Ez van


Ez van, ezt kell szeretni. [ˈɛz vɑn ɛzt kɛlː sɛrɛtni] – That’s the way it is, you’d better get used to it. You can’t change this situation.
(Literally: This is what it is (what exists), this is what you must like.)

It’s a phrase similar to “C’est la vie.” (Ilyen az élet. [ˈijɛn ɑz eːlɛt]), but it’s not applicable as a general truth in life, only to a certain situation / experience, which mostly is not what you had wanted it to be. So you must get used to how it turned out. 🙂

ez [ˈɛz] – this
az [ˈɑz] – that
van [ˈvɑn] – there is; exists
ezt [ˈɛzt] / [ˈɛst] – this (accusative); this one
azt [ˈɑzt] / [ˈɑst] – that (accusative); that one
kell [ˈkɛlː]
1) must; need to; have to
2) to be needed

szeretni [ˈsɛrɛtni] – to love; to like
szeret [ˈsɛrɛt] – he/she loves; he/she likes
szeretlek [ˈsɛrɛtlɛk] – I love you
kedvellek [ˈkɛdvɛlːɛk] – I like you
kedvel [ˈkɛdvɛl] – he/she likes; he/she enjoys
kedvelni [ˈkɛdvɛlni] – to like; to enjoy

Photo: linkingabo

majom a vízbe


Most ugrik a majom a vízbe. [ˈmoʃt ugrik ɑ mɑjom ɑ viːzbɛ] – Now the cat is out of the bag.
(Literally: Now the monkey is about to jump into the water.)
1) Now comes the most interesting part of the situation/​matter.
2) Now the outcome of a situation/​matter/​action will be revealed. This is the moment of truth.

most [ˈmoʃt] – now
ugrani [ˈugrɑni] – to jump
ugrik [ˈugrik] – he/she/it jumps; he/she/is about to jump
majom [ˈmɑjom] – monkey; ape
víz [ˈviːz] – water

Photo: Paul Blenkhorn (unsplash.com)

nyugtával dicsérd a napot


nyugtával dicsérd a napot [ˈɲugtaːvɑl ditʃeːrd ɑ nɑpot] – don’t praise something until it has been completed
(Literally: praise the day at sunset)

nap [ˈnɑp] – sun; day
napnyugta [ˈnɑpɲugtɑ] – sunset
nyugta [ˈɲugtɑ]
1) receipt (written acknowledgement)
2) rest; peace
3) sunset

nyugat [ˈɲugɑt] – west
nyugodt [ˈɲugotː] – calm; peaceful; tranquil
nyugodni [ˈɲugodni]
1) to rest
2) to set (sun)

nyugszik [ˈɲugsik] – it’s resting; it’s setting
megnyugszik [ˈmɛgɲugsik] – he/she is calming down
nyugodj meg! [ˈɲugoɟː mɛg] – calm down!
nyugi! [ˈɲugi] – don’t worry; fret not; take it easy; calm down (informal)
nyugalom! [ˈɲugɑlom] – don’t worry; fret not; take it easy; calm down
nyugalom [ˈɲugɑlom] – tranquillity; serenity; calmness; peacefulness

nyugtalanság [ˈɲugtɑlɑnʃaːg]
1) restlessness; disquiet; uneasiness; anxiety; inquietude
2) unrest; agitation; disturbance; turbulence; turmoil

nyugtalan [ˈɲugtɑlɑn]
1) restless
2) apprehensive; worried

nyugtat [ˈɲugtɑt] – he/she/it is calming / soothing / comforting
nyugtatni [ˈɲugtɑtni]
1) (transitive) to rest; to repose
2) (transitive) to calm; to still; to quiet; to soothe; to comfort

nyugtató [ˈɲugtɑtó]
1) sedative; tranquilizer (also as nyugtatószer)
2) calming; soothing; comforting

dicsérni [ˈditʃeːrni] – to praise; to compliment
dicsér [ˈditʃeːr] – he/she is praising / complimenting
dicséret [ˈditʃeːrɛt] – praise; compliment; commendation
dicséretes [ˈditʃeːrɛtɛʃ] – praiseworthy; laudable; commendable
dicséretre méltó [ˈditʃeːrɛtrɛ meːltoː] – praiseworthy

Photo: Gabriel Ádám – linkingabo (Daily magyar)

kenyérre lehet kenni


(őt) kenyérre lehet kenni [ˈkɛɲeːrːɛ lɛhɛt kɛnːi] – (he/she is) meek; good-tempered 🧈 🍞
(Literally: he/she is soft as butter, can be spread on bread)

kenyér [ˈkɛɲeːr] – bread
megkenni [ˈmɛgkɛnːi] – to spread; to grease; to oil
kenni [ˈkɛnːi] – to spread; to grease; to oil
ken [ˈkɛn] – he/she is spreading / greasing / oiling
kenőcs [ˈkɛnøːtʃ] – ointment; unguent; salve

vaj [ˈvɑj] – butter

Photo: Ken Boyd (pixabay.com)

örül


Örül, mint majom a farkának. [ˈøryl mint mɑjom ɑ fɑrkaːnɑk] – He/she is jumping for joy.
( Literally: He/she is as happy as a monkey about its tail.)

