat. Fontolja meg!

For after negotiations…

Vocabulary Breakdown:

  • “one-time” – egyszeri
  • “offer” – ajánlat
  • “to consider” – megfontol
Two Colleagues in Tux and Costume Are Standing in Front of the Board at an Airport, Their Back Is Shown

6. HungarianPod101.com Can Boost Your Career

Now that you know the thirty most important Hungarian business phrases, you’re one step closer to a successful business experience in Hungary. You can go straight into the Hungarian labor market, set up your own business, and even negotiate with potential business partners.

If you want to pick up even more business vocabulary in Hungarian, we advise you to join the HungarianPod101 family. With us, you’ll get unlimited access to many articles, vocabulary lists, and video / audio content to make studying way easier.

Another benefit of becoming a member of our community is that you’ll always have someone to help when things get tough, be it us or your fellow language learners. With us, you’ll never be alone on this exciting journey.

We hope you enjoyed this article. If you have any questions or suggestions about what we could include in our next article, let us know in the comments section.

Which Hungarian business phrase do you wish you had known sooner? And which are you likely to use in the future?

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Learn Hungarian: YouTube Channels to Improve Your Skills

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We all know that studying can be daunting at times, especially if you’re not using the right methods. But studying doesn’t have to be boring. In fact, you’ll learn more effectively if you’re having fun in the process! 

You already know that studying with HungarianPod101.com is both fun and effective, and today, we’ve brought you the ten best Hungarian language YouTube channels to make studying feel less like a task and more like entertainment. Believe it or not, when you set out to learn Hungarian, YouTube can be a great source of information—and it will never keep you bored for long. 

Watching videos is a great way to learn any language. They not only have visual images (which aid you in remembering words and phrases), but they also employ auditory learning. This is important because studying with images and sounds at the same time is proven to be the most effective way of learning. 

In this article, we’ll introduce you to the top Hungarian YouTube channels for learning the language. We’ll feature channels in a range of categories, from beauty to documentaries and beyond, so you’ll definitely find something that catches your fancy. (On the off-chance you don’t, you can always ask your fellow Hungarian learners in the comments for more suggestions!) 

If you want the most trustworthy source for Hungarian learning on YouTube, be sure to visit the HungarianPod101 YouTube channel. Our videos are informative, but in no way boring. We always cover the most practical topics and expressions that you’re likely to use in everyday conversations with native Hungarians. Moreover, we know that people lead busy lives, which is why most of our videos are under ten minutes long. With us, you can practice listening and reading, learn useful expressions for everyday situations, and much more.

    → Before you continue, you may want to check out our vocabulary list for Talking About YouTube. What better way to start your journey through Hungarian YouTube videos? 😉

Log in to Download Your Free Cheat Sheet - Beginner Vocabulary in Hungarian Table of Contents
  1. JustVidman
  2. Dokumentumfilmek
  3. Viszkok Fruzsi
  4. Csecse Attila
  5. Csizmadia Gabi
  6. Pamkutya
  7. Dezső Bence
  8. Jancsó Gergely
  9. Csillsz
  10. Learn Hungarian with HungarianPod101.com
  11. HungarianPod101.com Gives You the Best Ways to Make Studying Fun

1. JustVidman

Category: Entertainment & Animation
Level: Intermediate – Advanced
Link to the YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoXnnnrdhaKljuhA2IrIhVQ
Example Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JoscTV7s2E

This guy is sure funny. 

While many YouTubers today simply record themselves talking to the camera, JustVidman does things differently. He creates animations and records voiceovers for them, and we promise you they’re amazing. 

By watching his videos, you can satisfy your appetite for fun and wit while sharpening your listening comprehension skills. We do recommend this channel for intermediate and advanced learners, though, as you need to have some basic understanding to get the jokes and keep up with the pace of his speech.

A Guy in a Blue Shirt Is Sitting in Front of His Laptop Using a Headset

2. Dokumentumfilmek

Category: Documentary
Level: Intermediate
Link to the YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1I8V0Ql0Oy6QnnQCfK2PPw/videos
Example Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBJjVWsjNE0

This channel is designed to cater for a wide variety of tastes. 

They upload documentaries on numerous topics from different eras, making it a great option if you want to broaden your vocabulary. You can watch documentaries on bees, Buddhism, Eminem, and even the history of Hungarians. Each video is very entertaining and ranges from forty to ninety minutes long.

A Lion Is Chasing Zebras in the Wild

3. Viszkok Fruzsi

Category: Beauty, Fashion & Lifestyle
Level: Beginner – Intermediate
Link to the YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7Cz1-qgx7bkzt-YdLpku5A
Example Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOS0f2XDzPk

Viszkok Fruzsi is one of the biggest Hungarian YouTubers and influencers nowadays. 

On her channel, she talks about beauty, fashion, and lifestyle, so her videos are perfect for acquiring a basic Hungarian vocabulary on YouTube. In addition, she speaks using everyday language, and the style of her videos is light and easy-to-follow.

Make-up Half Out of Its Bag, a Striped Little Bag

4. Csecse Attila

Category: Entertainment & Comedy
Level: Beginner – Intermediate
Link to the YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaImRySPtHnIv5Fx5tFK83A
Example Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6S3VCvLr7oQ

Csecse Attila’s channel is great, and not only because he makes funny and entertaining content! By watching his videos, you’ll surely stay up-to-date with nowadays’ slang. 

He has a very laid-back style, which, when combined with his wit and humor, makes for a wonderful watching experience. That said, because he does use a lot of slang, you’ll need to listen closely. If he ever uses a word or phrase you’re not familiar with, just keep watching and try to figure it out based on the context.

That’s why learning Hungarian through YouTube channels is so wonderful. You get to learn on your feet!

Which one of Attila’s videos is your favorite?

A Man in a Brown Shirt Is Standing in Front of a Camera

5. Csizmadia Gabi

Category: Vlog & Lifestyle
Level: Beginner
Link to the YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCg0qvFR0a23SHrKML6I4zeg
Example Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uu2z_c_4dX8

With a friendly tone and easy-to-follow videos, Gabi’s channel is one of the best Hungarian learning YouTube channels out there. 

She uses everyday language in her vlogs, allowing the viewer to literally follow her through everyday life. And she makes a lot of vlogs—she even vlogs during Christmastime—so if you’re into raw, honest, and authentic content, you’ll love her. Some examples of what you can expect include tips on how to get into sports, a journey through personal events like eye surgery, and more.

A Group of Friends Chatting, 2 Girls and Two Guys Around a Table

6. Pamkutya

Category: Comedy & Music
Level: Advanced
Link to the YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/PamKutya
Example Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5BrX1wjQfw

If you want to learn the Hungarian language on YouTube, this channel will really challenge you and push you to grow. 

Pamkutya is one of the biggest parody channels in Hungary, and one of the most amusing places to find Hungarian music on YouTube. 

Nowadays, he makes his own songs, but he actually became famous by making parodies of both Hungarian and international songs. In these parodies, he keeps the beat and rhythm of the original songs but adds Hungarian lyrics to them (they even rhyme!). The best thing is that he always puts subtitles on his videos so that you don’t have to struggle with the clumsy translation that some random user puts up. 

He’s very creative, but because he sometimes raps or sings too fast, you’ll need a higher-than-beginner level to be able to keep up. Once you get to that level, though, you won’t be able to stop watching and listening.

Black Buttons, for Tuning, Are Visible

7. Dezső Bence

Category: Entertainment & Comedy
Level: Beginner – Intermediate
Link to the YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCx2Z1KP4LYEbD8-qqwU-0wA
Example Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VChdCBpSht8

It would be a big mistake to miss out on Bence’s channel. 

He makes funny videos (such as challenges), and also collaborates with others often. For example, he has lots of “reaction” videos and Q&A’s. His channel might be considered 16+, but if you don’t mind a few dirty jokes here and there, his channel is the place to be. 

And better yet, if you want to learn Hungarian phrases on YouTube, he’s your man. He uses a combination of simple everyday language that even a beginner could understand and plenty of Hungarian slang.

