How to Say “Nice to Meet You” in Hungarian
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Hungarian distinguishes informal you (te) and formal you (ön/maga). Choose forms below by context. Greeting lines are said right when you meet; parting lines are said at the end of the first meeting.
The default friendly line (informal, greeting)
Örülök, hogy megismerhetlek.
Meaning: I’m glad that I can get to know you. Use this when you first meet someone around your age or in an informal setting.
Pronunciation: [ˈøruløk ˈhoɟ ˈmɛɡiʃmɛrhɛtlɛk]
If you want a very short, courteous word at the moment of meeting in formal situations, Hungarians also use a set-piece greeting:
Örvendek.
Meaning: Pleased (to meet you). Concise, formal, and safe with elders, professors, or professional introductions.
Pronunciation: [ˈørvɛndɛk]
Formal greeting version (you just met)
Örülök, hogy megismerhetem.
Meaning: I’m glad that I can get to know you. Use with someone older, in business, or whenever respect is required.
Pronunciation: [ˈøruløk ˈhoɟ ˈmɛɡiʃmɛrhɛtɛm]
What to say at the end of the first meeting (parting)
English often repeats “Nice to meet you” at goodbye. In Hungarian, the natural parting lines switch to past mood because the meeting already happened.
Örülök, hogy megismertelek.
Informal parting: I’m glad I got to know you.
[ˈøruløk ˈhoɟ ˈmɛɡiʃmɛrtɛlɛk]
Örülök, hogy megismerhettem.
Formal parting: I’m glad I was able to get to know you.
[ˈøruløk ˈhoɟ ˈmɛɡiʃmɛrhɛtːɛm]
Örülök, hogy találkoztunk.
Neutral parting after a meeting: I’m glad we met.
[ˈøruløk ˈhoɟ ˈtɒlaːkozːtunk]
A very formal, literal option
Örvendek a találkozásnak.
Meaning: I am pleased about the meeting. Bookish and polite; suitable in highly courteous settings.
[ˈørvɛndɛk ɒ ˈtɒlaːkozaːʃnɒk]
Micro-dialogues you can copy
Informal, at the moment of meeting
A: Szia, Rick vagyok.
B: Örülök, hogy megismerhetlek.
Hi, I’m Rick. — Nice to meet you.
Formal, at the moment of meeting
A: Jó napot kívánok, egy doktor vagyok.
B: Örvendek. / Örülök, hogy megismerhetem.
Good day, I’m a Docotor. — Pleased to meet you. / Nice to meet you.
Natural parting after your first meeting
A: Köszönöm a beszélgetést.
B: Örülök, hogy megismerhettem. Viszontlátásra!
Thank you for the chat. — It was nice to meet you. Goodbye.
Common mistakes to avoid
Mixing up informal and formal endings breaks tone. Use megismerhetlek / megismertelek for informal, and megismerhetem / megismerhettem for formal.
Saying Örülök, hogy megismertelek to an older stranger in a business setting is too casual; choose the formal version.
Quick reference (no guesswork)
Greeting, informal: Örülök, hogy megismerhetlek.
Greeting, formal: Örülök, hogy megismerhetem. or Örvendek.
Parting, informal: Örülök, hogy megismertelek.
Parting, formal: Örülök, hogy megismerhettem.
Neutral parting (either): Örülök, hogy találkoztunk.