József
[ˈjoːʒɛf]
The English name Joseph is translated into Hungarian as József.
József is the standard Hungarian male given name used for Joseph.
Meaning: male given name (name)
Which one should you use?
József is the standard form, while Józsi is used in informal settings.
How does it change in a sentence?
To express the meaning 'to Joseph' or 'for Joseph', add the dative suffix -nek to the name to form Józsefnek.
Did you know?
- In Hungarian culture, Józsi is often used as a generic nickname for a 'regular guy' or a helpful handyman, regardless of their actual name.
- Hungarian names use a family-name first order, so a person named Joseph Kovács would be introduced as Kovács József.
- The name József is strongly associated with the 'enlightened absolutism' of Emperor Joseph II, who implemented many reforms in Hungary during the late 18th century.
Examples in context
- Jó napot kívánok, József!Hello, Joseph!
- Szia, Józsi!Hi, Joseph!
- József egy nagyon jó barátom.József is a very good friend of mine.
- A fiú neve József.The boy's name is József.
Example conversation
Anna and Gábor are talking about a mutual acquaintance.
- AnnaLáttad már Józsefet ma?Have you seen József today?
- GáborNem, még nem találkoztunk.No, we haven't met yet.
- AnnaTudod, hol ő van?Do you know where he is?
- GáborSzerintem József az irodában van.I think József is in the office.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “joseph” translations and entries József, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
