Bedeutung
Asking about an unidentified sound.
Kultureller Hintergrund
In Budapest, 'Mi ez a zaj?' is the unofficial slogan of the 'Panel-proli' (apartment dweller) lifestyle, often followed by banging on the radiator to tell neighbors to be quiet. In villages, this phrase is often used when hearing animals at night, reflecting a deep connection to nature and livestock. Mysterious noises in old houses are often attributed to 'lidérc' (a mythical creature). 'Mi ez a zaj?' is a common line in folk tales. On Hungarian forums, 'zaj' is used to describe low-quality content or 'spam'. Asking 'Mi ez a zaj?' can be a way to criticize a chaotic thread.
Drop the 'is'
Remember, Hungarian is efficient. You don't need 'van' in this sentence. 'Mi ez a zaj?' is complete.
Zaj vs Hang
Calling someone's voice a 'zaj' is an insult. Use 'hang' for people!
Bedeutung
Asking about an unidentified sound.
Drop the 'is'
Remember, Hungarian is efficient. You don't need 'van' in this sentence. 'Mi ez a zaj?' is complete.
Zaj vs Hang
Calling someone's voice a 'zaj' is an insult. Use 'hang' for people!
The Radiator Trick
If you ask 'Mi ez a zaj?' and it's your neighbor, the traditional Hungarian response is to bang on the radiator pipes with a spoon.
Teste dich selbst
Fill in the missing word to complete the phrase.
Mi ___ a zaj?
The standard phrase is 'Mi ez a zaj?' (What is this noise?).
Which sentence is the correct way to ask about a noise in the past?
How do you say 'What was that noise?'
In the past tense, the verb 'volt' (was) must be included after 'Mi'.
Match the Hungarian phrase with its English meaning.
Match the following:
Matching singular, plural, and past tense forms.
Complete the dialogue.
A: Hallod? Valami zörög a kertben. B: Igen. ________?
B is reacting to the mysterious sound A mentioned.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Visuelle Lernhilfen
Types of Sounds in Hungarian
Zaj (Noise)
- • Autó
- • Gép
- • Fúró
Hang (Sound/Voice)
- • Ének
- • Beszéd
- • Zene
Aufgabensammlung
4 AufgabenMi ___ a zaj?
The standard phrase is 'Mi ez a zaj?' (What is this noise?).
How do you say 'What was that noise?'
In the past tense, the verb 'volt' (was) must be included after 'Mi'.
Ordne jedem Element links seinen Partner rechts zu:
Matching singular, plural, and past tense forms.
A: Hallod? Valami zörög a kertben. B: Igen. ________?
B is reacting to the mysterious sound A mentioned.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Häufig gestellte Fragen
10 FragenYes, but 'hang' is more general. 'Zaj' specifically means 'noise' (usually unwanted).
Hungarian uses a 'zero-copula' for the 3rd person singular present tense. It's a rule, not a shortcut!
Say 'Mik ezek a zajok?'. Everything changes to plural.
No, it's a neutral question. However, your tone of voice can make it sound annoyed.
Use 'az' instead of 'ez': 'Mi az a zaj?'.
Yes, 'fehér zaj' is the term for 'white noise'.
Yes, but 'Mi ez a lárma?' (What is this racket?) is more common for parties.
Add 'Elnézést' (Excuse me) at the beginning: 'Elnézést, mi ez a zaj?'.
No, but they rhyme! 'Jaj' is an exclamation of pain or worry.
It means 'background noise'.
Verwandte Redewendungen
Mi folyik itt?
similarWhat is going on here?
Csendet kérek!
builds onSilence, please!
Zajos a környék.
specialized formThe neighborhood is noisy.
Hallod?
similarDo you hear it?
