Mini language lesson #15: The Hungarian family

The names of family members form a key and basic part of any vocabulary, this is why the topic of family is a beloved subject at language exams. We thought we’d share an episode on family names in Hungarian, since it can be very useful in conversations.

Hungarian families are quite welcoming, there’s a good chance that they’ll offer you some pálinka or homemade wine right away. Hungarian hospitality helps to deepen relationships quite quickly, so much that you might even want to call your host “bátyó” or “papa” to show your gratitude. Jokes aside, the topic of family usually arises early on when learning a new language, this is why we put together a list that can come in handy any time. Prepare yourselves, because we have a word for everything 😉

Keep in mind that we are not linguists in any way, we’re just as dazzled by the curiosities of the Hungarian language as foreigners are. So this series doesn’t aim to explain the etymology of words, it’s more of a fun take on our language. We try to bring Hungarian closer to you with witty learning cards made by Daily magyar, a language-enthusiast person, whose posts give an insight into the complexity of Hungarian grammar. But don’t worry, it’s all done in an easy-going way so that it can make learning fun.

család – family

rokonság – kinship

rokon, hozzátartozó – relative

testvér – sibling

lánytestvér – sister

húg – younger sister

nővér – older sister

fiútestvér; fivér – brother

öcs – younger brother

báty – older brother

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szülő – parent

férj – husband

feleség – wife

vőlegény – groom

menyasszony – bride

anya (‘anyu’ ‘mama’ ‘mami’) – mother

apa (‘apu’ ‘papa’ ‘papi’) – father

nagyszülő – grandparent

nagyanya; nagymama; mama – grandmother

nagyapa; nagypapa; papa – grandfather

dédszülő – great-grandparent

dédanya; dédmama; ómama – great-grandmother

dédapa; dédpapa; ópapa – great-grandfather

ükszülő – great-great-grandparent

ükanya; ükmama – great-great-grandmother

ükapa; ükpapa – great-great-grandfather

szépszülő – great-great-great-grandparent

szépanya; szépmama – great-great-great-grandmother

szépapa; széppapa – great-great-great-grandfather

ős; előd; felmenő – great-great-great-great-grandparent, ancestor

ősanya – great-great-great-great-grandmother

ősapa – great-great-great-great-grandfather

após – father-in-law (spouse’s mother)

anyós – mother-in-law (spouse’s mother)

meny – daughter-in-law

vő – son-in-law

sógor – brother-in-law

sógornő – sister-in-law

nászúr – your child’s father-in-law

nászasszony – your child’s mother-in-law

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gyerek – child

fiúgyerek; fiú – son

lánygyerek; lány – daughter

unoka – grandchild

fiúunoka – grandson

lányunoka – granddaughter

dédunoka – great-grandchild

fiúdédunoka – great-grandson

lánydédunoka – great-granddaughter

ükunoka – great-great-grandchild

fiúükunoka – great-great-grandson

lányükunoka – great-great-granddaughter

szépunoka – great-great-great-grandchild

fiúszépunoka – great-great-great-grandson

lányszépunoka – great-great-great-granddaughter

leszármazott; utód; lemenő – great-great-great-great-grandchild, offspring

fiúutód – great-great-great-great-grandson

lányutód – great-great-great-great-granddaughter

unokatestvér – cousin (son or daughter of a person’s uncle or aunt)

másodunokatestvér; dédunokatestvér – cousin of your cousin (one of your grandparent’s sibling’s grandchild)

harmadunokatestvér; ükunokatestvér – cousin of your cousin’s cousin (one of your great-grandparent’s sibling’s great-grandchild)

nagybácsi; nagybátya; bátya – your mother’s or father’s brother

nagynéni; néne – your mother’s or father’s sister

nagy-nagybácsi – your grandmother’s or grandfather’s brother

nagy-nagynéni – your grandmother’s or grandfather’s sister

dédnagybácsi – your great-grandmother’s or great-grandfather’s brother

dédnagynéni – your great-grandmother’s or great-grandfather’s sister

üknagybácsi – your great-great-grandmother’s or great-great-grandfather’s brother

üknagynéni – your great-great-grandmother’s or great-great-grandfather’s sister

szépnagybácsi – your great-great-great-grandmother’s or great-great-grandfather’s brother

szépnagynéni – your great-great-great-grandmother’s or great-great-grandfather’s sister

ősnagybácsi – your great-great-great-great-grandmother’s or great-great-grandfather’s brother

ősnagynéni – your great-great-great-great-grandmother’s or great-great-grandfather’s sister

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Ce: bm

Source: Daily News Hungary