sok szerencsét

sok (“much”) + szerencse (“luck”) + -t (accusative suffix)


mi újság

what's up? what's new? what's going on? what's happening?


nem értem

nem (“do not”) + ért (“understand”) + -em (“I”, personal suffix)


egyik kutya, másik eb

Hungarian has two words for "dog", the current kutya and the older eb. Thus “one of them is a dog, the other is a hound”.

six of one, half a dozen of the other
six of one, half a dozen of the other

(idiomatic) six of one, half a dozen of the other (they are equally bad)


jó napot

jó (“good”) + nap (“day”) + -ot (accusative suffix)

(formal) good day, good morning, good afternoon (used between approx. 9 a.m. and 6 p.m.; sometimes considered overly terse, curt, or blunt - use the longer synonym below to avoid this)


ez nekem kínai

it's all Greek to me
it's all Greek to me


alkonyattól hajnalig

feketében, zöldben, kékben,
ott lakik,

1996, Csaba Fecske, Hol voltam (Where was I - a collection of poems for children), Felsőmagyarország: Új bekezdés - Hungary, page 19, poem Hold és álom (Moon and dream) http://www.childrenslibrary.org/icdl/BookPage?bookid=fecholv_00740013&pnum1=20&twoPage=false&route=alsoby&size=0&fullscreen=false&lang=English Hát az álom hol lakik, hol lakik, alkonyattól hajnalig, hajnalig? Minden kisgyerek szemében

And where does the dream live,
where does it,
from dusk to dawn,
to dawn?
In every little child's eye:
black, green, blue,
there it lives,
there it lives.


beszél angolul

do you speak English
do you speak English


boldog születésnapot

boldog (“happy”) + születésnap (“birthday”) + -ot (accusative suffix)


jó estét

From jó (“good”) + este (“evening”) + -t (accusative suffix).


jó napot kívánok

jó (“good”) + nap (“day”) + -ot (accusative suffix) + kíván (“to wish”) + -ok (personal suffix), literally “I wish [you] a good day.”


jó reggelt

jó (“good”) + reggel (“morning”) + -t (accusative suffix)


hogy érzi magát

hogy (“how”) + érez (“to feel”) + -i (personal suffix) + maga (“oneself”) + -t (accusative suffix)


szezám, tárulj

From its use in Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, translating French Sésame, ouvre-toi in Antoine Galland's version of the Ali Baba story in the One Thousand and One Nights, possibly based on an oral Arabic source.

Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves
Antoine Galland
One Thousand and One Nights


jó szerencsét

jó (“good”) + szerencse (“luck”) + -t (accusative suffix)

good luck! (the traditional greeting of Hungarian coalminers)


jó utat

jó (“good”) + út (“voyage, trip”) + -at (accusative suffix)


gratulálunk

Gratulálunk a sikeres záróvizsgádhoz!

Congratulations on your successful final exam!


nem tudom

nem (“do not”) + tud (“know”) + -om (“I”, personal suffix)


eszi, nem eszi, nem kap mást

Literally: "(whether he/she) eats it, (or he/she) doesn't eat it, (he/she) will not get (anything) else"

my way or the highway
my way or the highway

beggars can't be choosers
beggars can't be choosers

(idiomatic) take it or leave it, my way or the highway, beggars can't be choosers, Hobson's choice


akár tetszik, akár nem

akár (“whether”) + tetszik (“to like”) + akár (“or”) + nem (“not”). Literally, “whether [you] like it or not”; the subject is unspecified.

lit

willy-nilly, like it or not (whether desired or not)


nincs kolbászból fonva a kerítés

[ˈnint͡ʃ ˈkolbaːzboːl ˈfoɱvɒ ɒ ˈkɛriːteːʃ]

Literally, “the fence is not woven out of sausage”.

money doesn't grow on trees
money doesn't grow on trees

tejjel-mézzel folyó Kánaán

[[land of milk and honey|Canaan flowing with milk and honey]]

(idiomatic) money doesn't grow on trees (especially used of places that might not live up to the listener’s dreams or expectations)


vak vezet világtalant

Literally: “a blind [person] leads the sightless”.

blind leading the blind
blind leading the blind


egyik tizenkilenc, másik egy híján húsz

[ˌɛɟːik ˈtizɛŋkilɛnt͡s ˌmaːʃik ˈɛchiːjaːn ˈhuːs]

Literally: “one of them is nineteen, the other is one short of twenty”

with a single subject: ő sem jobb a Deákné vásznánál, with multiple subjects: egyik se jobb a Deákné vásznánál

nem különb a Deákné vásznánál/nem jobb a Deákné vásznánál

az egyik tizenkilenc, a másik egy híján húsz


holnapután kiskedden

Literally: “on the day after tomorrow, on small Tuesday”; a second part can be added borjúnyúzó pénteken (on a calf-skinning Friday)

(idiomatic) when pigs fly, at latter Lammas (never)

majd ha cigánygyerekek potyognak az égből


zárt ajtók mögött

zárt (“closed”) + ajtó (“door”) + -k (plural suffix) + mögött (“behind”), literally “behind closed doors”


farkaséhes vagyok

[ˈfɒrkɒʃeːɦɛʃvɒɟok]


karácsony este

[ˈkɒraːt͡ʃoɲɛʃtɛ]

karácsony (“Christmas”) + este (“evening”)


madarat lehetne fogatni

madár (“bird”) + -at (accusative suffix) + lehetne (“could be, it would be possible”) + fogatni (“to have someone catch”), literally: "one could have him/her catch a bird".

