A

Aki �-t mond, mondjon b�-t is

He that says a, should also say b

Ha adnak, vedd el, ha �tnek, szaladj el

If something is given to you then take it, if you are beaten,

then run away

Jobb adni, mint kapni

It is better to give than to receive

K�tszer ad, aki gyorsan ad

He gives twice who gives quickly

Amilyen az adjonisten, olyan a fogadjisten

Like greeting, on arrival, like answer

H�tr�bb az agarakkal

Backwards with the greyhounds

Be more modest

Ki mint veti �gy�t, �gy alussza �lm�t

As one makes his bed, so he sleeps his dream

�gy�val l� verebekre

He shoots at sparrows with a, high calibre, gun

Aj�nd�k l�nak ne n�zd a fog�t

Do not look at the tooth of a gift horse

Ajt�stul ront be a h�zba

He rushes into the houses together with the door

He tells, does something to somebody without announcement

Ha kidobj�k az ajt�n, bemegy az ablakon

If he is thrown out through the door, he enters through the

window

Nem amint akarn�nk, hanem amint lehet

One should act as he may, not as he would like to

Csak akaszt�sra val� istr�ngot sem �rdemelne

He would not deserve even the rope for hanging

Kinek akaszt�fa helye, nem hal a Dun�ba

A b�n�st el�ri m�lt� b�ntet�se

He whose place is on the gallows, will not die in the Danube

Akasztott ember h�z�ban k�telet emleget

He names a rope in the house of a man that was hanged

Alkalom sz�li a tolvajt

Opportunity bears the thief

Felkavarta az �ll�vizet

K�vet dobott az �ll�vzbe

He has stirred up, or threw a stone into, still water.