A Man in a White-ish Shirt Is Recording a Video of Himself while Holding Up a Smartwatch

8. Jancsó Gergely

Category: Photography & Traveling
Level: Intermediate
Link to the YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkUEf6F2zejWctsBJAMrbXg
Example Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDNw7vxdZFI

Jancsó Gergely’s channel is a handful, but in a good way. 

He uploads videos on a great variety of topics, but mainly photography and travel vlogs. He travels quite a lot, and he’s even an expat who’s currently living in Australia. Due to the variety of content he publishes, we highly suggest that those looking to expand their Hungarian vocabulary watch this channel! At the minimum, you should have an intermediate level of Hungarian to get the most out of your watching experience. 

    → We recommend that you study up on your vocabulary for Travel and World Continents before checking out his channel!

Black and White Picture, a Guy Behind a Camera, His Face Cannot be Seen

9. Csillsz

Category: Beauty, Fashion & Lifestyle
Level: Beginner – Intermediate
Link to the YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZe0OvOQgmAEwQ3oa5e023Q
Example Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKendMDj1UI 

Chillsz’s videos are very light and—she usually talks about what clothes she bought or what makeup she uses, so if you want to pimp up your beauty vocabulary, this is one of the best Hungarian YouTube channels to follow. Even beginners can enjoy watching her videos, as she uses simple everyday language.

An Asian Woman Is Giving a Make-up Tutorial while Recording Herself with Her Camera, She Is Holding a Palette

10. Learn Hungarian with HungarianPod101.com

Category: Education
Level: Beginner – Advanced
Link to the YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/HungarianPod101/videos
Example Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9YGuy_-RD0

As we said at the beginning of this article, the HungarianPod101 YouTube channel is tailor-made. 

Regardless of your current level, you’ll certainly find a video or series on our channel to help you work your way up. We cover a wide range of topics, from self-introductions to Hungarian holidays. 

Even if you’re an absolute beginner, we’ve got you! We have a separate playlist for beginners like you, so that you won’t get lost on your way up.

The YouTube logo with a Red Background

11. HungarianPod101.com Gives You the Best Ways to Make Studying Fun

Now that you’re familiar with a few of the big Hungarian YouTube channels, you know what to do when you want to learn Hungarian online but don’t really feel like studying. Watching these YouTube channels will surely feel more like entertainment than learning.

If you want to maximize your YouTube studying process, we advise you to listen to a single video at least three times. This is because, with each time you listen, you might be able to understand a new word you didn’t catch the first time around. We also recommend taking notes and writing down any unknown Hungarian words so that you can find their meanings in your language.

Don’t forget that if you need any help, HungarianPod101 is here to the rescue. You can find all kinds of videos on our channel, so if you feel like the channels we listed above aren’t your cup of tea, our channel is there as a safety net. We deliver the best content for you as frequently as we can, and we teach you the most important stuff in the shortest time possible.

We hope you enjoyed this article; if you would like to see more like this in the future, let us know.

Before you go, which Hungarian YouTuber from our list is your favorite? Or do you have your own favorite? Don’t hesitate to share with us and your fellow Hungarian learners in the comments!

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How to Say Goodbye in Hungarian

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Have you ever left a group conversation without saying anything? It was pretty awkward, right? 

Knowing the best parting words for a given situation is a crucial aspect of smooth communication in any language. To give you a hand, today we’re going to show you several different ways to say goodbye in Hungarian. With enough study and practice, you’ll never be at a loss for words again! 

The key to success is establishing the basics, and HungarianPod101.com is the perfect companion for this task. If you read our articles on How to Say Hello in Hungarian and How to Introduce Yourself in Hungarian, you’re already off to a great start. Within this article lies the final link you need to have a complete conversation! Start with a bonus, and download the Must-Know Beginner Vocabulary PDF for FREE!(Logged-In Member Only)

Log in to Download Your Free Cheat Sheet - Beginner Vocabulary in Hungarian Table of Contents
  1. Before We Begin…
  2. The Most Common Ways to Say Goodbye in Hungarian
  3. Specific Ways to Say Goodbye
  4. How HungarianPod101.com Will Help You Master Your Hungarian

1. Before We Begin…

Farewell phrases in Hungarian can take many forms, depending on the person you’re speaking with and how formal the situation is. Just like the French use ‘tutoyer’ and ‘vouvoyer,’ Hungarians also distinguish between formal speech (used with strangers and the elderly) and informal speech (used with friends and family). We’ll talk more about this later.

All of the Hungarian goodbye phrases in this article are ones you can use in everyday situations while visiting Hungary—from talking with a stranger at the bakery to parting ways with your new besties. Trust us, locals will appreciate your efforts and be more welcoming of you. It’s always good to know one or two words and phrases in the local language of your travel destination.

Ready? Let’s start, shall we?

2. The Most Common Ways to Say Goodbye in Hungarian

Most Common Goodbyes

There are numerous ways to say goodbye in the Hungarian language. Knowing which words and phrases are most appropriate will take practice, but there are a few factors you should consider:

  • Your relationship with the person you’re speaking to.
  • How many people you’re speaking to.
  • How formal or informal the situation is. 
  • Whether your words fit in the context. 

To make things simple for you, we’ve divided the words and phrases below into Informal and Formal categories. As long as you use them accordingly, you should be just fine. 😉 

A- Informal 

We’ll start with some informal phrases, and show you how easy they are! Each of these words and phrases can be used to mean both hello and goodbye in Hungarian. Yep, how nice is that?

Szia! Use szia when you’re talking to one person. 
Sziasztok!Use sziasztok when you’re talking to two or more people. The suffixes at the end indicate that you’re talking to more than one person. 
Helló!Helló, taken from English, is a very informal way to say hello and goodbye in Hungarian slang. Use it with close friends and maybe even family, but never your boss or strangers! 
Csá(ó)!This is the Hungarian version of the Italian greeting. 
Cső!Okay, this one is funny. Cső means “tube” or “pipe” in Hungarian. To say it to multiple people, you can use csősztök (but you don’t necessarily have to)!
Csőtészta!Can you guess what csőtészta means? It means “macaroni,” but it’s commonly used as an informal farewell.
Csokoládés csőtészta!And this one? “Chocolatey macaroni”! 

Note that the last four informal goodbyes don’t necessarily have to match the number of people you’re talking to. They can be used as-are whether you’re talking to one person or a group of people. 

B- Formal

There aren’t very many ways to say goodbye in a formal environment. Here are two common ones:

Viszontlátásra! (“Goodbye!”)This is the most polite way to tell someone goodbye.
Viszlát! (“Bye!”)This Hungarian word for goodbye is a shortened version of the one above. It’s still polite, but a little less formal. 

Note that you can use both of these phrases as they are; they don’t need to be changed according to the number of people.

A Guy in a Hoodie Is Standing in the Door, Waving and Smiling

3. Specific Ways to Say Goodbye

If you want to truly become fluent in Hungarian, you’ll need to go a step further. In this section, we’ll cover several ways to say goodbye in more specific situations! Memorize these, and your speech will sound so much more natural. 

Szia és sok sikert!“Goodbye and good luck.”
You can use this phrase when you’re parting ways with a friend who’s about to take a big exam or go for a job interview.

It’s interesting to note that Hungarians wish someone “lots of” luck, instead of “good” luck. 

Szép délutánt!Jó estét!Jó éjszakát!“Good afternoon.” “Good evening.” “Goodnight.”
These three phrases are a good way to wish someone goodbye depending on the time of day

Note that in each phrase, you can use either szép (“nice”) or (“good”).

Szép álmokat!Aludj jól!“Sweet dreams.” “Sleep well.”
You can use these two phrases when you’re saying goodbye late in the evening or at night. 

Note that Hungarians use the word szép (“nice”) again, instead of édes (“sweet”) in the first phrase.

