viszontlátásra

Hungarian

Hungarian phrasebook

This entry is part of the phrasebook project, which presents criteria for inclusion based on utility, simplicity and commonness.

For other Hungarian entries on this topic, see Farewells.

Etymology

Lexicalization of viszontlátás (“seeing someone again”) +‎ -ra (“on, onto”, sublative case suffix), from viszont (“again”) +‎ látás (“sight, seeing”).[1] Literally, it could be translated as “till we see each other again”.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): [ˈvisontlaːtaːʃrɒ]
Audio (file)
Hyphenation: vi‧szont‧lá‧tás‧ra
Rhymes: -rɒ

Interjection

viszontlátásra

(formal) goodbye
Coordinate term: (used on the phone, when speakers cannot see each other) viszonthallásra

Usage notes

The most common form of saying goodbye to anyone whom the speaker addresses formally in the third person. Even though it roughly translates into “till we see each other again”, it has detached from this original meaning enough so that it can be used in almost any situation, for example to strangers whom the speaker doesn't expect to see ever again, and even to blind people without coming off as inconsiderate. About the only exception to this are telephone conversations, where viszonthallásra (“till we hear each other again”) is preferred.

References

viszontlátásra in Zaicz, Gábor (ed.). Etimológiai szótár: Magyar szavak és toldalékok eredete (‘Dictionary of Etymology: The origin of Hungarian words and affixes’). Budapest: Tinta Könyvkiadó, 2006, →ISBN. (See also its 2nd edition.)

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[1] viszontlátásra in Zaicz, Gábor (ed.). Etimológiai szótár: Magyar szavak és toldalékok eredete (‘Dictionary of Etymology: The origin of Hungarian words and affixes’). Budapest: Tinta Könyvkiadó, 2006, →ISBN. (See also its 2nd edition.)