Home / Blog / Travel Tips / English-Hungarian Culinary Dictionary
English-Hungarian Culinary Dictionary
Excerpted from Food Wine Budapest (Little Bookroom, 2008) by Carolyn Bรกnfalvi.
Copyright ยฉ 2008 Carolyn Bรกnfalvi. All Rights Reserved.
See the Hungarian-English Dictionary here.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M
N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z
acacia honey: akรกcmรฉz; also called Black Locust in America
alcohol-free: alkoholmentes
alfalfa: lucerna
allspice: szegfลฑbors
almond: mandula
anchovy: szardella
anise: รกnizs
appetizers: elลรฉtelek
apple: alma
apple pie: almรกs pite; two layers of crust stuffed with apple (and often walnut) filling, served in squares rather than wedges
apricot: barack, kajszibarack, and sรกrgabarack
artichoke: articsรณka
arugula: rukkola
asparagus: spรกrga
aubergine: padlizsรกn
avocado: avokรกdรณ
bacon: szalonna; see also abรกlt szalonna, csรกszรกrszalonna, erdรฉlyi szalonna, fokhagymรกs szalonna, fลtt szalonna, hรกzi szalonna, hรฉdervรกri szalonna, kenyรฉrszalonna, kolozsvรกri szalonna, sรผlt szalonna, and zsรญrszalonna
baked goods: pรฉksรผtemรฉny
baker: pรฉkmester
bakery: pรฉksรฉg
baking powder: sรผtลpor
banana: banรกn
bar: kocsma (pub), sรถrรถzล (beer hall), bรกr (bar), borozรณ (wine bar), kert or romkert (open-air bar)
barbecued meat: flekken; usually pork
barley: รกrpagyรถngy or รกrpa
barrel: hordรณ
Bartlett pear: vilmos kรถrte
basil: bazsalikom
Bavarian bread: bajor kenyรฉr
bay leaf: babรฉrlevรฉl
bean: bab; see also zรถldbab (green bean/French bean), szรกrazbab (dried bean) or tarkabab
bean gulyรกs: babgulyรกs
bean soup: Jรณkai-bableves is the most common variety. Named for writer Mรณr Jรณkai, itโs a hearty soup made with fresh or dried shell beans, smoked pork knuckle, vegetables, csipetke, and flavored with vinegar and sour cream.
bรฉchamel sauce: besamelmรกrtรกs
beef: marha
beefsteak tartare: tatรกr bifsztek
beef tenderloin: bรฉlszรญn
beer: sรถr; see also alkalmi sรถrkรผlรถnlegessรฉg, รกszok, bak, barna sรถr, bรบzasรถr, fรฉlbarna sรถr, pilzeni, rozssรถr, and vilรกgos sรถr
beetroot: cรฉkla
bilberry: รกfonya or fekete รกfonya
bill: szรกmla
biscuit: keksz or pogรกcsa
bitter: keserลฑ
blackberry: szeder
black chanterelle: trombitagomba
black cod: fekete tลkehal
Black Forest cake/gateau: fekete erdล torta
Black Locust honey: akรกcmรฉz; also known as acacia honey
black pudding: vรฉres hurka
black radish: fekete retek
blood sausage: vรฉres hurka
black trumpet mushroom: trombitagomba
blueberry: รกfonya or fekete รกfonya
blue cheese: mรกrvรกnysajt
bluefin tuna: nagy tonhal
blue whiting: kรฉk tลkehal
bock beer: bak
boiled: fลtt
bone: csont
bone marrow: csontvelล, velล, or velลs csont
bone soup: csontleves; a broth made from bones and root vegetables (can also be used as stock)
borlotti beans: tarkabab
bottle: รผveg
bottled beer: รผveges sรถr
bottled wine: palackozott bor
brains: velล or velลrรณzsa; velล rรกntva (fried brains)
braised: pรกrolt (or steamed)
bran: korpa
brandy: pรกlinka (brandy distilled from fruit with no added sugar or alcohol); see also รกgyas pรกlinka, borpรกrlat, kisรผsti, szeszes ital, szilvรณrium, and tรถrkรถlypรกlinka
brawn: disznรณsajt
bread: kenyรฉr; see also bajor kenyรฉr, briรณs, bรบzakenyรฉr, diรณs kenyรฉr, fehรฉr kenyรฉr, fรฉlbarna kenyรฉr, kalรกcs, kifli, korpรกs kenyรฉr, krumplis kenyรฉr, kukoricรกs kenyรฉr, magos kenyรฉr, olajbogyรณs kenyรฉr, rozskenyรฉr, and zsemle
bread crumbs: zsemlemorzsa
bread dishes: see lรกngos, tรถki pompos, and zsรญros kenyรฉr
bread dumplings: zsemlegombรณc
bread roll: zsemle (round) or kifli (crescent shaped)
