We brought you 30+ Hungarian classroom words and phrases as these are very important for Hungarian language learning. These are especially useful if you are taking a Hungarian class in Hungary, as they will help you understand basic conversation in a classroom setting as well as be understood by others around you. However, you will also find some sentences that can be used in everyday life, not just in class. Even more so, chances are you will hear many of them every day when visiting the country.

In this article, we will cover classroom greetings first, then learn to understand instructions from a teacher, especially if they are a Hungarian native speaker, and ask for clarifications from them as well as your study peers. Afterward, we will move to explanations of absence or being late, talking about your favorite subject, and checking for school supplies. All of these are useful Hungarian classroom phrases, so read them carefully.

Check out our basic Hungarian classroom phrases vocabulary list.

Once you have read this article a few times and memorized the key expressions we will list below, you will be able to understand basic dialogues and instructions in a Hungarian school setting. Is that not exciting?

Whenever you are ready, we can start. Let’s learn some basic classroom phrases in Hungarian.

Top 5 Hungarian classroom phrases.

Table of Contents

1. Use Classroom Greetings
2. Understand Instructions from Teachers
3. Ask for Clarifications from Teachers and Classmates
4. Explain Absence and Tardiness
5. Talk about Favorite Subjects
6. Check for School Supplies
7. How HungarianPod101.com Helps You Reach Your Goals in Learning Hungarian Language

1. Use Classroom Greetings

One of the most common phrases that students use in the classroom is greetings. In fact, Hungarian classroom greetings are the first phrases you would hear or say when entering the classroom. So, we wanted to teach you a few of these first. To help you better understand each of these common classroom phrases in Hungarian, we made them into small conversations that are likely to happen in real life.

Here is how to introduce yourself to a new class.

“Good morning, teacher (woman).” – Jó reggelt, tanárnő!

“Hello, Patrick. How are you?” – Szervusz, Patrik! Hogy vagy?

“Good morning, teacher (man).” – Jó reggelt, tanár úr!

“Hi, Sylvie! How was your weekend?” – Szia, Szilvi! Hogy telt a hétvégéd?

You have to address teachers formally. Here are some other Hungarian formal greetings.

“Hi (more people).” – Sziasztok!

“Hi! Do you want to sit next to me?” – Szia! Akarsz ma mellém ülni?

“See you tomorrow, [classmate name].” – Holnap találkozunk, [osztálytárs neve].

“Yes. But don’t forget your book tomorrow.” – Igen. De holnap ne felejtsd el a könyvedet!

“Good-bye, teacher (woman).” – Viszont látásra, tanárnő!

“Bye (more people). I wish everyone a nice afternoon.” – Sziasztok! Mindenkinek kellemes délutánt kívánok!

“Good-bye, teacher (man).” – Viszont látásra, tanár úr!

“Bye (more people). You all did well today.” – Sziasztok! Ma mindannyiótok nagyon jól teljesített!

2. Understand Instructions from Teachers

When you are taking a class, it is crucial that you know Hungarian classroom command phrases because it is important to be able to follow the teacher’s instructions whenever a new task comes up. However, it can very easily be a case that basic classroom phrases in Hungarian are needed, which are not necessarily related to a task but are just general instructions to you as a student. Here we collected the most frequently occurring phrases that teachers use in the classroom.

“Please, open your books on page [ordinal number].” – Kérlek, nyissátok ki a könyveiteket a [sorszám] oldalon.

“What page number? I didn’t hear properly.” – Hányadik oldalon? Nem hallottam rendesen.

“Listen carefully.” – Hallgassatok figyelemmel!

“I can’t. People are loud in the hallway.” – Nem tudok. Hangosak az emberek a folyosón.

“Be quiet.” – Légy csendben!

“But I have a cold. I sneeze occasionally.” – De meg vagyok fázva. Néha tüsszentek.

“Is there any question?” – Van kérdés?

“No, everything was clear to me.” – Nem, minden érthető volt számomra.

“Read this sentence out loud.” – Olvasd fel hangosan ezt a mondatot!

“Do I have to? I’m insecure.” – Muszáj? Szégyenlős vagyok.

“Speak up.” – Beszélj hangosabban!

“I can’t really. I have a sore throat.” – Nem igazán tudok. Fáj a torkom.

“Sit down (whole classroom).” – Üljetek le!“

But we just stood up.” – De csak most álltunk fel.

3. Ask for Clarifications from Teachers and Classmates

Our classroom Hungarian vocabulary list cannot miss clarification phrases. The ones listed below will be your best friend, especially when starting out, i.e. when you’re new in the class. This is because new students usually need a bit more time to be accustomed to the new setting and teacher, and to be able to pick up the pace. Therefore, Hungarian school phrases asking for clarification could not be missed from this HungarianPod101 article. Let’s see them!

How to ask questions in class?

“I don’t understand.” – Nem értem.

“Where did you fall behind?” – Hol maradtál le?

“Could you repeat it, please?” – Meg tudná ismételni, kérem?

“Of course, but pay more attention next time.” – Természetesen, de legközelebb figyelj jobban!

“I have a question.” – Van egy kérdésem.

“Can it wait a bit?” – Tudsz várni egy kicsit?

“What did the teacher say?” – Mit mondott a tanár?

“I didn’t hear it either.” – Én sem hallottam.

“What is the homework?” – Mi a házi feladat?

“We have to write an essay about our morning routine.” – Esszét kell írnunk a reggeli rutinunkról.

“Did I understand it well that…?” – Jól értettem, hogy…?

“I think yes. I understood the same.” – Szerintem igen. Én is így értelmeztem.

4. Explain Absence and Tardiness

It can happen to all of us that we are late for something or someone has to wait for us. However, in a classroom setting, with the obligations of a student, it is trickier to overlook absence and tardiness. But with the right Hungarian classroom words and phrases, you can politely explain the reason behind them and save yourself some trouble. Here is how to do it:

“I’m not feeling well. Unfortunately, I won’t be able to attend school today.” – Nem érzem jól magam. Ma nem fogok tudni iskolába menni.

“Alright but ask for the homework for someone.” – Rendben, de kérd el a házi feladatot valakitől!

“I have a doctor’s appointment next week, so I’ll be late from class next week.” – Orvoshoz van időpontom, ezért késni fogok óráról a jövő héten.

“Sure, no problem but bring a doctor’s note for next class.” – Rendben, nem gond, de hozz magaddal orvosi igazolást a következő órára!

Here is how to make an appointment with a Hungarian dentist.

“Sorry I’m late. I had to put gas in my bike.” – Elnézést a késésért. Meg kellett tankolnom a biciklimet.

“Very funny. You’ll have to work extra hard today.” – Nagyon vicces. Ma extra keményen kell majd dolgoznod.

Running late again in Hungary? Check this out.

“I don’t have my homework with me. My dog ate it.” – Nincs nálam a házi feladatom. A kutyám megette.

“Oh, really? What a pity. Then, you will get double homework today to make sure lest it happens again.” – Ó, tényleg? De kár! Akkor ma dupla házi feladatot kapsz, nehogy megint megtörténjen.

Click for some believable excuses for being late.

“I didn’t study for the test because I had to work late yesterday.” – Nem tanultam a dolgozatra, mert késő estig kellett dolgoznom tegnap.

“Alright, understandable. You can retake it tomorrow.” – Rendben, érthető. Holnap újraírhatod.

Click for test preparation tips.

5. Talk about Favorite Subjects

We all have our favorite subjects that we like better than others. And we often love to talk about them because they are our passion or simply because we are good at them. In this section, with the right phrases that students use in the classroom to talk about their favorite subjects, you can also do the same. All you have to do is read them a couple of times, take notes, and practice pronouncing them. So, are you ready to learn classroom phrases in the Hungarian language with which you can describe and talk about your favorite subject in school? Let’s go then!

“My favorite subject is history.” – A kedvenc tárgyam a történelem.

“No way! Seriously? Mine too.” – Ne! Komolyan? Az enyém is!

“What is your favorite subject?” – Neked mi a kedvenc tantárgyad?

“I don’t know. I haven’t really thought about it.” – Nem tudom. Nem igazán gondoltam bele.

“Do you like math too?” – Te is szereted a matekot?

“Oh, no! I hate it. I’m too bad at it.” – Ó, nem! Én utálom. Túl rossz vagyok benne.

“I hate chemistry, it’s boring.” – Utálom a kémiát, unalmas.

“Are you kidding me? It’s the most interesting thing I have ever learnt about.” – Viccelsz velem? A legérdekesebb dolog, amiről valaha tanultam.

“I’m not good at literature.” – Nem vagyok jó irodalomból.“

Really? Do you want me to help you?” – Tényleg? Szeretnéd, hogy segítsek?

6. Check for School Supplies

School supplies are essential in every classroom, but usually, students have to provide them for themselves. So, if you forget something, you can ask a classmate or the teacher to borrow something. But it’s only possible to do if you know the right Hungarian classroom words and phrases. In this section, we will introduce those supplies that are most likely to be needed.

