A csárdás is a couple-dance, originated from military recruitment dances, so called verbunkos (from the German werbung which means recruiting). The original marsh character can be recognized very well.

The verbunkos was – and is in the villages where it is still danced – a man-only dance. However, in the beginning of the 19th century, people in the palaces began to dance on this music in couples (man and woman). This type of dance was called palotás. Meanwhile, "ordinary" people started to dance on the same kind of music in the wayside inns (Hungarian: csárda) and on the analogy of palotás the name csárdás was given to it.

A csárdás usually is written in 2/4 or 4/4 measure. The accompaniment by viola links two adjacent quarter notes in one bowing, so called düvõ.