Slang

1. Csá

   Hi / Bye

   Usage

   From the Italian ciao, for both hello and goodbye. Friends, peers and young shop staff only — with older strangers or officials use Jó napot kívánok

2. Szia

   Hi (to someone you address informally)

   Usage

   The safest of the casual greetings — fine with anyone you would address as te. Sziasztok for a group. Avoid it with older people and in official settings

3. Szevasz

   Hey there

   Usage

   A worn-down form of the Latin-derived szervusz. Slightly old-fashioned and warm, typical between men who know each other. Not for strangers or superiors

4. Mizu?

   What's up?

   Usage

   A contraction of Mi újság?, what is new — a fixture of texting and social media. Peers and friends only, never in a work email

5. Haver

   Mate / buddy

   Usage

   The casual word for a friend. Usable as a form of address, but only with peers or younger people you already get on with — never for a stranger

6. Király

   Awesome

   Usage

   Literally king, used as an exclamation meaning brilliant. A safe compliment for friends, and for a guide or shopkeeper you have warmed to

7. Tök jó

   Really good

   Usage

   tök is literally pumpkin but works as an intensifier, very. It carries no crude edge, so it is fine with friends and staff alike

8. Csúcs

   Top-notch

   Usage

   Literally a summit. Ez csúcs!, this is the best, works for food or a view and cannot offend anyone

9. Durva

   That's intense

   Usage

   Literally coarse or harsh; as a reaction it means wow, that is a lot. It can be admiring or appalled, so read the room. For friends

10. Ez para

    That's sketchy

    Usage

    para is clipped from paranoia and means unease or a dicey situation. Say it to friends about a situation — not at staff as a complaint

11. Ciki

    Awkward / cringe

    Usage

    An awkward situation or an embarrassing slip. Safest aimed at your own blunder — calling someone else's behaviour ciki sounds like criticism. Friends only

12. Uncsi

    Boring

    Usage

    A playful clipping of unalmas, boring. For friends and family — saying it about a tour in the guide's hearing is rude

13. Buli

    Party

    Usage

    The casual word for a party, including a night out at Budapest's ruin bars. Safe with anyone

14. Kaja

    Grub / food

    Usage

    The casual counterpart of étel, food; the verb is kajálni. Normal among friends and in a canteen, but order with étel in a restaurant

15. Pia

    Booze

    Usage

    The casual catch-all for alcohol; the verb is piálni. Keep it among friends — order with ital, drink, or name the drink

16. Bocsi

    Sorry!

    Usage

    An affectionate clipping of bocsánat. For small slips among friends; for a real apology — bumping someone, arriving late — say Elnézést

17. Puszi

    Kiss (sign-off)

    Usage

    A peck on the cheek, and also a way to sign off a message. Family and close friends only. The two-cheek greeting kiss is common here between women and between close friends

18. Vágod?

    You get it?

    Usage

    The verb vág, to cut, used colloquially for to get it. A mid-conversation check with peers — it would sound over-familiar to an elder

19. Naná

    Of course!

    Usage

    An emphatic obviously, with a jokey ring — keep it for friends and use Természetesen at work

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