Our word of the day: “calculator” – számológép 

See some must-have school supplies in a language-learning classroom.

“Can I borrow your pen?” – Kölcsön kérhetem a tolladat?

“Sure. I have to others.” – Persze. Nekem van még két másik.

“I lost my calculator.” – Elhagytam a számológépemet.

“How will you write the text?” – Hogy fogod megírni a dolgozatot?

“Do you have a sharpener?” – Van hegyeződ?

“No. I lost it a few days ago.” – Nem, elvesztettem egy pár napja.

“Did you bring your textbook?” – Elhoztad a tankönyvedet?

“Of course, as always.” – Természetesen, mint mindig.

“I have a new eraser.” – Új radírom van.

“Wow, great. Me too. It smells like strawberry.” – Wow, nagyszerű! Nekem is. Eper illata van.

7. How HungarianPod101.com Helps You Reach Your Goals in Learning Hungarian Language

We hope you enjoyed these common Hungarian classroom phrases and that you will be able to use them with ease with a native Hungarian speaker when the time comes. Do not forget, however, that practice makes perfect, so even though you took the first step towards learning the Hungarian language, reading this blog article just once will not do the trick. Give it another 2-3 reads, make notes and create your own Hungarian vocabulary list with unfamiliar words or phrases and recall them every now and then.

Let’s recap what we have learned now and what Hungarian school phrases you can widen your vocabulary with:

–       Hungarian classroom greetings

–       Instructions from teachers

–       Asking for clarifications

–       Explaining absence or being late

–       Talking about your favorite subject

–       Checking for school supplies

If you feel like there is any gap left in your knowledge, either let us know or ask away in the comments or check out our blog for other extensive Hungarian vocabulary articles.

To maximize your Hungarian language learning, we offer you not only blog articles but also free Hungarian vocabulary lists, and if you are a Premium Member, many more! Our features exclusive to members include Hungarian lessons with audio and visual learning materials too.

Be a Premium HungarianPod101 member today!

One final question for those who have finished the article: How would you say “I’m sorry I’m late, I lost my eraser”? Post your answer in the comments section!

If you would like to learn about common Hungarian restaurant phrases, you are at the right place. We know that food is important, and chances are when you are visiting Hungary, you will not always cook your own meal at your place but also discover the culinary secrets of the country. As you should. So, with that in mind, we wrote this article so that you will know useful Hungarian restaurant phrases, such as how to ask for the bill in Hungarian. We will cover dining phrases in Hungarian for before, during, and after dining, so that you have the full picture of how to order food in Hungarian.

Excited yet? You should be because after reading this article, you will not have any problems in Hungarian restaurants, and you will hopefully leave with not only a full stomach but a full heart and a great experience too.

So, should we start learning about Hungarian restaurant phrases? If you are ready, let’s go!

Click for a conversation about ordering.

You may also want to go over the names of popular Hungarian foods, common beverages, and dining utensils!

Table of Contents

1. Before Dining
2. During Dining
3. After Dining
4. How HungarianPod101.com Helps You Reach Your Goals in Learning Hungarian

1. Before Dining

Dining in a restaurant does not just start there. You have to choose the place of course and then make a reservation, negotiating the date and number of people to be expected. In this section, we will cover the most essential restaurant phrases in Hungarian that you would use before actually arriving and eating in the restaurant of your choice. So, let’s see what they are.

Click for Hungary’s best restaurants of 2021.

“Before I reserve a table, I’d like to know if you offer vegan options.” – Mielőtt asztalt foglalok, szeretném tudni, hogy vegán opciójaik vannak-e.

“Of course. We have a separate menu full of vegan meals.” – Természetesen. Külön menü lapunk van tele vegán ételekkel.

“Great. In this case, when do you have free tables available?” – Nagyszerű! Ez esetben mikorra vannak szabad asztalaik?

“I’d like to reserve a table for two on Saturday, May 7^th at 5pm, please?” – Szeretnék asztalt foglalni két főre, május 7., szombatra, délután öt órára.

“Of course. We have two tables available. Would you like to sit by the window or near the kitchen?” – Természetesen. Két szabad asztalunk van. Az ablak mellett vagy a konyha közelében szeretnének ülni?

“By the window is fine.” – Az ablak mellett megfelel.

“Alright, perfect. We’ll be waiting for you.” – Rendben, tökéletes! Várni fogjuk Önöket!

Listen to a conversation of reserving a table in Hungarian.

“A table for 4, please.” – Egy asztalt szeretnék 4 főre, kérem!

“Unfortunately, we only have tables for 2 people on that day.” – Sajnos csak két főre vannak asztalaink aznap.

“I understand. No problem. Maybe next time.” – Értem. Semmi probléma. Talán legközelebb.

Listen to possible solutions when discussing how many people the reservation is for.

“Do you have a free table on the terrace for tonight?” – Van szabad asztaluk a teraszon ma estére?

“Yes. We have one table left there. For 2 people.” – Igen. Egy asztalunk maradt ott. Két főre.

“Wonderful. That’s exactly what I need. Could we come at 7pm?” – Remek! Pont, amire szükségem van! Tudnánk hét órára érkezni?

“Of course. I can reserve the table until 9pm.” – Természetesen. Az asztalt kilenc óráig tudom lefoglalni.

“How long would we have to wait?” – Milyen hosszan kellene várakoznunk?

“Our Saturday nights are usually busy. It’s around 30 minutes until the food is served.” – A szombat estéink általában elég forgalmasak. Körülbelül 30 perc, míg kihozzák az ételt.

“Alright, that’s not too bad. I’d like to get a table for two.” – Rendben. Az annyira nem vészes. Két főre szeretnék asztalt.

“Is 8pm suitable?” – A nyolc óra megfelel?

“Perfect.” – Tökéletes!

“Is it possible that our table be in the non-smoking area?” – Lehetséges, hogy az asztalunk a nem dohányzó részlegen legyen?

“Absolutely.” – Abszolút.

“Wonderful, thank you.” – Csodálatos, köszönöm!

A conversation about whether you can smoke in a restaurant or not.

2. During Dining

Next up, useful Hungarian restaurant phrases for when already in the restaurant and dining. After you have made reservations, arranged the time and number of people, and got to the restaurant, it is time to sit down and order. In this phase of the eating out process, it is very important to have basic restaurant vocabulary and template sentences. However, it is just as important to study the menu in Hungarian and read everything carefully. Unfortunately, every menu is different, but we can definitely help you with useful Hungarian restaurant phrases you could use when in Hungary.

If you need some inspiration as to what to order, here are the top 50 most popular Hungarian dishes you must try when in the country.

“Could we get the menu please?” – Kérhetnénk a menüt, kérem?

“I’m sorry you haven’t got it. I will bring two in a few seconds.” – Elnézést kérek, hogy még nem kapták meg. Másodperceken belül visszatérek kettővel.

“Thank you, that’s very kind.” – Köszönjük, ez nagyon kedves.

“Here you go, madam. Let me know when you’ve decided on the drinks and I’ll take your order.” – Tessék, hölgyem. Szóljanak, ha már döntöttek az italokról és felveszem a rendelésüket.

“Actually, we already know. I’d like to get a mojito and to my friend, a cosmopolitan, please.” – Igazából már tudjuk is. Én egy mohitot kérnék, a barátomnak pedig egy cosmopolitant, legyen szíves!

“Great! I will be back with your drinks in a few minutes.” – Nagyszerű! Néhány percen belül jövök is az italaikkal.

Listen to a conversation about ordering in Hungarian.

“Could you tell me what’s the chef’s special, please?” – El tudná mondani, mi a séf ajánlata?

“Certainly. It is duck breast with orange sauce. It’s very delicious.” – Persze. Kacsamell narancsszósszal. Nagyon finom.

“Great That’s my favorite. I’d like to order that.” – Nagyszerű! Az a kedvencem. Ezt szeretném rendelni.

“Excellent choice.” – Remek választás.

Click to hear how to order lunch at a Hungarian restaurant.

“Excuse me.” – Elnézést!

“Yes, sir? Can I bring you anything?” – Igen, uram? Hozhatok Önnek valamit?

“Yes, I’d like another bottle of wine, please.” – Igen, szeretnék még egy üveg pezsgőt, kérem!

“Of course. I will be back in a few minutes.” – Természetesen. Pár percen belül érkezem.

“I’m allergic to nuts. Could I get the dish without any?” – Allergiás vagyok a mogyoróra. Lehetne, hogy a nélkül kérjem az ételt?

“Of course. Would you like something else instead?” – Természetesen. Szeretne valami mást helyette?

“No, thank you.” – Nem, köszönöm.

“Could I get some more of this tzatziki sauce? It’s very tasty. – Kérhetnék még a tzatziki szószból? Nagyon ízletes.