breakfast: reggeli
breast: mell
brewery: sรถrfลzde, sรถrgyรกr, or less frequently serfลzde
brick oven: kemence; kemencรฉs means cooked in the oven
brioche: briรณs
broth: lรฉ
brown rice: barna rizs
Brussels sprouts: kelbimbรณ
buffalo: bivaly
bulk wine: kannรกs bor
Bullโs Blood: bikavรฉr
bunch: csomรณ
butcher: hentes
butcher shop: hรบs-hentesรกru
butter: vaj
buttermilk: รญrรณ
buttered potatoes: vajas burgonya
cabbage: kรกposzta; see also kelkรกposzta, vรถrรถs kรกposzta, and kรญnai kel
cafรฉ: kรกvรฉhรกz; see also kรกvรฉzรณ and eszpresszรณ
cake: torta (usually refers to a layer cake); see also desserts, diรณtorta, dobostorta, Esterhรกzy-torta, fekete erdล torta, Gerbeaud szelet, kardinรกlisszelet, Kugler csokolรกdรฉs mรกktortรกja, kuglรณf, linzertorta, lรบdlรกbtorta, meggyes piskรณta, mogyorรณtorta, orosz krรฉmtorta, puncstorta, Rรกkรณczi-tรบrรณs, Rigรณ Jancsi, Sacher-torta, sรกrgarรฉpatorta, Stefรกnia-torta, tรบrรณtorta, and vargabรฉles
candy: cukorka
canned food: konzerv
canned fruit: befลtt
cantaloupe: sรกrgadinnye or cukordinnye; also refers to honeydew melon
caper: kapribogyรณ
capon: kappan
caramel: karamell or grillรกzs
caraway: kรถmรฉny
caraway seed: kรถmรฉnymag
cardamom: kardamon
carnival: farsang
carob: szentjรกnoskenyรฉr
carp: ponty; a variety which is native to the Danube river system
carrot: sรกrgarรฉpa
carrot cake: sรกrgarรฉpatorta
catfish: harcsa; a scale-less fresh water which is also called European catfish, sheatfish, wels, or wels catfish
catfish stew: harcsapรถrkรถlt
cauldron: bogrรกcs
cauliflower: karfiol
caviar: kaviรกr
cellar: pince
cellar row: pincesor
celeriac/celery root: zellergyรถkรฉr or zeller
celery: zeller
cereal: mรผzli
challah bread: kalรกcs
champignon mushrooms: csiperke; such as button mushrooms and white mushrooms
chanterelle mushroom: sรกrga rรณkagomba
cheese: sajt; see also bryndza, ementรกli sajt, fรผstรถlt sajt, gรถcseji csemegesajt, gomolya, ilmici, juhsajt, juhtรบrรณ, karavรกn, kecskesajt, krรฉmsajt, lajta, mรกrvรกnysajt, รณvรกri, pรกlpusztai, Pannรณnia, tehรฉntรบrรณ, trappista, and tรบrรณ
cheesecake: tรบrรณtorta; made with curd cheese, often thickened with gelatin, and usually with a cake-like crust
chef: sรฉf or szakรกcs
cherry: cseresznye; also erdei meggy (wild cherry), meggy (sour cherry), fekete cseresznye (black cherry), and cigรกnymeggy (small cherries)
cherry pepper: cseresznyepaprika
chestnut: gesztenye
chestnut cake: gesztenyetorta; cake layers alternated with chestnut puree
chestnut honey: gesztenyemรฉz
chestnut purรฉe: gesztenyepรผrรฉ
chicken: csirke
chicken leg: csirkecomb
chicken paprikรกs: csirkepaprikรกs
chickpea: csicseriborsรณ
chicory (salad leaf): endรญvia
chili pepper: chilipaprika
chilled: hลฑtรถtt
chive: snidling or metรฉlลhagyma
chocolate: csokolรกdรฉ
cholent: sรณlet (a traditionally Jewish bean stew with additions like different types of smoked meats or boiled eggs)
chop: borda
Christmas: karรกcsony
cilantro: koriander
cinnamon: fahรฉj
clove: szegfลฑszeg
cocoa: kakaรณ
coconut: kรณkuszdiรณ
coconut milk: kรณkusztej
cod: tลkehal
coffee: kรกvรฉ (refers to espresso); see also amerikai kรกvรฉ, รrkรกdia-kรกvรฉ, dupla kรกvรฉ, eszpresszรณ, hosszรบ kรกvรฉ, รญr kรกvรฉ, jeges kรกvรฉ, Mรกria Terรฉzia-kรกvรฉ, mรฉlange, presszรณkรกvรฉ, rumos kรกvรฉ, tejeskรกvรฉ
coffee bean: babkรกvรฉ
coffee cake: kuglรณf; baked in a Bundt/Gugelhupf pan
coffee house: kรกvรฉhรกz
cold: hideg
cold plate: hidegtรกl; an assortment of sliced meats, cheeses, peppers, and tomatoes
confectioner: cukrรกsz
coriander: koriander
chicken soup: tyรบkhรบsleves; see also รjhรกzy-tyรบkhรบsleves