A Middle-aged Woman with Short Curly Hair and in a Polka Dot Shirt Is Waving and Smiling

Később találkozunk.
Holnap találkozunk.
Ebédnél találkozunk.
Tíz órakor találkozunk.
“See you later.”
“See you tomorrow.”
“See you at lunch.”
“See you at ten o’clock.”
Each of these phrases is generally used together with a basic goodbye phrase (such as szia or viszlát). 

Do you see the pattern we used here? Találkozunk translates to “we will meet.” To let the other person know when you’ll meet, simply put the correct word in front. 

Check out the following vocabulary lists to get the vocabulary you need to make your own unique sentences:

Vigyázz magadra!Légy óvatos!“Take care.” “Be careful.”
You can use these phrases to let the other person know that you care for their wellbeing. Here are some quick language notes:
  • In English, we cut off the “of yourself” part when we say “take care.” But in Hungarian, we include it. The word magadra means “of yourself.”
  • In the second phrase, the imperative form of “you” is légy, and óvatos means “careful.”

Mennem kell.
Szaladok. / Futok.
Rohanok.
“I have to go.”
“I’m running.”
“I’m rushing.”
You can use these Hungarian goodbye phrases to let someone know you need to leave in a hurry. Note that the second and third phrases are very informal, so you should only use them with close friends and family (and never your teacher or boss, for instance). 

A quick language note:
  • The first phrase is composed of two parts: kell (“have to”) + mennem (“I go”).

Legyen szép napod!
Legyen szép napja!
“Have a nice day.” [Informal]
“Have a nice day.” [Formal]
This is something you’re likely to hear after shopping for groceries. You could use the first phrase toward people your own age or younger, and the second phrase toward people older than you or of higher status. 

Tartsuk a kapcsolatot!“Let’s keep in touch.”
Hungarians don’t “keep in touch.” Instead, they “maintain the relationship.”
  • Tart (“Keep” or “Maintain”) -> Tartsuk [imperative form]
  • Kapcsolat (“Relationship”)
Note that using the imperative form here implies the word “let’s,” since Hungarian doesn’t have another way to express this. 

Találkozzunk még!“Let’s meet some other time, too.”
You can use this phrase if you would like to continue seeing someone regularly. 
  • Találkozzunk (“Let’s meet”)
  • Még (“Some other time, too”)

Majd felhívlak.“I’ll give you a call.”
Hungarians don’t “give” you a call; they “call you.” For this reason, Majd felhívlak literally means “I will call you (at some point).”

2 Guys, One in a White and the Other in a Blue Shirt Are Shaking Hands Over a Table

4. How HungarianPod101.com Will Help You Master Your Hungarian

Well, it’s time to say goodbye… 

Once you’ve learned these farewell phrases in Hungarian, we guarantee that you’ll have no problems saying goodbye, nor will you ever be at a loss for words.

Now that you’re familiar with the most common ways to say goodbye in Hungarian, you’re one step closer to actually visiting the country. You know both formal and informal ways to say bye in Hungarian, and you also know the best phrases for any situation.

But if you feel like you need more, you’re welcome to join the HungarianPod101 family. We offer you the opportunity to practice what you’ve just learned, as well as access to many other useful articles that you can actually benefit from before visiting the beautiful country of Hungary.

Join us now and study with hundreds of other students who share the same ambition as you.

We’re here to help you along on your language-learning journey, and to assist you should you encounter any difficulties.

Do you remember what csokoládés csőtészta means? Let us know in the comments!

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Your Ultimate Guide for Learning Hungarian Pronouns

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Are you a total beginner or a confident rookie in the Hungarian language? Would you like to test your knowledge or improve your skills? We at the HungarianPod101.com family offer you all the materials you need to take your Hungarian to the next level! A good way to strengthen your foundation is to gain a clear picture of Hungarian pronouns and how they work. They can be very confusing due to the number of suffixes involved, so we’ve collected the basic Hungarian pronouns for you with explanations and examples: 

  • Hungarian personal pronouns
  • Hungarian demonstrative pronouns
  • Hungarian interrogative pronouns
  • Hungarian indefinite pronouns
  • Hungarian relative pronouns

Phew, that’s a lot! 

Using pronouns in Hungarian is one of the most basic grammar essentials for new learners—pronouns in any language should come very early in one’s studies. Without them, you wouldn’t be able to adequately express yourself when communicating with others. This is especially true for mid-European languages like Hungarian, which heavily rely on the proper use of pronouns.

Even though we’ve already collected the most useful Hungarian pronouns on our website, we know that context is key when learning such a complex language. 

Enjoy your lesson!

Log in to Download Your Free Cheat Sheet - Beginner Vocabulary in Hungarian Table of Contents
  1. Hungarian Personal Pronouns
  2. Hungarian Demonstrative Pronouns
  3. Hungarian Interrogative Pronouns
  4. Hungarian Indefinite Pronouns
  5. Hungarian Relative Pronouns
  6. Conclusion: How HungarianPod101.com Helps You Master Hungarian

1. Hungarian Personal Pronouns

Introducing Yourself

The most important thing for Hungarians is knowing whom or what the conversation is about. For this reason, you’d better make sure you know which pronouns to use. So let’s begin with the Hungarian personal pronouns! As soon as you define the subject of a sentence, Hungarians will be more likely to understand you!

We have good—and not-so-good—news for you! Although there’s no such thing as gender differentiation in Hungarian pronouns or words (as is the case in every Slavic language), Hungarian pronouns aren’t as simple as their English equivalents. But at least you don’t need to worry about Hungarian gender pronouns!

1- Singular

This starts off easy – the singular Hungarian personal pronouns are the following:

én (“I”)                        Én szeretem a kutyákat. 

                                    I like dogs.”

te (“you”)                     Te szereted a kutyákat. 

                                     “You like dogs.”

ő (“he”) / (“she”)            Ő szereti a kutyákat. 

                                       “He/She likes dogs.”

2- Plural

You’re still with us, right? Let’s check out the plural Hungarian personal pronouns, which are similar to and in line with those in other languages.

mi (“we”)                      Mi szeretjük a kutyákat. 

                                      “We like dogs.”

ti (“you”)                     Ti szeretitek a kutyákat. 

                                     “You like dogs.”

ők (“they”)                     Ők szeretik a kutyákat. 

                                       “They like dogs.”

Do you like dogs? Or are you a cat person? Okay then, the next sections will be about cats, we promise!

You can also find your favorite animal’s name on our animal vocabulary list.

3- Accusative case

When the object of the action becomes the subject, we start using the object forms. Here, you might get a glimpse of the differences between English and Hungarian pronouns. 

Subject and Object Pronouns Table

engem (“me”)                     Engem karmolt meg a cica. 

                                           “The cat scratched me.”

téged (“you”)                     Téged karmolt meg a cica? 

                                          “Did the cat scratch you?”

őt (“him”) / (“her”)             Őt karmolta meg a cica. 

                                           “The cat scratched him/her.”

minket (“us”)                     Minket karmolt meg a cica. 

                                           “The cat scratched us.”

titeket (“you”)                     Titeket karmolt meg a cica? 

                                           “Did the cat scratch you?”

őket (“them”)                     Őket karmolta meg a cica? 

                                           “Did the cat scratch them?”

Megkarmol means “to scratch,” with a target. Without a target, it’s just karmol. As a true cat-lover, we’re sure that you’ll love having this verb in your memory bank! 😉

4- Formal forms

Hungarian is a very polite language. Anyone who is significantly older than you, or is in a much higher hierarchical position than you are, should be addressed as:

Singular

ön (“you”)                     Ön hogy érzi magát ma reggel? 

                                      “How do you feel this morning?”

maga (“you”)                     Maga szereti a szőlőt? 

                                           “Do you like grapes?”

Plural

önök (“you”)                     Önök hogy érzik magukat ma reggel? 

                                          “How do you feel this morning?”

maguk (“you”)                     Maguk elolvasták a könyvet? 

                                            “Have you read the book?”

It’s recommended to use ön and önök in formal situations, as maga and maguk are more old-fashioned and considered a little bit rude depending on the situation.