“I’m very sorry but we just ran out. Could I bring you some yoghurt or mayonnaise instead?” – Nagyon sajnálom, de épp most fogyott el. Hozhatok esetleg joghurtot vagy majonézt helyette?

“Yes, yoghurt would be great, thank you.” – Igen, a joghurt remek lenne, köszönöm!

“Could I get some more napkins? – Kérhetnék még szalvétát?

“Of course, here you go, madame. If you’d like some more, you can get them at the bar anytime.” – Persze, tessék, hölgyem. Ha szeretne még, a bárból bármikor hozhat még.

“The soup is very salty. Is there something we can do about that?” – A leves nagyon sós. Tudunk valamit tenni az ügy érdekében?

“I’m sorry to hear that, sir. I could bring you another bowl if you’d like.” – Sajnálattal hallom, uram. Hozhatok Önnek egy másik tányérral, ha szeretné.

“I’d thank you, yes.” – Azt megköszönném, igen.

“Alright. I will bring it to you in 10 minutes.” – Rendben. 10 percen belül hozom is Önnek.

“What do you recommend as dessert? – Mit ajánl desszertként?

“Our pistachio ice-cream is very popular.” – A pisztáciafagyink nagyon népszerű.

“Great. I love pistachios. We’ll try that.” – Remek! Imádom a pisztáciát. Megkóstoljuk!

“Where do I find the restrooms? – Merre találom a mosdókat?

“You go down the corridor and then you will find them to the left.” – Végigmegy a folyosón, és bal oldalra találja majd őket.

3. After Dining

Lastly, we are going to cover those Hungarian words and phrases in restaurant settings that are common in Hungary. For example, you would want to know how to ask for the bill in Hungarian, right? Well, we are going to learn that together now. With that and others, our list of Hungarian restaurant phrases will be complete, and you will be able to go to a restaurant in Hungary with confidence and order food with ease. Sounds good? Let’s get into the last part of this article then, finishing off this study session.

“Can I pay with euros?” – Tudok euróval fizetni?

“Yes, you can. Let me come back with another bill with the total in euros.” – Igen, tud. Hadd jöjjek vissza egy másik számlával, amin euróban van a végösszeg.

“Perfect. Thank you.” – Tökéletes, köszönöm!

“Is it possible to box my leftovers?” – Volna lehetőség rá, hogy becsomagolják a maradékot?

“For sure. We’ll charge a little extra for the boxes though. Is that okay?” – Persze. De felszámoljuk a doboz árát. Így is megfelel?

“Yes, it’s fine. Thank you.” – Igen, megfelel. Köszönöm!

“Could we talk to the chef? We’d like to congratulate him/her. Our dinner was fantastic.” – Beszélhetnénk a séffel? Szeretnénk neki gratulálni. A vacsoránk fantasztikus volt.“

Wonderful. She/he will be very happy. Let me call him/her for you.” – Ragyogó! Nagyon boldog lesz. Hadd hívjam ide őt Önökhöz.

“Could I get the bill, please?” – Kérhetném a számlát?

“Of course. Would you like to pay by cash or card?” – Természetesen. Készpénzzel vagy kártyával szeretne fizetni?

“By card.” – Kártyával.

“Alright, I’ll bring the POS terminal.” – Rendben, hozom is a POS terminált.

Listen to how to ask for the bill in Hungarian.

“Can we pay the bill separately?” – Tudjuk külön fizetni a számlát?

“Yes, but unfortunately, only is you pay by cash. Is that a problem?” – Igen, de sajnos, csak ha készpénzzel fizetnek. Ez problémát jelent?

“No, it’s not.” – Nem, nem jelent.

Before we finish off, we must talk about tipping etiquette in Hungary. Sometimes the service fee is included in the bill automatically, sometimes, it is not. If it is the latter, people usually tip between 10-15%. However, the most common tips are between 10-12%.

Check out the Hungarian dining etiquette too.

If you do not feel like going to a restaurant, for whatever reason, check out apps and shops that offer home delivery.

4. How HungarianPod101.com Helps You Reach Your Goals in Learning Hungarian

You got to the end of our common Hungarian restaurant phrases article, congrats! Hopefully, you know more about how to reserve tables, how to order food in Hungarian, or how to ask for the bill in Hungarian. We have learned lots of other expressions for before, during, and after dining that hopefully will help you during your time in the country.

However, if you still feel unsure about your knowledge, there are lots of study materials on the HungarianPod101 website, where you can even sign up to be a full-time member of our family, supported by top-notch, additional study materials and strong, helpful community.

Join the HungarianPod101 family today!

Do you know how to ask for the bill in Hungarian? Comment below!

At some point in your learning journey, you might raise the question of how to improve Hungarian conversation skills. Well, you came to the right place for that. We know how crucial it is to be able to have a comeback, so to say, in every possible situation when in Hungary. That is why we created this Hungarian conversation skills guide for you to master the language.

Below, you will find phrases and lines as well as tips to improve Hungarian conversation skills. Not only that, but we will show you how easy it is to engage in a conversation with a Hungarian local. We will show you basic and easy phrases, but you will see that these are very useful and common in Hungary.

Before we start, let’s quickly outline what we will learn about today. We collected Hungarian reaction phrases, filler words, as well as common questions and answers that you might encounter during your visit to the country. In the end, we will even give you a few easy tips on how you can improve your Hungarian conversation skills in the best and easiest way.

Ready? Let’s jump into it then!

Table of Contents

1. Learn Hungarian Conversation Starters
2. Make Your Own Language Profile
3. Learn Hungarian Reactions
4. Learn Hungarian Filler Words
5. Learn Common Questions and Answers
6. How to Improve Speaking Skills
7. How HungarianPod101.com Helps You Reach Your Goals in Learning Hungarian

1. Learn Hungarian Conversation Starters

How to improve your Hungarian speaking skills? Well, the first step is to start a conversation. It does not matter if it is someone you know or a person with whom you have not interacted, you have to walk up to them with some kind of meaning. For this, we gathered a few phrases for you to improve your Hungarian conversation skills by learning how to address a person and start a dialogue with them.

How to start a conversation with a stranger?

“Hi. Do I know you?” – Szia! Ismerlek (téged)?

“I don’t think so.” – Nem hiszem.

“We have a nice, sunny weather, no?” – Szép, napos időnk van, nem?

“Yes, absolutely.” – De, abszolút!

“You look familiar. Where have we might met?” – Ismerősnek tűnsz. Hol találkozhattunk?

“It must have been at Peter’s New Year’s Eve party.” – Péter szilveszteri buliján lehetett.

“Can I ask for your help with the preparation for the exam?” – Kérhetném a segítséged a vizsgára való felkészülésben?

“Sure, happy to help.” – Persze, szívesen segítek.

“Could you tell me where I can find the sales department?” – Meg tudná mondani, mere találom az értékesítési osztályt?

“Sure, I’m going there too, let’s go together.” – Persze, én is oda megyek. Menjünk együtt!

See a discussion about a sales report.

2. Make Your Own Language Profile

After having started the conversation, you need to keep it going somehow. So, make your own language profile, kind of like a mini autobiography of you. This way, you would be ready for any introductory situation where you have to tell something about yourself to people you have never met before. It is much easier to have a ready-made template in your head already, to avoid awkward situations of silence because nothing comes to your mind due to nervousness.

Here are some examples of what you could say about yourself in just one sentence. However, if you are bold, you can come up with additional sentences and share more information about yourself.

Here are a few tips on what else you could add to your introduction.

Just do not forget to practice speaking Hungarian before a real-life situation.

“Hi, guys! My name is Peter, I’m a 30-year-old male, and I work as an accountant.” – Sziasztok! A nevem Péter, egy harmincéves férfi vagyok, és könyvelőként dolgozom.

“Hi, everyone! I’m Maria, a 26-year-old mother-of-two. I work in the hospital and I love being in the nature.” – Üdv mindenkinek! Mária vagyok, egy 26 éves kétgyermekes anya. A kórházban dolgozom, és szeretek a természetben lenni.

“Hello! I’m Valeria, I am 54 years old. I have two kids and a grandchild. I love knitting and teasing my husband.” – Helló! Valéria vagyok, 54 éves. Két gyermekem és egy unokám van. Imádok kötni és a férjemmel szórakozni.

Here is a short Hungarian conversation about introduction.

3. Learn Hungarian Reactions

Another major and, thus, must-to-learn part of Hungarian conversations (be it with a person you do or do not know) is being able to react to what Hungarian people say to you. For this reason, we present to you… Hungarian conversation skills for reactions to certain situations.

When you want someone to know you have copied and understood what they told you or are surprised and want to express this, developing speaking skills in Hungarian is very important.

You can see the Hungarian reaction phrases in bold below:

“I told you… I can’t go to the party tonight because I’m having dinner with my family.” – Mondtam neked… Nem tudok a buliba menni, mert a családommal vacsorázom.

“I see…” – Értem…

See a few funny example sentences regarding a family reunion.

