Bedeutung
Be grateful for gifts, don't criticize them.
Kultureller Hintergrund
In rural Hungary, horses were once the most valuable possession a family could own. A gift of a horse was a life-changing event, making any criticism of the animal unthinkable. The proverb's survival for over 1,500 years across Europe shows how deeply the 'horse-trading' culture influenced modern social norms regarding value and honesty. In the era of 'freemium' apps and free software, this proverb is frequently used in tech forums to silence users who complain about free tools. Hungarians value 'szerénység' (modesty). Complaining about a gift is seen as a sign of 'nagyképűség' (arrogance/big-headedness).
Use it as a joke
If a friend gives you a very small thing (like a single fry), you can say this sarcastically to show you're 'accepting' the 'huge' gift.
Don't be too blunt
Using this to a stranger might sound a bit aggressive. Use it mostly with people you know well.
Bedeutung
Be grateful for gifts, don't criticize them.
Use it as a joke
If a friend gives you a very small thing (like a single fry), you can say this sarcastically to show you're 'accepting' the 'huge' gift.
Don't be too blunt
Using this to a stranger might sound a bit aggressive. Use it mostly with people you know well.
Teste dich selbst
Fill in the missing word in the proverb.
Ajándék ______ ne nézd a fogát.
The dative case '-nak' is required here to indicate the horse whose teeth are being discussed.
Which situation best fits the proverb?
In which case would you say 'Ajándék lónak ne nézd a fogát'?
The proverb is about being grateful for free items despite minor flaws.
Complete the dialogue.
A: Kaptam egy ingyen jegyet a moziba, de a legelső sorba szól. B: __________________________.
B is reminding A to be grateful for the free ticket regardless of the seat location.
Match the Hungarian words with their English meanings in the context of the proverb.
Match the following:
Understanding the literal components helps in memorizing the whole phrase.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Visuelle Lernhilfen
Aufgabensammlung
4 AufgabenAjándék ______ ne nézd a fogát.
The dative case '-nak' is required here to indicate the horse whose teeth are being discussed.
In which case would you say 'Ajándék lónak ne nézd a fogát'?
The proverb is about being grateful for free items despite minor flaws.
A: Kaptam egy ingyen jegyet a moziba, de a legelső sorba szól. B: __________________________.
B is reminding A to be grateful for the free ticket regardless of the seat location.
Ordne jedem Element links seinen Partner rechts zu:
Understanding the literal components helps in memorizing the whole phrase.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Häufig gestellte Fragen
4 FragenYes, if someone gives you a small amount of money as a gift, you can use it, though it's more common for physical objects.
'Nézd' is the informal (te) version. 'Nézze' would be the formal (Ön) version, but the proverb is almost always kept in the informal 'nézd' form.
Because horses were the most important assets in history, and their teeth were the 'ID cards' of their value.
Yes, people often just say 'Ajándék ló...' and let the listener finish the thought.
Verwandte Redewendungen
Sok lúd disznót győz.
similarMany geese can defeat a pig.
Aki a kicsit nem becsüli, a nagyot nem érdemli.
builds onHe who doesn't appreciate the little things doesn't deserve the big things.
Zsákbamacskát árul.
contrastTo sell a cat in a bag (buying something without seeing it).