5- Possessive form

Hungarians can be very possessive, and they don’t like to share their food (Japanese people, watch out!). But they love it when you share food with them… 

They like to make it very clear what belongs to whom, so trust us when we say that these few words might save your life once! The Hungarian possessive pronouns are:

enyém (“mine”)                    Ez a kolbász az enyém. 

                                             “This sausage is mine.”

tiéd (“yours”)                        Ez a kolbász a tiéd. 

                                              “This sausage is yours.”

övé (“his”) / (“hers”)             Ez a kolbász az övé. 

                                              “This sausage is his/hers.”

miénk (“ours”)                        Ez a kolbász a miénk. 

                                               “This sausage is ours.”

tiétek (“yours”)                       Ez a kolbász a tiétek. 

                                               “This sausage is yours.”

övék (“theirs”)                       Ez a kolbász az övék. 

                                              “This sausage is theirs.”

Kolbász is probably going to be one of the first words you’re going to learn when you spend some time in Hungary. It’s their traditional sausage made during the ritualistic family gathering where they slaughter the pigs.

For more restaurant- and food-related phrases, you can check out our relevant vocabulary list

6- Reflexive pronouns

When the action is reflected back to the subject, Hungarian reflexive pronouns should be in your possession. These might be some of the most important Hungarian pronouns!

magam (“myself”)                                          Megvágtam magam. 

                “I’ve cut myself.”

magad (“yourself”)                                        Megvágtad magad?                     

                           “Have you cut yourself?”

maga (“himself”) / (“herself”) / (“itself”)        Megvágta magát! 

                                 “He’s cut himself/herself!”

magunk (“ourselves”)                                     Vigyázni fogunk magunkra. 

                                         “We will take care of ourselves.”

magatok(“yourselves”)                                    Vigyázni fogtok magatokra? 

                                               “Will you take care of yourselves?”

maguk (“themselves”)                                       Vigyázni fognak magukra. 

                                                  “They will take care of themselves.”

Megvág is the word for “to cut,” with a target (like in the case of the cat’s scratching earlier in this article). Similarly, in the case of not having a target, it’s simply vág.

Hungarians can be very protective, so you might hear the expression Vigyázz magadra! a lot. It means “Take care of yourself!” and is often said when people are worried about their loved ones. The word vigyáz means “to look after” or “be careful,” so Vigyázz magadra! means something like “look after yourself” and “take care of yourself” at the same time.

Book - Heart

2. Hungarian Demonstrative Pronouns

When it comes to objects, it’s good to know how to refer to them based on whom the object is closer to. Let’s learn some Hungarian demonstrative pronouns to help you out with this!

ez (“this”)                                                      Ez meg mi? 

“What is this?”

az (“that”)                                                       Az micsoda? 

“What is this?”

ezek (“these”)                                                   Ezek lámpák? 

         “Are these lamps?”

azok (“those”)                                                   Azok körték? 

          “Are those pears?”

ilyen (“such”)                                                  Miért ilyen kevés tejet vettél? 

                                                          “Why did you buy such a small amount of milk?”

olyan (“that”)                                                   Olyan ruha volt rajta. 

                       “She wore a dress like that.”

ennyi (“so much”)                                            Ennyi vizet kell hozzáadni? 

                                          “Do you have to add so much water?”

annyi (“so many”)                                           Annyi virágot hoztak, hogy nem tudtuk hova tenni. 

                                                             “They brought so many flowers that we couldn’t figure out where to put them.”

For more home items, check out our vocabulary list!

3. Hungarian Interrogative Pronouns

Basic Questions

In order to ask about people or objects, you’re going to require some Hungarian interrogative pronouns as well, so let’s see the most useful ones! If you’re a crime or thriller series fan, you’ll love these Hungarian pronouns!

mi (“what”) – singular                                    Mi ez?

“What is this?”

mik (“what”) – plural                                      Mik azok? 

“What is this?”

melyik (“which”) – singular                            Melyik ajtón ment ki? 

“What is this?”

melyek (“which”) – plural                               Melyek a használt edények? 

                  “Which plates are used?”

ki (“who”) – singular                                        Ki tette ezt? 

                  “Which plates are used?”

kik (“who”) – plural                                           Kik tehettek ilyesmit? 

                                         “Who could have done such a thing?”

kit (“whom”)                                                     Kit kérdeztél meg? 

                “Whom did you ask?”

kié (“whose”)                                                   Kié ez a bögre? 

              “Whose mug is this?”

hol (“where”)                                                   Hol a családom? 

                  “Where is my family?”

mikor (“when”)                                                 Mikor találkozunk? 

                  “When do we meet?”

miért (“why”)                                                     Miért nem vagy itt? 

                           “Why aren’t you here?”

4. Hungarian Indefinite Pronouns

Improve Listening

Let’s talk numbers here! What should you say when there are more people or things involved? Or no one? Everyone? Don’t worry, we’re just getting started with the indefinite pronouns. Let’s begin! But be aware: The grammar of Hungarian pronouns just gets crazier from here.

mindenki (“everyone”) / (“everybody”)                               Mindenki szereti a cicákat. 

                                                         “Everyone likes cats.”

senki (“no one”) / (“nobody”)                                               Senki nem szereti a hörcsögöket.

                                                               “No one likes hamsters.”

bárki (“anyone”) / (“anybody”)                                              Bárki örökbe fogadhat egy kutyát. 

                                                                    “Anyone can adopt a dog.”

valaki (“someone”) / (“somebody”)                                        Valaki megetette a nyulamat. 

”                                                                            “Someone has fed my rabbit.”

minden (“everything”)                                                              Minden a te hibád! 

                                                                       “Everything is your fault!”

semmi (“nothing”)                                                                      Semmi nincs rendben! 

                                                                “Nothing is alright!”

bármi (“anything”)                                                                     Bármi jó lesz. 

                                                               “Anything will do.”

valami (“something”)                                                                  Valami baj van? 

                                                                         “Is something wrong?”

5. Hungarian Relative Pronouns

Red Apple

Hungarian interrogative pronouns change when they become relative. They extend with an a at the beginning. Let’s see some examples below of Hungarian relative pronouns:

ami (“what”)                                                   Ami nekem nem tetszik…

     “What I don’t like…”

amik (“what”) – plural                                     Utálom azokat az almákat, amik sárgák. 

                              “I hate the apples which are yellow.”

As you can see above, in English, we differentiate between the singular “what” and plural “which” forms. Hungarians make this difference by adding a -k after ami. They use ami in singular forms and amik in plural forms.

aki (“who”)                                        A lány, akit szerettem, elköltözött. 

“The girl I loved moved out.”

akik (“who”) – plural                       Viccesek, akik jó humorral rendelkeznek. 

                              “The ones who have a great sense of humor are funny.”

amelyik (“which”)                             Azt az almát kérem, amelyik piros. 

“I want the apple which is red.”

amelyek (“which”) – plural                Azokat a lovakat szeretem, amelyek feketék. 

   “I love the horses which are black.”

amilyen (“the kind of which”)                Olyan vagy, amilyen az apád volt. 

           “You are just like your father was.”

amekkora (“the size of which”)              Akkorát kérek, amekkora a Petinek van! 

          “I want the size of what Peti has.”

amennyi (“the cost [amount] of which”)                Annyim van, amennyi ez a kabát. 

                                                      “I have as much as the cost of this coat.”

ahányadik (“the sequence of which”)           Annyi éves vagyok, ahányadik a piros hajó a sorban. 

                                                            “I am as old as the red boat’s rank in the line.”

6. Conclusion: How HungarianPod101.com Helps You Master Hungarian

It’s essential to master Hungarian language pronouns to master this beautiful language. After going through our list and doing a bit of practice, we highly recommend that you check out our resources about introducing yourself in Hungarian and saying hello in Hungarian.

If you’re already interested in learning Hungarian pronouns, we take your interest seriously. We always welcome dedicated people, so if you’re interested in continuing your journey in one of the world’s most difficult languages, don’t hesitate to join the HungarianPod101 family! We have all the essential learning materials you need to get confident using the Hungarian language.

