Kitartás az iskola első napján, jön a nyár

What does “suli” mean in Hungarian?

Suli is the casual, clipped Hungarian word for “school,” shortened from iskola. Hungarian kids and young adults use suli in conversation, text messages, and social media constantly: megyek a suliba (“I’m going to school”), vége a sulinak (“school’s over”), suli után (“after school”). The word never appears in formal writing or official documents, but it dominates spoken Hungarian among anyone under 30. The clipping fits a wider Hungarian habit of trimming long words for everyday use, alongside cuki (“cute,” from cukros) and fagyi (“ice cream,” from fagylalt).

In this clip, a Hungarian YouTuber wishes students kitartást (“perseverance”) on the first day of suli, with summer break already on the horizon.