Madarat lehetne fogatni velem.

A nővéremmel madarat lehetne fogatni.

Máriával madarat lehetne fogatni.

(idiomatic) to be happy as a lark, to walk on air, to be on cloud nine


kívánságod számomra parancs

kívánság (“wish”) + -od (“your”) + számomra (“for me”) + parancs (“command”)

your wish is my command
your wish is my command


Isten tudja

Isten (“God”) + tud (“to know”) + -ja (personal suffix)

God knows, God only knows (it is only known to God; it is unknown to people)


tetőtől talpig

Literally: "from top to sole", from tető (“top”) + -től (“from”) + talp (“sole”) + -ig (“to”).


szép jó estét

szép jó estét mindenkinek!

fine good evening (a greeting said in the evening)


mennyibe kerül

how much does it cost
how much does it cost


nem beszélek angolul

I don't speak English
I don't speak English


van benne valami

(idiomatic) you have a point there, there is something to it (it seems to be reasonable, at least in part)


gondolkodom, tehát vagyok

gondolkodik (“to think”) + -om (personal suffix) + tehát (“therefore”) + vagyok (“I am”)

I think therefore I am
I think therefore I am


spongyát rá

Literally: “sponge on it” (let's just forget about it, let's erase the memory of it).

let bygones be bygones
let bygones be bygones

(idiomatic, colloquial) let bygones be bygones


nem fenékig tejfel

Literally: "not sour cream to the bottom" (not as perfect, not as good as it seems):
nem (“not”) + fenék (“bottom”) + -ig (“to”, case suffix) + tejfel (“sour cream”)

Az élet nem fenékig tejfel.

(idiomatic, colloquial) not all beer and skittles, not just fun and games, not a bed of roses


az uralma alatt

az (“the”) + uralom (“domination, control”) + -a (“his/her/its”, possessive suffix) + alatt (“under”), literally “under one's control”

Az egész stábot az uralma alatt tartja.

She has the entire crew under her thumb.


mennyi az idő

[ˈmɛɲːi ɒz ˈidøː]

mennyi (“how much”) + az (“the”) + idő (“time”)


éhes vagyok

[ˈeːɦɛʃvɒɟok]


se füle, se farka

[ʃɛ ˈfylɛ ʃɛ ˈfɒrkɒ]

Literally: “(it has) neither an ear, nor a tail” (it does not make sense). Ellipsis of (ennek) nincs se füle, se farka.

ellipsis

neither rhyme nor reason
rhyme or reason#English

(idiomatic) clear as mud (it has neither rhyme nor reason; the thing in question may be specified with -nak/-nek)


szerelmes vagyok beléd

I'm in love with you
I'm in love with you


zsidó vagyok

I'm Jewish (indicating that the speaker is of Jewish ethnic descent)

(ambiguous) I'm Jewish (indicating that the speaker is a follower of Judaism)


allergiás vagy valamilyen gyógyszerre

[ˈɒlːɛrɡijaːʃvɒɟ ˌvɒlɒmijɛn ˈɟoːcsɛrːɛ]

are you allergic to any medications
are you allergic to any medications


derült égből villámcsapás

derült (“clear”) + ég (“sky”) + -ből (“from”) + villámcsapás (“thunderbolt”)

(idiomatic) bolt from the blue (a complete surprise; an unexpected misfortune, an unforeseen difficulty)


még mindig

Még mindig nem érkezett meg a levél.

Még mindig esik az eső.


hová megy

(formal) where are you headed? where are you going?


beszél itt valaki angolul

does anyone here speak English
does anyone here speak English


nagyon finom volt

nagyon (“very”) + finom (“delicious”) + volt (“[it] was”)


hogyan jutok el a repülőtérre

how do I get to the airport
how do I get to the airport


van angol nyelvű étlapjuk

do you have a menu in English
do you have a menu in English


kérem, beszéljen lassabban

[ˈkeːrɛm ˈbɛseːjːɛn ˈlɒʃːɒbːɒn]

please speak more slowly
please speak more slowly


szedsz valamilyen gyógyszert

are you taking any medications
are you taking any medications

(informal, in the singular) are you taking any medications?


kellemes húsvétot

kellemes (“pleasant”) + húsvét (“Easter”) + -ot (accusative suffix)


hogy kell ezt a szót kiejteni

hogy (“how”) + kell (“need to”) + ez (“this”) + -t (accusative suffix) + a (“the”) + szó (“word”) + -t (accusative suffix) + kiejteni (“to pronounce”)

how do you pronounce this word
how do you pronounce this word


és tsai.