cilantro: koriander
condensed milk: sลฑrรญtett tej
coriander: koriander
cork: dugรณ
corkscrew: dugรณhรบzรณ
corn: kukorica
cornmeal: puliszka; polenta or cornmeal porridge
country wine: tรกjbor; a low-grade table wine from a designated region
courgette: cukkini
cow: tehรฉn
cowโs milk: tehรฉntej
crabapple: vadalma; a type that is native to Europe
cracklings: tรถpรถrtyลฑ or tepertล
cranberry: vรถrรถs รกfonya
cranberry beans: tarkabab
cream: tejszรญn (as in cream for coffee or whipping cream) or krรฉm (as in fillings for pastries and cakes)
cream cheese: krรฉmsajt
cress: zsรกzsa
crispy: ropogรณs
croquette (potato): krokett, burgonyakrokett, or burgonyafรกnk
crustacean: rรกk
cucumber: uborka or kรญgyรณuborka
curd cheese: tรบrรณ; tehรฉntรบrรณ (cowโs milk) or juhtรบrรณ (sheepโs milk); often translated as cottage cheese, but different than the cottage cheese found elsewhere; see also bryndza and Tรบrรณ Rudi
currant: ribizke or ribizli; fekete ribizli (black currant)
cutlet: borda
cuttlefish: szรฉpia
cuvรฉe: kรผvรฉ
daikon: jรฉgretek
daily menu: napi รฉtlap
daily specials: napi ajรกnlat; napi ajรกnlatunk is โour daily specialsโ
dark beer: barna sรถr
dark chocolate: รฉtcsokolรกdรฉ
date: datolya
decaffinated: koffeinmentes
delicious: finom; fincsi is informal
dessert: รฉdessรฉg, desszert, or sรผtemรฉny (cakes, pastries, and cookies); see also aranygaluska, bejgli, cakes, csรกszรกrmorzsa, diรณs kifli, diรณtorta, dobostorta, Esterhรกzy-torta, fekete erdล torta, flรณdni, franciakrรฉmes, Gerbeaud szelet, indiรกner, ischler, kapros tรบrรณs lepรฉny, kardinรกlisszelet, kรฉpviselลfรกnk, krรฉmes, Kugler csokolรกdรฉs mรกktortรกja, kuglรณf, kรผrtลskalรกcs, linzertorta, lรบdlรกbtorta, mรกkos guba, mรกkos kifli, meggyes piskรณta, mogyorรณtorta, orosz krรฉmtorta, palacsinta, pรกrna, pozsonyi kifli, puncstorta, Rรกkรณczi-tรบrรณs, Rigรณ Jancsi, Sacher-torta, sรกrgarรฉpatorta, somlรณi galuska, Stefรกnia-torta, tรกska, tortes, tรบrรณs lepรฉny, Tรบrรณ Rudi, tรบrรณtorta. and vargabรฉles
devilled eggs: kaszinรณtojรกs
dill: kapor; kapros means flavored with dill
dishes: See bakonyi mรณdra, brassรณi aprรณpecsenye, Budapest bรฉlszรญn, cigรกnypecsenye, cordon bleu, Csรกky-rostรฉlyos, csรผlรถk pรฉknรฉ mรณdra, dorozsmai mรณdra, Esterhรกzy-rostรฉlyos, fลtt marhahรบs, fลtt sonka, hagymรกs rostรฉlyos, hentes mรณdra, jรณasszony mรณdra, kacsasรผlt, Kedvessy-bรฉlszรญn, kolozsvรกri kรกposzta, libasรผlt, magyarosan, mรกtrai borzaska, pรกrizsi borjรบszelet, rรกcponty, rรกntott borjรบlรกb, rostรฉlyos, sรผlt csรผlรถk, szรฉkelykรกposzta, vadas mรณdra, and vasi pecsenye
distilled drink: pรกrlat; see also รกgyas pรกlinka, borpรกrlat, kisรผsti, pรกlinka, szeszes ital, szilvรณrium, tรถrkรถlypรกlinka
distillery: pรกlinkafลzde
double: dupla
double espresso: dupla kรกvรฉ
doughnut: fรกnk or farsangi fรกnk (carnival doughnuts)
draft beer: csapolt sรถr
dried: aszalt (as in dried fruit)
dried bean: szรกrazbab
dried fruit: aszalt gyรผmรถlcs
drinking hall: ivรณcsarnok; where spring water is sold by the glass or by the liter
drinking water: ivรณvรญz
drink menu: itallap
dry: szรกraz
duck: kacsa
dumpling: gombรณc can be sweet (see tรบrรณgombรณc) or savory; galuska or nokedli (better known as spaetzle) are flour dumplings eaten with stew; daragaluska are semolina dumplings; juhtรบrรณs galuska is a dish of dumplings served with sheep cheese; sztrapacska is a dish consisting of potato dumplings tossed in bacon drippings with sheep-milk curd cheese and bacon; szilvรกs gombรณc (plum dumplings) are made from potato dough and stuffed with plums and coated in bread crumbs.
