Hungarian Slang 201: Duolingo Won’t Teach You These!

Whether you’ve been here for a couple of years or just a couple of weeks, you probably already survive an Aldi trip with a confident szia and köszönöm. But if you want to flex outside your Duolingo streak and spice up your daily interactions with peers, it’s time to level up. So… 

Welcome to Hungarian Slang 201! 

Everyday Fillers & Exclamations 

 Forget plain szia. Hungarians have a buffet of casual hellos: 

csáó, csá, hali. 

Mizu (mee-zoo) – What’s up? 

Short for mi újság? Used like “sup?” Example: “Mizu, tesó?” 

And if you’ve taken Hungarian Slang 101, you already know tesó means “bro”! 

Köszi / Szivi – Thank you / You’re welcome.  

Cute, playful, often in texts. 

Hallod?! (ha-lod) – You hear?! 

Used like “dude!” or “you know?!” — the go-to way to start spilling some tea. Example: “Hallod?! That class was brutal.” 

Azt vágod?! (ast va-god) – You get that?! 

Similar to “you know what I mean?” but with extra punch. Example: “Azt vágod?! He actually showed up in pajamas.” 

Shortened & Cutified 

Izgi (iz-gee) – Exciting 

From izgalmas. Short, sweet, and way more fun. Example: “The new series is so izgi.” 

Muti (moo-tee) – Show me! 

From mutasd. Used constantly in group chats. Example: “Muti the photos!” 

Egi (Egészségedre) – to your health 

Use when drinking or instead of “Bless you” when sneezing. 

Pump-Up & Chill Words 

Irány! (ee-rany) – Let’s go! 

Motivational, like hyping up your bestie. 

Hajrá! (hye-ra) – Go for it! 

Perfect at sports games, exams, or when your friend’s about to do something wild. 

Pihi (pee-hee) – Chill/Rest 

Short for pihenés. A must after exams. Example: “Done with finals, time for pihi.” 

Az gatya – That sucks/That’s unfortunate 

Used when something’s bad or disappointing. Example: “The café closed early? Az gatya.” 

Csóró (cho-ro) – Broke 

For that end-of-month struggle. Example: “Can’t go out, I’m csóró until payday.” 

There you have it — Hungarian Slang 201. These are the words you’ll actually hear tossed around in dorms, cafés, and parties. Master them, and you’ll level up from “Duolingo tourist” to “honorary local” in no time.