Hungarian phrases are short expressions used to greet, thank, apologise, or simply hold a conversation. What makes them interesting — and occasionally tricky — is that Hungarian has a clear distinction between formal and informal speech. Who you’re talking to matters. A phrase that’s perfectly natural with a friend can sound odd or even rude in a formal context, and vice versa.
This page covers the most common Hungarian phrases organised by situation, with phonetic transcription for pronunciation and notes on when to use formal vs. informal register.
Quick Answer: What are the most common Hungarian phrases?
The most essential Hungarian phrases are greetings (Szia informal, Jó napot formal), farewells (Viszlát), thank you (Köszönöm), and sorry (Bocsánat). Hungarian distinguishes clearly between formal and informal speech — use informal forms with friends and peers, formal forms with strangers, older people, and in professional contexts.
Hungarian phrases you should know
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Formal vs. informal in Hungarian – what you need to know
Hungarian uses two distinct forms of address. The informal te (you) is used with friends, family, children, and peers of similar age. The formal ön or maga is used with strangers, older people, officials, and in professional settings.
This affects verb conjugations and the phrases themselves — not just a word swap. Throughout this page, phrases marked (formal) are appropriate for strangers and professional contexts. Phrases marked (informal) are for friends, family, and peers.
A practical tip from experience: in Hungary, younger people often switch to informal fairly quickly once introduced. In doubt, start formal and follow the other person’s lead.
Common greetings in Hungarian
Hungarian greetings vary significantly depending on formality. Szia is the everyday informal hello — you’ll hear it constantly. Jó napot is the standard formal greeting and safe to use with anyone you don’t know well.
| English | Hungarian | Phonetic (IPA) | Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hello / Hi | Szia! | /ˈsiɒ/ | Informal |
| Hello (formal) | Üdvözlöm! | /ˈydvøzløm/ | Formal |
| Good day / Good afternoon | Jó napot! | /ˈjoː ˈnɒpot/ | Formal |
| Good day (warm, formal) | Szép napot kívánok! | /seːp ˈnɒpot ˈkiːvaːnok/ | Formal |
| Good morning | Jó reggelt! | /ˈjoː ˈrɛɡːɛlt/ | Both |
| Good morning (formal) | Jó reggelt kívánok! | /ˈjoː ˈrɛɡːɛlt ˈkiːvaːnok/ | Formal |
| Good evening | Jó estét! | /ˈjoː ˈɛʃteːt/ | Both |
| Good to see you | Örülök, hogy látom. | /ˈøruløk ˈhod͡ʒ ˈlaːtom/ | Formal |
| Good to see you (informal) | Örülök, hogy látlak. | /ˈøruløk ˈhod͡ʒ ˈlaːtlɒk/ | Informal |
Responding to a greeting:
| English | Hungarian | Phonetic (IPA) | Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| You too! | Neked is! | /ˈnɛkɛd iʃ/ | Informal |
| Have a nice day too! | Neked is szép napot! | /ˈnɛkɛd iʃ ˈseːp ˈnɒpot/ | Informal |
| Have a nice day too! (formal) | Önnek is szép napot! | /ˈønːɛk iʃ ˈseːp ˈnɒpot/ | Formal |
How are you? – asking and answering in Hungarian
| English | Hungarian | Phonetic (IPA) | Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| How are you? | Hogy vagy? | /ˈhod͡ʒ ˈvɒɟ/ | Informal |
| How are you? (formal) | Hogy van? | /ˈhod͡ʒ ˈvɒn/ | Formal |
| Are you doing well? | Jól vagy? | /ˈjoːl ˈvɒɟ/ | Informal |
| Thank you, I’m fine. | Köszönöm, jól vagyok. | /ˈkøsønøm ˈjoːl ˈvɒɟok/ | Both |
| Thank you for asking, I am fine. | Köszönöm, hogy megkérdezted, jól vagyok. | /ˈkøsønøm ˈhod͡ʒ ˈmɛɡkeːrdɛstɛd ˈjoːl ˈvɒɟok/ | Informal |
| Not so well, actually. | Nem vagyok túl jól. | /ˈnɛm ˈvɒɟok ˈtuːl ˈjoːl/ | Both |
| Fine, thanks. And you? | Köszi, jól vagyok. És te? | /ˈkøsi ˈjoːl ˈvɒɟok | eːʃ ˈtɛ/ | Informal |
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How to say goodbye in Hungarian
Goodbye in Hungarian has multiple forms depending on how final the farewell is and how formal the situation. Viszlát is the all-purpose goodbye — usable in most situations. Szia doubles as both hello and goodbye in informal settings, just like “ciao” in Italian.