ear: fรผl
earthenware oven: kemence; kemencรฉs means cooked in the oven
Easter: hรบsvรฉt
eel: angolna
egg: tojรกs
eggplant: padlizsรกn
egg white: tojรกsfehรฉrje
egg yolk: tojรกssรกrgรกja
elderberry: bodza
elderflower: bodzavirรกg
Emmenthal cheese: ementรกli sajt
endive: endรญvia
enokitake mushroom: tรฉli fรผlลke
espresso: eszpresszรณ; also refers to an informal place to drink coffee
estate (wine): birtok; (as in โwine estateโ)
European Cornel: som; a species of dogwood that produces fruit
European sprat: sprotni (similar to herring)
fairy ring mushroom: szegfลฑgomba
family: csalรกdi
farmerโs cheese: tรบrรณ; tehรฉntรบrรณ (cowโs milk) or juhtรบrรณ (sheepโs milk); often translated as cottage cheese, but different than the cottage cheese found elsewhere; see also bryndza and Tรบrรณ Rudi
fast-food restaurant: gyorsรฉtterem or gyorsbรผfรฉ
fennel: รฉdeskรถmรฉny
fermented cucumbers: kovรกszos uborka
field mushroom: rรฉti csiperke; also known as meadow mushroom
fig: fรผge
fillet: filรฉ
filter coffee: amerikai kรกvรฉ
filtered: szลฑrt
finest quality wine: kรผlรถnleges minลsรฉgลฑ bor
fish: hal
fishermanโs soup: halรกszlรฉ; see also bajai halรกszlรฉ, dunai halรกszlรฉ, harcsa halรกszlรฉ, korhely halรกszlรฉ, ponty halรกszlรฉ, szegedi halรกszlรฉ, tiszai halรกszlรฉ, vegyes halรกszlรฉ
flavorful: pikรกns
floating islands: madรกrtej; cold dessert consisting of an egg custard topped with chunks of meringue
flour: liszt or finomliszt (all-purpose/plain flour)
foam: hab
foie gras: kacsamรกj (fattened duck liver) or libamรกj (fattened goose liver)
foot (veal): borjรบlรกb
frankfurter: virsli
fresh: friss
fried: rรกntva or rรกntott
fried cheese: rรกntott sajt
fried chicken: rรกntott csirke
fried potatoes: hasรกbburgonya or sรผlt burgonya
frizzante wine: gyรถngyรถzล bor
frog legs: bรฉkacomb
fruit: gyรผmรถlcs
fruit cake: gyรผmรถlcskenyรฉr or pรผspรถkkenyรฉr (โbishopโs breadโ)
fruit soup: gyรผmรถlcsleves
frying pan: serpenyล; serpenyลs refers to a pan-fried dish
game: vad or vadhรบs
garbanzo bean: csicseriborsรณ
garlic: fokhagyma
garnish: kรถret
gelatin: zselatin
gewรผrztraminer: tramini
ginger: gyรถmbรฉr
gizzard: zรบza
glass: pohรกr; in terms of beer, pohรกr refers to a 300 ml (10.1 ounces) glass of beer; see also kimรฉrt bor, korsรณ, pikolรณ
goat: kecske
goat cheese: kecskesajt
goose: liba
gooseberry: egres
goose liver: libamรกj
goulash: gulyรกs; see also babgulyรกs, birkagulyรกs, bogrรกcsgulyรกs, and gulyรกsleves
gourmet: รญnyenc
grape: szลlล
grapefruit: grรฉpfrรบt or citrancs
grated: reszelt
grease: zsรญr
greengage: ringlรณ; a type of sweet plum with light-green flesh and red or greenish-yellow skin
grilled: rostonsรผlt or roston
ground: ลrรถlt (refers to spices), darรกlt (refers to meat)
ground meat: darรกlt hรบs or vagdalt hรบs
grรผner veltliner: zรถldveltelini
guinea fowl: gyรถngytyรบk
haddock: foltos tลkehal
hake: tengeri csuka
ham: sonka
ham and eggs: tรผkรถrtojรกs sonkรกval
hangover soup: korhelyleves; made from sauerkraut, smoked sausage, paprika, and sour cream
hard-boiled egg: kemรฉny tojรกs
hazelnut: mogyorรณ
hazelnut cake: mogyorรณtorta
head cheese: disznรณsajt
health food: reformkonyha
heart: szรญv
hectare: hektรกr; a unit of measurement that equals 10,000 square meters, 2.47 acres, or 107,639 square feet
hen: tyรบk or tyรบkhรบs
herb: fลฑszernรถvรฉny
herring: hering
hill: hegy
hock: kรถrรถm
home delivery: hรกzhoz szรกllรญtรกs
homemade: hรกzi
honey: mรฉz; mรฉzes is honey flavored
honey bread: mรฉzeskalรกcs; similar to ginger bread
honeycomb: lรฉpes mรฉz
honeydew melon: sรกrgadinnye; also refers to cantaloupe and can also be called cukordinnye or mรฉzdinnye
horse mushroom: kerti csiperke
horseradish: torma
hot: erลs or csรญpลs (as in spicy) or forrรณ (as in warm)
hot chocolate: forrรณ csokolรกdรฉ
hot dog: virsli
house wine: folyรณbor or kimรฉrt bor
Hungarian Grey cattle: szรผrke marha; an indigenous cattle breed that nearly died out
ice cream: fagylalt
ice cube: jรฉgkocka
ice wine: jรฉgbor
iced coffee: jeges kรกvรฉ
icing sugar: porcukor
Irish cofee: รญr kรกvรฉ
jam: รญz, lekvรกr, or dzsem
Jerusalem artichoke: csicsรณka
juice (fruit): rostos รผdรญtล or lรฉ
juniper: borรณka
kale: kel or marhakรกposzta
kebab: saslik or rablรณhรบs
kefir: kefir; a fermented milk drink which originated in the Caucasus. Most commercially made kefir is like a more sour, thinner version of yogurt.
