Mastering the days of the week in Hungarian is one of the most practical steps you can take as a beginner. Whether you’re planning a trip to Budapest, scheduling language lessons, or reading Hungarian calendars, these words will come up constantly in real life.
Hungarian, a Uralic language unrelated to most European tongues, has a unique rhythm and vocabulary structure. Its weekday names reflect both numerical logic and historical influences, making this topic especially interesting for language enthusiasts.
Vocabulary: Days of the Week
The table below lists the Hungarian words for each day of the week. You’ll also find pronunciation support to help you speak confidently and naturally.
| English | Hungarian with pronunciation volume_down |
|---|---|
| Monday |
hétfő |
| Tuesday |
kedd |
| Wednesday |
szerda |
| Thursday |
csütörtök |
| Friday |
péntek |
| Saturday |
szombat |
| Sunday |
vasárnap |
Useful Phrases and Expressions
In everyday Hungarian conversations, you’ll often hear phrases like “on Monday,” “every Sunday,” or “the day after tomorrow.” The table below includes these and other essential expressions to help you communicate more fluently.
| English | Hungarian with pronunciation volume_down |
|---|---|
| day |
nap |
| morning |
reggel |
| today |
ma |
| tomorrow |
holnap |
| yesterday |
tegnap |
| week |
hét |
| weekend |
hétvége |
How Hungarian Weekday Names Are Formed
Hungarian day names often carry numerical or descriptive meanings. For example, csütörtök (Thursday) is believed to come from a word meaning “fourth day,” while péntek (Friday) is related to the Slavic word for “five.” The week starts with hétfő — literally “week head” or “week beginning.”
Here’s a quick breakdown of some roots:
- hétfő – “head of the week” (Monday)
- kedd – “second” (Tuesday)
- szerda – “Wednesday” (also used in Slavic languages)
- péntek – related to “five” (Friday)
As a Finno-Ugric language, Hungarian preserves unique etymological roots that are quite different from Indo-European traditions — a great reminder of the language’s distinctiveness.
Grammar Tip: Using Days in Sentences
In Hungarian, when talking about actions happening “on” a specific day, you typically use the day in its bare nominative form — no preposition is needed. For example:
- Hétfőn dolgozom. – “I work on Monday.”
- Vasárnap pihenek. – “I rest on Sunday.”
Note that –n is often added to indicate time-related meaning, similar to “on” in English.
Keep Learning Hungarian
If you found this post helpful, be sure to continue expanding your vocabulary with our other beginner-friendly Hungarian topics:
- Seasons and Months in Hungarian
- Numbers in Hungarian
- Colours in Hungarian
All lessons are completely free and designed to help you build real-world vocabulary step by step.