How do you greet someone in Hungarian?

Published: July 31 2023

If you've ever wondered how to greet someone in Hungarian, you're in luck. The basic greeting in Hungarian is "Szia", pronounced "See-ya", which is equivalent to "Hello" in English.

When you are greeting someone in Hungarian, your relationship with the person, the time of day, and the formality of the situation all play critical roles.

"Szia" is the most commonly used greeting in informal contexts, such as between friends or peers. If you want to greet more than one person, just add a 'k' to make it "Sziasztok".

For more formal situations or when addressing elders or superiors, use "Jó napot", which means "Good day". Bear in mind, however, that it can come across as a bit severe if used in less formal contexts.

Time of day also plays an important part in Hungarian greetings. For morning you say "Jó reggelt", for afternoon "Jó napot" and for evening "Jó estét".

Upon meeting someone for the first time, use "Örvendek", which translates to "I'm pleased to meet you". To ask "How are you?" say "Hogy vagy?", pronounced "hodj vadj".

When leaving, you can use "Viszontlátásra" for a more formal goodbye, or "Viszlát" for an informal one. Similar to "Sziasztok", you can use "Viszlátok" when saying goodbye to a group, making Hungarian greetings quite consistent and easy to memorize.

While these phrases should get you through most basic social interactions, remember that mastering the language will involve an appreciation for Hungarian’s unique phonetics and rules. With consistent practice, you'll be conversing naturally in Hungarian in no time!