fivér
[ˈfiveːr]
The English word "brother" is translated into Hungarian as fivér. Wiktionary also lists fiútestvér and bátya.
Meaning: male sibling (noun)
Ways to say it
| Hungarian | IPA |
|---|---|
| fivér | [ˈfiveːr] (narrow) |
| fiútestvér | [ˈfijuːtɛʃtveːr] (narrow) |
| bátya | [ˈbaːcɒ] (narrow) |
| öcs | [ˈøt͡ʃː] (narrow) |
Hungarian has several ways to specify a brother depending on his age relative to you. While fivér is the general term for a male sibling, fiútestvér is used to specify a male sibling.
What does it mean word for word?
The word fiútestvér is a compound consisting of fiú, meaning boy and testvér, meaning sibling or blood brother.
Which one should you use?
The terms differ primarily by the age of the brother. Use öcs to refer specifically to a younger brother, and bátya to refer to an older brother.
How does it change in a sentence?
When using öcs to indicate possession, you must add suffixes. To say "my younger brother," use the form öcsém by adding the suffix -ém. To say "your younger brother," use the form öcsed by adding the suffix -ed.
Did you know?
- The general term fivér literally translates to 'boy-blood', combining fiú for 'boy' and vér for 'blood'.
- In Hungarian, calling someone bátyám ('my big brother') can be a way to show kinship or solidarity in certain social circles or trades.
- While testvér means 'sibling', it is formed from test meaning 'body' and vér meaning 'blood'.
Examples in context
- Ő az öcsém, Tom.This is my brother, Tom.This sentence is useful for introducing your younger brother, Tom, using the form öcs.Tatoeba #4732096 by maaster, translation #4731517 by CK
- Hol él az öcséd?Where does your brother live?This sentence is useful for asking where someone's younger brother lives, using the form öcs.Tatoeba #8359378 by maaster, translation #7737521 by CK
- Hol a másik öcséd?Where is your other younger brother?This sentence is useful for asking about another younger brother, using the form öcs.Tatoeba #4023547 by bandeirante, translation #4023294 by chrisrice314
- Köszönöm, testvér, hogy mindig mellettem állsz.Thank you, brother, for always being there for me.
- 172 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Anna and Tamás are talking about their families.
- AnnaVan egy fivéred?Do you have a brother?
- TamásNem, egyetlen gyermek vagyok.No, I am an only child.
- AnnaÉs nekem van egy fivérem.And I have a brother.
- TamásHány éves ő?How old is he?
Sources
- Wiktionary, “brother” translations and entries fivér, fiútestvér, bátya, öcs, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bátya, fivér, fiútestvér, öcs, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