He brought motion in a quiet life

Nem esik messze az alma a f�j�t�l

The apple does not fall far from its tree

Nem vagyunk angyalok

We are not angels

Amilyen az anya, olyan a le�nya

Like mother, like daughter

N�zd meg az anyj�t, vedd el a l�ny�t

Have a close look at the mother and then marry her daughter

�r ellen neh�z �szni

It is difficult to swim against the stream

Aki nem tud arabusul, ne besz�ljen arabusul

He who cannot speak Arabic, should not speak Arabic

He who has no knowledge, understanding of something, should

not engage in, or interfere with, it

Az arany a s�rban is arany

Gold is gold even in the mud

Hallgatni arany besz�lni ez�st

To be silent is golden, to speak is silvern

Nem mind arany, ami f�nylik

All is not gold that glitters

Ki kor�n kel, aranyat lel

He who gets up early finds gold

Nem fog aranyon a rozsda

Rust cannot do any harm to gold

A man of character is resistant to temptation

Aranykulcs minden ajt�ba beillik

A golden key fits every door

Nem mindig az arat, aki vet

Not always that reaps who sows

Ez nem az �n asztalom

This is not my table

This is not my duty, responsibility concern

A refusal of doing, dealing with something

H�rom asszony egy l�d, k�t asszony, eg�sz v�s�r

Three women, a goose and two women make a whole fair

J� asszony a h�znak koron�ja

A good wife is the crown of the house

Ser�ny asszonynak rest a l�nya, rest asszonynak ser�ny a l�nya

A busy women has a lazy daughter, a lazy women has a busy

daughter

Higgy az asszonyn�pnek, mint az �prilisi id�j�r�snak

Believe in women as in the weather in April

K�nny� az asztag alatt, mellett kal�szt szedni

It is easy to collect ears of corn under, beside a stack

B

Nem j�tszunk Add vissza a babaruh�t

We do not play, Return the dolls clothes

I do not agree to cancel a promise, agreement or to return a

present given by him

Sok b�ba k�zt elv�sz a gyerek

Among many midwives the child is lost

Nem babra megy a j�t�k

The stake of the play is not beans

It is a serious matter

A bagoly is b�r� barlangj�ban

Even an owl is a judge in her cave

Bagoly mondja ver�bnek, hogy nagyfej�

The owl tells the sparrow that her head is big

A baj nem j�r egyed�l

Trouble does not come alone

Mindenkinek megvan a maga baja

Everyone his own trouble

Ugyanazon bakot ny�zza

A r�gi n�t�t f�jja

He is flaying the same bock

Hi sings the same old song

Mindenkit �rhet baleset

Accidents may happen to anyone

Elcs�szott egy ban�nh�jon

He has slipped on a banana-peel

By making a small error his secret, illegal activity came into

the open

K�s� b�nat ebgondolat

A late repentance is a dogs idea

After death the doctor

Bar�tot szerencse hoz, sz�ks�g pr�b�l

Luck brings friends, need tries them

Mondd meg, ki a bar�tod megmondom ki vagy

Tell me who your friends is, I'll tell you who you are

Nem mind bar�tod, aki r�d mosolyog

All are not your friends who smile at you

In�ba sz�llt a b�tors�ga

His courage sank to his sinews

He got frightened

B�trak� a szerencse

Luck belongs to the brave

A b�ka feneke alatt van

It is below the bottom of a frog

It is of inferior quality

Lenyeli a b�k�t

He swallows the frog

He swallows the bitter pill

Hagyj b�k�t m�snak, magadra viselj gondot

Leave others in peace, care for yourself

Jobb a b�kess�g

Peace is better

It is better to refrain from quarrels, contradictions or

raising, forcing an argument

Kapkod, mint Bern�t a mennyk�h�z

Like Barnard, he tries to catch the heavens stone

He acts in confusion, inconsistently

Nyert benne, mint Bert�k a cs�kban

Mindent elvesztett

He succeeded like Bertok with the loach

He lost everything

Sok besz�dnek sok az alja

In much talk there is much bottom, inferior matter

A bety�rb�l lesz a legjobb pand�r

The former highwayman men are the best gendarmes

Belet�rt a bicsk�ja

His pocket knife opens in my pocket

He tried but failed in a achieving something

Kiny�lik a bicska a zsebemben

Something has caused anger, despair but one was compelled to

stand idly by

Aki brja marja

He who is strongest, ablest can devour it

The strongest, ablest wins

Sorba m�gy, mint a falusi b�r�s�g

It is taken by turns like village headmanship

Ki hol b�zik, ott h�zik

Where one trusts, there he gets fat

Magyar�zza a bizony�tv�ny�t

He explains away his report

He tries hard to explain or justify his action or behaviour

Szeg�nys�gi bizony�tv�nyt �ll�t ki mag�r�l

He issues a certificate of poverty of himself

He proves his incapacity

Bocskorb�r az orc�ja