From és (“and”) + abbreviation of társai (“his/her colleagues”).


se híre, se hamva

[ʃɛ ˈhiːrɛ ʃɛ ˈhɒɱvɒ]

Literally “neither news (rumor, word) nor ashes of someone or something”. Ellipsis of nincs….

A csónaknak se híre, se hamva nem volt.

neither hide nor hair
neither hide nor hair

(idiomatic) disappeared without leaving a trace, neither hide nor hair (the person or thing that vanished is expressed with -nak/-nek)


arca verítékével

From arc (“face”) + -a (“one's”, possessive suffix) + veríték (“sweat”) + -e (“of”, possessive suffix) + -vel (“with”, case suffix), literally: “by the sweat of one’s face”.


száz szónak is egy a vége

[ˈsaːsːoːnɒkiʃ ˈɛɟːɒ ˈveːɡɛ]

Literally: "even a hundred words have one (i.e. the same) end"

(idiomatic) No matter how long we discuss the matter, the result will be the same. (Used to end the discussions.)


hátrakötöm a sarkad

hátraköt (“to tie back”) + -öm (“I”, personal suffix) + a (“the”) + sarok (“heel”) + -ad (“your”, possessive suffix), literally: "I'll tie your heels behind your back"

(idiomatic) I'll give you what for! (I will punish you!)


hogyan jutok el az autóbusz-állomáshoz

[ˈhoɟɒnjutok ˌɛl ɒz ˈɒu̯toːbus ˌaːlːomaːʃhoz]

how do I get to the bus station
how do I get to the bus station


hogyan jutok el a vasútállomáshoz

how do I get to the train station
how do I get to the train station


térképre van szükségem

térkép (“map”) + -re (“for”, case suffix) + van + szükség (“need”) + -em (possessive suffix), literally “I have a need for a map.”


hol van itt egy szálloda

where can I find a hotel
where can I find a hotel


van itt egy közért

is there a grocery store nearby
is there a grocery store nearby


élelmiszerboltot keresek

I'm looking for a grocery store
I'm looking for a grocery store


minden jog fenntartva

Ellipsis of minden jog fenn van tartva (“all rights are reserved”), from minden (“all, every”) + jog (“right”) + fenntart (“to maintain”) + -va (adverbial-participle suffix), with the ellipted van (“is”).

af

all rights reserved (copyright notice formula)


minden viccnek a fele igaz

From minden (“every”) + vicc (“joke”) + -nek (“of”, case suffix) + a (“the”) + fél (“half”) + -e (possessive suffix) + igaz (“true”), literally: “the half of every joke is true”.

affix

there's a grain of truth in every joke
there's a grain of truth in every joke


szvsz

Initialism of szerény véleményem szerint (“in my humble opinion”).

initialism

in my humble opinion
in my humble opinion


a volán mögött

[ˌɒ ˈvolaːmːøɡøtː]

From a (“the”) + volán (“steering wheel”) + mögött (“behind”), literally “behind the steering wheel”, the position where one steers the wheel of an automobile.

affix

A kevés víz pont olyan, mint a sok alkohol – legalábbis a volán mögött.

Not enough water is just like too much alcohol – at least when you're at the wheel.

A sofőr bevallotta a rendőrségnek, hogy elaludt a volán mögött.

The driver admitted to the police that he had fallen asleep at the wheel.

(idiomatic) at the wheel, behind the wheel (while driving a car or operating a motor vehicle)


a volánnál

From a (“the”) + volán (“steering wheel”) + -nál (“at”, case suffix), literally: “at the steering wheel” (the position where one steers the wheel of an automobile).

A kevés víz pont olyan, mint a sok alkohol – legalábbis a volánnál.

Not enough water is just like too much alcohol - at least when you're at the wheel.

A sofőr bevallotta a rendőrségnek, hogy elaludt a volánnál.

A pártnak fogalma sincs, ki ül a volánnál.