“Whatever you do, just please don’t tell them this embarrassing story.” – Bármit csinálsz, csak el ne mondd nekik ezt a kínos sztorit!

“Gotcha!” – Vettem!

“I’ve never been to the Parisian Disney Land. And I’m almost 50 years old.” – Még sosem voltam a párizsi Disney Land-ben. Pedig majdnem 50 éves vagyok.

“Seriously? Are you kidding me? We have to go!” – (Most) komolyan? Szórakozol velem? El kell mennünk!

“I have a date tonight with that cute girl from work.” – Randim van ma este azzal az aranyos lánnyal a melóból.

“That’s awesome!” – Király!

“I shouldn’t have come in just a jacket when it’s snowing outside.” – Nem kellett volna csak egy dzsekiben jönnöm, amikor odakint esik a hó.

“That’s right.” – Így van!

Here you can always check the current, accurate weather in Hungary.

“I got the job!” – Megkaptam az állást!

“Amazing!” – Csodás!

“Nobody wants to leave their bed on winter mornings.” – Senki sem akar kikelni az ágyból téli reggeleken.

“How true…” – Milyen igaz…

“I just saw the two of them kissing in the mall! Finally!” – Épp az imént láttam őket smárolni a plázában! Végre!

“This cannot be true!” – Ez nem lehet igaz!

How to improve your Hungarian speaking skills even more? Click for 7 ways to improve your speaking skills.

4. Learn Hungarian Filler Words

Hungarian filler words are another crucial component of Hungarian conversations, especially when you want to avoid long pauses in the discussion or when you simply just cannot find the right words right away. For such situations, filler words come into place and to the rescue. A great way to improve your Hungarian conversation skills is to learn to manage such situations when silence needs to be filled.

Check out what the most common Hungarian filler words are:

“Thingy” – Izé

“I mean, I think I’m gonna take off.” – Izé, azt hiszem, most elhúzok.

“Well” – Nos

“What’s it called…” – Hogy is hívják…

“I mean” – Úgy értem…

“So-called” – Úgynevezett

“I was like…” – Én meg így…

“He didn’t want to lend me his PS, and I was like, dude, are you serious?” – Nem akarta kölcsönadni a PS-ét, én meg így, haver, most komolyan?

See our article about the topic for more Hungarian filler words.

5. Learn Common Questions and Answers

A powerful skill in every language is knowing how to ask questions. They are essential for Hungarian as well because, especially at the beginning of your language learning journey, there will be times when you do not understand something completely and need re-iteration or reassurance on a given matter. And that is okay! Do not be afraid to ask, that is how you learn and evolve!

However, you need to know how to answer a question as well in case someone directs a question to you. So, the best way to improve your Hungarian conversation skills is to be ready for both scenarios.

See how Hungarian questions are built.

Below, you will find mini conversations where you can see and learn the roles of both parties.

“Where are you from?” – Hová valósi vagy?

“I’m from Hungary.” – Magyarországról származom.

“I was born in Budapest.” – Budapesten születtem.

“How are you?” – Hogy vagy?

“I’m great, thanks. And you?” – Én nagyszerűen vagyok, köszi. És te?

“Fine. What about you?” – Megvagyok. Veled mi újság?

“How did you learn this language?” – Hogy tanultad meg ezt a nyelvet?

“My dad is German, but my mom is Hungarian, so she thought me when I was little.” – Apukám német, de anyukám magyar, szóval ő tanított meg, amikor kicsi voltam.

“Why are you learning this language?” – Miért tanulod ezt a nyelvet?

“I wanted to challenge myself.” – Szerettem volna próbára tenni magam.

“My partner is Hungarian, so I’m learning it because of her.” – A párom magyar, szóval miatta tanulom.

“What do you do?” – Mit dolgozol?

“I’m a firefighter. And you?” – Tűzoltó vagyok. És te?

“I don’t work currently, I’m unemployed.” – Most épp nem dolgozom. Munkanélküli vagyok.

6. How to Improve Speaking Skills

Finally, we would like to give you some tips to improve your Hungarian conversation skills. Because it is nice to have example sentences and templates, but you have to memorize them somehow and also come up with your own sentences. Not to mention that you have to practice speaking in Hungarian too, to make sure your conversations will go as smoothly as possible.

So, without further ado, here are the 5 best ways to improve Hungarian conversation skills:

1)    Think of an everyday scenario and write down a few words that come to your mind in connection with it

2)    Practice speaking Hungarian with a native friend

3)    Act out scenes by yourself and play the role of all parties

4)    Listen to audio files about everyday conversations. When you level up, you can try conversations on more advanced topics

5)    Practice with and learn from a personal tutor whose focus is only on you

Here are a few other tips on how you can improve your speaking skills. The article talks about the English language, but you can apply the tips to Hungarian and your own language learning journey as well.

7. How HungarianPod101.com Helps You Reach Your Goals in Learning Hungarian

Awesome! Now you must have lots of impeccable Hungarian conversation skills! Let’s recap what kind of phrases and lines we have learned in this article. First, we advised you to make your own language profile for an easier introduction to new people and even showed you a few introductory sentences you could use as templates. Then, we covered Hungarian reactions and filler words, as well as common questions and possible answers to them. We have also learned about conversation starters that you could use with someone you have not met before, and lastly, we listed a few tips to improve your Hungarian conversation skills.

Do not forget, however, that you need to practice speaking Hungarian to truly master these phrases and to speak out loud with confidence.

You can further improve your language skills and practice Hungarian with our many free vocabulary lists, or you could sign up even to be a family member and gain access to many useful study materials that could help you along your learning journey. These include audio recordings of casual – or specific-topic – conversations in Hungarian with transcription, as well as the help of a personal tutor, and many more.

Sign up today!

Let’s see how you improved your Hungarian conversation skills. How would you introduce yourself in Hungarian? Comment below!

We previously published blog posts on the most useful beginner and intermediate phrases in Hungarian. This article on advanced Hungarian phrases is the final installment in this series. 

In this article from HungarianPod101, you’ll learn the most useful phrases and sentence patterns at the advanced level. Keep in mind that you will encounter a few difficult Hungarian words and grammatical concepts here, but that’s the point! If you’re still unsure of your Hungarian level, we recommend reading through the two articles we linked to above; this will give you a better idea of where you are. 

Do you feel ready to take on more advanced phrases? Then let’s outline what you’ll learn today.

• Useful phrases for academic writing
• Power phrases for your resume
• Smart phrases for business meetings
• Advanced idioms, sayings, and proverbs for everyday usage

Are you ready to bring your Hungarian knowledge to the next level? Let’s get started then!

Table of Contents

1. Useful Phrases for Academic Writing
2. Power Phrases for Your Resume
3. Smart Phrases for Business and Meetings
4. Advanced Idioms, Sayings, and Proverbs for Everyday Usage
5. How HungarianPod101.com Helps You Reach Your Hungarian Learning Goals

1. Useful Phrases for Academic Writing

Are you thinking of starting a program at a Hungarian university? Or do you want to read sophisticated Hungarian articles in the academic and business spheres? Then this section is for you. Here, you’ll see the most common advanced Hungarian phrases for academic writing so that you can both recognize them and use them yourself in writing or speech.

• “First of all, babies should not watch too much TV.”
  
  Először is, a csecsemőknek nem szabadna túl sok TV-t nézniük.

• “Considering that research papers refute this, your statement is incorrect.”
  
  Figyelembe véve (azt), hogy tanulmányok cáfolják ezt, az állítása helytelen.

In the sentence above, please note that the noun állítása is the polite form of állítás (“statement”). If you were having a friendly, casual debate, you would say állításod. 

• “According to XYZ, dogs can relieve anxiety.”
  
  XYZ szerint, a kutyák könnyíthetnek a szorongáson.

• “Moreover, they can give further moral support to humans.”
  
  Sőt, további morális támaszt tudnak nyújtani az embereknek.

• “In order to live a happier life, we must appreciate the little things in life.”
  
  Annak érdekében, hogy boldogabb életet éljünk, muszáj értékelnünk az apró dolgokat az életben.

• “As a result of their misbehavior, they got expelled from the school after three months.”
  
  A helytelen viselkedésük eredményeképpen, három hónap után elbocsájtották őket az iskolából.

• “In other words, teaching jobs are very important.”
  
  Más szóval, a tanári munka nagyon fontos.

• “Furthermore, schools should teach children more practical things that will prepare them for life.”
  
  Továbbá, az iskoláknak praktikusabb dolgokat kellene tanítaniuk a gyerekeknek, hogy felkészítsék őket az életre.

• “Similarly, workplaces, too, should be more tolerant of people from different cultural backgrounds.”
  
  Hasonlóképpen, a munkahelyeknek is toleránsabbnak kellene lenniük az eltérő kulturális háttérrel rendelkező emberekkel szemben.

• “Conversely, there is no scientific evidence supporting this theory.”
  
  Ellenben, nincs tudományos bizonyíték, ami ezt a feltevést bizonyítaná.

