Ways to say it
| Hungarian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| üdvözlet | [ˈydvøzlɛt] (narrow) | |
| Isten hozott | [ˈiʃtɛn ˌhozotː] (narrow) | informal |
| Isten hozta | [ˈiʃtɛn ˌhostɒ] (narrow) | formal |
| köszöntöm önöket | formal |
In Hungarian, the way you express 'welcome' depends on whether you are using a general noun or a specific greeting for someone's arrival. üdvözlet is a general noun meaning a greeting or a welcome. When someone actually arrives, you would use the idiomatic phrases Isten hozott or Isten hozta. Another common and general way to say 'welcome' is Üdvözöljük! If you want to say 'we welcome you' in a formal way, you can use Köszöntjük!
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase Isten hozott literally means 'God brought (you)'.
Which one should you use?
While üdvözlet is a general noun for a greeting, Isten hozott and Isten hozta are specific idiomatic expressions used to welcome someone upon arrival. Isten hozott is the informal version, whereas Isten hozta is the formal version. For highly formal settings like official ceremonies or speeches, you can use köszöntöm önöket, which means 'I greet you' (plural/formal).
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Isten hozott is informal. Isten hozta and köszöntöm önöket are formal. Üdvözöljük! is a common and general formal way to say welcome, and Köszöntjük! is also formal, translating to 'we welcome you'.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The formal version Isten hozta uses the third-person singular form to show respect to the person being welcomed.
Did you know?
- Unlike in English, where 'welcome' is often used as a response to 'thank you', Hungarian uses completely different phrases for that purpose.
- The term Isten was likely formed by adding two different diminutive suffixes to its original root.
- When using the formal greeting Isten hozta, you are technically speaking about the guest in the third person to show extreme respect.
Examples in context
- Isten hozott a csapatba!Welcome to the team.This is useful for welcoming someone to a team.Tatoeba #4646814 by maaster, translation #4646720 by pinkmpnster
- Isten hozott a csoportba!Welcome to the group.This is useful for welcoming someone to a group.Tatoeba #4054739 by mraz, translation #3933087 by muriloricci
- Isten hozott a Vadnyugaton!Welcome to the Wild West.This is useful for welcoming someone to the Wild West.Tatoeba #1073858 by Mofli, translation #1073857 by Mofli
- 15 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Zsófia greets Tamás as he arrives at a formal event.
- ZsófiaSzívélyes üdvözlet mindenki számára!A warm welcome to everyone!
- TamásKöszönöm szépen, örülök, hogy itt vagyok.Thank you very much, I am glad to be here.
- ZsófiaÜdvözlet, Tamás! Kérlek, gyere be.Welcome, Tamás! Please, come inside.
- TamásKöszönöm, nagyon kedves tőled.Thank you, that is very kind of you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “welcome” translations and entries üdvözlet, Isten hozott, Isten hozta, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Isten, Isten hozott, Isten hozta, hozott, hozta, isten, köszöntöm, üdvözlet, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