The party has no idea who is at the wheel.


isten veled

Ellipsis of Isten veled van (“God is with you”) or Isten legyen veled (“may God be with you”), from isten (“God”) + veled (“with you”).


szóra sem érdemes

From szó (“word”) + -ra (“on, onto”, case suffix) + sem (“not even”) + érdemes (“worth”), literally: “it is not even worth a word”.

affix

don't mention it, not at all (a polite way of expressing that something is too trivial to warrant thanks)


akár esik, akár fúj

Literally, “whether it rains, or it [the wind] blows”. From akár (“whether”) + esik (“it rains”) + akár (“or”) + fúj (“it blows”).

m-g

whether it rains, or it 􂀿the wind􂁀 blows

affix

ha esik, ha fúj
ha esik, ha fúj#Hungarian


úgy szép az élet, ha zajlik

úgy (“in that case, in such a way”) + szép (“beautiful”) + az (“the”) + élet (“life”) + ha (“if”) + zajlik (“to take place [eventfully]”), approx. “life is beautiful [only] if it is eventful”.

af

variety is the spice of life
variety is the spice of life

(idiomatic, humorous) variety is the spice of life


ha esik, ha fúj

Literally, “[even] if it rains, [or] if it [the wind] blows”. From ha (“whether”) + esik (“it rains”) + ha (“whether”) + fúj (“it blows”).

m-g

􂀿even􂁀 if it rains, 􂀿or􂁀 if it 􂀿the wind􂁀 blows

affix

(idiomatic) rain or shine, hell or high water, no matter what (regardless of what the circumstances are, and how the weather is)


és boldogan éltek, míg meg nem haltak

[ˌeːʃ ˈboldoɡɒn ˈeːltɛkmiːɡ ˈmɛɡnɛm ˈhɒltɒk]

Literally, “and they lived happily until they died”.

lit

and they lived happily ever after (typically used at the end of fairy tales)


jóból is megárt a sok

From jó (“good”) + -ból (“of”, case suffix) + is (“even”) + megárt (“to be harmful”) + a (“the”) + sok (“much”), literally: “even too much of a good thing can be harmful”.

affix

too much of a good thing
too much of a good thing

enough is as good as a feast
enough is as good as a feast

too much of a good thing can be harmful, enough is as good as a feast


fel is út, le is út

Ellipsis of fel is van út, le is van út. Literally: “(there is) a way upwards and a way downwards too” or “(there is) a road uphill and a road downhill as well”.

Éva története: laza életvitelű, elvált anya, mostohaapa, rossz viszony, dettó. Az anya közli csemetéjével: fel is út, le is út.

1990, Róbert Hámori, Egérderby, Budapest: Eötvös Kiadó, →ISBN, →OCLC, page 204:

you are free to go (used to tell somebody to go away)


ami sok, az sok

ami (“what”) sok (“much”), az (“that”) sok (“much”), literally: "what is much, is much".

(especially as an expression of exasperation) enough is enough (the limit of patience or tolerance has been reached)


köd előtte, köd utána

köd (“fog”) + előtte (“in front of him/her/it”) + köd (“fog”) + utána (“behind him/her/it”)

(idiomatic) (…and) vanished/disappeared without a trace


ennek a fele sem tréfa

[ˈɛnːɛk ɒ ˈfɛlɛʃɛm ˌtreːfɒ]

Literally: "even the half of this is no joke"

(idiomatic) this is no longer a trifling matter, this is no joke at all (said when a situation has to be taken seriously)


nyitva van a mészárszék

From nyitva (“open”) + van (“is”) + a (“the”) + mészárszék (“butcher shop”), literally, “the butcher shop is open”.

(idiomatic, dated) Your fly is open. (said to a man or boy)


a számból vetted ki a szót

Literally, “you took the word out of my mouth”. Perhaps related to the analogous phrase das Wort aus dem Mund nehmen in German.

lit

Rejtsük el nálam. - A számból vetted ki a szót. De hova? és miképpen? Ez a kérdés.

Let’s hide it at my place. - You took the words right out of my mouth. But the question is: where? And how?

You took the words out of my mouth
take the words out of someone's mouth

(idiomatic) You took the words out of my mouth (said in agreement), i.e., that’s what I was just about to say.


kezét csókolom

Calque of German küss’ die Hand (“I kiss your hand”), a once common greeting in Austria-Hungary accompanied by a kiss on the hand.


isten vele

(formal) second-person singular of isten veled, synonym of isten önnel (“farewell [to you]”).

(rare) third-person singular of isten veled (bidding farewell to someone absent)


veszett fejsze nyele

[ˈvɛsɛtː ˈfɛjsɛ ˈɲɛlɛ]

veszett (“lost”) + fejsze (“axe”) + nyél (“handle”) + -e (“of”, possessive suffix), literally “the handle of a lost axe”

affix

(idiomatic, colloquial) something of insignificant value saved after a greater damage or loss

no use crying over spilt milk
cry over spilt milk

(idiomatic, colloquial) no use crying over spilt milk


egy darabig

[ˌɛɟ ˈdɒrɒbiɡ]

egy (“a, one”) + darab (“piece, while”) + -ig (“for”)

Vártam egy darabig.


ami igaz, az igaz

[ˌɒmi ˈiɡɒz ɒz ˈiɡɒz]

ami (“that which, what[ever]”) + igaz (“true”) + az (“that, it”) + igaz (“true”), literally: “whatever is true, it is true”.

(idiomatic) whatever is true, it is true (it is said when we have to admit the truth even if we don't like it)


ég és föld a különbség

[ˈeːɡeːʃ ˈføld ɒ ˈkylømpʃeːɡ]

Literally: “the difference is heaven and earth”.

