mindenki

Mindenki is a Hungarian word meaning "everybody" or "everyone." It functions as a universal pronoun used to refer to all people in a general sense. In sentences it can serve as the subject or the object, for example: "Mindenki tudja" (Everyone knows) and "Láttam mindenkit" (I saw everyone). The form is typically used in its basic nominative sense and is inflected in the ordinary Hungarian pronoun system for different cases and possessive forms.

Origin and form: The term is a compound built from "minden" (all) and a pronoun element that marks people collectively. This construction mirrors how Hungarian can form inclusive pronouns that refer to groups of people without naming individuals.

Usage and nuance: Mindenki is broadly inclusive and neutral in tone, often used to make general statements about a group. It can be contrasted with "mindannyian," which also means "everyone" but carries a stronger sense of each individual within the group. The opposite of Mindenki is "senki," meaning nobody, as in "Senki sem" (nobody at all).

Cultural usage: Beyond everyday language, Mindenki has been used as a title or thematic term in Hungarian culture, appearing in films, theater, and music to signal themes of inclusion, community, or shared experience. It remains a common and versatile word in contemporary Hungarian.

See also: mindannyian; senki; Hungarian pronouns.