| English | Hungarian | Phonetic (IPA) | Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goodbye | Viszlát! | /ˈvislaːt/ | Both |
| Goodbye (formal, full form) | Viszontlátásra! | /ˈvisontˌlaːtaːʃɾɒ/ | Formal |
| Bye! (casual) | Szia! | /ˈsiɒ/ | Informal |
| Bye bye! | Bye bye! / Pá! | /ˈpaː/ | Informal |
| See you later | Később találkozunk! | /ˈkeːʃøːb ˈtɒlaːkozunk/ | Both |
| See you soon | Hamarosan találkozunk! | /ˈhɒmɒɾoʃon ˈtɒlaːkozunk/ | Both |
| See you tomorrow | Holnap találkozunk! | /ˈholnɒp ˈtɒlaːkozunk/ | Both |
| Talk to you later | Beszélünk később. | /ˈbɛseːluːŋk ˈkeːʃøːb/ | Informal |
| Take care! | Vigyázz magadra! | /ˈviɟaːzː ˈmɒɡɒdɾɒ/ | Informal |
| Take care! (formal) | Vigyázzon magára! | /ˈviɟaːzːon ˈmɒɡaːɾɒ/ | Formal |
| Good night | Jó éjszakát! | /ˈjoː ˈeːjsɒkaːt/ | Both |
| Sleep well | Aludj jól! | /ˈɒlud͡j ˈjoːl/ | Informal |
| Nice to have met you! | Örülök, hogy találkoztunk! | /ˈøruløk ˈhod͡ʒ ˈtɒlaːkoztuŋk/ | Both |
Introducing yourself in Hungarian
Hungarian has a quirk worth knowing: names are given in reverse order — family name first, given name second. So “Jonas Smith” would introduce himself as “Smith Jonas” in Hungarian. In international contexts Hungarians often adapt to Western order, but it’s good to be aware of.
| English | Hungarian | Phonetic (IPA) | Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| My name is Jonas. | Jonas vagyok. / Jonas a nevem. | /ˈjoːnɒʃ ɒ ˈnɛvɛm/ | Informal |
| My name is Jonas. (formal) | A nevem Jonas. | /ɒ ˈnɛvɛm ˈjoːnɒʃ/ | Formal |
| What is your name? | Mi a neved? | /ˈmi ɒ ˈnɛvɛd/ | Informal |
| What is your name? (formal) | Mi a neve? | /ˈmi ɒ ˈnɛvɛ/ | Formal |
| Where do you come from? | Honnan jöttél? | /ˈhonːɒn ˈjøtːeːl/ | Informal |
| Where do you come from? (formal) | Honnan jött? | /ˈhonːɒn ˈjøtː/ | Formal |
| I am from London. | Londonból jöttem. | /ˈlondonboːl ˈjøtːɛm/ | Both |
| Where do you live? | Hol laksz? | /ˈhol ˈlɒks/ | Informal |
| Where do you live? (formal) | Hol lakik? | /ˈhol ˈlɒkik/ | Formal |
| I live in Berlin. | Berlinben lakom. | /ˈbɛrlinbɛn ˈlɒkom/ | Both |
| Do you speak English? | Beszélsz angolul? | /ˈbɛseːls ˈɒŋɡolul/ | Informal |
| Do you speak English? (formal) | Beszél angolul? | /ˈbɛseːl ˈɒŋɡolul/ | Formal |
| I understand some Hungarian. | Értek egy kis magyart. | /ˈeːrtɛk ˈɛɟ ˈkiʃ ˈmɒɟɒrt/ | Both |
Basic Hungarian phrases for everyday situations
| English | Hungarian | Phonetic (IPA) | Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| Please | Kérem / Légyszíves | /ˈkeːrɛm/ / /ˈleːɟsiːvɛʃ/ | Formal / Informal |
| Thank you | Köszönöm | /ˈkøsønøm/ | Both |
| Thanks! (casual) | Köszi! | /ˈkøsi/ | Informal |
| Thank you very much | Nagyon köszönöm! | /ˈnɒɟon ˈkøsønøm/ | Both |
| You’re welcome | Szívesen! | /ˈsiːvɛʃɛn/ | Both |
| Yes | Igen | /ˈiɡɛn/ | Both |
| No | Nem | /ˈnɛm/ | Both |
| I don’t understand. | Nem értem. | /ˈnɛm ˈeːrtɛm/ | Both |