kidney: vese
kiwi: kivi
knuckle: csรผlรถk
kohlrabi: karalรกbรฉ
kosher: kรณser
lady fingers: babapiskรณta
lager: รกszok
lamb: bรกrรกny or bรกrรกnyhรบs
lambโs lettuce: madรกrsalรกta; also known as mรขche
lard: zsรญr
late-harvested: kรฉsลi szรผretelรฉsลฑ
latte: tejeskรกvรฉ (half espresso and half steamed milk)
lavender: levendula
layered: rakott
leek: pรณrรฉhagyma
leg cuts (of meat): comb
leg of lamb: bรกrรกnycomb
lemon: citrom
lentil: lencse
lettuce: salรกta or fejes salรกta
lights: szalontรผdล or tรผdล
lime: zรถld citrom
lime blossom honey: hรกrsmรฉz; also known as linden or basswood honey
Liptauer: a spread made with curd cheese, paprika, and other spices; called kรถrรถzรถtt in Hungary
liqueur: likลr
liver: mรกj
liver dumpling: mรกjgombรณc; often added to hรบsleves
lobster: homรกr
long coffee: hosszรบ kรกvรฉ; espresso with hot water added
lovage: lestyรกn
low fat: zsรญrszegรฉny
lungs: szalontรผdล or tรผdล
mackerel: makrรฉla
mรขche: madรกrsalรกta; also known as lambโs lettuce
made-to-order dishes: frissensรผltek
malt: malรกta
Mangalica pig: an indigenous Hungarian pig, prized for its tasty meat
maple syrup: juharszirup
marc brandy: tรถrkรถlypรกlinka; pรกlinka made from the residue left after pressing grapes (the Hungarian version of grappa)
margarine: margarin
marinated: pรกcolt
marjoram: majorรกnna
market: piac, csarnok (hall), or vรกsรกrcsarnok
marzipan: marcipรกn; sweetened almond paste
mashed potatoes: krumplipรผrรฉ
matzo: pรกszka or macesz
mayonnaise: majonรฉz
meat: hรบs
meat dishes: See bakonyi mรณdra, brassรณi aprรณpecsenye, Budapest bรฉlszรญn, cigรกnypecsenye, cordon bleu, Csรกky-rostรฉlyos, csรผlรถk pรฉknรฉ mรณdra, dorozsmai mรณdra, Esterhรกzy-rostรฉlyos, fลtt marhahรบs, fลtt sonka, hagymรกs rostรฉlyos, hentes mรณdra, jรณasszony mรณdra, kacsasรผlt, Kedvessy-bรฉlszรญn, kolozsvรกri kรกposzta, libasรผlt magyarosan, mรกtrai borzaska, pรกrizsi borjรบszelet, rรกcponty, rรกntott borjรบlรกb, rostรฉlyos, sรผlt csรผlรถk, szรฉkelykรกposzta, vadas mรณdra, and vasi pecsenye
meat soup: hรบsleves; a consommรฉ, made by slowly simmering beef, bones, and vegetables
medium (cooking temperature): kรถzepesen รกtsรผtve
medlar: naspolya
mรฉlange: half espresso and half steamed milk
melon: dinnye
menu: รฉtlap
milk: tej
milk chocolate: tejcsokolรกdรฉ
milkweed honey: selyemfลฑmรฉz; also known as silkweed honey
minced meat: darรกlt hรบs or vagdalt hรบs
mineral water: รกsvรกnyvรญz; see also รกsvรกnyi anyaggal dรบsรญtott vรญz, szรฉnsavas, szรฉnsavmentes, termรฉszetes รกsvรกnyvรญz
mint: menta
mixed: vegyes
mixed flower honey: vegyes virรกgmรฉz
mixed salad: vegyes salรกta
molasses: melasz
monkfish: รถrdรถghal
morel mushroom: kucsmagomba
muesli: mรผzli
mulberry: fehรฉr eper
mulled wine: forralt bor
mรผller-thurgau: rizlingszilvรกni
muscat lunel: sรกrga muskotรกly
muscat ottonel: muskotรกly
mushroom: gomba; see also csiperke, gombafej, kerti csiperke, kucsmagomba, laskagomba, szegfลฑgomba, ลzlรกbgomba, rรฉti csiperke, sรกrga rรณkagomba, shiitake gomba, tรฉli fรผlลke, trombitagomba, vargรกnya
mushroom examiner: gombavizsgรกlat
mussel: kagylรณ
mustard: mustรกr
mutton: birka, birkahรบs, juh (รผrรผ and berbรฉcs are old, lesser-used words)
Napa cabbage: kinai kel; cabbage with long pale green leaves, also known as Chinese leaves or Peking cabbage
new garlic: รบjfokhagyma
new onion: รบjhagyma
new potato: รบjburgonya
new wine: รบjbor, or less frequently primลr
non-alcoholic beverage: รผdรญtล
nut: diรณ
nutmeg: szerecsendiรณ
oak: tรถlgy
oat: zab
oatmeal: zabpehely
octopus: polip
offals: belsลsรฉg
oil: olaj
olive: olajbogyรณ or olรญva
olive oil: olรญvaolaj
omelet: omlett
onion: hagyma or vรถrรถshagyma; see also lila hagyma, รบjhagyma, and zรถldhagyma
oregano: oregรกnรณ
organic: bio or รถko
orange: narancs
ostrich: strucc
ox: รถkรถr
ox tongue: marhanyelv
oyster: osztriga
oyster mushroom: laskagomba
pale ale: vilรกgos sรถr
pancakes: palacsinta; see also csรบsztatott palacsinta (a layered palacsinta dessert), Gundel-palacsinta (walnut stuffed pancakes topped with chocolate sauce), and hortobรกgyi palacsinta (savory meat stuffed pancakes with paprika sour cream sauce)
