köszönés

Köszönés is the act of greeting in Hungarian. It is a basic social ritual used to acknowledge another person, initiate contact, and set the tone for an interaction. In everyday life it is spoken, and in written Hungarian it can appear in openings in correspondence. The noun köszönés is related to the verb köszönni (to thank, to greet), and it is often discussed together with related forms such as üdvözlés (greeting) and magázódás vs tegeződés (formal vs informal address).

Common forms vary by formality and time of day. Time-of-day greetings include jó reggelt (good morning), jó napot (good afternoon), and jó estét (good evening); polite full forms such as jó reggelt kívánok, jó napot kívánok, or jó estét kívánok are used in formal situations. Informal greetings among friends and family include szia, sziasztok, helló, or hi. The choice of pronoun, tegeződés or magázódás, influences which greeting is natural and which pronouns accompany the greeting.

Nonverbal aspects accompany köszönés. A kézfogás (handshake) is common in formal or initial encounters; in closer relationships other greetings such as a hug or a kiss on the cheek may occur, depending on social norms and context. Eye contact and a smile typically accompany verbal greetings to show respect and openness.

Köszönés functions to show politeness, ease social interaction, and signal social distance. Expectation to respond promptly and with appropriate formality is strong in Hungarian culture; mismatches can be interpreted as impolite. Regional and generational variations exist, but the core principle remains: greeting is a basic social skill that anchors everyday communication.