| Can you repeat that? | Megismételheted? | /ˈmɛɡiʃmeːtɛlhɛtɛd/ | Informal |
| Can you repeat that? (formal) | Megismételné? | /ˈmɛɡiʃmeːtɛlneː/ | Formal |
| Can you speak more slowly? | Lasabban tudnál beszélni? | /ˈlɒʃɒbːɒn ˈtudnaːl ˈbɛseːlni/ | Informal |
| Can you speak more slowly? (formal) | Tudna lassabban beszélni? | /ˈtudnɒ ˈlɒʃːɒbːɒn ˈbɛseːlni/ | Formal |
| I need help! | Segítségre van szükségem! | /ˈʃɛɡiːt͡ʃeːɡɾɛ ˈvɒn ˈsukʃeːɡɛm/ | Both |
| Where is the toilet? | Hol van a mosdó? | /ˈhol ˈvɒn ɒ ˈmoʃdoː/ | Both |
| How much does it cost? | Mennyibe kerül? | /ˈmɛɲːibɛ ˈkɛryl/ | Both |
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Apologising in Hungarian
| English | Hungarian | Phonetic (IPA) | Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sorry / Excuse me | Bocsánat! | /ˈbot͡ʃaːnɒt/ | Both |
| I apologise (formal) | Elnézést kérek. | /ˈɛlneːzeːʃt ˈkeːrɛk/ | Formal |
| Sorry, that was not the intention. | Bocsánat, nem ez volt a szándék. | /ˈbot͡ʃaːnɒt ˈnɛm ɛz ˈvolt ɒ ˈsaːndeːk/ | Both |
| Sorry, I didn’t mean it. | Bocsánat, nem szándékosan csináltam. | /ˈbot͡ʃaːnɒt ˈnɛm ˈsaːndeːkoʃɒn ˈt͡ʃiːnaːltɒm/ | Both |
| No problem! | Semmi gond! | /ˈʃɛmːi ˈɡond/ | Informal |
| No problem (formal) | Nincs semmi baj. | /ˈnint͡ʃ ˈʃɛmːi ˈbɒj/ | Formal |
Hungarian phrases for tourists and travellers
| English | Hungarian | Phonetic (IPA) | Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where is…? | Hol van…? | /ˈhol ˈvɒn/ | Both |
| I am lost. | Elvesztem. | /ˈɛlvɛstɛm/ | Both |
| I am a tourist. | Turista vagyok. | /ˈturiʃtɒ ˈvɒɟok/ | Both |
| Can you help me? | Tudsz segíteni? | /ˈtuds ˈʃɛɡiːtɛni/ | Informal |
| Can you help me? (formal) | Tudna segíteni? | /ˈtudnɒ ˈʃɛɡiːtɛni/ | Formal |
| I’d like a table for two. | Két személyre szeretnék egy asztalt. | /ˈkeːt ˈsɛmeːjrɛ ˈsɛrɛtneːk ˈɛɟ ˈɒstɒlt/ | Formal |
| The bill, please. | Kérem a számlát. | /ˈkeːrɛm ɒ ˈsaːmlaːt/ | Formal |
| Do you have a menu in English? | Van angol nyelvű étlapjuk? | /ˈvɒn ˈɒŋɡol ˈɲɛlvyː ˈeːtlɒpjuk/ | Formal |
| I am hungry. | Éhes vagyok. | /ˈeːhɛʃ ˈvɒɟok/ | Both |
| I am thirsty. | Szomjas vagyok. | /ˈsomjɒʃ ˈvɒɟok/ | Both |
| Call the police! | Hívja a rendőrséget! | /ˈhiːvjɒ ɒ ˈrɛndøːrʃeːɡɛt/ | Formal |
| I need a doctor. | Orvosra van szükségem. | /ˈorvɒʃɾɒ ˈvɒn ˈsukʃeːɡɛm/ | Both |
Useful signs and notices in Hungarian
| English | Hungarian | Phonetic (IPA) |
|---|---|---|
| Entrance | Bejárat | /ˈbɛjaːrɒt/ |
| Exit | Kijárat | /ˈkijaːrɒt/ |
| Toilet / WC | WC / Mosdó | /ˈveːt͡seː/ / /ˈmoʃdoː/ |
| Open | Nyitva | /ˈɲitvɒ/ |
| Closed | Zárva | /ˈzaːrvɒ/ |
| Attention! | Figyelem! | /ˈfiɟɛlɛm/ |
| Caution! | Vigyázat! | /ˈviɟaːzɒt/ |
| No entry | Áthaladás tilos. | /ˈaːtɦɒlɒdaːʃ ˈtiloʃ/ |
| Police | Rendőrség | /ˈrɛndøːrʃeːɡ/ |
| Emergency services | Sürgősségi szolgálat | /ˈʃyrɡøːʃːeːɡi ˈsolɡaːlɒt/ |
| Fire brigade | Tűzoltóság | /ˈtyːzolt̪oːʃaːɡ/ |