(idiomatic) there's a world of difference, (as different as) chalk and cheese


ahol a madár se jár

[ˈɒɦol ɒ ˈmɒdaːr ˈʃɛjaːr]

ahol (“where”) + a (“the”) + madár (“bird”) + se (“not even”) + jár (“go”), literally: "where even a bird doesn't go"

Mit keresel itt, ahol a madár se jár?

What are you doing all the way out here?

(idiomatic) in the middle of nowhere, at an out-of-the-way place, on a remote, unfrequented area (all the way out there where nobody goes)


kő kövön nem marad

[ˈkøː ˈkøvøn ˈnɛmːɒrɒd]

kő (“stone”) + kövön (“on stone”) + nem (“not”) + marad (“to remain”), literally “there won't remain stone upon stone”

Ha az ellenség ideér, itt kő kövön nem marad.

If the enemy gets here, not a stone will be left standing.

not a stone will be left standing
not a stone will be left standing

(idiomatic) not a stone will be left standing (everything will be destroyed and torn down)


a kocka el van vetve

a (“the”) + kocka (“die”) + el (“away”) + van (“is; here: has been”) + vetve (“cast”). Literally, “the die has been cast away”. El(…)vetve is the adverbial participle form of elvet (“to cast away”), with its prefix separated from the stem.

(idiomatic) the die is cast (the future is already determined; the recent actions are bound to have consequences)


jó tett helyébe jót várj

jótett helyébe jót várj
jótett helyébe jót várj#Hungarian


kinek a pap, kinek a papné

kinek (“for some”) + a (“the”) + pap (“priest”) + kinek (“for some”) + a (“the”) + papné (“wife of the priest”) Ellipsis of kinek a pap, kinek a papné tetszik. Approximately: “some like the priest, others the wife of the priest”.

ellipsis

there's no accounting for taste
there's no accounting for taste#English

different strokes for different folks#English

one man's meat is another man's poison#English

there's no accounting for taste, to each his own, different strokes for different folks, one man's meat is another man's poison

ízlések és pofonok

in full: ízlések és pofonok különbözőek/különböznek


amíg világ a világ

amíg (“as long as”) + világ (“world”) + a (“the”) + világ (“world”), literally: "as long as the world is world"

affix

until the end of the world
until the end of the world

till the end of time
till the end of time

until the sky falls down
until the sky falls down

(idiomatic) until the end of the world, till the end of time, until the sky falls down (forever)


aki kapja, marja

Literally, “whoever can seize it, takes it”.

lit

(idiomatic) It's catch-as-catch-can. (one can use any available means or methods)


szabad a vásár

desc

→ Pannonian Rusyn: сабат-вашар (sabat-vašar)

Literally, “the sale is free”, roughly translating into “(everyone is) free to bargain.”

(idiomatic) It's up for grabs. (available for anyone to obtain or claim)


mi járatban vagy

mi (“what”) + járat (“walking”) + -ban (“in”, case suffix) + vagy (“you are”, a conjugated form of the verb van)

affix

a conjugated form of the verb <i class="Latn mention" lang="hu">van</i>

(informal) What brings you here? What are you doing here? What are you up to (here)? What is your business/errand/mission (here)? Why have you come here? What wind blows you here?


minden egyes

[ˈmindɛnɛɟːɛʃ]

minden (“every”) + egyes (“single, individual”)


jöjjön, aminek jönnie kell

whatever must come, let it come (expressing acquiescence to something unchangeable, usually before some feared action)


nincs mit

nincs (“there is no”) + mi (“what”, here: anything, nothing) + -t (accusative suffix). Ellipsis of nincs mit megköszönni (literally “there is nothing to thank for”).

ellipsis

Coordinate term: (thank you) köszönöm

A: Köszönöm. – B: Nincs mit.

szóra sem érdemes

used especially when someone earnestly thinks something shouldn't have been thanked, e.g. a smile would have been perfectly enough

don't mention it, forget it, no problem, not at all (said in response to an expression of gratitude)


csak nézelődöm

I'm just looking (said to a shop assistant)


szervezeti és működési szabályzat

szervezeti (“organization-related”) + és (“and”) + működési (“operation-related”) + szabályzat (“regulation, policy, code, guideline”)

organizational and operational rules/regulations, rules/regulations of organization and operation (a kind of constitution or charter)


a biztonság kedvéért

a (“the”) + biztonság (“safety”) + kedvéért (“for …’s sake”), literally “for safety’s sake”

affix

on the safe side
on the safe side#English


ha a nagyanyámnak kereke volna, gurulna

[ˈhɒɒ ˈnɒɟɒɲaːmnɒk ˈkɛrɛkɛvolnɒ ˈɡurulnɒ]

ha (“if”) + a (“the”) + nagyanya (“grandmother”) + -m (“my”, possessive suffix) + -nak (“to”, dative suffix) + kerék (“wheel”) + -e (“her”, possessive suffix) + volna (“there would be; if [she] had”) + gurul (“roll”) + -na (“would”, conditional suffix).
Literally: “If my grandmother had a wheel [or: wheels], she would roll.”

