"Bocsánat!"

Translation: I am sorry!

[JewishPolyglot]

Mnemonic: "BUTCHER NOT!!" "Sorry."

[Hope2LearnN2016]

Hungarian--a language with a thousand ways to say you are sorry. :/

[pizspozseng]

And a thousand ways to send someone to hell.

[RafaelBS15]

Teach me some!!

[Flic_W]

I've just moved to Budapest so learning Hungarian is brand new for me! I hear bocs more often than bocsánat so it's interesting to learn the different formalities.

[Metatron36]

Yeah it is more causal. Like saying "thanks" instead of "Thank you". But talking to elders or strangers, you should use Bocsánat

[Beckster_r]

Oh that's intresting! How are the people there and life in general? :) I've heard people in Hungary are quite relaxed but you can't generalize that ofc.

[jlsr2]

"Bocsánat" and "elnézést" seem to be interchangeable in Duolingo. Is that true to native speakers? I thought "elnézést" meant "excuse me" and "Bocsánat" meant "sorry".

[tothadam06]

Yes, 'bocsánat' can be uses as 'excuse me' also, not just 'sorry'. The one difference is that 'elnézést' is formal and 'bocsánat' is neutral, it is used both in formal and informal speech.

[KonradKond8]

Wow Hungarian is actually very cool language.

[Olbapz]

Difference between the literal translation of bocs and bocsánat!? Why is the -ánat added?

[blazmah]

Bocsánat is more formal/polite than bocs. In fact, bocsánat itself is a noun, and it means forgiveness or apology. So, bocs is just a shortening of the word.

There are several expressions using bocsánat, like bocsánatot kérni (= to ask for forgiveness) or bocsánatot nyerni (= to be forgiven)

[HeruMornie]

There is no "added '-ánat'". The original word is "bocsánat" that is shortened - as Nitram already wrote :)

[Olbapz]

Thanks a lot! I just figured someone could ask these kind of obvious questions, since the course was just released. I always like to dive right into understanding the mechanics of a given language even if it is at first learning kind of frozen phrases like greetings and expressions.

[HeruMornie]

This is the most important, get the basics clear as soon as possible, and this type of "obvious" questions help a lot in it! Thank you for asking! Have a lingot for being brave enough to ask the "obvious" ;)

[SamHunter2]

Bocs is apparently not good to say. It is a snotty sorry.
Bocsi is better if informal.

[deactivated user]

I guess it depends on the company. Personally, I prefer 'bocs', because it's short and simple, while I find 'bocsi' too cute. That added '-i' is a diminutive suffix, and for me, saying 'bocsi' is less of a serious apology than 'bocs'. and both can be said with the right uncaring attitude to imply that the other one is a fool ;)