8 Hungarian Idioms to Spice Up Your Conversations

Hungarian is full of bizarre, poetic, and sometimes downright confusing idioms. If you're learning the language, throwing a few of these into conversation will make you sound less like a textbook and more like someone who actually knows their stuff. Here are eight of the best.

1. "A kutya ugat, a karaván halad."

A kutya ugat, a karaván halad.

/ɒ ˈkucɒ ˈuɡɒt ɒ ˈkɒrɒvaːn ˈhɒlɒd/

“The dog barks, the caravan moves on.”

Basically, haters gonna hate. People will complain, but life goes on. Use this when someone’s being overly critical and you just don’t care.

2. "Lófüttyért sem adom."

Lófüttyért sem adom.

/ˈloːfyccɛrt ʃɛm ˈɒdom/

“I wouldn’t give it for a horse’s whistle.”

Means something is so valuable you wouldn’t trade it for anything. Spoiler: horses don’t whistle, so this is basically saying 'not a chance in hell.'

3. "Úgy alszik, mint a tejbefőtt cinke."

Úgy alszik, mint a tejbefőtt cinke.

/ˈuɟ ˈɒlsik mint ɒ ˈtɛjbɛføːtː ˈtsinkɛ/

“He/she sleeps like a tit in boiled milk.”

A weirdly specific way to say someone’s sleeping like a baby. No one knows why it’s a tit (the bird) or why it’s in boiled milk, but Hungarians love it.

4. "Két ló közül ül."

Két ló közül ül.

/ˈkeːt ˈloː ˈkøzyl ˈyl/

“He/she sits between two horses.”

The Hungarian version of 'straddling the fence.' Perfect for describing someone who can’t make up their mind.

5. "Mint macska a forró kályhán."

Mint macska a forró kályhán.

/mint ˈmɒt͡ʃkɒ ɒ ˈforːoː ˈkaːjhaːn/

“Like a cat on a hot stove.”

Someone who’s restless or fidgety. The Hungarian equivalent of the English 'like a cat on a hot tin roof,' but with a stove instead.

6. "Aranyából van a szűz."

Aranyából van a szűz.

/ˈɒrɒɲaːboːl vɒn ɒ ˈsyːz/

“The virgin is made of gold.”

An old-fashioned way to say someone is spoiled or pampered. Not super common these days, but still fun to drop if you want to sound like a 19th-century noble.

7. "Úgy esik, mintha lóköpönyeget adtak volna neki."

Úgy esik, mintha lóköpönyeget adtak volna neki.

/ˈuɟ ˈɛʃik ˈminthɒ ˈloːkøpøɲɛɡɛt ˈɒdːɒk volnɒ ˈnɛki/

“He/she falls like they were given a horse blanket.”

A dramatic way to say someone fell hard. No one’s sure why a horse blanket makes you fall worse, but Hungarians swear by it.

8. "Nagyot mondott a kismalac."

Nagyot mondott a kismalac.

/ˈnɒɟot ˈmondotː ɒ ˈkiʃmɒlɒt͡s/

“The little pig said something big.”

Used when someone makes a bold claim or a grand statement. Basically, 'that’s a big talk for a little pig.'

Pro tip: If you want to sound even more natural, check out our guide on How to Swear Politely in Hungarian for some cheeky additions to your vocabulary.

Hungarian idioms are weird, wonderful, and a great way to show off your language skills. Try slipping one into conversation and watch the locals’ reactions - just don’t blame us if they laugh at you.