paprika: either the red spice powder or any fresh or dried pepper (but not black pepper); see also almapaprika, chilipaprika, csemegepaprika, cseresznyepaprika, ecetes paprika, รdes Anna, รฉdesnemes paprika, Erลs Pista, fลฑszerpaprika, kรผlรถnleges paprika, lecsรณpaprika, Piros Arany, rรณzsapaprika, and tรถlteni valรณ paprika
parasol mushroom: ลzlรกbgomba
parfait: parfรฉ
parsley: petrezselyem; in Hungary flat-leaf or Italian is most commonly used
parsley root: petrezselyemgyรถkรฉr; also called Hamburg parsley or parsnip rooted parsley, which is common in Central Europe, but slightly different than the parsnip
partridge: fogoly
pasta: tรฉszta (can also refer to dough or pastry); see also cรฉrnametรฉlt, csigatรฉszta, csipetke, derelye, eperlevรฉl, grรกnรกtoskocka, kรกposztรกs kocka, kockatรฉszta, lebbencs, mรกkos tรฉszta, metรฉlt, tarhonya, and tรบrรณs csusza
pastries (savory): teasรผtemรฉny; see also sajtos rolรณ, sajtos rรบd
pastries (sweet): See dessert
pastry shop: cukrรกszda
pรขte: pรกstรฉtom
pattypan squash: patisszon
peach: ลszibarack
peanut: fรถldimogyorรณ or amerikai mogyorรณ
pear: kรถrte
peas: borsรณ; also cukorborsรณ (sugar pea, sugar snap pea), zรถldborsรณ (green pea), or sรกrgaborsรณ (yellow pea)
pepper: bors or fekete bors (the black pepper spice); fehรฉr bors (white pepper); paprika (any variety of bell pepper); see also paprika
petit four: mignon
phacelia honey: facรฉliamรฉz
pheasant: fรกcรกn
pickled: ecetes
pickled cucumber: csemegeuborka
pickled fish: ruszli
pickled vegetables (or fruit): savanyรบsรกg; see also csalamรกdรฉ
pie: pite; see also lepรฉny
piece: darab
pig slaughter: disznรณtor
pigeon: galamb
pike: csuka
pike perch: fogas; from Lake Balaton and its tributaries; from the Sander lucioperca family; also sometimes called zander (the German name); young pike perch is called sรผllล or fogas sรผllล (when it weighs between half a pound and two pounds)
pilsner: pilzeni or pils
pineapple: ananรกsz
pinot gris: szรผrkebarรกt
pinot noir: kisburgundi is the Hungarian name, but is rarely used
pistachio: pisztรกcia
plain: nature; in terms of meat it means simply dredged in flour and fried
plum: szilva
plum dumplings: szilvรกs gombรณc; potato dumplings stuffed with plums and coated in bread crumbs
poached: bevert
pomace brandy: tรถrkรถlypรกlinka; pรกlinka made from the residue left after pressing grapes (the Hungarian version of grappa)
poppy seed: mรกk
porcini mushroom: vargรกnya, sometimes called boletus or cรจpe
pork: sertรฉs or disznรณhรบs
pork belly: hasaalja
pork chop: sertรฉsborda
pork jelly: kocsonya; a mix of pig parts like feet, ears, and snouts, and extras like hard-boiled eggs, which are set in aspic made from rich meat consommรฉ that congeals when chilled
portugieser: acclimatized red grape variety, formerly called kรฉkoportรณ, and also known as blauer portugieser
potato: krumpli or burgonya
poultry: baromfi or szรกrnyas
powdered sugar: porcukor
pretzel: perec
produced by: termelte
prune: aszalt szilva
pub: kocsma, sรถrรถzล (beer hall), bรกr (bar), borozรณ (wine bar), kert or romkert (open-air bar)
pudding: puding
puff pastry: leveles tรฉszta
pullet: jรฉrce
pumpkin: tรถk (or sรผtลtรถk); see also patisszon
pumpkin-seed oil: tรถkmagolaj
purรฉe: pรผrรฉ
quail: fรผrj
quail egg: fรผrjtojรกs
quality wine: minลsรฉgi bor
quince: birs; often called birsalma when itโs shaped like an apple and birskรถrte when itโs shaped like a pear
quince jelly: birsalmasajt
rabbit: nyรบl
Racka sheep: racka juh; a Hungarian indigenous breed of sheep, also called the Hortobรกgy Racka
radish: retek
ragout: ragu
raisin: mazsola
ramp/ramson: medvehagyma
rape honey: repcemรฉz; more commonly known as canola in English
rare: angolosan
raspberry: mรกlna or erdei vadmรกlna (wild raspberry)
raw: nyers
raw milk (unpasteurized): nyers tej
raw sugar: nรกdcukor
ready-made dishes: kรฉszรฉtelek
red: piros or vรถrรถs
