Hungarian Proverbs III

Sz

* Szó elszáll, írás megmarad.
o Literal translation: Words fly away, but writings remain.

* Szikrát hány a szeme.
o Sparks fly from their eye (usually in scorn or anger).
o English equivalent: Looking at someone with eyes of thunder.

* Szegény embert még az ág is húzza.
o A poor person is being pulled even by a branch.
+ Meaning: If you are down, things will seem to conspire against you even more.

T,Ty

* Temetni tudunk.
o Translation: How to bury people - that's a thing we (Hungarians) know well.

* Több nap, mint kolbász.
o More days than sausages.

NOTE: Because you can't eat sausages every day - it's too expensive.

* Több vasat is tart a tűzben.
o Holds more steel into the fire
+ English equivalent: Have a lot irons in the fire.

* Tévedni emberi dolog.
o Being wrong is a human trait.English analog: To err is human

* Többet ésszel, mint erővel.
o You can do more with intelligence than with force.

* Tanulj tinó, ökör lesz belőled.
o Learn young calf, you will become an ox.

NOTE: A young calf did not live to become a full-fledged ox if it couldn't be trained well.

* Türelem rózsát terem.
o Patience yields a rose.
o English analogy: Good things come to those who wait.

U,Ú

* Ugyanabban a csónakban evezünk.
o Translation: We're in the same boat.


* Új seprű jól seper.
o A new broom sweeps well.


* Úgy hazudik, mintha könyvből olvasná.
o He is lying like he's reading it from a book.

Ü,Ű

* Ül a babérjain.
o Sits on past achievements/laurels.

Meaning: Living off successes achieved in the past and having done nothing since.

V

* Vér vízzé nem válik.
o Translation: Blood can not turn into water.
o English analogue: Blood is thicker than water.

* Vak tyúk is talál szemet.
o Translation: Even the blind chicken finds grains.

* Vakok között a félszemű a király.
o Translation: Among the blind, a person with one working eye is the king.

* Vén kecske is megnyalja a sót.
o Translation: Even the old goat will lick the salt.

* Világos, mint a vakablak.
o Clear as a blind window.
+ Meaning: It's not clear at all (said in a sarcastic way).
# english equivelant: as clear as mud

Zs

* Zsák a foltját megtalálja.
o A sack will find its patch.

* Reszket, mint a kocsonya.
o Shaking like jelly.

* Kutyából nem lesz szalonna.
o A dog won't turn into bacon.
o English equivalent: A leopard cannot change its spots.


* Nagy kő esett le a szívéről.
o A big rock fell off his heart.
o English equivalent: That was a huge weight off his chest.

meaning: One is relieved of one's cares.

* 'Hátrább az agarakkal!
* Back off with those greyhounds. (hunting analogy)
o Note: some people in Hungary know this as "Hátrább az agyarakkal", meaning "fangs". Both images get the message across - meaning "back off, calm down"


* Úgy táncol, ahogy más fütyül.
o He is dancing like the other person whistles.
o Meaning: He will do as the other person pleases.

* Ismeri, mint a tenyerét
o Knowing it (an object) like the palm of the hand

* Bámul, mint borjú az új kapura.
o Staring like a calf at the new gate. (because it does not recognise its own home if the gate does not look familiar)
o Meaning: Staring in incomprehension/stupidity.

Van sütnivalója.

* Has enough to fry.
o meaning: He is clever/smart.

Kígyót melenget a keblén.

*
o Nurtures a snake on his bosom/chest.
o meaning: he/she trusts in people who don't deserve it

A kocka el van vetve.

* The dice has been cast.
o Meaning: Things are out of our hands now.
o English equivalent: The die is cast.

Sötét, mint az éjszaka.

* Dark as the night.
o Used to describe either poor lighting or a person of limited intelligence.

Tűkön ül.

*
o Translation: Sitting on needles.
o meaning: Impatient, itching to act.

Original English: Sitting on pins and needles

Kiborul a bili.

*
o The potty gets knocked over.
o meaning: The dirty linen is out in the open./ One had enough and the inevitable argument is on.

