Meaning
Clothes that cost a lot of money.
Cultural Background
Hungarians are often modest about their clothes. If you compliment a 'drága ruha', they might say 'Áh, csak akciós volt' (Oh, it was just on sale). Andrássy Avenue is the home of 'drága ruha' in Budapest, featuring brands like Louis Vuitton and Gucci. It's a popular spot for window shopping. There is a massive culture of 'turkáló' (thrift stores) in Hungary where people hunt for 'drága ruha' brands at low prices. Historically, owning 'drága ruha' from the West was a sign of status and connection during the Iron Curtain era.
Use 'nagyon'
Add 'nagyon' (very) to sound more natural: 'nagyon drága ruha'.
Plural Rule
Remember: 'drága ruhák', NOT 'drágák ruhák'.
Meaning
Clothes that cost a lot of money.
Use 'nagyon'
Add 'nagyon' (very) to sound more natural: 'nagyon drága ruha'.
Plural Rule
Remember: 'drága ruhák', NOT 'drágák ruhák'.
Affectionate use
If you call your partner 'Drágám', don't follow it with 'ruha' unless you're talking about their clothes!
Test Yourself
Fill in the blank with the correct form of 'expensive'.
Ez a póló 50.000 forint. Ez egy ____ ruha.
We use the basic form of the adjective before the noun.
Match the Hungarian words with their English equivalents.
Match the following:
Basic vocabulary matching.
Which sentence is grammatically correct?
Choose the correct one:
When the adjective is a predicate (after the noun), it must agree in number.
Complete the dialogue.
Vevő: Ez a kabát nagyon tetszik. Mennyibe kerül? Eladó: 100.000 forint. Vevő: Ó, az nagyon ____.
100,000 HUF is a high price for a coat, so 'drága' is the logical response.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Practice Bank
4 exercisesEz a póló 50.000 forint. Ez egy ____ ruha.
We use the basic form of the adjective before the noun.
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
Basic vocabulary matching.
Choose the correct one:
When the adjective is a predicate (after the noun), it must agree in number.
Vevő: Ez a kabát nagyon tetszik. Mennyibe kerül? Eladó: 100.000 forint. Vevő: Ó, az nagyon ____.
100,000 HUF is a high price for a coat, so 'drága' is the logical response.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questionsYes, it can mean both 'expensive' and 'dear/beloved'. Context tells you which one it is.
No, it means 'dress' but also 'clothing' in general.
You can say 'nagyon drága' or 'méregdrága'.
No, Hungarian has no grammatical gender.
The opposite is 'olcsó' (cheap).
Yes, 'drága barátom' means 'my dear friend'.
It depends on the tone. It can be a simple observation or a criticism.
Drága ruhák.
A second-hand shop where you find cheap clothes.
Yes, 'drága étel' (expensive food).
Related Phrases
méregdrága
specialized formextremely expensive
olcsó ruha
contrastcheap clothing
márkás ruha
similarbranded clothing
ünneplő ruha
builds onfestive/formal clothes
