Introduction to the Hungarian language


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First of all, I'm not a linguist, not even an arts scientist. I'm trying not to use the technical terms of grammar (since I don't know them in English :-)

If you search for a grammar book on Hungarian language, one of your first hits may be "Teach Yourself Hungarian". However, I personally do not recommend this book. Why? Just two reviews (borrowed from amazon.com):

Teach Yourself Hungarian could do a little better. It's great if you're going to visit Hungary and not gain full proficiency, but it seems to fail being an effective grammatical text. First mistake -- it starts off with dialogs, afterwards giving you a lengthy vocabulary list. The book may be for you if you can learn off of phrases alone, rather than taking apart each phrase and looking at a language word-by-word. If you are truly looking to 'teach yourself', may it be suggested to try something else. (lennen@erols.com)

Insufficient exercises and shallowness in the explanations of grammar are the biggest problems with this book. Use it as a supplement to a more thorough text, though, and it is very useful. The dialogues have very good content and the recorded versions are excellent -- easy to listen to and not at all dry or stilted. The tapes also have question-and-answer sections where you can practice your spoken Hungarian. It's better than the average Teach Yourself books, so if you like that style you can expect satisfaction from this. (siehler@cs.elte.hu)


Some facts

The Hungarian language belongs to the Ugrian group of the Finno-Ugrian language family. We don't have relatives in Europe. Closer relatives are the Kazahs. I met some Kazahs, and really, we understood some words. (As much as an Italian understands some German.) We began our "career" at the Ural mountains and left our closest relatives there appr. 1500 years ago. While travelling to the Carpathian Basin, our ancestors passed through today's Turkey. This is why the sound of our words can be similar to Turkish and there are lots of common words in the two languages. We also got some words during 150 years of Turkish occupation.

Finns and Estonians belong to the Finnish group thus only the structure of grammar is common in Finnish and Hungarian. I was really not able to understand even a word in Finland.

Our grammar is very different from most European languages, but you can try to learn it, anyway. Hungarian is a very nice language, so it's worth learning it, even if it is very hard to do. Hungarian language is full of very expressive, idiomatic words, too. The word for brother/sister comes from "test" (body) + "vér" (blood), meaning brothers/sisters are from the same body and are from the same blood. Or "brothers in arms" are "bajtársak", that is, fellows in trouble. (Though the English expression is just as expressive here.)

We have lived in the Carpathian Basin for 1100 years, so we have some words coming from the Slavonic languages of our neighbours. Due to the years of Austro-Hungarian Monarchy and Austria as a neighbour, lots of German word were imported and melted into Hungarian but they are alien and considered undesirable to use. The same applies to the "American" language nowadays. And if you hear a word you think you've recognized, just watch out! For example "(autó)szervíz" (coming from "service") means garage, while "garázs" (coming from "garage") means parking place.


Hungarian letters

The strict Hungarian alphabet:
 

a, á, b, c, cs, d, dz, dzs, e, é, f, g, gy, h, i, í,j, k, l, ly, m, n, ny, o, ó, ö, ő, p, r, s, sz, t, ty, u, ú, ü, ű, v, z, zs

The full Hungarian alphabet (including foreign letters):
 

a, á, b, c, cs, d, dz, dzs, e, é, f, g, gy, h, i, í, j, k, l, ly, m, n, ny, o, ó, ö, ő, p, q, r, s, sz, t, ty, u, ú, ü, ű, v, w, x, y, z, zs

We have some special vowels:

a is much more closed than in most other European languages, similar to "hot" or "dot"
áÁ is near to the usual "a" (as in "bar", "guy" etc.), but it's a bit longer
éÉ is similar to the first vowel in "make", "aim", etc.
 í Í is a long "i" (as in "teeth", "feed", etc.)
óÓ is a long "o" (as in "wall", "show", etc.)
öÖ is equal to the German, as in the English "sir", "her", etc.
őÕ is the long "ö", as "Böhm" or "schön" in German, or similar to the first syllable of "dirty"
úÚ is a long "u" (as in "new", "loop", etc.)
üÜ is equal to the German, as in French "vue", etc.
űÛ is the long "ü", as "Kühl" or "Tür" in German, or "allure" in French

The letters őÕ ("o" with double acute accents) and űÛ ("u" with double acute accents) can be found only in the Hungarian alphabet.