Öntsünk tiszta vizet a pohárba.

* Direct translation: Let's pour clear water into the glass.
o Meaning: Let's straighten things out between us. Let's wipe the slate clean.

Betelt a pohár.

* The glass has become full.
o That's all one can take. I've had it.


Tiszta lappal indul.

* Starts with a clean page.
o A new beginning, fresh start.

Original English: Starts with a clean slate.

Van mit a tejbe aprítani.

*
o Translation: To have enough to chop into the milk.
o meaning: To be well off.

Az utolsókból lesznek az elsők.

* The last ones shall become firsts.

Kosarat kap.

* He gets a basket.
o It is usually a boy or a man who is "given a basket" by a lady, which means that his romantic advances were refused.

Megtört a jég.

* The ice has broken.
o A breakthrouogh has been achieved. "We broke the ice."

Kilóg a kapa a szájából.

* He/she has a hoe hanging from his mouth.
o He/she is uneducated, ill-behaved, uncouth, declassé, or so "peasant-like" that he/she might as well be spitting up plowing instruments. In Hungarian, the word "peasant" (paraszt) and its derivatives are often used to describe uncouth or inappropriate behavior.

Akinek nem inge, ne vegye magára.

* If it's not your shirt, don't put it on.
o meaning: If you don't think it applies to you (critisism mainly), don't get hurt by it, don't take it personally.
o English equivalent: If the cap fits, wear it.

Megél a jég színén is. (= A jég hátán is megél.)

* He can live even on the surface of ice.
o He can make a living under any circumstances.

Még ott a tojáshéj a fenekén.

* Still has the eggshell on his bottom.
o A beginner, a young one, inexperienced person.

Valami szöget üt a fejébe.

* Something hit a nail in his head.
o Think of something (usually an intriguing new idea).

A szem a lélek tükre.

* The eyes are the mirror of one's soul.

Csupa csont és bőr.

* skin and bones.

Kimutatja a foga fehérjét.

* Showing the white of one's teeth.
o English equivalent: Show your true colours.

Töke van a menyasszonynak.

* Translation: The bride has balls!
o We say it when a deception is uncovered. (a hungarian) "Something ain't stirring the Kool Aid."

Vért izzad.

* Sweats blood.

Egy követ fújnak.

* They blow the same stone.
o meaning: they are alike in their intentions ( usually refers to bad intentions.)

Mindent tűvé tesz érte.

*
o meaning: searches everywhere like he searches for a needle in the haystack.

A falnak is füle van.

* Even walls have ears.

Nyakig ül a szarban.

* Sits in shit up to his neck. Up shit creek without a paddle.
o When the shit hits the fence.

Csupa fül vagyok.

* I'm all ears.


Szépre száll a füst, de bolond aki állja.

* The smoke goes towards the beautiful, but they are a fool if they stand it.
o At a campfire when the wind blows the smoke towards a person the first half of this saying used to be said to that person in an attempt to cheer him/her up, then the person replies with the second half and shifts position.

Madarat lehet vele fogatni.

* You could make him catch birds.
o Happy as can be/Happy as Larry.

Kicsi a bors, de erős.

* Small is the peppercorn, but strong.

Edd meg, amit főztél.

* Eat up what you cooked.


Ördög veri a feleségét.

* The devil is hitting his wife.
o refers to the rain. (Usually said when the sun is shining but the rain is falling at the same time.)

Közel ül a tűzhöz.

* Sits too close to the fire.

Ez csak a jéghegy csúcsa.

* It's only the tip of the iceberg.

Segget csinál a szájából.

*
o Make an arse out of his mouth.
o English version: Talking out of his arse.
o With his talk, he made himself lose face among his peers. He betrayed weak characteristics in his own personality.

Vizet prédikál és bort iszik.

* He preaches water and drinks wine.
o Meaning: He is a hypocrite.

Csak egy csepp a tengerben.

* A drop in the ocean.

A saját malmára hajtja a vizet.

* He guides the water to his own mill.
o He is out for himself.

