szervusz

See also: servus

Hungarian
Hungarian phrasebook
This entry is part of the phrasebook project, which presents criteria for inclusion based on usefulness, simplicity and commonness.
For other Hungarian entries on this topic, see Greetings or Farewells.

Alternative forms

Etymology

The greeting evolved from the commoners’ greeting in Latin servus humillimus (“your humblest servant”), said to lords.[1] No subservience is implied in modern use. Compare Slovak servus, Romanian servus, German servus, Swedish tjenare. See also the similar etymology at csaó and alászolgája.

Pronunciation
  • IPA(key): [ˈsɛrvus]
  • Audio(file)
  • Hyphenation: szer‧vusz

Interjection

szervusz

  1. (semi-formal) hello, goodbye
  2. cheers (toast)

Usage notes

Used both for hello and goodbye to someone whom the speaker addresses in the second person. When greeting a group of people, szervusztok is used. Szervusz is more formal and polite than the colloquial szia.

See also

References
  1. Zaicz, Gábor. Etimológiai szótár: Magyar szavak és toldalékok eredete (’Dictionary of Etymology: The origin of Hungarian words and affixes’). Budapest: Tinta Könyvkiadó, 2006, →ISBN
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