It is very important to use the accents right. A word means something very different with/without accent. For example "koros" means old, "kóros" means diseased/pathological, "kórós" means something with weed.


and some special consonants:

c is like "ts" (like in "itsy-bitsy") or like German "z" (like in "Zahn"), it never becomes "k" or "s".
cs is like in "cheep", "chat", etc.
dz is "d"+"z"
dzs is "d"+"z"+"s", like in "jungle", "jive", etc.
gy is "g"+"y", soft "g", like in "during", "due", etc.
j is like "y" in English ("youth", "yogurt", etc.)
ly is "l"+"y", soft "l", almost equal to "j" ("youth", "yogurt", etc.)
ny is "n"+"y", soft "n", like in "new", etc.
s is like "sh" in English ("short", "shy", etc.)
sz is like "s" in English ("spam", "spy", etc.)
ty is "t"+"y", soft "t", like in English "Tudor", "tube", etc.
zs is "z"+"s", like in French "Jules", "Jacques", etc.

Double consonants are really pronounced long; if you see "tt", you should say "t+t". For long consonants, only the first character is doubled in writing: "sz"+"sz" = "ssz", "gy"+"gy" = "ggy".

Finally, the accent is always on the first syllable when speaking.




Some useful words and phrases:

The most important words:

yes = igen
no/not = nem
Good morning! = Jó reggelt (kívánok)!
Good day! = Jó napot (kívánok)!
Good evening! = Jó estét (kívánok)!
Good night! = Jó éjszakát!
Good bye! = Viszlát!/Viszontlátásra!
Hi! (for one man) = Szia!
Hi! (for more than one person) = Sziasztok!
I understand = értem
I don't understand = nem értem
please = kérek/kérem
Thanks! = Kösz/köszi!
Thank you! = Köszönöm!
Thank you very much! = Köszönöm szépen!
Don't mention it!/My pleasure (as a reply for "Thank you") = Szívesen.
Excuse me! = Elnézést (kérek)!
I'm sorry! / I beg your pardon! = Bocsánat / Bocsánatot kérek!
Could you help me, please? = Tudna segíteni?
How much is it? = Mennyibe kerül?
help = segítség
where? = hol?
which way/in which direction? = merre?
when? = mikor?
how? = hogyan?
now = most
later = később
urgent = sürgős
day = nap
week = hét [derived from "seven" (days)]
month = hónap
morning (early) = reggel
morning (before noon) = délelőtt
noon = dél
afternoon = délután
evening = este
night = éjszaka
today = ma
tomorrow = holnap
the day after tomorrow = holnapután
yesterday = tegnap
the day before yesterday = tegnapelőtt
to eat = enni
to drink = inni
to sleep = aludni
square = tér
street = utca
road = út
museum = múzeum
post office = posta
travel office = utazási iroda
right/to right = jobb/jobbra
left/to left = bal/balra
straight = egyenesen
in front of = szemben
and = és


Numbers - számok:

0nulla
1egy
2kettő (két)
3három
4négy
5öt
6hat
7hét
8nyolc
9kilenc
10tíz
20húsz
30harminc
40negyven
50ötven
60hatvan
70hetven
80nyolcvan
90kilencven
100száz
1000ezer
10^6millió
10^9milliárd
10^12billió
10+xtizen...
11tizenegy
12tizenkettő
20+xhuszon...
30+xharminc...
40+xnegyven...
200kétszáz
300háromszáz
2000kétezer
...
2197kétezer-(egy)százkilencvenhét


Ordinal numbers - sorszámok:

1stelső
2ndmásodik
3rdharmadik
4thnegyedik
5thötödik
6thhatodik
7thhetedik
8thnyolcadik
9thkilencedik
10thtizedik
11thtizenegyedik
12thtizenkettedik
20thhuszadik
100thszázadik
101stszázegyedik
1000thezredik
10^6 thmilliomodik
2197thkétezer-(egy)százkilencvenhetedik