We hope that you enjoyed our Hungarian pronouns article. Please let us know in the comments which one seems to be the craziest of all! We’ll be glad to answer any questions you still have.

Happy Hungarian learning!

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A Beginner’s Guide to Hungarian Word Order

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If you’ve read our previous articles, you probably know everything about the very core of Hungarian: basic nouns, adverbs, and verbs. Moreover, you’re probably familiar with the spelling and pronunciation of words. If you somehow missed the articles covering these topics, head over to HungarianPod101.com as soon as possible.

Today, we’re going to introduce you to another crucial topic: Hungarian word order. It’s pretty clear why you need to learn about sentence structure in Hungarian (or any language, really). In some languages—Hungarian among them—the meaning of your sentence changes based on the order of the words. That’s why you need to know the Hungarian language word order and be very careful when forming sentences. 

In this article, you’ll get to know the most common word order in Hungarian, if there is such a thing at all, and you’ll also become familiarized with exceptions so that you’ll be prepared for anything. You’ll know where to put each word or phrase, even if there are five prepositional phrases in a single sentence!

Remember, if you don’t understand something at first, there’s no shame in reading the section—or even the whole article—again. If you still don’t seem to be caught up with the material and have a question about Hungarian word order, you’re not a lost case! Just reach out to us at HungarianPod101.com. Ready? Let’s jump into it. Or should I say: Ugorjunk is bele!

Log in to Download Your Free Cheat Sheet - Beginner Vocabulary in Hungarian Table of Contents
  1. Overview of Word Order in Hungarian
  2. Basic Word Order with Subject, Verb, and Object
  3. Word Order with Modifiers
  4. How to Change Sentences into Yes-or-No Questions
  5. Translation Exercises
  6. Conclusion: HungarianPod101.com Helps You Reach Your Full Potential

1. Overview of Word Order in Hungarian

Improve Pronunciation

In Hungarian, basic word order in sentences usually follows the S-V-O pattern. However, there’s no set word order. The Hungarian sentence structure is based on the following three rules:

1 – Priority of the Word

The important words, the ones you want to emphasize, are at the beginning of a sentence. In speech, these words might be stressed as well.

For example:

A madarak a kalitkában ülnek. — The birds are sitting in the cage (and nowhere else).

A kalitkában madarak ülnek. — There are birds sitting in the cage (in general).

A madarak ülnek a kalitkában.— The birds are sitting (and not doing anything else, like standing) in the cage.

2 – Priority of Negation

Negating words are always at the beginning of a Hungarian sentence.

For example:

Nem fogom elmondani neked. (“I am not going to tell it to you.”)

Ne dobd el! (“Do not throw it away.”)

3 – Focus of the Sentence

The focus of the sentence is usually the word before the verb.

Let’s take a look at a few of the sentences from earlier in this context.

A madarak a kalitkában ülnek. — The birds are sitting in the cage and nowhere else.

Ne dobd el! — The focus here is the negating word, which is the most important word in this sentence.

Since there are no set rules for Hungarian word order, the Hungarian sentence structure is quite flexible.

There aren’t many distinguishable features between Hungarian and English in terms of sentence structure. As we said before, English uses the S-V-O order, too, and sometimes it puts the emphasized word at the beginning of a sentence as well.

For example:

“I told her the story.” AND “To her I told the story.” 

The latter means that the person told the story to “her” specifically. Here, the person the story was told to is more important than the fact that the story was told at all.

Elmeséltem neki a történetet. Elmeséltem is “I told,” neki is “her” (or “him”), and a történetet is “the story.”

AND

Neki elmeséltem a történetet. You can see that in this case, neki which is “her” (or “him”) is at the beginning of the sentence.

We’re going to delve into this more in the following section.

Two White Birds Sitting on a Branch

2. Basic Word Order with Subject, Verb, and Object

In the section above, we mentioned that in Hungarian grammar, word order generally follows the S-V-O pattern.

Now, we’re going to go even deeper. First, we’ll discuss what each part of the S-V-O pattern means, and then put what we learned in this section into practice. Sounds good? Let’s jump into it then.

1 – What are the Subject, Object, and Verb?

A- Subject

The subject is one of the major parts of speech used to build a sentence. Subjects are especially of high importance in negative, interrogative, and declarative sentences. A subject is the “doer,” also known as the agent of the action that’s described in a given sentence. Thus, they’re usually noun phrases (such as a noun or a pronoun).

Examples:

  • “the father” = az apa
  • “she” = ő
  • “the Hungarian language” = a magyar nyelv

In Hungarian, the subject is often left out of the sentence and is implied by the verb’s suffix:

  • She wears skirts.”  

(Ő) szoknyákat hord.

As you can see, “she” is ő, and both are subjects. But in the Hungarian sentence, ő can be left out.

  • You speak a lot.” [more people] 

(Ti) sokat beszéltek.

  • We love cars.” 

(Mi) szeretjük az autókat.

B- Object

The object is the part of a sentence that’s being acted upon by the subject. In other words, an object is a noun or a noun phrase, just like a subject, that’s affected by the action of a verb.

  • “She wears skirts.”

Szoknyákat hord.

Skirts are being worn by her.

  • “We love cars.”

Szeretjük az autókat.

Cars are being loved by us.

  • “They eat bacon.”

Szalonnát esznek.

The bacon is being eaten by them.

C- Verb

The verb is the core of any sentence. It expresses an act, occurrence, or mode of being that’s inflected for tense, voice, mood, aspect, and agreement with the subject. It generally has a full-descriptive meaning.

  • “She wears skirts.”

Szoknyákat hord.

Skirts are being worn by her.

  • “We love cars.”

Szeretjük az autókat.

Cars are being loved by us.

Szalonnát esznek.

The bacon is being eaten by them.

2 – The Basic Word Order 

S-V-O = Subject-Verb-Object

But this Hungarian word order can change depending on the focus of the sentence (i.e. what we want to emphasize).

Examples:

  • “Mom helps me.” 

Anya segít nekem. (S-V-O)

  • “Mom me helps.” 

Anya nekem segít. (S-O-V)

The latter one could mean that Mom helps me, but she doesn’t help others.

Example Sentences

  • “I like her.”

Kedvelem őt.

Exceptions example: 

When the object is emphasized, it can appear at the beginning of a sentence.

  • Her I like.” OR “I like her.” (And nobody else.)

Őt kedvelem

We hope that with the explanations and example sentences, you can better understand the Hungarian word order rules.

Now, try translating: “I understand Hungarian word order now.”

Students Sitting on the Grass in Front of a School and Studying

3 – Word Order with Prepositional Phrases

  • “When you came here.”

 Amikor idejöttél.

“When” is amikor, “here” is ide (it functions as a verbal prefix in this Hungarian sentence), and “you came” is jöttél. You’ll notice that “you” is not included in the sentence because, as mentioned above, the pronoun is indicated by the suffixes in jöttél.

  • “When did you come here?” 

Mikor jöttél ide?

In this case, “when” is mikor. The a got dropped from the front because the sentence is a question this time. You may also have noticed that the verbal prefix becomes a “suffix” in Hungarian questions; it separates from the word and is placed after it.

It’s also worth noting that in Hungarian, there’s no specific word order for questions. Questions are simply indicated by question marks, or in speech, by intonation. Your intonation rises at the end of a sentence if it’s a question.

  • “It is where you put it.”

Ott van, ahova tetted.

  • “Where did you travel last summer?”

Hova utaztál tavaly nyáron?

“Where” is hova (in a declarative sentence, it would be hol), “did you travel” is utaztál, and “last summer” is tavaly nyáron.

  • “And that is how you should do it.” 

És ez az, ahogyan csinálnod kellene.

  • “You offended him in what way?” 

Hogyan sértetted meg?

The prepositions mentioned above (where, when, how, etc.) usually go after the subject and before the verb. However, they normally get placed at the front if they’re part of a question.

What’s the order when there’s more than one prepositional phrase (e.g. Time + Place + Manner)? Let’s see some examples to help you understand.

  • “I study Hungarian every day at home with HungarianPod101.”