Vastag b�r van a k�p�n

There is thick sandal leather on his face

He is bluntly shameless

M�st besz�l, mint Bod�n�, mikor a bor �r�t k�rik

Like Mrs Bodo he talks about something else when asked to pay

for the wine

Side-stepping an issue

Bolond lyukb�l bolond sz�l f�j

Out of a foolish hole a foolish wind blows

A fool can tell only foolish things

Bolond �tk�zik k�tszer egy k�be

A fool stumbles twice at the same stone

Bolondnak kedvez, j�r a szerencse

Fortune favours the fool

Egy bolond beledobja a k�tba a k�vet, sz�z okos se veszi ki

A fool may throw a stone into a well which a hundred wise

cannot take out

Egy bolond sz�zat csin�l

One fool makes a hundred

Bor be, �sz ki

Wine in, sense out

J� bornak nem kell c�g�r

Good wine needs no signboard, bush

B�mul, mint borj� az �j kapura

He stares at the new gate as a calf

He merely looks at something without taking action

Borotva�len t�ncol

He dances on a razor-edge

He tries to face danger from two, more sides

Kicsi a bors, de er�s

Pepper is small but strong

Borsot t�r valakinek az orra al�

He crushes pepper under the nose of somebody

He annoys, irritates somebody

Falra h�nyt bors�

It is like peas thrown against the wall

A vain effort

�gy illik �ssze, mint bot a tegezbe

They match as a stick in a quiver

Minden botnak a v�g�n a feje

Nyugt�val dics�rd a napot

The head of each stick is at its end

Praise a fair day at night

Aki bottal k�sz�n, annak doronggal felelnek

He who greets with a stick, will be answered with a club

Bottal �thetik a nyom�t

His footprints can be beaten with a stick

He managed to escape

Senki sem tud kib�jni a saj�t b�r�b�l

Nobody can slip out of his own skin

Nobody can abandon easily his customs, ideas

Mindenki a maga b�r�t viszi a v�s�rra

Every one carries his own skin to the market

El van maradva egy bros�r�val

He is one pamphlet behind, the others

He still thinks, speaks, acts according to the previous

guidelines

Nem egy nap alatt �p�lt Buda v�ra

The castle of Buda was not built in one day

Egyszer volt Bud�n kutyav�s�r

These was a  dog-market in Buda only once

This favourable opportunity was a one-time occasion only

Felfel� bukott

He stumbled upwards

After failing in a job he was moved to higher position

C

A c�l szentes�ti az eszk�zt

The purpose consecrates the means

Minden cig�ny a maga lov�t dics�ri

Every gypsy prises his own horse

Nem szokta a cig�ny a sz�nt�st

The gypsy is not accustomed to ploughing

He is compelled to do something, he was previously reluctant

to do

M�g ha cig�nygyerekek potyognak, esnek is az �gb�l

Even if gypsy children are dropped from the sky

Come hell or high water

Cs�ky szalm�j�nak tekinti

He considers it as straw of, the landowner Csaky

An expression of negligence instead of due care

Csal�nba nem �t a m�nk�, mennyk�

The sky�s stone does not strike the nettle

Weeds don�t spoil

Add meg a cs�sz�rnak, ami a cs�sz�r�, �s az Istennek, ami az

Isten�

Give the emperor what is the emperors and God what is Gods

Give everyone his due

El�st�k a csatab�rdot

They have buried the hatchet

Sok csepp k�vet v�j

Many drops hollow the stone

Cser�p, zsindely van a h�ztet�n, h�zon

Fiatal gyerek van jelen, ill. a falnak is f�le van

There is a tile on the roof

Walls have ears

Cser�pt�lhoz fakan�l

To an earthenware dish a wooden spoon

Marry your match

Lehazudn� a csillagokat az �gr�l

He would even lie, there is no star in the sky

He is ready to deny even the most obvious truths

Ha nem csin�lok semmit, abb�l nem lehet baj

If we do nothing, without being ordered to do, no trouble will

result from it

A s�ros csizm�mat sem t�r�ln�m hozz�

I would not wipe my muddy boots in him

An expression of utter despise

Hogy ker�l a csizma az asztalra

How could the boots get on the table

What has that got to do with it

An expression of indignant surprise

Minden csoda h�rom napig tart

Every wonder lasts three days

Ez m�r ler�gott csont

This is already a gnawed bone

A matter already discussed several times

K�s�n j�v�nek csont az eb�dje

He who comes late gets bones for lunch

Ha nem csordul, csurran, cseppen

If it does not trickle, it will drop

Even if it is less than expected, still there will be

something

Cs�b�rb�l v�d�rbe

He got out of the bucket and got into the pail

Out of the frying into the fire

Kicsiny csupor hamar felforr

A little pot quickly boils

D

Dar�zsf�szekbe ny�l

He puts his hand into a wasp's nest

Elk�lten� a D�rius kincs�t is

