péntek

Péntek is the Hungarian name for Friday, the fifth day of the week in the modern Gregorian calendar as used in Hungary and by Hungarian-speaking communities. It is a standard part of the weekly cycle and appears in calendars, schedules, and everyday speech.

In contemporary Hungary, péntek typically marks the transition from the workweek to the weekend. It is commonly discussed in expressions such as pénteken (on Friday), péntek este (Friday evening), and péntekig (until Friday), reflecting how people organize work, leisure, and social plans. While Friday is a regular weekday for most, it also holds religious and cultural significance in Christian communities, especially on occasions like Nagypéntek (Good Friday), which commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus in the Holy Week.

Etymology and history: The exact origin of the word péntek is not definitively established. It appears in medieval Hungarian texts and remains a native Hungarian weekday name. Scholarly discussions have proposed various theories about its historical development, but there is no universally accepted explanation for its ultimate root. What is clear is that péntek has long been the conventional Hungarian label for Friday within the local calendar and language.

Cultural notes: Friday the 13th is a superstition observed in Hungary as in many other cultures, and it is referred to in Hungarian as péntek 13-a. Beyond religious observance, péntek functions simply as the usual weekday name in everyday life, media, and communication.