szervusz
See also: servus
Hungarian edit
Hungarian phrasebook
This entry is part of the phrasebook project, which presents criteria for inclusion based on utility, simplicity and commonness. |
Alternative forms edit
Etymology edit
The greeting evolved from the commoners’ greeting in Latin servus humillimus (“your humblest servant”), said to lords.[1] No subservience is implied in modern use. Compare Slovak servus, Romanian servus, German servus, Swedish tjenare. See also the similar etymology at csaó and alászolgája.
Pronunciation edit
Interjection edit
szervusz
Usage notes edit
- (hello; goodbye):
Used both for hello and goodbye to someone whom the speaker addresses in the second person. When greeting a group of people, szervusztok is used. Szervusz is more formal and polite than the colloquial szia. It may be used, for example, if one is on first-name terms with the other (see tegeződik) but still wants to convey a respectful attitude.
- (cheers):
Variations of “cheers” | ||
Singular | Plural | |
Informal “you” | egészségedre | egészségetekre |
Formal “you” | egészségére | egészségükre |
Oneself included | “we (all)” egészségünkre | |
Other alternatives: fenékig, szervusz, csincsin, egs (colloquial) |
See also edit
References edit
- ^ szervusz in Zaicz, Gábor (ed.). Etimológiai szótár: Magyar szavak és toldalékok eredete (‘Dictionary of Etymology: The origin of Hungarian words and affixes’). Budapest: Tinta Könyvkiadó, 2006, →ISBN. (See also its 2nd edition.)
Further reading edit
- szervusz in Bárczi, Géza and László Országh. A magyar nyelv értelmező szótára (‘The Explanatory Dictionary of the Hungarian Language’, abbr.: ÉrtSz.). Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó, 1959–1962. Fifth ed., 1992: →ISBN