Spice up your Hungarian with some slang expressions

Learning a new language is more than just memorising grammar rules and new vocabulary. In order to achieve a more native-like language competence, you have to learn idioms, proverbs, and slang expressions that constitute an important part of everyday language use and colloquial speech.

Every language is full of creative and funny slang expressions. Perhaps the easiest and best way to learn slang is to watch movies and series in your target language − for example, on Netflix − or read the posts of native speakers on different social media platforms. We have collected some common Hungarian slang expressions.

adom [ʌdɒm]

literal translation: I give

meaning: good/great idea

az ő asztala [ʌz ɜː ʌstʌlʌ] – right up/down one’s alley

literal translation: this is his/her table

meaning: to be in one’s particular speciality, especially suited to someone’s tastes or abilities

beéget (valakit) [bɛeːgɛt (vʌlʌkɪt)]

literal translation: to burn (someone)

meaning: someone puts the other person in an awkward situation

be van sózva [bɛ vʌn ʃɔːzvʌ], zabszem van a fenekében [zʌbsɛm vʌn ʌ fɛnɛkeːbɛn]– have ants in one’s pants

literal translation: to be salted, to have oat grain in his/her bottom

meaning: to not be able to keep still, to be restless

csapassuk [tʃʌpʌʃʊk] – let’s hit it

literal translation: let’s hit it

meaning: let’s begin, let’s do it

elgurult a gyógyszere [ɛlgʊrʊlt ʌ ɟɔːɟsɛrɛ] – out of one’s mind

literal translation: his/her pills have rolled away

meaning: he/she has lost his/her mind, he/she is acting weird

Weird and funny Hungarian expressions

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ez nem (egy) nagy szám [ɛz nɛm (ɛ)ɟ nʌɟ sɑːm]

literal translation: it’s not (a) big number

meaning: it’s nothing special, it’s not a big deal

felköti a gatyáját [fɛlkətɪ ʌ gʌtjɑːjɑːt] – clean up one’s act

literal translation: to tie up his/her pants

meaning: to change one’s behaviour for the better

király [kɪrɑːj] – dope, lit

literal translation: king

meaning: cool, great, awesome

kutya baja (sincs) [kʊtjʌ bʌjʌ (ʃɪntʃ)] – be alive and kicking, fit as a fiddle

literal translation: not a dog’s problem

meaning: to be in good physical condition, to be active and healthy

nem százas [nɛm sɑːzʌʃ] – looney

literal translation: not a hundred

meaning: someone is crazy

szakad a röhögéstől [sʌkʌd ʌ rəhəgeːʃtɜːl] – crack up

literal translation: someone is tearing from laughter

meaning: to burst into laughter, to cause to laugh out loud

teljesen K. O. vagyok [tɛljɛʃɛn kɑː ɔː vʌɟɒk] – I’m so knackered

literal translation: I am completely K. O. (Knock Out)

meaning: I am very tired or exhausted

Read alsoHow well do you know the English language? – Words that come from Hungarian

Source: Daily News Hungary