Numbers 1–25 in Hungarian
| English | Hungarian | Phonetic (IPA) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | egy | /ɛɟ/ |
| 2 | kettő | /ˈkɛtːøː/ |
| 3 | három | /ˈhaːrom/ |
| 4 | négy | /ˈneːɟ/ |
| 5 | öt | /øt/ |
| 6 | hat | /hɒt/ |
| 7 | hét | /heːt/ |
| 8 | nyolc | /ɲolt͡s/ |
| 9 | kilenc | /ˈkilɛnt͡s/ |
| 10 | tíz | /tiːz/ |
| 11 | tizenegy | /ˈtizɛnɛɟ/ |
| 12 | tizenkettő | /ˈtizɛnˌkɛtːøː/ |
| 13 | tizenhárom | /ˈtizɛnˌhaːrom/ |
| 14 | tizennégy | /ˈtizɛnˌneːɟ/ |
| 15 | tizenöt | /ˈtizɛnˌøt/ |
| 16 | tizenhat | /ˈtizɛnˌhɒt/ |
| 17 | tizenhét | /ˈtizɛnˌheːt/ |
| 18 | tizennyolc | /ˈtizɛnˌɲolt͡s/ |
| 19 | tizenkilenc | /ˈtizɛnˌkilɛnt͡s/ |
| 20 | húsz | /huːs/ |
| 21 | huszonegy | /ˈhusonɛɟ/ |
| 22 | huszonkettő | /ˈhusonkɛtːøː/ |
| 23 | huszonhárom | /ˈhusonhaːrom/ |
| 24 | huszonnégy | /ˈhusonneːɟ/ |
| 25 | huszonöt | /ˈhusonøt/ |
Colours in Hungarian
| English | Hungarian | Phonetic (IPA) |
|---|---|---|
| Red | piros | /ˈpiroʃ/ |
| Blue | kék | /ˈkeːk/ |
| Green | zöld | /ˈzøld/ |
| Yellow | sárga | /ˈʃaːrɡɒ/ |
| Black | fekete | /ˈfɛkɛtɛ/ |
| White | fehér | /ˈfɛheːr/ |
| Orange | narancssárga | /ˈnɒrɒnt͡ʃˌʃaːrɡɒ/ |
| Pink | rózsaszín | /ˈroːʒɒˌsiːn/ |
| Purple | lila | /ˈlilɒ/ |
| Brown | barna | /ˈbɒrnɒ/ |
Days, months and seasons in Hungarian
| English | Hungarian | Phonetic (IPA) |
|---|---|---|
| Days of the week | ||
| Monday | hétfő | /ˈheːtføː/ |
| Tuesday | kedd | /ˈkɛdː/ |
| Wednesday | szerda | /ˈsɛrdɒ/ |
| Thursday | csütörtök | /ˈt͡ʃytørtøk/ |
| Friday | péntek | /ˈpeːntɛk/ |
| Saturday | szombat | /ˈsombɒt/ |
| Sunday | vasárnap | /ˈvɒʃaːrnɒp/ |
| Months | ||
| January | január | /ˈjɒnuɑːr/ |
| February | február | /ˈfɛbruaːr/ |
| March | március | /ˈmaːrt͡siuʃ/ |
| April | április | /ˈaːpriliʃ/ |
| May | május | /ˈmaːjuʃ/ |
| June | június | /ˈjuːniuʃ/ |
| July | július | /ˈjuːliuʃ/ |
| August | augusztus | /ˈɒuɡustuʃ/ |
| September | szeptember | /ˈsɛptɛmbɛr/ |
| October | október | /ˈoktoːbɛr/ |
| November | november | /ˈnovɛmbɛr/ |
| December | december | /ˈdɛt͡sɛmbɛr/ |
| Seasons | ||
| Spring | tavasz | /ˈtɒvɒs/ |
| Summer | nyár | /ˈɲaːr/ |
| Autumn | ősz | /øːs/ |
| Winter | tél | /teːl/ |
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Additional links
- Learn Hungarian online – courses and learning path
- Learn Hungarian with Mondly
- The different ways of learning languages
- Learning vocabulary successfully
- Motivated language learning
- Train your understanding of a language at the same time
- Learning languages quickly – is it possible?
- The different types of learners in language learning
About the author: Sven Mancini
Sven is a published language author who has learned Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, and French through self-study. He has tested over 30 language courses and apps and documented his methods in four published vocabulary guides. Read more about Sven →