af

if my aunt had balls, she'd be my uncle
if my aunt had balls, she'd be my uncle

if pigs had wings they would fly
if pigs had wings they would fly

(idiomatic) if my aunt had balls, she'd be my uncle, if pigs had wings they would fly, if wishes were horses, beggars would ride, if ifs and ans were pots and pans, there'd be no work for tinkers' hands (there is no point in discussing unreal and/or impossible scenarios)

the following variants also occur: nagyanyámnak

[to] my aunt; [to] my grandfather; wheelbarrow

nagynénikémnek. A nagypapámnak () occurs with talicska ().

akkor can occur without any change in meaning

ő volna

she would/could be a tram/trolley-bus/steam-locomotive/omnibus


nem az én asztalom

nem (“not”) + az (“the”) + én (“I”) + asztal (“table, desk”) + -om (possessive suffix), literally: "it's not my desk".

affix

(informal) it is not up my alley, it is not my business/bag, I know nothing about it


a minap

a (“the”) + minap (“recently”), from mi (“[here] some”) + nap (“day”)

(idiomatic) recently, lately, the other day


amit nyer a réven, elveszti a vámon

[ˈɒmit ˈɲɛrɒ ˈreːvɛn ˈɛlvɛstijɒ ˈvaːmon]

ami (“what”) + -t (accusative suffix) + nyer (“to win”) + a (“the”) + rév (“port”) + -en (“on”, case suffix) + elveszt (“to lose”) + -i (personal suffix) + a (“the”) + vám (“customs”) + -on (“on”, case suffix), literally, "whatever one gains at the toll, one loses it at the customs."

swings and roundabouts
swings and roundabouts

what you lose on the swings you gain on the roundabouts, swings and roundabouts


sok kicsi sokra megy

sok (“a lot”) + kicsi (“little”) + sok (“a lot”) + -ra (case suffix) + megy (“to go”), literally: "a lot of little goes to a lot"

many a mickle makes a muckle
many a mickle makes a muckle

a penny saved is a penny earned
a penny saved is a penny earned

(idiomatic) every little helps, many a mickle makes a muckle, take care of the pennies and the pounds will take care of themselves, a penny saved is a penny earned (a lot of small amounts, put together, become a large amount)


amilyen hamar csak lehetséges

[ˈɒmijɛn ˌhɒmɒr ˌt͡ʃɒk ˈlɛhɛt͡ʃːeːɡɛʃ]

amilyen (“as”) + hamar (“soon”) + csak (“only”) + lehetséges (“possible”)


ízlések és pofonok

ízlés (“taste, preference”) + -ek (plural suffix) + és (“and”) + pofon (“slap in the face”) + -ok (plural suffix). Literally: “tastes and slaps in the face”. Ellipsis of ízlések és pofonok különbözőek/különböznek (literally “tastes and slaps in the face are different [they can vary per each person]”).

ellipsis

tastes and slaps in the face are different 􂀿they can vary per each person􂁀

there's no accounting for taste
there's no accounting for taste

different strokes for different folks
different strokes for different folks

one man's meat is another man's poison
one man's meat is another man's poison

(idiomatic) there's no accounting for taste, to each his own, different strokes for different folks, one man's meat is another man's poison


legyen szíves

[ˈlɛɟɛnsiːvɛʃ]

legyen (“be”, formal imperative) + szíves (“kind”)

A nevét, legyen szíves.


se nem oszt, se nem szoroz

se (“neither”) + nem (“not”) + oszt (“to divide”) + se (“nor”) + nem (“not”) + szoroz (“to multiply”), approximately "it neither divides, nor multiplies"

affix

(idiomatic) it doesn't matter, it doesn't make any difference, it doesn't carry a lot of weight, it is of no consequence, it is not important


nem oszt, nem szoroz

nem (“not”) + oszt (“to divide”) + nem (“not”) + szoroz (“to multiply”), approximately "neither divides, nor multiplies"

se nem oszt, se nem szoroz
se nem oszt, se nem szoroz#Hungarian

(idiomatic) Alternative form of se nem oszt, se nem szoroz.


belépni tilos

belépni (“to enter”) + tilos (“prohibited”)

do not enter, no entry, no trespassing (indicates that an area should not be entered)


falra hányt borsó

[ˈfɒrːɒɦaːɲt ˌborʃoː]

fal (“wall”) + -ra (“onto”, case suffix) + hányt (“thrown”) + borsó (“pea[s]”). Literally, “pea[s] thrown onto [a] wall”.

lit

Mindegy, hogy mit mondok neki. Falra hányt borsó.