2. Power Phrases for Your Resume

Are you considering getting a job in Hungary? What a wonderful idea! However, bear in mind that not many Hungarians speak English well, so you might want to submit your curriculum vitae in Hungarian. If you want to make sure that you stand out as the best candidate, it’s important to not only provide a Hungarian CV but also to use the right words and power phrases to help your resume shine. 

If you don’t yet have the advanced Hungarian vocabulary for that, don’t worry a bit—that’s exactly what you’ll learn in this section. 

➜ Feeling confident in your CV? Then you should prepare for your interview with our lesson You’d Better Ace Your First Hungarian Job Interview!

• “I work in teams with pleasure, but I can manage projects on my own as well.”
  
  Szívesen dolgozom csapatban, de önálló projektek megoldására is képes vagyok.

• “I take responsibility for the tasks I have been entrusted with.”
  
  Felelősséget vállalok a nekem kiosztott feladatok elvégzéséért.

• “I respect deadlines, as I know my work ethic has an impact on my colleagues too.”
  
  Tiszteletben tartom a határidőket, hiszen tudom, hogy a munkamorálom a kollégáimra is hatással van.

• “I adjust easily but am also open to trying out new methods of working.”
  
  Tudok alkalmazkodni, de nyitott vagyok új munkamódszerek kipróbálására is.

• “I am a team player, and I get along well with people.”
  
  Csapatjátékos vagyok és jól kijövök az emberekkel.

• “I am capable of problem-solving and handling delicate situations appropriately.”
  
  Képes vagyok a problémák megoldására, és a konfliktusok megfelelő módon történő kezelésére.

• “I think that, based on my previous work experiences, I am fit for this position.”
  
  Úgy gondolom, hogy előző munkatapasztalataim alapján nekem való ez a pozíció.

• “During my years at university, I developed a practical approach to projects.”
  
  Egyetemi éveim alatt, praktikus szemléletet alakítottam ki a projektek felé.

• “I believe I have the personal qualities that could be beneficial for the company and this team.”
  
  Úgy hiszem, megvannak bennem azok a személyiségjegyek, melyek kedvezőek lennének a cégnek és ennek a csapatnak.

• “I possess a strong knowledge of computer fundamentals.”
  
  Erős számítógépes alapismeretekkel rendelkezem.

• “I am able to make sound decisions in the absence of detailed instructions, as well.”
  
  Képes vagyok helytálló döntéseket hozni részletes instrukciók hiányában is.

• “I have good judgment in selecting the proper mode of communication among colleagues.”
  
  Jó ítélőképességgel rendelkezem a megfelelő kommunikációs mód kiválasztását illetően a kollégák közt.

• “I utilize a variety of analytical techniques to solve problems.”
  
  Számos analítikai technikát alkalmazok problémák megoldásához.

• “I am always ready to provide strong evidence of specific accomplishments.”
  
  Mindig készen állok arra, hogy erős bizonyítékot mutassak be egy adott elért eredményről.

3. Smart Phrases for Business and Meetings

Have you ever been sitting in a business meeting but didn’t have the right words to express yourself? Well, to help you avoid this in your new Hungarian workplace, we have collected several advanced phrases in Hungarian that are frequently used in business settings. 

➜ If you feel like these advanced Hungarian phrases aren’t enough, you can visit any of our other business-related lessons. We recommend starting with A Hungarian Business Presentation.

• “Good morning. Thank you all for coming here today.”
  
  Jó reggelt! Köszönöm, hogy eljöttek ma.

• “Hi everyone. I’m Peter. I’ll keep this meeting short as I know we all have lots of things to do. First, let’s introduce ourselves.”
  
  Sziasztok! Péter vagyok. Rövidre fogom ezt a megbeszélést, hiszen tudom, hogy mindannyiunknak rengeteg dolga van. Először is mutatkozzunk be egymásnak.

• “I’ve called this meeting in order for everyone to understand what each department is working on at the moment.”
  
  Azért hívtam össze ezt a megbeszélést, hogy mindenki megértse, min dolgoznak az egyes ügyosztályok mostanában.

• “Let’s get started.”
  
  Vágjunk (is) bele!

• “Could you please repeat that? I didn’t quite hear what you said.”
  
  Megismételné, kérem? Nem igazán hallottam, mit mondott.

• “That’s a great point.”
  
  Nagyszerű meglátás!

• “Excuse me for interrupting you, but shouldn’t we talk about the previous month first?”
  
  Elnézést kérek, hogy félbeszakítom, de először nem az előző hónapról kellene beszélnünk?

• “Excuse me. Unfortunately, I have to leave earlier because of another meeting.”
  
  Elnézést kérek, de sajnos hamarabb kell elmennem egy másik megbeszélés miatt.

• “That brings me to the end of my presentation. Thank you for your attention.”
  
  Ezzel elértünk a prezentációm végére. Köszönöm a figyelmet!

• “Does anybody have any questions?”
  
  Van valakinek bármi kérdése?

Would you like to learn additional phrases and expressions related to the business world? Then head over to our listening exercise Preparing for a Hungarian Business Meeting!

4. Advanced Idioms, Sayings, and Proverbs for Everyday Usage

Idioms, sayings, and proverbs are part of our everyday lives, and they vary from culture to culture. Here, you will learn advanced Hungarian phrases related to anything and everything. These are idioms and sayings that Hungarians love to use on a daily basis, so we advise you to memorize at least a few of them. 

• “Break a leg.” [Literally: “(I wish you) a broken arm and leg.”]
  
  Kéz és lábtörést!

• “Hang in there.” [Literally: “(I wish you) perseverance.”]
  
  Kitartás(t)!

You’re likely to hear this advanced Hungarian saying at least twice a day! Locals love to use this expression, especially at work. 

• “Slow and steady wins the race.” [Literally: “Walk slowly, and you will live longer.”]
  
  Lassan járj, tovább élsz!

• “This ship has sailed.”
  
  Ez a hajó elúszott.

• “Kill two birds with one stone.” [Literally: “(To kill) two flies with one hit.”]
  
  Két legyet egy csapásra!

Make sure to visit our blog post on the top Hungarian proverbs and idioms for even more inspiration!

5. How HungarianPod101.com Helps You Reach Your Hungarian Learning Goals

If you’ve made it this far, congratulations! You’ve now seen more than 40 advanced Hungarian conversational phrases for a variety of contexts. To make the patterns and expressions stick in your mind, make sure to come back to this page from time to time and read through them again. We also advise you to go back and take notes if you haven’t already.

To summarize, we presented you with:

• Useful phrases for academic writing
• Power phrases for your resume
• Smart phrases for business and meetings
• Advanced idioms, sayings, and proverbs for everyday usage

If you would like to learn more advanced Hungarian phrases—and about the Hungarian language in general—join the HungarianPod101 family. You can find lots of free study materials on our website, such as vocabulary lists, audio and video lessons, example conversations, articles similar to this one, and more. With a Premium PLUS subscription, you even get a personal tutor! If you’re not sure where to start, we recommend creating your free lifetime account and heading over to our Level 5 pathway for advanced Hungarian lessons designed to help you excel. 

Which of these advanced Hungarian phrases did you find the easiest? Let us know in the comments below.

The key to successful language learning is to be aware of your level. If you start learning Hungarian words and phrases that are too advanced for you, it will increase the likelihood that you’ll give up after a while. Our aim at HungarianPod101.com is to provide study materials for learners of all levels. We previously posted an article about beginner Hungarian phrases [link], so we recommend you start there if you’re new to the game. 

In this article, however, you’re going to learn several intermediate Hungarian phrases that will help you sound more like a native speaker. These phrases are ideal for learners who are ready to cross over from the beginner level to the intermediate level. If you feel ready for our list of intermediate Hungarian phrases and expressions, let us outline what you’ll learn about today. 

• Talking about past events
• Making and changing plans
• Explaining and listing reasons
• Making recommendations and complaints
• Reaction phrases for everyday conversations
• Etiquette phrases for both social and business settings

Sound good? Let’s jump into it!

Table of Contents

1. Talking About Past Events
2. Making and Changing Plans
3. Explaining and Listing Reasons
4. Making Recommendations and Complaints
5. Reaction Phrases for Everyday Conversations
6. Etiquette Phrases for Social and Business Settings
7. How HungarianPod101 Helps You Reach Your Hungarian Learning Goals

1. Talking About Past Events

Using the past tense in Hungarian is super easy. Unlike many other languages, such as English and French, we have only one past tense. In this section, we’ll show you how the past tense works by introducing you to intermediate Hungarian words and phrases for talking about past events. You can use them when talking to your friends or coworkers about a wild Friday night or other memorable experiences.

• “We had fun at the party last night.”
  Jól szórakoztunk a partin tegnap este.

• “I started going to the gym three years ago.”
  Három éve kezdtem edzőterembe járni.

• “That was the best day of my life. My child was born.”
  Ez volt életem legszebb napja. Megszületett a gyermekem.

