Ferenc Kazinczy (Hungarian: [ˈkɒzintsi ˈfɛrɛnt͡s]), (in older English: Francis Kazinczy, October 27, 1759 – August 23, 1831) was a Hungarian author, poet, translator, neologist, an agent in the regeneration of the Hungarian language and literature at the turn of the 19th century. Today his name is connected with the extensive Language Reform of the 19th century, when thousands of words were coined or revived, enabling the Hungarian language to keep up with scientific progress and become an official language of the nation in 1844. For his linguistic and literary works he is regarded as one of the cultural founders of the Hungarian Reform Era along with Dávid Baróti Szabó, Ferenc Verseghy, György Bessenyei, Mátyás Rát and János Kis.

Ferenc Kazinczy was born in Érsemjén, Bihar, Hungary (today Șimian, Romania). His father, József Kazinczy de Kazincz (1732–1784) came from an old noble family and worked as a magistrate at Abaúj County. His mother was Zsuzsanna Bossányi de Nagybossány (1740–1812). Ferenc had four brothers and four sisters. Until the age of eight he was brought up by his maternal grandfather, Ferenc Bossányi, the notary of Bihar County and parliamentary ambassador, where he did not hear any foreign word during his first seven years.

He wrote his first letters in December 1764 to his parents who lived in Alsóregmec at that time. In 1766 his aunt got sick, therefore they moved to Debrecen for three months for the healing treatment. Kazinczy studied during that time at the College of Debrecen. After the death of his aunt he returned to his parents where he learnt Latin and German from a student of the College of Késmárk (today Kežmarok, Slovakia). His well educated and enlightened father, experiencing rare susceptibility, was delighted with his son, so he also taught him and communicated with him in Latin and German. Kazinczy continued his language studies in Késmárk in 1768 in a preparatory class.

His father, József Kazinczy, initially wanted Ferenc to become a soldier, but Ferenc's resistance and the development of his other especially literary talents diverged him from his intent, and then he wanted to see his son as a writer. However the father, as a pietistic educator, understood under the profession of a writer a religious one, and therefore ordered his fourteen-year-old son to translate Christian Fürchtegott Gellert's dissertations on religion from Latin to Hungarian. Otherwise, the father provided his son advanced education: Ferenc was educated in foreign languages, could practice fine art and music, and for seeing the world, he brought him to county assemblies and for the lunch of the emperor, Joseph II when the ruler visited Sárospatak. In 1774 the father urged his son to continue his translations, but Ferenc preferred to spend time reading György Bessenyei's Ágis tragédiája (1772), Ignác Mészáros's Kártigám (1772) and other belles-lettres works. He broadened his knowledge with the idylls of Salomon Gessner and the poems of Vergilius, Horace, Anacreon.

He did not neglect his theological studies, and even at home they frequently debated over theological topics during lunch and dinner. After his father's death in 1774, he continued to pursue the translation of Christian Fürchtegott Gellert's De religione until his teacher of theology dismissed him to do it because he found Gellert's works too difficult to interpret. Ferenc turned slowly from theological to more secular and national topics and prepared a short geographical description of the country. István Losonczi Hányoki's Three Small Mirrors served as an example for his work. It was a childish compilation with the title Geography of Hungary... , which he later described as "suddenly scribbled" and was published in Kassa, Hungary (today Košice, Slovakia) at his mother's expense in 1775.

On September 11, 1769, he became a student at the College of Sárospatak where he taught himself Ancient Greek. He studied philosophy and law during his first years. In 1773 he started to learn rhetoric. Even in the same year December he greeted General Count Miklós Beleznay as a member of the thanksgiving delegation of the college in Bugyi on a special reception for donating money toward the construction of the college. Then Kazinczy saw Pest for the first time. Until 1775 he attended the theology courses at the college and from a French soldier who came to Sárospatak learnt French.

He translated György Bessenyei's short story written in German, Die Amerikaner, to Hungarian and published it in 1776 in Kassa with the title Az amerikai Podoc és Kazimir keresztyén vallásra való megtérése (English: The conversion of American Podoc and Kazimir to the Christian religion). He recommended his translation to his mother. This work informed him about Deism and the principle of religious tolerance. In his translation Kazinczy used the word világosság (meaning clarity, lucidity) the first time in the history of the Hungarian language. Bessenyei welcomed it and his response was inspirational for Kazinczy. Kazinczy understood Bessenyei's response as a liberating letter for the profession of an author. He was happy finding the contact with one of the most prominent authors in Hungarian literature of that time. But Kazinczy did not become a follower of Bessenyei, because Bessenyei as a culture politician and philosopher did not mature his works so much so that he could create a literary school.

Ferenc's uncle was a member of the delegation of Zemplén County in Vienna at the royal court and he took the young Kazinczy along. This trip made a huge impact on him. It was the first time that Kazinczy saw the emperor's city, whose magnificent collections, especially his pictures, completely enthralled him.