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Step 1
Do not extend your hand for a handshake until the woman has extended hers when greeting or being introduced to a female business associate. Some older Hungarian women won't make physical contact with an unfamiliar man, so don't take this as an offense.
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Step 2
Exchange cheek-kisses if you are familiar with the woman, or if she offers her cheek first. This is a very common way of greeting familiar people in Hungary--whether they be male or female--and begins by kissing the right cheek, followed by the left cheek. Actual contact between lips and cheeks is not necessary--the gesture itself is sufficient.
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Step 3
Make a slight bow when shaking the hand of a woman when being first introduced to her. This gesture has replaced the more overt hand-kissing tradition, but it still connotes respect and deference to the woman.
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Step 4
Address women by their titles and family names until they address you by your first name. These kinds of formalities are favored by Hungarians in their social interactions until familiarity allows for a more intimate level of connection.
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Step 5
Do not begin eating until the woman of the house has seated herself, when invited to a home for dinner. Table manners in Hungary are strictly observed, and showing consideration for your hosts by waiting to eat is a simple way of expressing your awareness of Hungarian social protocol.
