Hungarian proverbs and sayings related to winter and Christmas
Proverbs and sayings may come up in any situation, often express some commonplace truth or useful thought, and mostly originate from folk culture. Proverbs are passed from generation to generation by word of mouth until they become integral elements in the given language. In this article, we have collected some Hungarian proverbs and sayings that are related to winter and Christmas.
A kutya nem eszi meg a telet.
literal translation: Dogs do not eat winter.
meaning: Winters usually do not pass without snow and at least a few really cold days.
Aki nyárban nem gyűjt, télen keveset fűt.
literal translation: Those who do not collect in the summer have little to heat with in the winter.
meaning: It is advisable to save money when you have the opportunity, otherwise, you will have to face difficulties later.
Elmúlt, mint a tavalyi hó.
literal translation: It is gone like last year’s snow.
meaning: Someone or something is gone. Something disappeared without a trace.
Fekete karácsony, fehér húsvét.
Fehér karácsony, zöld húsvét.
literal translation: Black Christmas, white Easter. White Christmas, green Easter.
meaning: According to common observation, if there is no snow on Christmas Day, the weather will be cold and snowy during Easter.
The next saying states the opposite: if we have a white Christmas, we can expect warm and spring-like weather during Easter.
Hosszú, mint a téli nap karácsony felé.
literal translation: Long as the winter day approaching Christmas.
meaning: If you know that something good is going to happen soon but still have to wait for it to happen, it is very difficult to wait patiently.
Kapós, mint télen a szalmakalap.
literal translation: In demand, like a straw hat in the winter. (The demand for something is similar to the demand for a straw hat in the winter.)
meaning: There is no need for something.
Tele van a hócipője.
literal translation: His or her snow boots are full.
meaning: He or she is fed up with something or someone.
source: Hungarian proverbs and sayings related to winter and Christmas by Nóra Csécsei, Daily News Hungary
Vocabulary
| sayings | szólásmondások |
| proverbs | közmondások |
| literal translation | szó szerinti fordítás |
| meaning | jelentés |
| to express | kifejezni |
| commonplace | hétköznapi/mindennapos |
| to originate from folk culture | népi kultúrából származik |
| to pass from … to | öröklődik/átadják generációról generációra |
| to be related to | valamihez kapcsolódik |
| to pass without | elmúlik valami nélkül |
| advisable | tanácsos/ajánlatos |
| to have the opportunity | lehetősége van |
| otherwise | máskülönben |
| to face | szembenézni/szembesülni valamivel |
| to disappear without a trace | nyom nélkül eltűnni |
| According to | valaki/valami szerint |
| common observation | gyakori megfigyelés |
| opposite | ellentét |
| to expect | remélni |
| patiently | türelmesen |
| to be similar to | hasonlónak lenni valamihez |
| to be fed up with | elege van valamiből |