Van vér a pucájában.

* He/she stands up for him/herself, has "balls of steel."

Nem őriztünk együtt libát.

* We didn't look after the same flock of geese together.
o meaning: we are not that close friends.

Ki soknak barátja, soknak bolondja.

* Friend of many, fooled by many.
o Those who form many superficial relationships will be disappointed in the end.

Ami a szívén, az a száján.

* What's on his heart, on his lips.

Fából vaskarika.

* Iron wheel made of wood.
o meaning: nonsense.

Még a bőre alatt is pénz van.

* He has money under his skin.
o He's loaded.

Egy tálból cseresznyéznek.

* They're eating cherry from the same plate.
o They are (acting like) good friends.

Nagy a mellénye.

* He has a big waistcoat.
o meaning: He's boastful or quite satisfied with himself.

Be van sózva.

* He's been salted.
o English equivalent: Peas in his pants. Ants in the pants.

Szegény, mint a templom egere.

* As poor as the mice in the church. As poor as a church mouse.
o Very poor.

Aki sokat markol, keveset fog.

* He who grabs a lot, takes little.

Lop, mint a szarka.

* Steals like a magpie. Sticky fingers.

Örül, mint majom a farkának.

* He's happy as a monkey with his tail.
o He's very happy about something (often in a silly way).

Eltűnik, mint szürke szamár a ködben.

* Disappears like a grey donkey in the fog.

Ordít, mint a fába szorult féreg.

* Howling like a grub stuck in a tree crack.
o Note: This has changed meaning over time in a very interesting way. 'Féreg' (=grub) was originally 'toportyánféreg', an old word meaning 'wolf', and 'fa' meant a trap made of wood rather than just wood. So the original meaning was 'Howling like a wolf stuck in a trap', which makes a lot more sense than grubs in tree cracks!

Süket, mint az ágyú.

* Deaf as a cannon.
o English equivalent: Deaf as a post.

Forog a sírjában.

* Turning in his grave.

Négy lába van a lónak, mégis megbotlik.

* A horse has four legs, still he stumbles.
o Meaning: Nobody is perfect.

Úgy áll rajta, mint tehénen a bugyogó/gatya.

*
o It suits him like a pair of pants suit a cow.
o Meaning: It looks terrible on him.

Nem esik le a karikagyűrű az ujjáról.

* She won't lose her wedding ring. ( By doing a bit work.)

Száz szónak is egy a vége.

* One hundred words end with but one.
o English equivalent: To cut a long story short... Cut to the chase.

Egy húron pendülnek.

* translation: they twang on the same string.
o analog: birds of a feather.

Ronda, mint a bányaló.

* Ugly as a mine-horse.

Olyan ronda, hogy ha lemegy a bányába, feljön a szén.

* She is so ugly that if she goes down to the mine, the coal will come up on its own.

Halvány lila gőzöm sincs róla.

* I haven't the slightest purple steam about it.
o I haven't got a clue about it. I haven't the foggiest.

Nem jöttünk hívatlan, nem megyünk küldetlen.

* We didn't come uninvited, we're not going unsent.
o Meaning: If you invited us, you'll have to let us know when you want us to leave.

Kopogd le (a fán.)

Knock on wood

Éhes disznó makkal álmodik.

* A hungry pig dreams of acorns.
o Meaning: wishful thinking

Döglött disznóra minek rázárni az ólajtót?

* why close the pen of a dead pig?

Felteszi az i-re a pontot.

* Put the dot on the i.
o Finish the job (perfectly).

Bolond lyukból bolond szél fúj.

Rázza a rongyot.

* Shakes the rag.
o meaning: Pretending He/She is rich.

Aki szerencsés a játékban, az szerencsétlen a szerelemben.

* He/She who is lucky in games, will be unlucky in love. and vice versa.

A körmére néz valakinek.

* Looks over someone's nails.
o Checks up on someone's performance.

Borsot tör valakinek az orra alá.

* Grinds a peppercorn under someone's nose.
o Causes nuisance, annoyance,etc. to one particular person.