Minden nap tanulok otthon magyarul a HungarianPod101-nal.

The order of the phrases depends on where the emphasis is.

  • “I study Hungarian every day at home with HungarianPod101.”

A HungarianPod101-nal minden nap tanulok otthon magyarul.

  • “I study Hungarian every day at home with HungarianPod101.” 

Otthon minden nap tanulok magyarul a HungarianPod101-nal.

  • “I study Hungarian every day at home with HungarianPod101.” 

Minden nap magyarul tanulok otthon a HungarianPod101-nal.

Bottom line: Multiple phrases work like simple words when it comes to Hungarian word order. What we mean by this is that the more important the prepositional phrase, the closer it will be to the beginning of the sentence. It all comes down to importance.

HungarianPod101 Image and Logo

3. Word Order with Modifiers

First of all, it’s best if we clarify what a modifier is. A modifier is a word or a phrase that’s used with another word or phrase to limit or add to its meaning.

For example (modifiers are in bold):

  • priority mail = elsőbbségi levél
  • safety barrier = biztonsági korlát
  • doctor on duty = ügyeletes orvos

Modifiers are often adjectives, adverbs, and relative clauses (the coffee that I ordered).

1 – Adjectives

A- Absolute Adjectives

Attributive: The adjective comes before the noun/pronoun.

  • “The green apples are in the box.” (A zöld almák a dobozban vannak.)
  • “The disturbing images are off the screen.” (A felkavaró képek lekerültek a képernyőről.)
  • “The Hungarian dancers are very talented.” (A magyar táncosok nagyon tehetségesek.)

Predicative: The adjective comes after the noun/pronoun.

  • “Ravens are black.” (A hollók feketék.)
  • “Her sibling is smart and kind.” (A testvére okos és kedves.)
  • “This pie is very tasty.” (Ez a pite nagyon ízletes.)

B- Comparative Adjectives (comparing at least two nouns/pronouns)

  • “Peter is younger than Julie.” (Péter fiatalabb mint Júlia.)
  • “My ruler is shorter than yours.” (Az én vonalzóm rövidebb mint a tiéd.)
  • Rabbits are cuter than dogs.” (A nyulak aranyosabbak mint a kutyák.)

2 – Adverbs 

Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. 

  • “She dances gracefully.” (Kecsesen táncol.)
  • “He swims quickly.” (Gyorsan úszik.)
  • “The dwarves went home singing.” (A törpék énekelve mentek haza.)
  • “The teacher replied, smiling.” (A tanár mosolyogva válaszolt.)

3 – Relative Clauses 

As indicated by its name, even in Hungarian, these are clauses and not simple words or short phrases.

  • “I drank the coffee that I ordered.” (Megittam a kávét, amit rendeltem.)
  • “I read the book (that) you lent me.” (Elolvastam a könyvet, amit kölcsönadtál.)

But what if there are more modifiers? Well, let’s see some examples, because we’re all about putting knowledge into practice.

  • “I happily drank the coffee that I ordered.” (Boldogan ittam meg a kávét, amit rendeltem.)

Here, you can see that “happily” (boldogan) modifies “drank.” For this reason, in Hungarian, boldogan comes before ittam because ittam is what it modifies. Likewise, “that I ordered” can only come after kávét because “coffee” is being modified.

  • “Peter’s shoes are newer than Julie’s black scarf.” (Péter cipője újabb mint Júlia fekete sálja.)

Can you follow the same line of thought here? Try to explain why the order looks like this in Hungarian.

A Female Teacher in Black Glasses Holding a Bunch of Books

4. How to Change Sentences into Yes-or-No Questions

Do you want to know how to change a sentence into a question, perhaps by changing the word order and/or adding particles in Hungarian? We’ve got your back! It’s very easy, because, as mentioned in the earlier sections, questions are mostly indicated by either a question mark (in writing) or intonation (in speech).

  • “You study every day.” (Minden nap tanulsz.)
  • “Do you study every day?” (Minden nap tanulsz?)

In speech, you would raise your intonation at tanulsz.

  • “You drank a lot.” (Sokat ittál.)
  • “Did you drink a lot?” (Sokat ittál?)
  • “You told her you love her.” (Megmondtad neki, hogy szereted.)
  • “Did you tell her you love her?” (Megmondtad neki, hogy szereted?)
  • “Did you tell her you love her?” (Neki mondtad meg, hogy szereted?)
  • “She was here a second ago.” (Egy perce még itt volt.)
  • “Was she here a second ago?” (Egy perce még itt volt?)
  • “Was she here a second ago?” (Itt volt még egy perce?)

Does word order change in your language, too, based on emphasis?

5. Translation Exercises

In this section, we would like to show you how to build up long sentences in Hungarian, step-by-step. 

Try translating the following English sentences into Hungarian:

Step 1. A simple S-V-O sentence in English

“You drank tea.”

Step 2. Adding prepositional phrases

“You drank tea five minutes ago.”

“Five minutes ago” is öt perccel ezelőtt or öt perce.

Step 3. Adding modifiers to the sentence

“You drank cold tea five minutes ago.”

Step 4. Transforming the sentence into a yes-or-no question

“Did you drink cold tea five minutes ago?”

Answers:

  • “You drank tea.” (Teát ittál.)
  • “You drank tea five minutes ago.” (Öt perce ittál teát.)
  • “You drank cold tea five minutes ago.” (Öt perce ittál hideg teát.)
  • “Did you drink cold tea five minutes ago?” (Hideg teát ittál öt perce?)

Don’t forget that the word order is flexible, depending on what you want to emphasize.

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6. Conclusion: HungarianPod101.com Helps You Reach Your Full Potential

Now that you’re through with this article… What do you think of the Hungarian sentence patterns? Are they easy? Was the article understandable? 

Don’t forget that practice makes perfect. In the last section, we showed you an example of a possible exercise you could do to test your knowledge, but there are many more you could try out. Just join the HungarianPod101 family, and we’ll be there to help you with everything!

So, let’s see what you’ve learned today about the structure and word order of a Hungarian sentence. First, we explained what the most common word order in Hungarian is: S-V-O, just like in English. Easy peasy.

Then, we checked out examples of multiple kinds of prepositional phrases and where they go in a sentence. Also, we examined where they usually are if there are multiple phrases in the sentence.

Next, we revealed to you what modifiers are and where their usual place is in a typical Hungarian sentence. Later, you learned how easy it is to make a question in Hungarian with just intonation and a single question mark. Don’t forget, Hungarian does not use the same method as English (i.e. it does not use auxiliary verbs to form questions).

Last but not least, we brought you some translation examples to put what you’ve learned into practice because application is the best way to remember something. 

We hope you enjoyed this little lesson with us. If you would like to read more articles, go to our blog. But if you would like to learn more actively, subscribe and become a part of our family. You’ll get access to videos, podcasts, flashcards, and much more.

P.S. Do not forget to practice!

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The Ultimate List of Top Hungarian Compliments

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Have you ever met a Hungarian girl or guy, and wanted to tell them every existing term of endearment in their own language—but didn’t know how? Well, the past is in the past… But we guarantee that if you ever encounter this situation again, you certainly won’t face this problem a second time.

In this article, we’ll teach you the very basics of Hungarian compliments so you can compliment in Hungarian like a native speaker. You’ll not only learn the Hungarian word for “love,” but you’ll also discover beautiful Hungarian words to impress Mr. or Mrs. Right.

With our help, you’ll never leave a party or café with those terrible “what if” thoughts. No. With our help, you’ll go up to that fine-lookin’ person and shower them with Hungarian compliments. How does that sound? Good, right?

You might friend each other on Facebook, end up marrying each other, and live happily ever after. But you’ll never get to know how your love story ends without these essential Hungarian phrases for complimenting someone. That’s what HungarianPod101.com is here for.

