igen is meg nem is
[ˈiɡɛn ˈiʃ ˈmɛɡ ˈnɛm ˈiʃ]word by word
The English phrase "yes and no" is expressed in Hungarian as igen is meg nem is. Wiktionary also lists igen is, nem is and is-is.
Meaning: indicating there is no simple "yes" or "no" answer (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Hungarian | IPA |
|---|---|
| igen is meg nem is | [ˈiɡɛn ˈiʃ ˈmɛɡ ˈnɛm ˈiʃ] (word by word, narrow) |
| igen is, nem is | [ˈiɡɛn ˈiʃ ˈnɛm ˈiʃ] (word by word, narrow) |
| is-is |
This phrase is used to indicate there is no simple "yes" or "no" answer.
What does it mean word for word?
The expression literally translates to "yes also and no also", where the particle is functions as "also" or "too".
Which one should you use?
The form igen is meg nem is is the standard idiomatic expression. The variant igen is, nem is uses a comma instead of a conjunction. The highly abbreviated form is-is is also available.
Did you know?
- Some scholars believe igen was borrowed from a Turkic particle meaning 'evidently' or 'certainly'. This would link the Hungarian word for 'yes' to the ancient root for 'to be'.
Example sentences for Hungarian are not verified yet.
Example conversation
Zoltán and Éva are discussing if a new movie is good.
- ZoltánSzeretted a filmet, Éva?Did you like the movie, Éva?
- ÉvaIgen is meg nem is, Zoltán.Yes and no, Zoltán.
- ZoltánMiért nem csak igen?Why not just yes?
- ÉvaA történet jó volt, de a vége rossz.The story was good, but the ending was bad.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “yes and no” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (igen, is, meg, nem) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries igen, is, meg, nem, CC BY-SA 4.0.
