talán
[ˈtɒlaːn]
The English word 'maybe' is translated into Hungarian as talán.
talán is an adverb used to indicate a lack of certainty, expressing a possibility or a guess. Depending on the nuance of your sentence, it can also be translated as 'perhaps' or 'perchance'. In a sentence, talán can be placed at the beginning, such as in the phrase Talán eljövök holnap even though its English translation is 'Maybe I will come tomorrow.
Meaning: indicating a lack of certainty (adv)
Which one should you use?
While talán expresses a possibility, the phrase vagy lehet, hogy is a more common way to express 'maybe' or 'it might be that' in conversational speech when you are introducing a full clause.
Did you know?
- The word talán actually comes from the verb 'találni', which means 'to find'. It is a shortened version of the phrase 'találom', meaning 'I find it [to be so]'.
- In Hungarian, the concept of 'maybe' is often expressed as lehet, which literally means 'it is possible'.
- Depending on the placement in a sentence, talán can change the entire tone from a simple guess to a more poetic or contemplative statement.
Examples in context
- Talán a sors volt.Maybe it was fate.This sentence is useful for expressing a belief about fate using talán.Tatoeba #4873938 by bandeirante, translation #4495157 by CK
- Talán ez egy csapda.Maybe it's a trap.This sentence shows how to express a suspicion or possibility using talán.Tatoeba #9130863 by kiseva33, translation #1556022 by Spamster
- Talán Tom fog győzni.Maybe Tom will win.This sentence demonstrates using talán to express a possibility regarding a future event.Tatoeba #4900784 by bandeirante, translation #4502899 by CK
- Talán eljövök holnap.Maybe I'll come tomorrow.
- Talán, én majd hívlak, jó?Maybe, I'll call you later, okay?
- Holnap találkozhatnánk egy kávéra?Could we meet for a coffee tomorrow?
- Hátha ráérnék délután, akkor jó lenne.Maybe I'll have time in the afternoon, then it would be fine.
- 164 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Zoltán and Katalin are deciding what to eat for dinner.
- ZoltánKatalin, rendeljünk egy pizzát?Katalin, shall we order a pizza?
- KatalinTalán, de még éhes nem vagyok.Maybe, but I am not hungry yet.
- ZoltánMikor lesz éhes?When will you be hungry?
- KatalinEgy óra múva biztosan igen.In an hour, definitely yes.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “maybe” translations and entries talán, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries talán, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