• “I used to have a cat named Creme.”
  Volt egy macskám, akit Krémnek hívtak.

• “I got invited to a house party in Los Angeles last year.”
  Tavaly meghívtak egy házibuliba Los Angeles-ben.

2. Making and Changing Plans

Imagine not being able to make a dinner party because something came up, and not knowing how to inform your Hungarian friends. Lucky for you, these next Hungarian phrases for intermediate learners will help you make and change plans. Knowing how to do this is crucial, as punctuality is important to Hungarians. We advise that you take a close look at these phrases and try to memorize as many as you can.

• “Do you want to have lunch together this Tuesday?”
  Szeretnél együtt ebédelni ezen a kedden? [informal]

• “Would you like to have lunch together this Tuesday?”
  Volna kedve együtt ebédelni ezen a kedden? [formal]

• “Can I bring my boyfriend/girlfriend to the party?”
  Elhozhatom a barátomat/barátnőmet a buliba?

In the sentence above, you can replace barátomat/barátnőmet with párom (“partner”) in order to sound more “grown-up.”

• “Unfortunately, I can’t make it to the dinner party because my sister is coming to town.”
  Sajnos nem tudok ott lenni a vacsora partin, mert a nővérem jön a városba.

• “Would it be a problem if we rescheduled?”
  Gondot jelentene, ha áttennénk az időpontot?

• “Let’s have a Zoom meeting on Wednesday at two p.m. to discuss the details.”
  Tartsunk egy Zoom meetinget szerdán délután kettőkor, hogy megbeszéljük a részleteket!

The sentence above will come in handy at your workplace, especially nowadays in the time of home offices and remote working.

• “Where would you like to go after the cinema?”
  Hova szeretnél menni a mozi után?

You can visit our free vocabulary list Talking About Your Plans to learn more useful phrases along with their pronunciation.

3. Explaining and Listing Reasons

These next intermediate Hungarian phrases will be useful in both your private life and your professional life. Giving reasons and explaining decisions is a huge part of everyday life, so learning how to do so in Hungarian is essential. 

Did you have a heated argument with a Hungarian friend of yours? Hit them back with logical reasoning! 

Must you tell your Hungarian boss why your project will perform better than they think? Explain it with ease! 

With the following intermediate phrases for Hungarian conversations, all this (and more) is possible. 

• “I wrote this because I thought you would like it.”
  Azért írtam ezt, mert azt gondoltam, tetszene neked.

• “I believe it was the right decision. That’s why I don’t understand your fury.”
  Úgy gondolom, ez volt a helyes döntés. Ezért nem értem a haragodat.

• “If you had told me the truth, we wouldn’t be here right now.”
  Ha elmondtad volna az igazat, most nem lennénk itt.

• “I decided to choose this job for three reasons. First, the salary is really good. Second, it’s close to my house. Lastly, I love this field of business.”
  Három okból választottam ezt a munkát. Először is, a fizetés nagyon jó. Másodszor, közel van a házamhoz. Végül pedig, imádom ezt az üzleti területet.

• “Although you already said no, I would like to explain my point of view.”
  Habár már nemet mondtál, szeretném elmagyarázni az én nézőpontomat.

4. Making Recommendations and Complaints

Making recommendations to friends and complaining about poor service are both crucial parts of everyday life in Hungary. If you’ve ever wanted to recommend a book to a Hungarian friend or complain about dry chicken at a restaurant, keep reading! The following intermediate Hungarian phrases will help you make recommendations and complaints with ease. 

• “You should read this. This is the best fantasy book I’ve ever read.”
  Ezt el kellene olvasnod. Ez a legjobb fantasy könyv, amit valaha olvastam.

Visit our lesson At a Hungarian Bookstore to hear a conversation between a seller and a customer in a bookstore.

• “We loved that hotel. We would go back there again anytime!”
  Imádtuk azt a szállodát. Bármikor visszamennénk oda!

• “The customer service is very poor there. Don’t go to that pub.”
  A kiszolgálás nagyon rossz ott. Ne menjetek abba a bárba!

• “The bread is completely dry. Could you give me a fresh slice, please?”
  A kenyér teljesen száraz. Tudna nekem egy friss szeletet hozni, kérem?

• “The food is excellent here. You should try it next time.”
  Az étel kiváló itt. Legközelebb ki kellene próbálnod!

Need some more complaint phrases? Then visit our free vocabulary list!

5. Reaction Phrases for Everyday Conversations

If you visit or live in Hungary, engaging in everyday conversations is inevitable. To boost your confidence and help you make a good impression on others, we’ve compiled below a few intermediate conversational Hungarian phrases. We have also included a few sample dialogues using these reaction phrases so that you can see how they might be used in real life. 

• “Awesome!” – Király!
• “Really?” – Tényleg?
• “Seriously?” – Komolyan?
• “I’m not kidding.” – Nem viccelek.
• “Mind-blowing!” – Eszméletlen!

Here are some sample dialogues for you: 

A “We had fun at your party last time.” – Jól éreztük magunkat tegnap a bulidban.
B: “Awesome! I’m glad you could make it.” – Király! Örülök, hogy el tudtatok jönni!

A: “Did you really see him at the mall?” – Tényleg láttad őt a plázában?
B: “I’m not kidding. He was checking out engagement rings.” – Nem viccelek. Eljegyzési gyűrűket nézegetett.

A: “No way! Really?” – Ne már! Komolyan?
B: “I swear. It was huge!” – Esküszöm! Fantasztikus!

➜ Do you need some help with your Hungarian pronunciation? Then make sure to visit our lesson on how to speak like a local!

6. Etiquette Phrases for Social and Business Settings

We saved the easiest part for last. In this section, you’ll find intermediate Hungarian words and phrases for both social and business settings. The following expressions are common etiquette phrases that you can memorize and use anytime during a Hungarian conversation.

• “Enjoy!”
  Jó étvágyat!

Not sure how to eat Hungarian food? Don’t be shy. Ask! (Or visit our dedicated lesson…)

• “Make yourself at home.”
  Érezd otthon magad!

• “Let me know if you have any questions.”
  Szólj, ha bármi kérdésed van!

• “Welcome to our team.”
  Üdvözlünk a csapatban!

• “Drive safe.”
  Vezess óvatosan!

7. How HungarianPod101 Helps You Reach Your Hungarian Learning Goals 

This marks the end of our article. We hope we were able to familiarize you with the most common intermediate words and phrases in Hungarian and that you’ll be using them confidently every day. 

Do you remember everything we covered today? We introduced intermediate Hungarian phrases for talking about past events, making and changing plans, explaining and listing reasons, and making recommendations and complaints. We also showed you some reaction phrases and other expressions for smooth social/business interactions. 

Even though we covered a lot today, don’t forget that practice makes perfect. Even if you think you understood and memorized everything, come back to this article every now and then—maybe even take notes—so that the intermediate Hungarian vocabulary can truly sink in.

If you would like to expand your knowledge, join the HungarianPod101 family. Here, you can find lots of audio content, helpful videos, example conversations, and more—not to mention a supportive group of fellow language learners.

Which intermediate Hungarian phrase did you find the most useful? Let us know in the comments!

Have you read our articles on beginner and intermediate words already? If so, you should be well equipped with the essential words for your daily interactions in Hungary… But what if you don’t want to stop there? 

As promised, here is our article on advanced Hungarian words! 

Our aim is to familiarize you with the most common advanced Hungarian words in different categories. You’ll learn words and technical terms related to the academic and business worlds, the medical field, and the legal system. In addition, we have included a section dedicated to teaching you more sophisticated alternatives to common Hungarian words. 

As always, we would love to hear from you! Feel free to let us know in the comments if you think any important words are missing or if you have any questions about what we’re about to cover. You can also create a Premium PLUS account to access our MyTeacher service, which will connect you with your own personal Hungarian language tutor. 

If you’re ready to get started with the last installment of this miniseries, let’s jump right into it!

Table of Contents

1. Advanced Academic Words
2. Advanced Business Words
3. Advanced Medical Words
4. Advanced Legal Words
5. Additional Words for Acing a Hungarian Language Exam
6. How HungarianPod101.com Helps You Reach Your Hungarian Learning Goals

1. Advanced Academic Words

You will most definitely need a good number of academic words if, say, you want to study at a Hungarian university. What an adventure that would be! The following list of advanced Hungarian words will help you immensely not only when writing essays or taking tests, but also when composing your thesis at the end of your studies.

However, even if you don’t plan to pursue higher education in Hungary, knowing a few academic words will still come in handy. For example, it’s likely that you’ll bump into one or two of these advanced Hungarian words at your workplace in Hungary or in the local newspaper. 

What if you’re just learning Hungarian for fun as a hobby? Picking up the most common academic words will help you broaden your vocabulary, improve your overall language skills, and allow you to have more engaging conversations with native speakers. 

Let’s take a look! 