öröm [ˈørøm] – happiness
örül [ˈøryl] – he/she/it is happy
örülni [ˈørylni] – to be happy; to rejoice
mint [ˈmint] – as; like; than
majom [ˈmɑjom] – monkey; ape
farok [ˈfɑrok] – tail; dick
farkas [ˈfɑrkɑʃ] – wolf

a nap fénypontja


a nap fénypontja [ˈɑ nɑp feːɲponcɑ] – the highlight of the day
(Hungarian phrase)

a nap fémpontya [ˈɑ nɑp feːmponcɑ] – the metal-carp of the day
(funny interpretation of the phrase, allegedly first said by Miklós Galla of the L’art pour l’art Társulat comedy troupe in cca 1994)

nap [ˈnɑp]
1) day
2) sun ☀️

fénypont [ˈfeːɲpont] – highlight
fény [ˈfeːɲ] – light; shine
pont [ˈpont]
1) point; dot
2) full stop; period
3) clause; article; count (e.g. in a contract)
4) exactly; just; precisely (short for “pontosan[ˈpontoʃɑn])

fém [ˈfeːm] – metal
ponty [ˈponc] – carp 🐟

A béka segge alatt


A béka segge alatt van. 🐸
[ˈɑ beːkɑ ʃɛgːɛ ɑlɑtː vɑn]

Translation: It’s below the frog’s ass.
Meaning: It’s of bad quality. / It’s in poor condition.

or

A béka feneke alatt van. 🐸
[ˈɑ beːkɑ fɛnɛkɛ ɑlɑtː vɑn]

Translation: It’s below the frog’s bottom.
Meaning: It’s of bad quality. / It’s in poor condition.

béka [ˈbeːkɑ] – frog 🐸
segg [ˈʃɛgː] – ass
fenék [ˈfɛneːk] – bottom; buttock
alatt [ˈɑlɑtː] – under; below; underneath
alól [ˈɑloːl] – from under; from below
alá [ˈɑlaː] – to under; to underneath; to abelow; beneath

Photo: Samuel Giacomelli (unsplash.com)

nyilalló fájdalom


belé nyilallt a fájdalom [ˈbɛleː ɲilalːt ɑ faːjdɑlom] – he/she felt a sudden pain; he/she felt a sharp pain in…(Literally: he/she was arrow-struck with pain; he she was struck with pain as if had been struck with an arrow)

nyilalló fájdalom [ˈɲilalːoː faːjdɑlom] – shooting pain
nyilallni [ˈɲilalːni] – to stab; to shoot; to twitch; to stitch
nyilazni [ˈɲilazni] – to shoot an arrow
nyilazik [ˈɲilazik] – he/she is shooting an arrow
nyíl [ˈɲiːl] – arrow

fájdalom [ˈfaːjdɑlom] – pain
fáj [ˈfaːj] – it hurts

Photo: WikiImages (pixabay.com)

kutacs


Még nem nőtt be a feje lágya. [ˈmeːg nɛm nøːtː bɛ ɑ fɛjɛ laːɟɑ]

Translation: His/her soft spot hasn’t closed yet.
Meaning: He/she is so immature.; He/she is acting in a childish way.

kutacs [ˈkutɑtʃ] – soft spot; fontanelle
a fej lágya [ˈfɛj laːɟɑ] – the soft spot; the fontanelle
(Literally: the soft of the head; the soft part of the head)

fej [ˈfɛj] – head
lágy [ˈlaːɟ] – soft
puha [ˈpuhɑ] – soft

benőni [ˈbɛnøːni] – to grow in; to overgrow; to close
nőni [ˈnøːni] – to grow
[ˈnøː]
1) he/she/it is growing
2) woman

Moziba ne vigyelek?!


Moziba ne vigyelek?! [ˈmozibɑ nɛ viɟɛlɛk]

Translation: Shall I even take you to the cinema?!
Meaning: Stop it! You’re asking for too much!

When somebody is asking a lot of things from you to do all them at once or as soon as possible, you just get tired of it and ask “Moziba ne vigyelek?!”. The phrase is rather a bit arrogant, so don’t use it with your parents. 😀

mozi [ˈmozi] – cinema 📽️
(word created by Heltai Jenő around 1907)

mozi <– mozgóképszínház <– mozgófényképszínház

mozgókép [ˈmozgoːkeːp] – moving picture; motion picture
mozgóképszínház [ˈmozgoːkeːpsiːnhaːz] – moving picture theatre
mozgófényképszínház [ˈmozgoːfeːɲkeːpsiːnhaːz] – moving photograph theatre
mozgó [ˈmozgoː] – moving; mobile
mozogni [ˈmozogni] – to move
mozog [ˈmozog] – he/she/it is moving
mozdul [ˈmozdul] – he/she/it moves
mozdulni [ˈmozdulni] – to move; to stir
mozdulat [ˈmozdulɑt] – movement

fénykép [ˈfeːɲkeːp] – photograph
fény [ˈfeːɲ] – light; shine
kép [ˈkeːp] – picture; image; frame

filmszínház [ˈfilmsiːnhaːz] – movie theatre; cinema
színház [ˈsiːnhaːz] – theatre; theater; playhouse
szín [ˈsiːn]
1) color
2) scene; play (also as ‘színdarab’)

ház [ˈhaːz] – house

Photo: Jake Hills (unsplash.com)