red cabbage: vรถrรถs kรกposzta
red onion: lila hagyma
red wine: vรถrรถsbor
reindeer: rรฉnszarvas
restaurant: csรกrda, รฉtkezde, รฉtterem, kifลzde, kisvendรฉglล, or vendรฉglล
Rhine riesling: rajnai rizling
rhubarb: rebarbara
ribs (beef and veal): oldalas
rice: rizs; see also barna rizs and rizibizi
rice pudding: tejberizs
ridge: dลฑlล
ripe: รฉrett
risotto: rizottรณ
roast beef: marhasรผlt
roasted: roston or sรผlt
rocket: rukkola
Romanesco broccoli: pagodakarfiol
rooster: kakas
root: gyรถkรฉr
rosรฉ: rozรฉ; see also siller
rosehip: csipkebogyรณ
rosemary: rozmaring
rรถszti potatoes: potatoes grated then fried or browned in the oven
roulade cake: bejgli; theyโre long and stuffed with walnuts (diรณs bejgli) or poppy seeds (mรกkos bejgli)
roux: rรกntรกs
rudd: keszeg
Russian salad: franciasalรกta; called โFrench saladโ in Hungary, itโs a cold salad made of diced carrots, potatoes, corn, and peas in mayonnaise dressing
rye beer: rozssรถr
rye bread: rozskenyรฉr
sabayon: borhab
saddle: gerinc
saddle of venison: ลzgerinc
saffron: sรกfrรกny
sage: zsรกlya
salad: salรกta; see also csalamรกdรฉ
salami: szalรกmi; see also tรฉliszalรกmi, Pick szalรกmi
salmon: lazac
salsify: fekete gyรถkรฉr; also known as Spanish salsify
salt: sรณ; sรณs (salty)
saltwater fish: tengeri hal
sandwich: szendvics
sardine: szardรญnia
sauce: mรกrtรกs
sauerkraut: savanyรบ kรกposzta or vecsรฉsi kรกposzta
sausage: kolbรกsz; see also csabai kolbรกsz, csรญpลs kolbรกsz, friss kolbรกsz, gyulai kolbรกsz, hurka, lรกngolt kolbรกsz, mรกjas hurka, szรกraz kolbรกsz, vastag kolbรกsz, vรฉres hurka, parasztsonka
sautรฉed: pirรญtott
savory: csombor or borsikafลฑ (an herb related to the mint family)
savory: sรณs; as in not sweet
Savoy cabbage: kelkรกposzta
scallion: zรถldhagyma
scone: pogรกcsa; savory, buttery biscuits in a variety of flavors; see also kรกposztรกs pogรกcsa, krumplis pogรกcsa, sajtos pogรกcsa, tepertลs pogรกcsa, tรบrรณs pogรกcsa, vajas pogรกcsa
scrambled eggs: rรกntotta
seasonal beer: alkalmi sรถrkรผlรถnlegessรฉg
seed: mag
selection: vรกlogatรกs
semi-dark beer: fรฉlbarna sรถr
semi-dry: fรฉlszรกraz
semi-sweet: fรฉlรฉdes
semolina: grรญz or dara
semolina dumplings: daragaluska
sesame seed: szezรกmmag
shallot: sonkahagyma or salottahagyma
sheepโs milk cheese: juhsajt or juhtรบrรณ (curd cheese)
shell beans: tarkabab
shiitake mushroom: shiitake gomba
shop: bolt; small grocery store are also called รฉlelmiszer, csemege, or ABC
shot (of liquor): rรถvid
silkweed honey: selyemfลฑmรฉz; also known as milkweed honey
siller: a wine thatโs lighter than red, but darker than rosรฉ with a winemaking process similar to rosรฉ, but the grape skins arenโt removed and the fermentation process is longer. Siller has largely disappeared since it wasnโt recognized as an official type of wine during Communism; itโs low in alcohol and high in acidity
silver carp: busa
skewer: nyรกrs
skillet: serpenyล; serpenyลs refers to a skillet-cooked dish
skim milk: sovรกny tej
slice: szelet
sloe: kรถkรฉny; a wild European plum-like fruit that comes from the blackthorn
small: aprรณ; see also aprรณhรบs and aprรณpecsenye
smoked: fรผstรถlt
smoked bacon: fรผstรถlt szalonna
smoked cheese: fรผstรถlt sajt
smoking section: dohรกnyzรณ
snack: falatok (or bite)
snack bar: รฉtelbรกr or bรผfรฉ
snail: csiga; also refers to a round pastry with a swirl of poppy seeds or walnuts
soda water: szรณdavรญz
sorrel: sรณska
soufflรฉ: felfรบjt
soup: leves; see also borleves, csontleves, erลleves, halรกszlรฉ, hรบsleves, gyรผmรถlcsleves, Jรณkai-bableves, korhelyleves, orjaleves, palรณcleves, Pethes-leves, tyรบkhรบsleves, and รjhรกzy-tyรบkhรบsleves
sour: savanyรบ
sour cherry: meggy
sour cream: tejfรถl
soybean: szรณjabab
soy sauce: szรณjaszรณsz
sparkling (water): szรฉnsavas or buborรฉkos
sparkling wine: pezsgล
specialties: kรผlรถnlegessรฉgek
spelt: tรถnkรถly buzadara
spice: fลฑszer
spinach: spenรณt or paraj
sponge cake: piskรณta
spring onion: zรถldhagyma
sprouts: csรญra
squash: tรถk or sรผtลtรถk; see also patisszon
squid: tintahal