It doesn’t matter what I say to him/her. It’s like talking to a wall.

like talking to a wall
like talking to a wall

like water off a duck's back
like water off a duck's back

(colloquial, idiomatic) like talking to a wall, like water off a duck's back, wasted breath (wasted words)


lesz, ami lesz

Literally "what will be, will be". From lesz (“will be”) + ami (“what”) + lesz (“will be”).

affix

whatever happens, happens
whatever happens, happens

(idiomatic) come what may, no matter what, whatever happens, happens (under all and any circumstances)


légy szíves

légy (“be”, informal imperative) + szíves (“kind”)

léci

its contraction and eye-dialect spellings


nyugtával dicsérd a napot

Literally: “praise the day [only] at sunset”, from nyugta (“sunset”) + -val (“with”, case suffix) + dicsér (“to praise”) + -d (personal suffix) + a (“the”) + nap (“day”) + -ot (accusative suffix).

it ain't over 'til the fat lady sings
it ain't over 'til the fat lady sings

(idiomatic) don't count your chickens before they're hatched, it ain't over 'til the fat lady sings (don't criticize or praise something until it has been completed)


m. v.

Abbreviation. Compare German a. G. (abbreviation of als Gast (“as a guest”)).

noncog

abbreviation of <i class="Latn mention" lang="de">als Gast</i> (“as a guest”)

Lear, Britannia királya: Nagy István m. v.

Lear, King of Britain: István Nagy (as a guest)

(theater) Abbreviation of mint vendég (“as a guest”): used on playbills or theater programs after the name of a person (actor, director etc.) who participates in the performance but is not a member of the theater company.


NB.

NB

nemzeti bajnokság; the Hungarian professional league for association football clubs


próba szerencse

próba (“trial, attempt”) + szerencse (“luck”), literally: “trial―luck”, that is, a trial might as well end up in a lucky outcome.

af

(idiomatic) hit-or-miss, trial and error

próba-szerencse

nonstandard but fairly common, especially in attributive role


nincs mese

nincs (“there is no”) + mese (“fairy tale”)

affix

1987, Q24288241 (Q24288241) (translator), Zsiványok (emlékezés), Európa Zsebkönyvek, originally The Reivers: A Reminiscence by William Faulkner
Nincs mese: magának is éppúgy meg kell szoknia az autókat, mint másoknak.

You might as well give up: you got to get used to automobiles like everybody else.

(idiomatic) and that’s the end (of the story), and that’s it (there is no place for negotiation over the matter, it has to be implemented, whether we like it or not: usually used in case of an external necessity)


a háta mögött

[ɒ ˈhaːtɒ ˈmøɡøtː]

a (“the”) + hát (“back”) + -a (“his/her/its”, possessive suffix) + mögött (“behind”), literally “behind one’s back”

A munkatársam szemben hízeleg a főnöknek, de a háta mögött gúnyt űz belőle.

My coworker is nice to the boss when he’s here, but makes fun of him when he’s not present.

behind someone's back
behind someone's back

(idiomatic) behind someone's back (when someone is not present)

Kati háta mögött eladták mindenét.

They’ve sold all Kati’s property behind her back.

(idiomatic) behind someone's back (without somebody's knowledge, deliberately leaving someone out)


az ember

az (“the”) + ember (“person, human being, [generic] man”)

af

Az embernek szórakoznia is kell néha.

Sajnos az ember nem tud pénz nélkül élni.

Unfortunately you can’t live without money.

Az ebédrehívás mindannyiuknak jólesett, mert az ember megéhezik a sok beszéd közt s a háború félelmében.

1922, Zsigmond Móricz, Tündérkert, book 1, chapter 9:

The invitation to lunch made all of them feel good, for anyone would get hungry from much talk and the fear of the war.

(idiomatic) one, you (any person; applying to people in general, used as an indefinite, generic pronoun)

Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see az, ember.


most már

Rendben van, most már elmehetsz.

Eleget vártam, most már nem várok tovább.

I’ve waited enough; I won’t wait any longer.

already, now (differently from the immediate past)


szó szerint

literally (word for word; not figuratively; not as an idiom or metaphor)


most ugrik a majom a vízbe

Literally, “now the monkey is about to jump into the water”, from most (“now”) + ugrik (“jumps”) + a (“the”) + majom (“monkey”) + a (“the”) + víz (“water”) + -be (“into”).

affix

(colloquial) It can be said in the following cases:

Now comes the most interesting part of the situation/matter.

