mindszent

The word mindszent [ˈmindsɛnt] is the short version of mindenszentek napja [ˈmindensɛntek nɑpjɑ], which means All Saints’ Day, and is held on November 1 every year.

On this day the Hungarians hold the nice tradition of taking flowers or wreaths to the graves of deceased relatives and lighting candles there. Then they visit their relatives, eat cakes, baked pumpkin and some other food while talking and remembering the passed aways. The cemeteries in the evenings of these days look really beautiful thanks to the lights of the many small candles.

minden [ˈmindɛn] – everything; every
szent [ˈsɛnt] – saint
nap [ˈnɑp]
1) day
2) sun

mécses [ˈmeːtʃeʃ] – lampion; candle (in glass)
gyertya [ˈɟɛrcɑ] – candle
gyertyát gyújtani [ˈɟɛrcaːt ɟuːjtɑni] – to light a candle

sütőtök [ˈʃytøːtøk] – pumpkin
sütő [ˈʃytøː]
1) baking; frying; roasting; broiling; grilling
2) baker [person]
3) oven

sütni [ˈʃytni]
1) to bake; to roast
2) to shine [the sun]

sülni [ˈʃylni] – to be baking
tök [ˈtøk]
1) squash; pumpkin; vegetable marrow
2) bells (a suit) [in card games]
3) male sex organs; male genital [informal]

Hungarian proverbs #48

Majd ha piros hó esik! [ˈmɑjd hɑ piroʃ hoː ɛʃik]

 

Translation:::

When red snow falls! | When red snow will fall!

 

Meaning:::

That will never happen! | It is impossible to happen! | When pigs fly!

 

majd [ˈmɑjd hɑ piroʃ hoː ɛʃik]

1) later; at a time in the future; sometime

2) and then; after it

3) almost; nearly (also as “majdnem”)

 

ha [ˈhɑ] – if

piros [ˈpiroʃ] – red

hó [ˈhoː] – snow

esni [ˈɛʃni]

1) to fall

2) to rain

[e.g.: Esik az eső. / Esik. – It is raining.]

3) to make somebody feel somehow

[e.g.: Hogy esne neked, ha…? – How would you like/feel if …?]

[e.g.: Jól esett az ebéd. – The lunch was(/felt) good.]

4) to happen

[e.g.: Úgy esett, hogy … – It happened that …]

 

Even though it is said in this saying, it is incorrect to say “esik a hó” (the snow is falling). We say “hull a hó”.

 

hullani [ˈhulːɑni]

1) to fall (snow)

2) to flow (tears) [e.g.: hullanak a könnyeim – my tears are flowing]

3) to fall out (hair) [e.g.: hullik a hajam – my hair is falling out/falls out]

4) to die [e.g.: hullanak, mint a legyek – they are dying off like flies]

anyósülés

anyósülés [ˈɑɲoːʃyleːʃ]  – passenger’s seat

[Literally::: mother-in-law’s seat]

 

anyós [ˈɑɲoːʃ] – mother-in-law

ülés [ˈyleːʃ] – seat; sitting

ülni [ˈylni] – to sit; to be sitting

 

According to some old rules of etiquette it is the mother-in-law who is sitting next to her daughter’s husband (who is the driver) when the family is going somewhere together. And that is why the seat is named after her. This tradition probably has evolved from the boy’s strategic move, when he was still only dating the girl, to get closer to her mother and make her recognize him as a good boy, who is perfect for her daughter. Because the mother’s opinion is very honoured in a family.

 

Some other theory says the seat is named after the mother-in-law only because when there is a tragic car accident, then the person sitting on that particular seat will most probably die in the accident… and some mother-in-laws can be really nerve-racking, so they will always be given that seat…

Isten / Sátán

Isten [ˈiʃtɛn] – God

Sátán [ˈʃaːtaːn] – Satan

 

Check out a great talk on this subject here.

 

Front/high vowels in Hungarian: e, é, i, í, ö, ő, ü, ű

Back/low vowels in Hungarian: a, á, o, ó, u, ú

As you are getting closer to God, love, the light, you are feeling better and better, higher and higher, and you are experiencing what you have wanted to experience, you got what you have wanted, you are happy. As you are getting away from God, love, the light, you are feeling worst and worst, lower and lower, and you are living in a deep dark place, you are depressed.