steamed: pรกrolt (or braised) or gลzรถlt
sterlet: kecsege; related to the sturgeon, and found in the Danube and Tisza rivers
stew: pรถrkรถlt; see also lecsรณ, paprikรกs, pincepรถrkรถlt, sรณlet, tokรกny
still (water): szรฉnsavmentes
strawberry: eper or szamรณca (wild)
strudel: rรฉtes
stuffed: tรถltรถtt
stuffed cabbage: tรถltรถtt kรกposzta
stuffed kohlrabi: tรถltรถtt karalรกbรฉ
stuffed peppers: tรถltรถtt paprika
sturgeon: tokhal
style: mรณdra
suckling pig: malac; usually served as ropogรณs malacsรผlt (crispy roasted suckling pig)
sugar: cukor
sugar beet: cukorrรฉpa
sugar-free: cukormentes
sunflower honey: napraforgรณmรฉz
sunflower oil: napraforgรณolaj
sunny-side-up eggs: tรผkรถrtojรกs
sweet: รฉdes
sweetened: cukros
Swiss chard: mรกngold
sylvaner: zรถldszilvรกni
syrup: szรถrp; concentrated fruit syrup to mix with soda or water
table wine: asztali bor; the lowest quality wine
tail: farok
tap: csapolt
tap water: csapvรญz
tarragon: tรกrkony
tart: lepรฉny
tartar sauce: tartรกrmรกrtรกs; in Hungary it is mayonnaise with added sour cream
tea: tea
tenderloin: szลฑz
testicles: here
thyme: kakukkfลฑ
tip: borravalรณ
toast: pirรญtรณs
Tokaji: see fordรญtรกs, furmint, mรกslรกs, puttony, tokaji aszรบ, tokaji aszรบeszencia, tokaji eszencia, and tokaji szamorodni
tomato: paradicsom
tongue: nyelv
tortes: see cakes, desserts, dobostorta, Esterhรกzy-torta, fekete erdล torta, Gerbeaud szelet, orosz krรฉmtorta, Sacher-torta, and Stefรกnia-torta
tripe: pacal
trotter: kรถrรถm
trout: pisztrรกng
truffle: szarvasgomba
tuna: tonhal
turkey: pulyka
turmeric: kurkuma
turnip: fehรฉr rรฉpa
unfiltered: szลฑretlen
Unicum: bitter liquor made from more than 40 herbs and spices, distilled, and aged in oak casks for six months
vanilla: vanรญlia
vanilla sugar: vanรญliรกs cukor or vanillin
varietal wine: fajbor
variety meats: belsลsรฉg
veal: borjรบ or borjรบhรบs
veal cutlet: borjรบborda
veal sweetbreads: borjรบmirigy
vegetables: zรถldsรฉg; see also fลzelรฉk
vegetarian: vegetรกriรกnus
venison: ลz, szarvas, or szarvashรบs
Villรกny appellation: DHC Villรกny (Districtus Hungaricus Controllatus); Villรกnyi Vรฉdett Eredetลฑ bor (origin protected wine from Villรกny); prรฉmium is the top category and classicus is the second level of quality
vinegar: ecet
vintage: รฉvjรกrat
walnut: diรณ
walnut bread: diรณs kenyรฉr
walnut cake: diรณtorta
warm: meleg
water: vรญz
watermelon: gรถrรถgdinnye
weekly specials: heti ajรกnlat; heti ajรกnlatunk is โour weekly specialsโ
well done: jรณl รกtsรผtve
wels: wels catfish (Silurus glanis); a scale-less fresh water catfish, also called European catfish. In Hungarian catfish is called harcsa.
Welschriesling: olaszrizling (โItalian rieslingโ); the most widely planted grape in Hungary
wheat: bรบza
wheat beer: bรบzasรถr
whey: savรณ
whey cheese: orda; similar to ricotta
whipped cream: habtejszรญn
white: fehรฉr
white bread: fehรฉr kenyรฉr
white chocolate: fehรฉrcsokolรกdรฉ
white radish: jรฉgretek
white wine: fehรฉr bor
whiting: sรกrga tลkehal
whole: egรฉsz
wholewheat bread: bรบzakenyรฉr
Wienerschnitzel: bรฉcsi szelet; traditionally breaded and fried veal cutlet, but in Hungary itโs often made with pork
wild: erdei or vad
wild boar: vaddisznรณ
wild duck: vadkacsa
wild fowl: vadszรกrnyas
wild rabbit: vadnyรบl
Williamโs pear: vilmos kรถrte
wine: bor
wine list: borlap
winemaker: borรกsz
wine merchant: borkereskedล
wine region: borvidรฉk
winery: borรกszat
wine snacks: borkorcsolya
wine soup: borleves
wine spritzer: frรถccs
wine tasting: borkรณstolรณ
wine vinegar: borecet
without: nรฉlkรผl
wooden plate: fatรกnyรฉr; refers to a mix of grilled and fried meats; could also be called erdรฉlyi fatรกnyรฉros (Transylvanian mixed grill); see also disznรณtoros
yeast: รฉlesztล
yellow muscat: sรกrga muskotรกly
yellow pea: sรกrgaborsรณ
yogurt: joghurt
young: fiatal
zucchini: cukkini
zweigelt: a cross between the kรฉkfrankos (portugieser) and St. Laurent grapes. One of the most widely planted red varieties in Austria, itโs also present in Hungary
back to top