How do you say "hello" in Hungarian?

Published: July 28 2023

If you ever find yourself immersed in the beauty of the Magyar culture, then there's one word that could set the tone for your entire trip, and that's the simple Hungarian: "Hello". Here's how you say - it's "Szia". But there's more to the story than this one word. Let's dive deeper.

"Szia" (pronounced see-ya) is the casual, everyday way to say "hello" in Hungarian. It's how you’ll hear friends greet each other on the street, and it’s also used for saying ".

In more formal situations, such as meeting older people or in a professional setting, it's common in Hungary to use different greetings as per the time of day.

"Jó reggelt" (pronounced yo reg-gelt) is how you say "good morning". In professional correspondence, this is often shortened to "reggelt".

"Jó napot" (pronounced yo nah-pot) literally translates to "good day" and can be used from mid-morning onwards. In professional settings, you may hear "napot" without the "jó".

"Jó estét" (pronounced yo esh-tayt) is how you say "good evening" in Hungarian. Similar to "jó reggelt" and "jó napot", in formal correspondence, it often gets shortened to simply "estét".

When it comes to saying goodbye, you can use "viszlát" (pronounced vee-slat) in both formal and informal settings.

However, just as "szia" can be used as a casual greeting, it can also be used to say "see ya" later. When saying goodbye to multiple people informally, you can use "sziasztok" (pronounced see-ya-stock).

Now that you've got the basics on how to greet people in Hungarian, you're one step closer to immersing yourself in the vibrant and exciting Hungarian culture. Whether you are planning a trip there, learning the language, or just expanding your linguistic horizons, mastering these basic phrases can help you interact more effectively and confidently with native Hungarian speakers. Happy learning!