Hungarian customs you might want to know before coming to Hungary

All countries and people around the world have their own traditions and habits. Northern people’s habits are strange to people living South for example. That being said, Hungary is kind of unique and distinct in its customs and the habits of people living here. There are some things about Hungary the whole world finds strange or just simply disturbing. In this article, we aimed to collect some additional habits, customs and traditions that might be totally unusual to many people but Hungarians.

The “booger” issue

We have mentioned this in the previous instalment of strange Hungarian habits, but for many foreigners, this might be the most unusual or even straight-up grossest thing they will encounter in Hungary. As Lifey’s video points out, Hungarians do not really sniffle but rather we blow our noses in public. There is probably a reason that it wants to come out of there, you just should not try and hold it in. It is a usual sight in Hungary that someone blows their nose on the bus or on the streets or even during a meeting or at a restaurant. If you see a tourist family somewhere around the world where the mother is loaded with packets of tissue papers and would give them out to whatever family member needs it, there is a real good chance that they are Hungarians. Of course, the pandemic has changed a few things and you might not encounter this habit just that often.

“Fel fogsz fázni!”

If you ever try to sit down on anything cold in Hungary, you might hear this from your acquaintances or from really any random Hungarian, but mostly from old women and especially if you are a female yourself. This means that they care about you; it approximately translates to “you are going to get a cold (bottom)”. Hungarians are kind of cautious about sitting on cold surfaces because you might get a cold, or your urinary system might get upset, or in the case of young women and girls, it might be bad for their eggs. Mothers and grandmothers often tell young children this, especially their daughters and granddaughters, but they might tell any random person this from kindness. Be cautious about your health!

No one really smiles on the streets

Being a Hungarian myself, I have not really noticed this, but according to a blogger from Panama, Hungarians can look rather serious or maybe even sombre on the streets. Some people also say that Hungarians are rather stoic or negative, but I think it is not really true. Rather, we just do not smile for anyone. Hungarians are honest and we do not really like to veil our true feelings, but if you get emotionally closer to a Hungarian, they are certainly going to smile, we just do not really give away our smile to anyone.

Peculiarities when visiting a Hungarian in their home

The blogger from Panama also mentioned that it was strange for him that Hungarians take off their shoes in the anteroom or when entering someone’s house or apartment. We usually walk in our own houses in just socks. In my household, for example, you can even walk barefoot if that is more comfortable. Hungarians just do not like to bring the dirt and anything else that might be on the shoes into the entire house and in many places the host might offer you slippers to put on your feet. Also, when you visit a Hungarian in their homes, they will show you around the house or apartment, especially if they are proud of their home. You are not just going to get introduced to the people, but also to the home itself.