“Assessment” – Értékelés Noun	“Overall” – Összességében Adverb
“Required” – Szükséges Adjective	“Debate” – Vita Noun
“To demonstrate” – Demonstrálni  Verb	“Controversy” – Viszály Noun
“Considerable” – Jelentős  Adjective	“Ambiguous” – Bizonytalan Adjective

Example sentence:
“We’ve received a considerable number of complaints in connection with the assignment.”
Jelentős számú panaszt kaptunk a feladattal kapcsolatban.

“Academic” – Akadémiai Adjective	“To eliminate” – Kiiktat Verb
“Hereby” – Ezennel   Adverb	“Finite” – Véges / Befejezett Adjective
“Thus” – Tehát Adverb	“To coincide” – Egybeesni / Egybevágni Verb

Example sentence:
“Thus, we must improve our teaching methods.”
Tehát muszáj javítanunk a tanítási módunkon. 

“Preliminary” – Előkészítő Adjective	“To attain” – Megszerezni Verb
“Forthcoming” – Közeledő  Adjective	“To denote” – Jelölni Verb
“Sphere” – Szféra Noun	“Whereby” – Miáltal Adverb
“To undergo” – Keresztülmenni Verb	“Inhibition” – Gátlás / Akadályozás Noun
“So-called” – Úgynevezett  Adjective	“To hinder” – Meggátolni / Akadályozni Verb

Example sentence:
“Excessive partying hinders high performance in school.”
A mértéktelen bulizás akadályozza a magas iskolai teljesítményt. 

“Albeit” – Habár Conjunction	Virtually” – Tulajdonképpen Adverb
“Structure” – Struktúra Noun	“Structure” – Struktúra Noun
“Hypothesis” – Feltételezés / Feltevés Noun	“Principle” – Alapelv Noun

Want to learn even more essential vocabulary? Then visit our Vocab Builder for Academia!

2. Advanced Business Words

No list of advanced Hungarian vocabulary words could be complete without some business words. Studying economics in Hungary? Great! You’ll love this list and will find your studies much easier once you have these business- and economics-related words down. Not to mention how your teachers will appreciate that you know such nuanced Hungarian words as a foreigner.

Not studying in Hungary but want to impress your Hungarian boss? No problem! These advanced Hungarian words and phrases will come in handy not only when writing emails, but also in meetings and conferences with clients. You’ll be able to seal the deal on that long-desired promotion before you know it! 

“Strategy building” – Stratégiaépítés Noun

“Fiscal year” – Költségvetési év Noun

Example sentence:
“We have to get this done before the end of the current fiscal year.”
Ezt még a mostani költségvetési év vége előtt be kell fejeznünk. 

“Counteroffer” – Ellenajánlat Noun	“Sum” – Összeg Noun
“Conference” – Értekezlet Noun	“License” – Engedély / Felhatalmazás Noun
“Margin” – Árrés  Noun	Stakeholder” – Részvényes Noun

Example sentence:
“Let’s make sure that our stakeholders are satisfied with the project.”
Menjünk biztosra, hogy a részvényeseink elégedettek a projekttel. 

“Retainer” – Foglaló Noun	“Feedback” – Visszacsatolás Noun
“Expansion” – Terjeszkedés Noun	“Expansion” – Terjeszkedés Noun
“Merge” – Egyesülés Noun	“Merge” – Egyesülés Noun
“Entity” – Entitás Noun	“Entity” – Entitás Noun phrase
“Sustainable” – Fenntartható  Adjective	“To monitor” – Figyelemmel kísérni Verb

Example sentence:
“The sales department is supposed to monitor the revenue.”
Az értékesítési osztálynak kellene figyelemmel kísérnie a bevételt. 

“Pay raise” – Fizetésemelés Noun	“Incorporated” – Egyesített Adjective
“Incentive” – Ösztönző Noun	“To access” – Elérni Verb
“Revenue” – Árbevétel Noun	“To modify” – Módosítani / Változtatni Verb
“Commission” – Jutalék  Noun	“Commission” – Jutalék  Noun
“To assign” – Kiosztani Verb	“Hierarchical” – Hierarchikus Adjective

Visit our lesson Talking to a Supplier in Hungarian to listen to a sample business-related conversation.

3. Advanced Medical Words

There are a couple of scenarios where you would definitely want to know some advanced Hungarian words related to medicine:

God forbid, but if anything were to happen to you, your travel buddy, or just a random pedestrian while you’re in Hungary, you’ll need to know some medical words. This will allow you to call an ambulance and explain the problem to them, and to know what the injured person’s condition is.

The other scenario is if you want to pursue medical studies. In this case, you would surely need to be familiar with the advanced Hungarian vocabulary list below in order to understand what they’re teaching in lectures and to write your academic essays.

“Acute” – Akut / Heven Adjective	“Blood donor” – Véradó Noun
“Chickenpox” – Bárányhimlő Noun	“Dementia” – Demencia / Elmebaj Noun
“Deaf” – Süket / Siket Adjective	“Immune system” – Immunrendszer Noun
“Dehydration” – Kiszáradás  Noun	“Operation” – Operáció / Műtét Noun
“Fever” – Láz Noun	“To eliminate” – Kiiktat Verb
“Surgery” – Műtét Noun	“Prescription” – Recept Noun
“Mental health” – Mentálhigiénia Noun	“Vein” – Ér Noun

Example sentence:
“Mental health is just as important as physical health.”
A mentálhigiénia ugyanolyan fontos, mint a fizikai egészség. 

“Complication” – Szövődmény Noun	“Numb” – Zsibbadt / Érzéstelen Adjective
“Symptom” – Tünet Noun	“Injury” – Sérülés Noun
“X-ray” – Röntgen  Noun	“Wound” – Seb Noun

Example sentence:
“Let’s take an X-ray to see if there is a fracture.”
Csináltassunk röntgent, hogy lássuk, van-e törés. 

“Life-threatening” – Életveszélyes Adjective	“Infection” – Fertőzés Noun
“Fatal” – Halálos Adjective	“Illness” – Betegség Noun
“Cancer” – Rák Noun	“Fracture” – Zúzódás Noun
“Procedure” – Beavatkozás Noun	“Lasting” – Maradandó Adjective

Example sentence:
“Due to the accident, she has suffered lasting injuries.”
A baleset miatt maradandó sérüléseket szenvedett.

4. Advanced Legal Words

Again, we hope this never happens, but if you get in trouble with the law while in Hungary—for example, if the police have to get involved—it can be life-saving to know one or two advanced Hungarian words related to the legal system. Of course, these words will also be extremely helpful should you wake up one day and decide to take up the challenge of entering law school. 

But make sure to give yourself a pat on the back, even if you’re just learning these words for fun!

“Convict” – Fegyenc Noun

“Homicide” – Emberölés Noun

Example sentence:
“They reported a homicide in our neighborhood.”
Emberölést jelentettek a környékünkön. 

“Judge” – Bíró  Noun	“Murder” – Gyilkosság Noun
“Jury” – Esküdtszék Noun	“Shoplifting” – Bolti lopás Noun
“Prison” – Börtön Noun	“To sentence” – Elítél Verb
“Attorney” – Jogász Noun	“To sentence” – Elítél Verb

Example sentence:
“The judge sentenced the accused to five years in prison.”
A bíró 5 év börtönre ítélte a vádlottat. 

“Defendant” – Vádlott Noun	“Trial” – Kihallgatás Noun
“To plead” – Kérelmezni Verb	“Courtroom” – Bírósági tárgyalóterem Noun phrase
“Verdict” – Ítélet Noun	“To charge” – Vádolni Verb
“Justice” – Igazságszolgáltatás Noun	“To arrest” – Letartóztatni Verb
“Prejudice” – Befolyásolás Noun	“Allegation” – Vádaskodás Noun
“Law” – Törvény Noun	“Illegal” – Illegális / Törvényellenes Adjective
“Contract” – Szerződés Noun	“Plea” – Védőbeszéd Noun
“Evidence” – Bizonyíték Noun	“Warrant” – Parancs / Végzés Noun

Example sentence:
“Based on the evidence in their possession, she is guilty.”
A birtokukban lévő bizonyíték alapján bűnös. 

“Consent” – Hozzájárulás / Beleegyezés Noun

“Bias” – Elfogultság Noun

5. Additional Words for Acing a Hungarian Language Exam

Do you ever wonder how many words it takes to be considered advanced in Hungarian? Well, according to experts, that number is anywhere from 4,000 to 10,000. Not quite there yet? Don’t worry! 

The following list of advanced Hungarian words will be a big help to you when taking a Hungarian language exam or attending university in Hungary. 

“Approach” – Megközelítés  Noun

“Estate” – Állam Noun

Example sentence:
“This is an interesting approach regarding teaching.”
Ez egy érdekes megközelítés a tanítást illetően. 