Now the outcome of a situation/action/attempt will be revealed. This is the moment of truth.


azonosítatlan repülő tárgy

azonosítatlan (“unidentified”) + repülő (“flying”) + tárgy (“object”)

unidentified flying object
unidentified flying object


jobbulást

jobbulás (“getting better”) + -t (accusative suffix)


a szabadban

a (“the”) + szabad (“free, unrestricted”) + -ban (“in”, case suffix)

(idiomatic) in the open, outside, outdoors, alfresco


eső után köpönyeg

[ˈɛʃøːutaːn ˌkøpøɲɛɡ]

eső (“rain”) + után (“after”) + köpönyeg (“cloak”), literally “cloak after [the] rain”

(idiomatic) close the stable door after the horse has bolted, cry over spilt milk (it's too late to be careful after a sustained damage)


fel a fejjel

[ˈfɛl ɒ ˈfɛjːɛl]

fel (“up”) + a (“the”) + fej (“head”) + -vel (“with”, case suffix), literally “up with the head”

cheer up, chin up (an encouragement to somebody who seems unhappy)


azért is

From azért, causal-final singular of az (“that”), and is (“also, even”), literally “for that as well” or, loosely, “even in that case”.

De azért is kipróbálom.

Csak azért is!

Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see azért, is.


se szeri, se száma

[ʃɛ ˈsɛri ʃɛ ˈsaːmɒ]

Literally, “neither row, nor number”, with the ellipsis of nincs (“there isn’t; it doesn’t have, they don’t have”). From se (“neither”) + szeri (dialectal form of possessive-suffixed szere, from szer (“row”), obsolete in this sense) + se (“nor”) + száma (“its/their number”, from szám).

from <i class="Latn mention" lang="hu">szám</i>

countless, endless, innumerable, legion, myriad (of people or things, if specified: -nak/-nek)


örülök, hogy megismerhetem

örülök (“I am glad”) + hogy (“that”) + megismerhetem (“I can get to know [you]”), omitting önt (formal “you”, accusative) as it is implied by the definite conjugation.

af

(formal) pleased to meet you, how do you do


örülök, hogy megismerhetlek

örülök (“I am glad”) + hogy (“that”) + megismerhetlek (“I can get to know you”).

örülök, hogy megismerhetem
örülök, hogy megismerhetem#Hungarian

(informal) Alternative form of örülök, hogy megismerhetem (“pleased to meet you, how do you do”, formal)


most az egyszer

1914. március 10-én indul Fiuméból a Carpathia nevű gőzös, amely a világ leghíresebb gőzhajója, mióta kimentette a Titanic túlélőit a fagyos Atlanti-óceánból. Drágább is a jegy, mint a többi hajóra, de Werner Sándor a pénzt most az egyszer nem sajnálja.

2019, Gábor Vida, Ahol az ő lelke, 2nd edition, Budapest: Magvető, →ISBN, page 18:


van ott minden, mint a búcsúban

Literally, “there is everything there, just like at a church fair”. The traditional búcsú or indulgence is a religious event that can see a large number of pilgrims, which means a fair is often set up to cater for them, leading to a sight of diverse facilities including music, food, vendors of various items and amusement park-style rides.

lit

everything but the kitchen sink
everything but the kitchen sink

everything under the sun
everything under the sun

(idiomatic) it has everything but the kitchen sink/everything under the sun


ne zavartassa magát

[ˈnɛzɒvɒrtɒʃːɒ ˌmɒɡaːt]

Literally, “don’t make yourself be bothered / disturbed / embarrassed”, the third-person (and formal 2nd-person) subjunctive form of nem zavartatja magát.

lit

Coordinate term: (informal) ne zavartasd magad

(idiomatic) go ahead, be my guest, feel at ease


nem zavartatja magát

Literally, “not to make oneself be bothered / disturbed / embarrassed”, the negative reflexive form of zavartat, the causative of the verb zavar (“to disturb, bother”).

lit

(idiomatic, chiefly in the negative or in questions) to feel free


annyi baj legyen

[ˈɒɲːi ˌbɒjlɛɟɛn]

Literally, “There should be that much trouble”, or more loosely translated as “this [much] should be all the problem we have”.

m-g

this 􂀿much􂁀 should be all the problem we have

lit

(idiomatic) never mind, it doesn't matter, no worries


a béka segge alatt

[ɒ ˈbeːkɒ ˌʃɛɡːɛɒlɒtː]

Literally, “under/below the frog’s ass”.


csak a testemen keresztül

(idiomatic) over my dead body (under no circumstances; absolutely not)


egyre megy

(colloquial, figurative) it makes no difference, it amounts to the same thing


From jó éjt (“good night”), with éjt (accusative singular of éj (“night”)) replaced by 8 due to the fact that it is a homophone of English eight. Compare German GN8, from gute Nacht (“good night”).

Nagyon szépen köszönök mindenkinek minden segítséget, és ezt azért írtam, hogy más nehogy így járjon! ¶ Jó8 Nektek!

2004 August 31, Reszegi Miklos, “Re: Érdekes mail szerver viselkedés”, in hun.lists.mlf.linux (Usenet):

Thank you very much to everyone for all the help, and I wrote this so that others wouldn't end up like this! ¶ Good night to you all!

(Internet slang, text messaging) Abbreviation of jó éjt (“good night”).