Language/Hungarian/Vocabulary/Greetings-and-courtesies

Hungarian Vocabulary → Basic Hungarian vocabulary → Greetings and courtesies

As a Hungarian language teacher with 20 years of experience, I have always believed that learning basic greetings and courtesies is essential to getting a good grasp of any language. Hungarian is known for its complex grammar and pronunciation, but don't let that intimidate you – mastering the basics can give you a great head-start in your language learning journey!

In this lesson, we will learn common Hungarian greetings and polite expressions that you can use in everyday conversations.

Basic greetings

Greet people in Hungarian! Here are some basic Hungarian greetings which will help you start conversations:

Hungarian	Pronunciation	English
Szia!	[ˈsiɑ]	Hi!
Jó reggelt!	[joː ˈrɛɡːɛlt]	Good morning!
Jó napot!	[joː ˈnɑpot]	Good afternoon!
Jó estét!	[joː ˈɛʃteːt]	Good evening!

• Szia can be used both informally and formally, while the other greetings are more formal.
• To be extra polite, add kérem (kay-rehm) at the end: Jó reggelt, kérem! (Good morning, please!)

Polite expressions

It's always polite to add some expressions to show you appreciate someone, or to thank them for their help:

Hungarian	Pronunciation	English
Köszönöm!	[ˈkøsønøm]	Thank you!
Nagyon szépen köszönöm!	[ˈnɑɟoɲ ˈseːpɛn ˈkøsønøm]	Thank you very much!
Szívesen!	[ˈsiːvɛʃɛn]	You're welcome!

• Nagyon szépen köszönöm is a more elaborate way of saying "thank you very much".

Asking how someone is

Show someone your interest by asking them how they feel, or how they are doing:

Hungarian	Pronunciation	English
Hogy vagy?	[ˈhoɟ ˈvɑɟ]	How are you?
Hogy vagyunk?	[ˈhoɟ ˈvɑɟuŋk]	How are y'all (plural)?
Köszönöm, jól vagyok.	[ˈkøsønøm joːl ˈvɑɟok]	Thank you, I'm fine.

• Hogy vagy? is suitable for both informal and formal settings.

Introducing oneself

When you meet someone new, it's always useful to be able to introduce yourself:

Hungarian	Pronunciation	English
Szia, én... vagyok.	[ˈsiɑ eːŋ... ˈvɑɟok]	Hi, I'm...
Engem... hívnak.	[ˈɛnɡɛm ˈhiːvnɑk]	My name is...

• The word order in Hungarian can be flexible, but typically the verb (vagyok or hívnak) comes at the end of the sentence.

Saying goodbye

Saying goodbye may seem simple, but it's always nicer to say it in the proper way:

Hungarian	Pronunciation	English
Viszlát!	[ˈviʃlaːt]	Goodbye!
Szép napot!	[seːp ˈnɑpot]	Have a nice day!
Szép estét!	[seːp ˈɛʃteːt]	Have a nice evening!
Jó éjszakát!	[joː ˈeːɕɑkaːt]	Goodnight!

• Viszlát can be used in any setting, while the other expressions are more formal.

Learning these basic greetings and polite expressions is a great start in your journey towards learning Hungarian. Don't be afraid to use them in everyday life, and if you get stuck, don't hesitate to ask for help – the Hungarians are generally friendly and helpful people!

Practice

Now it's time to practice! Here are some phrases for you to try out:

• See if you can translate: Hello, my name is Anna. How are you today?
• See if you can translate: Thank you very much for your help. Goodbye!

Sources

• Hungarian language
• Hungarians

Table of Contents - Hungarian Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

  ---

Greetings and Introductions

• Basic Greetings
• Introducing Yourself

  ---

Pronouns and Verb Conjugation

• Personal Pronouns
• Present Tense Verb Conjugation

  ---

Numbers and Time

• Numbers 1-100
• Telling Time

  ---

Questions and Negation

• Asking Questions
• Negation

  ---

Family and Relationships

• Family Members
• Relationships

  ---

Adjectives and Adverbs

• Descriptive Adjectives
• Adverbs of Time and Frequency

  ---

Food and Dining

• Common Foods and Drinks
• Ordering at a Restaurant

  ---

Prepositions and Location

• Common Prepositions
• Expressing Location

  ---

Travel and Transportation

• Modes of Transportation
• Asking for Directions

  ---

Hungarian Customs and Traditions

• Holidays and Celebrations
• Traditional Foods

  ---

Possessive Pronouns and Plurals

• Possessive Pronouns
• Forming Plurals

  ---

Hobbies and Leisure Activities

• Common Hobbies
• Discussing Interests

  ---

Hungarian History and Geography

• Important Historical Events
• Geography of Hungary

Related Lessons

• Geography
• Greetings
• Question words
• Feelings and Emotions
• Fruits
• Hotel Restaurant
• Business and work
• Science and technology
• Count from 1 to 10
• Family and relationships