Name often first
In Hungarian order, the family name usually comes before the personal name. International documents can change the order.
Uralic language
Have Hungarian translated
Magyar
Hungarian is fundamentally different from most neighboring languages. Endings, name order and diacritical marks are particularly important for documents.
Hungarian is spoken by approximately 13 million people in Hungary and neighboring regions.
Geographical distribution of Hungarian
- Main distribution
- Other regional use
- Selected Diaspora
Hungary
Romania
Slovakia
Serbia
Ukraine
Austria
Slovenia
Croatia
Germany
Schematic selection of important distribution areas. Language usage does not always follow national borders; the map is not complete population statistics.
Language profile
Hungarian at a glance
- Proper name
- Magyar
- language family
- Uralic language
- font
- Latin alphabet with Hungarian special characters
- Language code
- hu
Documents and deployment
The language direction is often used
It's not just the language that matters. ABBA-Sprachendienste also classifies document type, recipient, subject area, certification requirement and desired language direction.
Have the document checked- Birth and marriage certificates
- Certificates and diplomas
- Employment and pension documents
- Contracts and powers of attorney
- Court and authority decisions
Origin and development
How language developed
Hungarian belongs to the Ugric branch of the Uralic language family. An earlier coherent Hungarian text is the Funeral Oration from the late 12th century.
The language is written using an extended Latin alphabet. Historical contacts with Turkish, Slavic, German and Latin languages are visible in the vocabulary.
Good to know
What makes this language special
Long and short vowels
O/ó, ö/ő and u/ú, ü/ű are independent differences and can change meanings.
Many grammatical endings
Cases and relationships are often marked directly on the word; Literal dissection is not sufficient for an accurate translation.
A little language insight
Three first expressions
The transcription only serves as an initial guide. Pronunciation and regional forms may vary.
| Original | Transcription | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Jo napot | — | Good afternoon |
| Köszönöm | — | Thank you |
| Kerem | — | Please |
Sources and classification
Further information
Speaker numbers are rounded guide values and may vary depending on the definition, year of survey and inclusion of second language speakers.
- Hungarian language
Wikipedia · language-specific overview
- Codes for the Representation of Names of Languages
Library of Congress / ISO 639-2 Registration Authority · Language codes and standardized language names
- Language and Locale Names
Unicode Common Locale Data Repository · Language, script and area names and variants
- Glottolog 5.3
Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology · Language families, classification and linguistic literature
Editorial source status: July 14, 2026. Information will be cross-checked before production goes live.
Hungarian FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Hungarian
Can I have Hungarian translated into German and German translated into Hungarian?
Both directions can be requested. A binding commitment is made after checking the type of document, subject area, certification, date and intended use.
Which documents are often relevant when speaking Hungarian?
Birth and marriage certificates, certificates and diplomas, employment and pension documents, contracts and powers of attorney are among the typical occasions. Other types of documents can also be checked with an easy-to-read photo or PDF.
What does ABBA-Sprachendienste look for in Hungarian?
The language direction, document type, Latin alphabet with Hungarian special characters, names, stamps, subject area, purpose and possible need for certification are checked.
Do I need a certified translation for my Hungarian document?
This is decided by the receiving authority, the court, the notary or the other requesting body. Tell ABBA-Sprachendienste where the document will be presented; then the need can be classified appropriately.
Is a photo enough for the first check?
Yes. A complete, sharp and easy-to-read photo or PDF is usually sufficient to check the offer. Depending on the order, the original may also be required for later execution.
Have Hungarian ↔ German tested specifically
Send an easy-to-read photo or PDF. ABBA-Sprachendienste personally checks the language direction, document, purpose and certification requirements.