Pronouns - névmások:

the = a/az
a = egy

Iénfor menekemwith mevelem
youte/önfor youneked/önnekwith youveled/önnel
he/sheőfor him/hernekiwith him/hervele
it (this)ezfor it (this)ennekwith it (this)ezzel
it (that)azfor it (that)annakwith it (that)azzal
wemifor usnekünkwith usvelünk
youti/önökfor younektek/önöknekwith youveletek/önökkel
theyőkfor themnekikwith themvelük
("te" = informal, "ön" = formal)


Days of the week - a hét napjai:

Monday = hétfő
Tuesday = kedd
Wednesday = szerda
Thursday = csütörtök
Friday = péntek
Saturday = szombat
Sunday = vasárnap


Transport, traveling - közlekedés, utazás:

open = nyitva
closed = zárva
bus = (autó)busz
ship = hajó
tram = villamos
train = vonat
When does it leave? = Mikor indul?
When does it arrive? = Mikor érkezik?
Give me a ticket to ..., please. = Kérek egy jegyet ...re!
Give me a seat reservation to ..., please. = Kérek egy helyjegyet ...re!
(railway or coach) station = állomás
railway station (bigger) = pályaudvar
harbour = kikötő
airport = repülőtér
ticket office = pénztár
Where can I buy tickets? = Hol lehet jegyet váltani?
ticket = jegy
slow train = személyvonat
even slower train (post train) = postavonat
faster train = sebesvonat
express train = gyorsvonat
first-class = első osztály
second-class = másodosztály
porter = hordár
luggage = csomag
left-luggage = csomagmegőrző
lost&found = talált tárgyak (osztálya)
washroom, toilette = WC
entrance = bejárat
exit = kijárat
woman = nő
man = férfi
girl = lány
boy = fiú
parking garage = garázs
parking place = parkoló
gas station, filling station, garage = benzinkút
petrol, gas = benzin
unleaded = ólommentes
gas (diesel oil) = gázolaj/dízelolaj
oil = olaj
service station = szervíz


out of order = nem működik / üzemen kívül

Restaurant, food - vendéglő, élelmiszer:

restaurant = vendéglő/étterem
café = kávéház
sweet shop = cukrászda
menu = étlap
waiter = pincér
to pay = fizetni
soup = leves
meat = hús
pork = sertéshús
beef = marhahús
poultry = szárnyas/baromfi
chicken = csirke
fish = hal
salt water fish = tengeri hal
fillet/steak/slice = szelet
fried/grilled meat = sült hús
goulash = gulyás(leves)
garnish = köret
vegetable = zöldség
boiled vegetables as garnish = zöldségköret
vegetable-dish = főzelék
bean = bab
string beans = zöldbab
tomato = paradicsom
potato = burgonya/krumpli
cabbage = káposzta
green pepper = zöld paprika
lettuce = saláta [as vegetable]
salad = saláta [as food]
stuffed paprika = töltött paprika
fruit = gyümölcs
grape = szőlő
pear = körte
apple = alma
plum = szilva
peach = (őszi)barack
apricot = sárgabarack
watermelon = (görög)dinnye
melon = sárgadinnye
lemon = citrom
tart (cake) = torta
ice cream = fagylalt/jégkrém
pastry/cake = sütemény
juice = gyümölcslé
syrup = szörp
water = víz
mineral water = ásványvíz
beer = sör
wine = bor
schnaps = pálinka
cup = csésze
glass = pohár
bottle = üveg
milk = tej
yogurt = joghurt
coffee = kávé
tea = tea
bread = kenyér
toast = pirítós (kenyér)
roll/bun = zsemle
scrambled eggs = rántotta
boiled eggs (soft) = lágy tojás
boiled eggs (hard) = kemény tojás
ham = sonka
sausage = kolbász
frankfurter = virsli
butter = vaj
cheese = sajt
jam = gyümölcsíz/dzsem/lekvár
honey = méz
sugar = cukor
chocolate = csokoládé
salt = só
vinegar = ecet
mustard = mustár
red pepper = pirospaprika
black pepper = bors
onion = hagyma


Smoking - dohányzás:

