Significado
Literally 'cutting the centimeter', usually before military discharge or holiday.
Contexto cultural
The 'centivágás' was a major event in socialist-era Hungary. Soldiers would often decorate their measuring tapes with drawings of their hometowns or girlfriends. There is a specific song called 'Húsz centi, tíz centi...' which soldiers sang as they got closer to their discharge date. In modern Hungarian offices, 'vágja a centit' is often used as a joke when someone is clearly not working hard because their vacation starts the next day. Hungarian students often draw a 'centi' on the blackboard in the final days of the school year, crossing out numbers as the days pass.
Use 'már' for emphasis
Adding 'már' (already) makes you sound much more native: 'Már vágom a centit!'
Don't use for long periods
If you have 200 days left, don't say you are cutting the centimeter. It's for the final 30 days or less.
Significado
Literally 'cutting the centimeter', usually before military discharge or holiday.
Use 'már' for emphasis
Adding 'már' (already) makes you sound much more native: 'Már vágom a centit!'
Don't use for long periods
If you have 200 days left, don't say you are cutting the centimeter. It's for the final 30 days or less.
Ponte a prueba
Fill in the correct form of the verb 'vág' (definite conjugation).
Már csak két nap a nyaralásig, én már nagyon ______ a centit!
Since the subject is 'én' (I) and the object 'a centit' is definite, you must use 'vágom'.
Which situation is appropriate for using 'vágja a centit'?
Melyik helyzetben használjuk?
The idiom is used for excited anticipation of a positive event.
Match the Hungarian phrase with its English meaning.
Párosítsd a kifejezéseket!
These are all related terms for waiting and counting down.
Complete the dialogue.
Anna: 'Mikor mész férjhez?' Sára: 'Jövő szombaton! Már ______ a centit!'
Sára is talking about herself, so she uses the first person singular definite form.
🎉 Puntuación: /4
Ayudas visuales
Banco de ejercicios
4 ejerciciosMár csak két nap a nyaralásig, én már nagyon ______ a centit!
Since the subject is 'én' (I) and the object 'a centit' is definite, you must use 'vágom'.
Melyik helyzetben használjuk?
The idiom is used for excited anticipation of a positive event.
Empareja cada elemento de la izquierda con su par de la derecha:
These are all related terms for waiting and counting down.
Anna: 'Mikor mész férjhez?' Sára: 'Jövő szombaton! Már ______ a centit!'
Sára is talking about herself, so she uses the first person singular definite form.
🎉 Puntuación: /4
Preguntas frecuentes
4 preguntasYes, it's very common for brides and grooms to say they are 'cutting the centimeter' in the final week before the big day.
Not usually, but if you say it to your boss on Monday morning, it might look like you don't want to be there. Use it carefully!
Rarely. It is almost entirely a metaphorical expression now, though some people might do it as a joke or for a social media post.
'Vágom' is 'I cut', and 'vágja' is 'he/she cuts'. Use 'vágom' when talking about your own countdown.
Frases relacionadas
számolja a napokat
synonymCounting the days
utolsókat rúgja
similarOn its last legs
leszerel
builds onTo be discharged from the military
húzza az időt
contrastTo stall or waste time