Flirting aside, compliments are crucial in our everyday lives. Whether we’re at a delicatessen, school, work, or the bus stop, everybody loves being appreciated and having their efforts acknowledged. The delicatessen likes to hear that his sandwiches are the best in town. Our colleague is fond of presentations and longs to hear how well-put-together they have always been. Meanwhile, the old lady at the bus stop goes home with a wide smile on her face after you tell her how beautiful her grandchildren are. Compliments are inevitable when we socialize; they’re an indispensable part of conversations.

Although finding The One is an ultimate goal for everyone, acquiring the basic skills to compliment someone is just as essential.

Ready to compliment your way into a Hungarian’s heart? Let’s start then.

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Table of Contents

  1. On Someone’s Look
  2. On Someone’s Work
  3. On Someone’s Skills
  4. How to Make Your Compliments Sound More Sincere
  5. What to Expect After Giving Compliments in Hungarian
  6. Conclusion: HungarianPod101.com Helps You Reach Your Full Potential

1. On Someone’s Look

Compliments

Complimenting someone’s look doesn’t only work when you’re trying to win someone’s heart. It’s a crucial part of our daily interactions with people: family, friends, colleagues, and even strangers on the street. Do your daily act of kindness when in Hungary and try praising someone in Hungarian.

In this section, we’ll go over a variety of Hungarian compliments about someone’s look, with vocabulary breakdowns and examples.

1 – Facial Features

A- “You have beautiful blue eyes.” (Gyönyörű kék szemeid vannak.)

In this sentence:

  • Gyönyörű = “Beautiful”
  • Kék = “Blue”
  • Szemeid = “(Your) eyes”
  • Vannak = “Have”

There are two things to keep in mind. First, the word “you” is indicated in this sentence by the suffix -d in the word szemeid. Second, vannak usually means “there are,” but in this case it means “have.”

B- “Your smile is cute.” (Aranyos a mosolyod.)

Just like in English, you can use “cute” (aranyos) to describe multiple things in Hungarian. In this case, it’s describing a person you fancy.

C- “You have the cutest nose that I have ever seen.” (Neked van a legaranyosabb orrod, amit valaha láttam.)

  • Orrod = “(Your) nose”
  • Legaranyosabb = “Cutest”
  • Amit = “That”
  • Valaha láttam = “I have ever seen”

“You have” works the same way here as it did previously.

In Hungarian, leg- (…) -bb is the equivalent of the English “-est” or “most.”

2 – General Looks

A- “You have such nice hair.” (Olyan szép hajad van!)

  • Van = “There is” (or “Have”)
  • Olyan = “Such”
  • Szép hajad = “(Your) nice hair”

“You have” works the same way as in the previous sentence.

B- “Your hair looks great today.” (Nagyon jól néz ma ki a frizurád!)

In both the English and Hungarian sentence, the compliment refers to the person’s hair today (i.e. their current hairstyle). Hungarian even has a word it: frizura. Thus, “your hair” is frizurád. “Great” is nagyon jó and “today” is ma.

C- “Have you been to the hairdresser? I love this new style.” (Fodrásznál voltál? Imádom ezt az új stílust!)

“Have you been to” is simply voltál in Hungarian.

As you may know by now, Hungarian only has three verb tenses, and the English Present Perfect tense falls under the category of “past” in Hungarian. Hence the one-word expression.

“Hairdresser” is fodrász.

As you can see, the question is only indicated by a question mark, not a reversed word order.

3 – A Note on Love

The word “love” has two meanings in Hungarian: imád and szeret. For Hungarians, imád is generally not as serious as szeret. When talking about people, you szeret a person when you deeply love them, even to the point of being in love with them. You imád a person when you adore them. For example, when you think they’re cool and fun to hang out with.

Now let’s see the Hungarian word for “love” in actual sentences to help you understand fully.

A- “I love you.” (Szeretlek.)

B- “I love the way you laugh.” (Szeretem, ahogy nevetsz.)

  • Szeretem = “I love”
  • Ahogy = “The way”
  • Nevetsz = “You laugh”

Easy as pie, right?

C- “I love Greg. He’s so fun.” (Imádom Gergőt! Olyan vicces!)

Positive Feelings

4 – Clothing and Style

Now, onto complimenting someone’s style.

It might be the greatest compliment you can make about a person’s appearance, because such features as eyes or hair can’t be extremely altered by the person themself. Those features are a result of their genes.

However, they can change their style as much as they like. So, when you compliment someone’s outfit, you’re complimenting their personality and taste as well. Thus, this type of Hungarian compliment works great with everyone, especially those you’ve just met.

A- “I like your shirt.” (Tetszik a felsőd.)

B- “These jeans look great on you.” (Ez a farmer nagyon jól áll neked.)

In Hungarian, “jeans” is singular, meaning that it’s farmer and not farmerek.

C- “That skirt you are wearing has just walked out of my dreams.” (Ez a szoknya, amit viselsz, épp most lépett ki az álmaimból.)

  • Szoknya = “Skirt”
  • Lépett ki = “Walked out” (literally: “Stepped out”)

5 – When You Want to Flirt

Okay, okay. But what would be a proper compliment in Hungarian for a girl or guy you just met?

A- “You are the most beautiful woman I have ever met.” (Te vagy a leggyönyörűbb nő, akivel valaha találkoztam.)

B- “You are the most handsome guy I have ever met.” (Te vagy a leghelyesebb srác, akivel valaha találkoztam.)

“Guy,” as you might have guessed, is srác. But if you want to sound more serious, say “man,” which is férfi.

Close-up of a Book, the Pages of Which Are Forming a Heart

2. On Someone’s Work

As we said before, it’s very important for people to have their efforts—and thus, their work—acknowledged. This lets them know that they’re doing something good and of high quality. So, what compliments in Hungarian can you give your colleagues or employees for a job well done?

First, it’s important to know whose work you’re complimenting. If it’s your boss, someone you don’t know that well, or someone in a higher position, you might want to address them formally. Whereas to praise your friend’s work, you don’t need to be formal like that.

Let’s see. In the following examples, we’ll show you each phrase both formally and informally (in situations where the difference matters).

1 – General Praises

  • “Good job.”
    Jó munka!
  • “Well done.”
    Ügyes munka!
  • “Nice work.”
    Szép munka!
  • “Very good.”
    Nagyon jó!
  • “You did very well.”
    Nagyon jól csináltad! (informal)
    Nagyon jól csinálta! (formal)
  • “I’m really proud of you.”
    Igazán büszke vagyok rád! (informal)
    Igazán büszke vagyok Önre! (formal)
  • “You exceeded my expectations.”
    Felülmúltad az elvárásaimat. (informal)
    Felülmúlta az elvárásaimat. (formal)
  • “You are a great colleague.”
    Nagyon jó kolléga vagy. (informal)
    Ön egy nagyon jó kolléga. (formal)
  • “I love working with you.”
    Szeretek veled dolgozni. (informal)
    Szeretek Önnel dolgozni. (formal)

2 – Specific Praises

  • “That’s a great point.”
    Ez egy remek érv.
  • “What an awesome idea.”
    Milyen remek ötlet!
  • “You gave a very good speech.”
    Nagyon jó beszédet adtál! (informal)
    Nagyon jó beszédet adott! (formal)
  • “The way you approached our potential clients was amazing.”
    Nagyszerű volt, ahogy megközelítetted a potenciális ügyfeleinket! (informal)
    Nagyszerű volt, ahogy megközelítette a potenciális ügyfeleinket! (formal)

Do you know what Ez egy remek beszéd volt means? Let us know in the comments.

A Man Giving a Woman a Present

3. On Someone’s Skills

Complimenting someone’s skills works best, of course, if you know the person. We know, we know…but we had to clarify. However, there are instances when you get to know some of a person’s skills right off the bat. In this case, it’s completely okay to compliment them. You might win their heart this way, too.

Here are some examples of compliments you can use to praise someone’s skills:

1- “You’re a fantastic cook.” (Fantasztikus szakács vagy!)

  • Fantasztikus = “Fantastic” (spelled almost the same way!)
  • Szakács = “Cook”

2- “You take great shots.” (Nagyszerű fotókat készítesz!)