He would spend even the treasures of Darius

Te sem vagy jobb a De�kn� v�szn�n�l

Even you are not better than the linen of Deak's wife

You are as bad as the others

J�n m�g kuty�ra d�r

The hoar-frost is still to come for the dog

Be sure your sins will find you out

H�rom napig d�nom d�nom, holtig val� sz�nom b�nom

A three day long merry-making and regret lasting till death

A hasty marriage

A di� t�rve, az asszony verve j�

A nut is good if broken, a women if beaten

Hallgat, mint a s�ket diszn� a b�z�ban

He keeps silent, like a deaf pig in the wheat-field

�hes diszn� makkal �lmodik

A hungry pig dreams of acorns

Okos diszn� m�ly gy�keret r�nt

A clever pig extracts a deep root

A clever man achieves remarkable feats

Diszn�ra gy�mb�rt ne vesztegess

Do not waste your ginger on pigs

Nem er�szak a diszn�tor

Nobody is forced to attend the dinner given after killing a

pig

You are free to refrain from accepting an offer I consider

favourable to, for you

Dobbal nem lehet verebet fogni

Sparrows cannot be caught by beating a drum

Aki dolgozik, az nem �r r� p�nzt keresni

He who works has no time to earn money

If a job is hard and little paid, then one cannot earn

additionally in a second job

Aki nem dolgozik, ne is egy�k

He that does not work, shall not eat either

Dr�ton r�ngat valakit

To pull somebody by a wire

To pull the strings

K�t dud�s egy cs�rd�ban nem f�r meg

Two pipers cannot get on in one tavern

Akkor l�szen az, mikor a Duna visszafoly vagy elsz�rad

It will happen when the Danube reverts its course or dries up

Dun�t lehetne rekeszteni vele, vel�k

The Danube could be dammed by them

There are too many of them

E

Nehezen alkuszik meg k�t eb egy csonton

Two dogs can hardly agree on one bone

Az ebek harmincadj�ra ker�l, jutott

It fell to the thirtieth of dogs

Although it is valuable nobody cares for it any more

Fogas ebnek val� a csontr�g�s

Gnawing on bones is for dogs having teeth

Ha egy ebet bottal hajtanak a ny�l ut�n, nem fogja az meg

If a dog is driven by a stick after a hare, he will not catch

it

K�ti az ebet a kar�hoz

He ties the dog to the post

He sticks to his position, plan, idea

Ebcsont beforr

A dogs broken bone will soon be healed

The wound inflicted will soon be healed

�g �s f�ld a k�l�nbs�g k�zt�k

The difference between them is like that between sky and earth

Mint der�lt �gb�l a vill�mcsap�s

Like a thunderstroke from a clear sky

Az eg�szs�g �z�t a betegs�g adja meg

The flavour of health is given by an illness

Szeg�ny az ekl�zsia, maga harangoz a pap

The congregation is poor, the priest rings the bell himself

Elef�nt a porcel�nboltban N

An elephant in the china shop

Nem az�rt �l�nk, hogy egy�nk, hanem az�rt esz�nk, hogy �lj�nk

We do not live to eat, but we eat to live

Ki elb�zza mag�t, k�nnyen megsz�gyen�l

He who is conceited, will easily be ashamed

Se el ne hidd, b�zd magad, se k�ts�gbe ne ess�l

Elb�zza mag�t

Neither be conceited, nor fall into despair

Akkor, �gy sz�p az �let, ha zajlik

Life is beautiful if it is hectic

Az ellens�gemnek se k�v�nom

I do not want it even for my enemy

Aki nincs ellen�nk, az vel�nk van

He who is not against us, that is with us

Ami elm�lt, elm�lt

What�s gone, is gone

Don�t cry, over spilt milk

Ah�ny ember, annyi v�lem�ny

As many men as many opinions

Az ember nem lehet el�g �vatos

One cannot be cautious enough

Ember embernek farkasa

Man is a wolf to man

Ember tervez, Isten v�gez

Man plans, God decides

Holtig rem�l az ember

Man hopes until his death

Nem tudja az ember, mire virrad

One does not know what he will find tomorrow

Sok j� ember elf�r kis helyen

Many good people can find room in a small space

H�res eperre nem kell kos�rral menni, k�zelebb lak�k vagy

szemf�lesebbek m�r leszedt�k r�g

You do not needed a basket to pick well-knows strawberries,

those living nearby or being quicker have already picked them

Nem szed m�s kosar�ba epret

He wont pick strawberries into the basket on somebody else

Az erd�nek f�le van, a mez�nek szeme van

The forest has an ear, the field has an eye

Ahogy esik, �gy puffan

As it falls so it plumps

As the tree falls, it will lie

Es� ut�n k�p�nyeg

After rain, comes raincoat

After meat, mustard

M�jusi es� aranyat �r

A rain in May is golden

T�bbet �sszel, mint er�vel

One should, could do more by wisdom than by force

Eszi, nem eszi, nem kap m�st

He may eat it or not, he wont get anything else

Azt se tudja, eszik-e vagy issz�k

He does not even know whether it is eaten or drunk