Do not smoke!/Smoking is forbidden! = Tilos a dohányzás!
non-smoking = nemdohányzó
to smoke = dohányozni
match = gyufa
cigarette = cigaretta
cigar = szivar
pipe = pipa
tobacco = dohány


Post office - posta:


letter = levél
mail = levél / postai küldemény
registered mail = ajánlott levél
parcel = csomag
air mail = légiposta
telegram = távirat
stamp = bélyeg
postcard = levelezőlap
picture postcard = képeslap


Entertainment - szórakozás:

theatre = színház
Opera Theatre = Operaház
concert = hangverseny
cinema = mozi/filmszínház
ticket = jegy
free entrance = ingyen(es)
admission fee = belépődíj


Illness/emergency - betegség/baleset:

doctor = orvos
surgeon = sebész
pharmacy = gyógyszertár
hospital = kórház
ambulance = mentő
fire dept. = tűzoltóság
police = rendőrség


Other useful sentences:

Would you like to see my stamp collection? [to hint at getting her to your room] = Megnézed a bélyeggyűjteményem?
Would you go to dance? = Jössz táncolni?
May I invite you for a dance, lady? = Hölgyem, felkérhetem egy táncra?
I want a fruit yogurt with peach pieces, please. = Egy darabos őszibarackos joghurtot kérek.
I don't understand/speak Hungarian. = Nem értek/beszélek magyarul.
How to get to ...? = Hogyan jutok el a ...hez?
How far is it? = Milyen messze van?
Where is it? = Hol van?





Basics of Hungarian grammar

We don't have genders in our grammar. So there is no "he" and "she", and no gender for words either. This is why Hungarian people occasionally say "he" for a girl or vice versa.

Unlike in several major languages, the first letters of certain words are not capitalised (as in German, or "Monday", "I", "English" in English). The only capitals are for names/places, etc., and for the first letter of a sentence.

The order of words is not fixed, in contrast to English. Usually the sequence of the words reflects decreasing importance. For example:

holnap = tomorrow
moziba = to the cinema
megyek = I (will) go

Holnap moziba megyek. = [default]
Holnap moziba megyek. = I will go to the cinema tomorrow.
Moziba megyek holnap. = I will go to the cinema tomorrow.
Megyek holnap moziba. = I will go to the cinema tomorrow.
Elmegyek moziba holnap. = I will go to the cinema tomorrow. (It's sure.)
Én megyek holnap moziba. = I will go to the cinema tomorrow.

There is also the same order for questions:

Holnap moziba megyünk. = We will go to the cinema tomorrow.
Holnap megyünk moziba? = Will we go to the cinema tomorrow?
Holnap moziba megyünk? = Will we go to the cinema tomorrow?
Megyünk holnap moziba? = Will we go to the cinema tomorrow?
etc.

Generally personal pronouns are used only for emphasis, since the subject is known from the inflection:

I read = olvasok = én olvasok
you read = olvasol = te olvasol
he/she reads = olvas = ő olvas


The Hungarian language is "additive" which means that we meld some letters to the end of the word. Some examples for inflection:

table = asztal
on table = asztalON
to table = asztalHOZ
onto table = asztalRA,
etc.

Plural is indicated by adding a "k" at the end of the word. To make pronunciation easier, sometimes a vowel is inserted:

tables = asztaloK.

We don't use plural for units and multiple things with their quantity given:

100 forint, 10 kg, 2 asztal, etc.

Please note that Hungarian is a very rich language. We have lots of synonyms for a word. For example, there are appr. 200 different words describing the breed and the colouring of a horse.

We create "new" words by adding some of them also (compounds), just like "public transport" = "tömeg+közlekedés" but it is not so elaborate as in the German language. If a new expression is put together from at least three words and it would be longer than 6 syllables, a hyphen is compulsory: ideg-összeroppanás (nervous break-down).


A nice grammatical example: "fiaiéiból" where:

fi (archaic for "fiú" - boy) = son
fia = someone's son
fiai = someone's sons
fiaié = something belonging to/owned by someone's sons
fiaiéi = more items owned by someone's sons
fiaiéiból = from the above mentioned items





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This page is maintained by Ákos Dömötör (dome <at> impulzus <dot> com).

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