Hungarian doesn’t have a word for “shot,” but it does for “photo,” which is fotó. Again, not a difficult one.

3- “You speak Hungarian like a native.” (Úgy beszélsz magyarul, mintha ez lenne az anyanyelved!)

Hungarian doesn’t have a single word for “native.” You can express it by literally explaining the word. For example: “You speak Hungarian as if it was your mother tongue.”

  • Mintha = “As if”
  • Anyanyelved = “(Your) mother tongue”

4- “Are you sure you’re not a professional soccer player?” (Biztos vagy benne, hogy nem egy profi focista vagy?)

Two Hearts Drawn in the Sand at the Beach

4. How to Make Your Compliments Sound More Sincere

Now you know quite a few Hungarian praises and compliments. However, when you’re complimenting someone, it’s crucial to sound sincere. You wouldn’t believe just any kind of compliment coming from just anybody either, right?

Exactly. We need to feel that the person actually means what they’re saying. Otherwise, we would just feel miserable and question ourselves about whether we did a good job or not.

These doubts can easily be eliminated if we work a little on our delivery.

So how can you make people actually believe that you really like their necklace or the speech they gave last week?

Here’s how:

1- Make eye-contact with the person.

Don’t be shy. Look the person you’re complimenting in the eyes. This way, they’ll surely know that you’re not lying.

2- Smile while you’re giving the compliment.

A smile is such a warm and sincere thing. If you compliment someone this way, there’s no way they could think you’re just playing with them.

3- Pay attention to details.

For example, if you’re complimenting something that someone wrote, it’s a nice touch to emphasize what in particular you liked about it (e.g. a section of text or idea they presented).

A Bouquet of Red Roses Behind Someone’s Back

5. What to Expect After Giving Compliments in Hungarian

You can very easily learn how to compliment and flirt in Hungarian, but you can never know for sure how the other person is going to take it. In some cultures, people pleasantly accept compliments and say “Thank you.” In some others, people feel uncomfortable and shy away from compliments.

If you compliment a Hungarian person, you can’t really anticipate how they’ll react. It very much depends on 1) your relationship with the person, 2) the situation, and 3) what you say.

Although, if we were to generalize what to expect based on how Hungarian people usually are, taking their personalities (as a nation) into consideration, you would probably experience the following:

  • If you decide to shoot ‘em Hungarian flirting phrases, there’s a fair chance that the receiving party will take it nicely. You’re likely to get a nice smile or even a laugh in return. But again, the situation plays a huge role in reactions.
  • However, if you compliment a Hungarian’s look or work, they’re likely to brush it off. They’ll simply say “thank you” and move on because 1) they don’t believe what you said (not necessarily because of you or the way you delivered the compliment), or 2) they think they can always perform better, so this compliment doesn’t really matter.

Keep in mind that there are always exceptions because we’re all different, of course. And that’s the beauty of it. You have to take risks and see how the person reacts to your compliment.

What about your culture? Would you react the same way as a Hungarian person would if someone complimented you?

A Man Handing a Flower to His Partner

6. Conclusion: HungarianPod101.com Helps You Reach Your Full Potential

This has probably been the most useful article we’ve written so far, huh? We agree. While there are many other important things that you should learn about the Hungarian language, compliments are indeed a crucial part of Hungarian society (or any society, to be honest).

As we said at the beginning, compliments are essential in our interactions with each other; they help us build trust and relationships. Compliments can serve as an act of kindness as well, because they tend to boost one’s self-esteem and trigger a feeling of pride in the person receiving the compliment.

So let’s see what useful things you’ve learned today:

  • The top Hungarian compliments for any situation
  • Beautiful Hungarian words for complimenting friends and family
  • Tips for flirting with the boy or girl of your dreams

Well, that’s it for now. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to us in the comments. But the best solution is to become part of our HungarianPod101 family for good so that you can get help 24/7. The most important thing of all, though, is to remember that practice makes perfect.

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Celebrating National Unity Day in Hungary

World War I wreaked havoc and wrought loss around the globe. Hungary, in particular, was very hard-hit come the end of the war, forced to muddle through life after a treaty her people deemed unfair.

In this article, you’ll learn about the Treaty of Trianon, traditions for National Unity Day in Hungary, and some useful vocabulary you should know.

Let’s get started.

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1. What is National Unity Day in Hungary?

The Day of National Unity, also known as the Memorial Day of the Treaty of Trianon, is a holiday to commemorate a great nemzeti tragédia (“national tragedy” ) that occured as a result of World War I. It’s also an opportunity to reflect on the unity that Hungary was still able to achieve in the face of disaster and igazságtalanság (“injustice” ).

What was the Treaty of Trianon?

The Treaty of Trianon was signed on June 4, 1920, and officially ended hostilities between Hungary and its enemies in World War I.

However, the Treaty of Trianon terms caused Hungary to területeket elveszít (“lose territories” ) on a massive scale; over seventy percent of Hungary’s territories were to be handed over to other countries. This resulted in beolvasztás (“forced assimilation” ), with approximately three-and-a-half million Hungarians forced to live under foreign control. Hungarians’ arguments against and concerns over this were ignored and neglected. In addition, Hungary was forced to cap its army at thirty-five thousand and could no longer have an air force or heavy weaponry.

For Hungary, the Treaty of Trianon was quite unfair; even today, there’s some bitterness over its terms.

    → Do you enjoy learning about history and geography? Check out our vocabulary lists on World Countries and Geography to sharpen your expertise in Hungarian!

2. When is National Unity Day?

The Hungarian Flag

In 2010, the Hungarian parliament announced June 4 as the Day of National Togetherness (Day of Unity).

3. National Unity Day Traditions and Observations

A Woman Holding a Sign that Says Defend Rights

In Hungary, National Unity Day is a time of nacionalizmus (“nationalism” ). All throughout the country, people commemorate the signing of the Treaty of Trianon and lay wreaths on the graves of those who lost their lives during the First World War.

In addition, there are many demonstrations held on this day to protest the treaty’s terms and call for change. Most Hungarians don’t approve of the treaty and the widespread injustices it caused. Even outside of the országhatár (“national border”), minority groups often protest for autonomy.

4. The Town of Loyalty

Sopron is often called the Town of Loyalty. Do you know why?

In December of 1921, a referendum was held to decide if Sopron should belong to Austria or Hungary. The People of Sopron chose to remain with Hungary, earning it its respectable title.

According to Wikipedia, Sopron is largely known for two things in modern times: excellent red and white wines, and affordable dental care. It’s also a large tourist center, with people from various countries often coming to visit here.

5. Must-Know Vocabulary for National Unity Day

Someone Reaching for a Chess Piece that’s Highlighted in Red

Let’s review some of the vocabulary words from this article!

  • Aláír — “Sign” [v.]
  • Megbüntet — “Punish” [v.]
  • Kisebbség — “Minority” [n.]
  • Igazságtalanság — “Injustice” [n.]
  • Első világháború — “First World War”
  • Nacionalizmus — “Nationalism” [n.]
  • Országhatár — “National border”
  • Feloszt — “Divide” [v.]
  • Küzd — “Struggle” [v.]
  • Legyőz — “Defeat” [v.]
  • Nemzeti tragédia — “National tragedy”
  • Területeket elveszít — “Lose territories” [v.]
  • Szomszédos ország — “Neighboring country”
  • Beolvasztás — “Forced assimilation”
  • Nemzeti összetartozás napja — “Day of National Unity”

If you want to hear the pronunciation of each word and phrase, be sure to visit our Hungarian Day of National Unity vocabulary list!

Final Thoughts

We hope you enjoyed learning about the Day of National Unity, Hungary’s most common traditions to commemorate it, and new vocabulary to impress your Hungarian friends.

What are your thoughts on Hungary’s end of the deal concerning the Treaty of Trianon? Was your country involved in the First World War? Let us know in the comments; we love hearing from you!

If you want to continue learning about Hungarian culture and the language, HungarianPod101.com has many free resources for you:

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Whatever your language-learning goals are, we want to help you achieve them. We’ll be here with you on every step of your way there!

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