Ways to say it
| Hungarian |
|---|
| sok szerencsét! |
| sok sikert! |
You use these phrases to wish fortune upon someone or to offer encouragement. While both wish well, they differ in focus: sok szerencsét! is used for general good fortune, whereas sok sikert! is used to wish someone success in a specific endeavor.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase sok szerencsét! literally translates to "much luck!"
Which one should you use?
sok szerencsét! focuses on general luck or good fortune, while sok sikert! focuses on wishing someone much success in a specific task or undertaking.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Budapest, the phrase Kitartást! is sometimes used to express good luck indirectly, meaning "perseverance" or "hang in there".
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
In the form sok szerencsét!, the word szerencsét is in the accusative case because there is an implied verb kívánok (I wish), which makes the luck the object of the sentence.
Did you know?
- The word sok in sok szerencsét! was borrowed from a Turkic language, making it a relative of the Turkish word çok.
- You would never wish someone sok sikert! if they were entering a lottery. Because this phrase focuses on success through effort, it cannot be used for events based on pure random chance.
- While English speakers use 'luck' for almost any positive outcome, a Hungarian speaker distinguishes between the random luck of szerencse and the earned success of siker.
Examples in context
- Viszontlátásra és sok szerencsét!Goodbye and good luck.This sentence shows how to use sok szerencsét! in a parting salutation.Tatoeba #6620025 by mraz, translation #434818 by lukaszpp
- Sok erőt kívánok, és kerüld a bajt! Sok szerencsét!Stay strong and safe. Good luck!This sentence shows how to use sok szerencsét! as an expression of encouragement.Tatoeba #8815260 by bandeirante, translation #2063671 by dryhay
- Sok szerencsét!Good luck.This sentence provides a simple, standalone use of sok szerencsét!Tatoeba #1059305 by Mofli, translation #239431 by sacredceltic
- Sok szerencsét a vizsgához!Good luck with the exam!
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Sources
- Wiktionary, “good luck” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries sikert, sok, szerencsét, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
