How to Say Goodbye in Hungarian
Share
Not just “what” to say—but where you’d actually hear it, who says it, and how it sounds in real life. Grounded. Precise. Human.
Fast guide — real-world pairings
• Formal, in person: Viszontlátásra! — e.g. shopkeeper to customer, office parting.
• Neutral/polite: Viszlát! — coworker in the hallway, neighbor at the gate.
• On the phone: Viszont hallásra! or casual Viszhal! — at work or in personal calls.
• Informal singular: Szia! — friends, peers.
• Informal plural: Sziasztok! — saying bye to a group.
• Late evening/night: Jó éjszakát! or short Jó éjt!
• “Take care” style: Vigyázz magadra! / formal Vigyázzon magára!
• “Have a nice rest of your day”: További szép napot (kívánok)!
Detailed phrases with usage notes
| Phrase | When & Where You Hear It | What It Means | Pronunciation Cue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Viszontlátásra! | Formal in-person—shops, offices, unfamiliar people | “Until seeing you again” (formal) | VI-zont-LAA-taa-shra |
| Viszlát! | Neutral/polite in person—work, neighborhood | Shorter, everyday version | VEES-laat |
| Viszont hallásra! | On phone, formal contexts | “Until hearing you again” | VI-zont HAH-laash-ra |
| Viszhal! | Casual phone sign-off | Clipped version of Viszont hallásra | VEES-hal |
| Szia! | Informal, singular—friends, young peers | “Hi” or “Bye” casually | SEE-a |
| Sziasztok! | Informal farewell to group | Plural “bye” among friends | SEE-as-tok |
| Szervusz! / Szervusztok! | Polite-informal—older speakers, regional, traditional | “Servus” origin; friendly but old-school | SEHR-voos / SEHR-voos-tok |
| Jó éjszakát! | Evening/night—general polite | “Good night” | yo AY-sa-kaat |
| Jó éjt! | Evening/night—very casual | Shorter “good night” | yo ayt |
| Minden jót! | Neutral/polite—written or spoken | “All the best!” | MEEN-den yout |
| További szép napot (kívánok)! | Polite daytime departure—shops, office | “Wishing you a nice rest of your day” | to-VAH-bee sayp NAH-pot |
| Vigyázz magadra! / Vigyázzon magára! | Informal vs. formal “take care” | “Take care of yourself” | VEE-gyass MAH-gad-ra / VEE-gyasson MAH-gra-ra |
| Pá! | Very casual—children, close friends | Quick “bye” | paa |
| Csáó! / Csá! | Slangy informal | “Ciao” borrowed usage | CHAO / chaa |
| Cső! | Very casual slang | Short “bye” among youth | tsuh |
| Helló! | Informal—can double as goodbye | “Hello” used for bye in relaxed settings | HELL-oh |
Micro-dialogs and lived snippets
“Thank you very much—goodbye!”
– “Viszontlátásra!”
“Thanks for calling! Bye!”
– “Viszhal!”
“Alright, I’m off—bye everyone!”
– “Szia!”
Written sign-offs
In emails or messages, the go-to is:
- Üdvözlettel, – formal (“With regards, ...”)
- Üdv, – semi-formal or friendly (“Regards, ...”)
- Minden jót, – neutral-friendly (“All the best, ...”)
Pronunciation & rhythm
Hungarian stress always lands on the first syllable. Vowels are pure and length-marked (á = long “a,” é = long “ay,” í = long “ee”). “Szia” is one beat: SEE-a, not “SEE-uh.” Multisyllable words like Viszontlátásra fall naturally: VI-zont-LAA-taa-shra. To nail rhythm, try fast phrase lists or audio examples like at HungarianPod101.
How to choose what fits
If unsure with a stranger, go formal with Viszontlátásra or at least Viszlát. If the other person switches to “Szia,” feel free to mirror informality. Group context demands plural: “Sziasztok” for groups. If you're on the phone, use “Viszont hallásra” or its clipped “Viszhal” for a smoother closure.