English to Hungarian Translation

This direction is used when an English-language document has to be submitted in Hungary. The typical applicant is someone presenting a diploma, registry extract or company document issued in an English-speaking country to an institution in Hungary. Unlike the de|hu pair, the source here is not German but English; the most decisive feature of the target, Hungary, is the same, however: official translation is largely the monopoly of a state body (OFFI).

Concrete examples make the direction clearer: taking a degree obtained abroad through recognition in Hungary, a foreign company submitting registry documents to its Hungarian subsidiary, producing criminal record and income documents for a work permit. The source carries an Anglo-Saxon reality, while the target assesses it in the administrative language of Hungary.

Education and employment files predominate in this direction; because the OFFI monopoly means some authorities may accept only a translation certified by that body, whether the receiving institution imposes this condition is asked at the outset.

Translating these documents means fitting Anglo-Saxon concepts to their Hungarian administrative counterparts; name order and number formatting are also adapted to the target.

In this direction an enquiry most often begins with two questions: which Hungarian authority will the document go to, and does that authority require OFFI certification? The answer determines not only the language side of the translation but also the procedural side, and it prevents an unnecessary further certification step.

The English given name–surname order is presented in the surname–given name order that Hungarian documents expect; which element is the surname is confirmed against the passport. This correction is necessary for the record to be matched correctly in the Hungarian system.

English diploma and degree titles are not forced into a Hungarian counterpart; they are given in their original form with an explanation, and the recognition decision is left to the Hungarian authority. Credit and level information is clearly preserved.

Dates are adapted to the Hungarian year-month-day order and the decimal separator to the comma; amounts are not converted. Official wording is fitted to the established administrative formulas of Hungarian rather than freely rewritten. This consistent form makes the document look familiar and reliable to the Hungarian authority.

Technical issues specific to English into Hungarian

Name order is reversed in this direction: the English given name–surname order is presented in the surname–given name order that Hungarian documents expect, and it is confirmed against the passport. English names keep their original Latin spelling in the Hungarian text.

Company forms (Ltd., LLC) are not automatically converted into the Hungarian Kft.; the original abbreviation is kept and explained. English legal concepts are rendered in Hungarian according to their function; a word-for-word rendering blurs the official meaning.

Dates are adapted to the Hungarian year-month-day order and the decimal separator to the comma. English abbreviations are expanded and given in brackets where necessary; amounts are not converted.

The signature and date on the document are kept in their position. In documents belonging to the same person the spelling and the order of the name are kept consistent.

In diploma applications the degree and credit information is carried across clearly; English degree titles are not forced into a Hungarian degree but explained, and the decision rests with the Hungarian authority.

In commercial files the company name, the shareholders and the amounts have to be carried across exactly alike; registration numbers are not translated but cited as recorded. Where an authority requires OFFI certification, the translation is planned accordingly.

In employment files the date and the issuing authority of criminal record and income documents are stated clearly; the official wording in these documents is fitted to the established administrative formulas of Hungarian.

Documents for which this direction is required

• Diplomas, transcripts and professional certificates
• Birth, marriage and residence certificates
• Company registry documents and commercial contracts
• Work and residence application documents
• Criminal record and income documents

Because the OFFI monopoly means some authorities may accept only a translation certified by that body, whether the receiving institution imposes this condition is asked before translation begins. Degree and credit information is carried across clearly.

In commercial documents the company form and the registry details are kept in their original form. In criminal record certificates the date and the issuing authority are stated clearly.

Chain of certification

In Hungary official translation (hiteles fordítás) is largely tied to OFFI; which authorities accept a translation from a private agency has to be clear from the outset. A document arriving from an English-speaking source country is expected to bear an apostille.

To see the details of this monopoly and Hungary’s certification regime, look at the country page and the document type requirements. Tell us whether the receiving institution requires OFFI certification before you send the document.

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This page is for general information; the exact fee and delivery date become clear once the document has been uploaded. Because practice can change, rely on the requirement in force at the time of your application.