How to Say How Are You in Hungarian?
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Pronunciation that maps to real speech
Stress is on the first syllable. The letter pair gy is a soft sound. It is similar to the “d” in “duke” when pronounced quickly. Keep vowels short and clean.
Hogy vagy? sounds like “HOHDJ VAJ” in slow English mapping. The IPA is [ˈhoɟ ˈvɒɟ].
Hogy van? sounds like “HOHDJ VAHN”. The IPA is [ˈhoɟ vɒn].
When to use which form
Use Hogy vagy? with friends, family, classmates, and people your age in relaxed settings. Use Hogy van? with elders, teachers, clients, and strangers in professional introductions. When speaking to a group, use the plural form Hogy vagytok?. In writing you can soften the idea as a wish. For example, Remélem, jól van. for formal email tone.
Natural replies that Hungarians actually use
| Hungarian | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Jól vagyok. | I am well. | Neutral and correct in any context. |
| Köszönöm, jól. | Thank you, well. | Polite. Works for formal and informal. |
| Megvagyok. | I am hanging in there. | Colloquial. Slightly modest tone. |
| Nem túl jól. | Not too well. | Honest answer. Add a reason if needed. |
| Lehetnék jobb is. | Could be better. | Soft, indirect reply. |
| És te? or És ön? | And you. | Match the formality of the question. |
Useful variations you will hear
Mi újság? means “What is new”. It feels like “What’s up”.
Mi a helyzet? means “What is the situation”. It maps to “How are things”.
Hogy vagytok? is the plural “How are you all”. Use it with a small group you know.
Mini dialogues you can copy today
Informal meeting
A: Szia. Hogy vagy?
B: Köszönöm, jól. És te?
Formal introduction
A: Jó napot kívánok. Egy doktor vagyok.
B: Jó napot. Hogy van?
A: Köszönöm, jól. És ön?
Friends after a long week
A: Mi újság?
B: Megvagyok. Lehetnék jobb is.
Common pitfalls and how to avoid them
Formality mismatch. If you meet an older person or professional for the first time, choose Hogy van?. Shift to informal only when invited to do so.
Overpronouncing gy. The pair gy is soft. Keep it smooth and short. Avoid a hard “g” plus “y”.
Mixing forms within one exchange. If the other person says Hogy van? then reply with Jól vagyok, köszönöm. És ön? Do not switch to És te? in that same turn.
Fast answers to frequent questions
Is Hogy vagy always informal. Yes. It targets the informal second person. Treat it like English first name basis.
Is Ön required in Hogy van. No. Hogy van? alone is already polite. Ön adds extra clarity in writing or when the setting is very formal.
How do I ask a group. Use Hogy vagytok?. For a formal group in a presentation use a general greeting then a topic. For example, Jó napot kívánok. Köszönöm, hogy itt vannak.