He has no idea about it

Sok eszkim�, kev�s f�ka

Many Eskimos and few seals

Nincs olyan hitv�ny eszk�z, hogy haszn�t ne lehetne venni

There is no worthless thing which could not be used something

Ev�s k�zben j�n meg az �tv�gy

Appetite comes while eating

Ez van, ezt kell szeretni

This is, what we have, experience, this is to be liked

F

Amilyen a fa, olyan a gy�m�lcse

Like tree, like fruit

Nagy f�ba v�gta a fejsz�j�t

He cut his axe into a big tree

A hard venture

F�b�l vaskarika

An iron ring made of wood

An absurdity

Kem�ny f�b�l faragt�k

He was carved of hard wood

He is strong, steadfast

J� f�nak is van rossz gy�m�lcse

Even good tree has, sometimes bad fruit

A f�t nem v�gj�k ki egy csap�sra, v�g�sra

A tree is not felled at one stroke

Addig hajtsd a f�t, m�g vessz�

Bend the tree while is a twig

Maga alatt v�gja a f�t

He cuts the tree under himself

Rossz f�t tett a t�zre

He has put bad wood on the fire

He has got into mischief

Nem l�tja a f�t�l az erd�t

He cannot see the wood for the trees

Nem n�nek a f�k az �gig

The trees do not grow up to the sky

A fak�nak musz�j h�zni, mert a fak�t is h�zz�k

Akit�l az el�lj�r�i megk�vetelnek valamit, az is k�nytelen

k�vetelni a beosztottait�l

The horse has to pull as the horse is also pulled

He who gets orders from his superiors, has to pass them on to

his subordinates

A falnak is f�le van

Even the wall has an ear

A farkas a sz�r�t elh�nyja, de a szok�s�t nem

Farkast emlegetnek, a kert alatt kullog, j�r

When a wolf is mentioned, he is already walking round the

garden

Nem eszi meg a farkas, kutya a telet

The wolf, dog does not eat the winter

A farok cs�v�lja a kuty�t

The tail wags the dog

The normal order is reversed

Those give orders who are expected to obey

Az �j faz�k megtartja els� szag�t

A new pot retains its first scent

The cask savours of the first fill

Minden ember az � maga fazeka mell� sz�t

Minden szentnek maga fel� hajlik a keze

Every man kindles the fire below his own pot

Egy fecske nem csin�l nyarat

One swallow does not make a summer

Akinek nincs a fej�ben, legyen a l�b�ban

He who has not, enough wit in the head, should have, force, to

replace it, in the leg

Fej�n tal�lja a sz�get

He hits the nail on the head

�sszecsapnak a feje f�l�tt a hull�mok

The waves dash over his head

He is unable to cope with the situation any longer

Lehajtott fejet nem �ri a kard

A bent head is not touched by the sword

Nem j� fejjel menni, rohanni a falnak

There is no point in running ones head against the wall

Veszett fejsze nyele

The helve of the lost hatchet

A little gain in a great loss

Jobb f�lni, mint megijedni

It is better to fear, something than to get frightened

Jobb f�l�tr�l visszat�rni, mint rossz �tra t�rni

Better to return from half-way than to take a wrong road

Hadd hulljon a f�rgese

Let the wormy of it drop off

Let those perish, leave who are not up to the standard

Jobb a s�r� fill�r, mint a ritka forint

It is better to get fillers often than forints seldom

Am�g nek�nk csak fizetgetnek, addig mi is csak dolgozgatunk

Until we are only poorly paid, we shall also poorly work

Akinek a foga f�j, tartsa a nyelv�t rajta

Seg�ts magadon

He who  has a toothache, should keep, hold his tongue on it

Help yourself

Feni a fog�t valamire

He whets his teeth on something

He is very eager to get something

Kimutatja a foga feh�rj�t

He shows the whiteness of his teeth

He shows himself in his true colours

Fogjuk meg �s vigy�tek

Let us take it, into our hands and then you carry it

Somebody is urging others to work without wishing to take part

in it

Ott szakad a fonal, madzag, k�t�l, ahol a legv�konyabb

The thread, string, rope breaks where it is thinnest

Elment F�ldv�rra deszk�t �rulni

Meghalt

He left for Foldvar to sell boards

He died

Amit f�zt�l, edd is meg

What you have cooked, you should eat as well

You have to take the responsibility for your action

Sz�gyen a fut�s, de hasznos

Running is away is a shame, but it is useful

Egyik f�l�n be, a m�sikon ki

In at one ear and out at the other

Se f�le, se farka

It has neither an ear, nor a tail

It has neither rhyme nor reason

It makes no sense

Ahol f�st van, ott t�z is van

Where there is smoke, there is fire

F�stbe ment

It went into smoke

Nothing was realized achieved

Nagyobb a f�stje, mint a l�ngja

Its smoke is bigger than the flame

It is not so serious

G

Senkinek sem rep�l sz�j�ba a s�lt galamb

A roast pigeon will not fly into one's mouth

Ahol sok a