Előbb jár a szája, mint az esze.

* Speaks before he thinks.

A kákán is csomót keres.

*
o meaning: He/She tries to find fault with everything.

Minden rosszban van valami jó.

* There's good in every bad.
o English equivalent: Every cloud has a silver lining.

Fogához veri a garast.

* Taps the florin to his teeth.
o He is stingy.

Kecskére bízza a káposztát.

* Trusts a goat with a cabbage.
o Trusts something to the wrong person.

Néz, mint Rozi a moziban.

* Stares like Rosie at the movies.
o Stare in wonder/disbelief.

Könnyebb átugrani, mint megkerülni.

* Easier to spring over her than walk round her.
o Insulting remark used for fat girls.

Az egyik tizenkilenc, a másik egy híján húsz.

* One is nineteen, the other is one less than twenty.
o Both of them are troublemakers. Six of one, half a dozen of the other.

Vizet hord a Dunába.

*
o He is taking water to the Danube.
o He is doing something pointless or superfluous. It's like bringing coal to Newcastle.

Tűt keres a szénakazalban.

* He/She is looking for a needle in the haystack.
o meaning: He/She is looking for something that is almost impossible to find.

Itt van a kutya elásva.

* This is where the dog is buried.
o This is the reason for the problem.This is where a solution must be found/can be found.

Rossz fát tesz a tűzre.

* Puts bad wood on the fire.
o meaning: Does something bad/wrong (especially children).

Ritka, mint a fehér holló.

* Scarce as a white raven.
o meaning: very rare

Hol van már a tavalyi hó.

* Where is last year's snow?
o Things change/move on.

Nagy lábon él.

* lives on big feet.
o Spends a lot.

Jó bornak nem kell cégér.

* good wine needs no label.
o If something is really good, it needs no advertising.

Kisujjamat nyújtom, és az egész karom kell.

* I offer my little finger and you want my whole arm.
o (speaks for itself!) I offer you an inch and you want a mile.

Egy kezemen meg tudom számolni.

* I can count it on my one hand. I can count on one hand (how many times)...

Ez nekem kínai.

* This is Chinese to me.
o meaning: I do not understand it./ It is very difficult for me to understand.
o English: This is Greek to me.


Néma gyereknek az anyja sem érti a szavát.

* Even his own mother is unable to understand the words of a dumb ( in the original meaning of the word) / mute child.
o meaning: If you don't say it, no one will know about your preferences. Don't keep quiet when you want something.

Alulról szagolja az ibolyát.

* He/She is smelling the violet from under.
o meaning: He/She is dead.

English original: Pushing up daisies

Olvas a sorok között.

* Reads between the lines.

Bemerészkedik az oroszlán barlangjába.

* Bravely goes into the lion's den.

Sokat akar a szarka, de nem bírja a farka.

* The magpie wants a lot but cannot carry it.
o English: He bites off more than he can chew.

Vak vezet világtalant.

* The blind leads the sightless.
o Both people are equally incompetent or unqualified.

Ettől nem változik a leányzó fekvése.

* This does not change the position of the girl.
o This makes no difference/does not alter the situation.

Más farkával veri a csalánt.

* beats the nettle with another one's dick.
o He/She makes success at someone else's risk.

Nem tud vele zöld ágra vergődni.

* Cannot struggle to a green branch with it.
o Can't make it a success however he tries.

Bekapja a legyet.

* Takes the fly.
o Takes the bait. (Alternative: She is pregnant.)

Makacs, mint az öszvér.

* Stubborn as an ass.
o meaning: very stubborn

Holnap is lesz nap.

* There will be a day tomorrow.
o English equivalent: Tomorrow is a new day.

Vaj van a füle mögött.

* There's butter behind his ears.
o He is guilty of something.

Nem különb a Deákné vásznánál.

* He is no different from the linen of Mrs. Deák.
o Meaning: He is no better than the others, even though he claims to be.

Eszik, mint a vett malac.

Translation: He eats like the newly bought swine. (He eats too much)