“Significant” – Jelentős / Lényeges  Adjective	“To clarify” – Tisztázni Verb
“Concept” – Koncepció / Elképzelés Verb	“Duration” – Időtartam Noun
“To affect” – Hatással lenni Verb	“Duration” – Időtartam Noun

Example sentence:
“The duration of the exam is precisely three hours.”
A vizsga időtartama pontosan 3 óra. 

“In summary” – Összefoglalásképp Adverb	“Economic” – Gazdasági Adjective
“Obvious” – Nyilvánvaló Adjective	“Unified” – Egyesített Adjective
“Arbitrary” – Önkényes / Önhatalmú  Adjective	“Exhibition” – Kiállítás Noun
“Subordinate” – Alárendelt  Adjective	“Contradiction” – Ellentmondás Noun
“Restraint” – Korlát Noun	“Crucial” – Életbevágó / Fontos Adjective
“Inherent” – Velejáró Adjective	“Incident” – Eset / Történés Noun
“To cease” – Abbamaradni / Megszűnni Verb	“Coincidence” – Véletlen Noun
“Factor” – Tényező Noun	“Conclusion” – Összefoglalás Noun
“To ensure” – Biztosítani valamiről Verb	“Instance” – Példa / Eset Noun
“Sufficient” – Elegendő Adjective	“Benefit” – Előny / Haszon Noun

Example sentence:
“You have read a sufficient amount of books for the exam. Relax.”
Elegendő mennyiségű könyvet olvastál el a vizsgára. Nyugi. 

“Emphasis” – Hangsúly / Nyomaték Noun	“Presumption” – Feltételezés / Sejtés Noun
“Estimate” – Becslés / Becsült érték Noun	“Consistency” – Következetesség Noun
“Thorough” – Alapos Adjective	“Established” – Bevezetett Adjective
“To exceed” – Túllép / Túlszárnyal Verb	“Source” – Forrás Noun
“Discretion” – Diszkréció Noun	“Particular” – Konkrét / Bizonyos Adjective
“To imply” – Utalni valamire Verb	“Labor” – Munkaerő Noun

6. How HungarianPod101.com Helps You Reach Your Hungarian Learning Goals

We are so happy that you came along with us on this journey of learning vocabulary words fit for every level of Hungarian, and we hope you’ll stick around. In this article, we introduced you to a variety of advanced Hungarian vocabulary words related to academia, business, medicine, and the legal system. 

→ Want to learn even more and strengthen your skills? Then check out our advanced Hungarian course or any of the other advanced Hungarian learning materials on our website.

We hope you enjoyed this miniseries because we have another one coming. So make sure to check back often. 😉 

Create your free lifetime account on HungarianPod101.com today and continue building your language skills. We provide a number of study materials, including vocabulary lists, video and audio lessons for every level, and several curated lesson pathways. 

Before you go: Which word did you find the most difficult? Did you know any of these already?

In a previous article, we covered the top Hungarian words for beginners in order to lay out a solid foundation for new learners. But if you’ve been learning with us for a while, you might be ready to push past the beginner stuff into new and exciting territory. 

To give you a headstart, HungarianPod101 has compiled this list of háromszáz (300) intermediate Hungarian words you can start practicing right away. This article is geared toward learners who already have a basic knowledge of Hungarian and who have become familiar with the most basic words. 

We’ve categorized our list based on the part of speech and theme. Keep in mind that most of these words are at the lower-intermediate level, though you might find a couple of more advanced words as well. 

Remember: If you find this article too challenging (or not challenging enough), you can explore HungarianPod101.com to find more suitable learning materials for your current level and preferences. Struggling to find the right fit? Feel free to reach out to our team, and we’d be glad to help you find the best lessons and materials for your goals. 

So, are you ready to learn the most useful intermediate Hungarian words now? Awesome! Let’s go.

Table of Contents

1. Larger Numbers
2. Nouns
3. Verbs
4. Adjectives
5. Adverbs
6. Prepositions
7. Conjunctions
8. Auxiliary Words and Particles
9. How HungarianPod101.com Can Help You Reach Your Hungarian Learning Goals

1. Larger Numbers

In our article on beginner words, you got to know the numbers 1-10 in Hungarian (“zero” is nulla, in case you’re wondering). Now it’s time for you to learn the larger numbers, starting from 11 and going up to the millions and billions! 

Keep in mind that, in Hungary, our currency is the HUF (not the EUR). As such, it’s perfectly reasonable for the price of a pair of shoes, for example, to be in the tens of thousands of HUF—yes, you read that right. This makes larger numbers a crucial element to add to your intermediate Hungarian vocabulary, as you’ll likely need to know and use them on a regular basis. 

One important thing we should mention is that while English uses a hyphen for the numbers 21-99, Hungarian only uses them from 2,000 onwards. Let’s see how this works.

Numbers 11-20

“Eleven” – Tizenegy                                          “Sixteen” – Tizenhat

“Twelve” – Tizenkettő                                        “Seventeen” – Tizenhét

“Thirteen” – Tizenhárom                                   “Eighteen” – Tizennyolc

“Fourteen” – Tizennégy                                     “Nineteen” – Tizenkilenc

“Fifteen” – Tizenöt                                              “Twenty” – Húsz

Numbers 30-100

“Thirty” – Harminc                                              “Seventy” – Hetven

“Forty” – Negyven                                              “Eighty” – Nyolcvan

“Fifty” – Ötven                                                     “Ninety” – Kilencven

“Sixty” – Hatvan                                                  “Hundred” – Száz

Wondering how to form numbers like 21 and 45 in Hungarian? It’s simple! All you have to do is place the appropriate number from 1 to 9 after the appropriate “tens” word. For example:

• “Twenty-one” – Huszonegy
• “Forty-five” – Negyvenöt

Just like in English! 

The Hundreds

“Two hundred” – Kétszáz                                  “Eight hundred” – Nyolcszáz

“Six hundred” – Hatszáz                                    “Nine hundred” – Kilencszáz

Again, to form the numbers in-between the round hundreds, you just need to place the appropriate number 1-99 after the appropriate “hundreds” word. 

• “Two hundred and four” – Kétszáznégy
• “Two hundred and fourteen” – Kétszáztizennégy

Even Bigger Numbers

While English does not use hyphens above 99, Hungarian uses them for all numbers above 2,000 that are not round thousands (such as 3,000 or 10,000). See below.

“Thousand” – Ezer
“Seven thousand and seventy-nine” – Hétezer-hetvenkilenc (7,079)

“Ten thousand” – Tízezer
“Eighty thousand, two hundred and forty-three” – Nyolcvanezer-kétszáznegyvenhárom (80,243)

“One million” – Egymillió
“Seven million, four hundred and ninety thousand, five hundred and thirty” – Hétmillió-négyszázkilencvenezer-ötszázharminc (7,490,530)

“Twelve billion” – Tizenkétmilliárd
“Two billion, six hundred and eighty-five million, three hundred and twenty thousand, four hundred and two” – Kétmilliárd-hatszáznyolcvanötmillió-háromszázhúszezer-négyszázkettő (2,685,320,402)

2. Nouns

Nouns are an essential component of every language because no sentence is complete without them. 

At this point in your language learning journey, you probably know a variety of beginner-level nouns and can comfortably use them in your daily conversations. But if you’re ready to branch out and begin talking about more complex topics than your morning routine or pets, you’ll need to learn some practical intermediate-level Hungarian nouns. 

We’ve tried to include a diverse selection of nouns for you to study, but you can also check out our Lower Intermediate course or reach out to your teacher if you’d like to learn more. 

Family

“Mother-in-law” – Anyós                                    “Stepsister” – Mostohatestvér (lány)

“Father-in-law” – Após                                       “Stepbrother” – Mostohatestvér (fiú)

“Daughter-in-law” – Meny                                  “Stepmother” – Mostohaanya

“Son-in-law” – Vő                                               “Stepfather” – Mostohaapa

“Niece” – Unokahúg                                           “Half-sister” – Féltestvér (lány)

“Nephew” – Unokaöccs                                     “Half-brother” – Féltestvér (fiú)

“Nuclear family” – Kiscsalád                             “Childhood” – Gyerekkor

“Extended family” – Nagycsalád                       “Adolescence” – Kamaszkor / Serdülőkor

“Foster family” – Nevelőcsalád                         “Adolescent” – Kamasz / Serdülő

“Single-parent family” – Csonkacsalád             “Adulthood” – Felnőttkor

Work

“Surgeon” – Sebész                                           “Resignation letter” – Felmondólevél

“Detective” – Nyomozó                                      “Contract” – Szerződés

“Accountant” – Könyvelő                                    “Interview” – Interjú

“Linguist” –Nyelvész                                           “Employee” – Alkalmazott / Munkavállaló

“Astronaut” –Asztronauta, űrhajós                      “Occupation” – Foglalkozás

In and Around the City

“City hall” – Városháza                                     “Railway station” – Vasútállomás

“Courthouse” – Bíróság                                     “Airport” – Repülőtér

“Penitentiary” – Javítóintézet                             “Taxi stand” – Taxiállomás

“Private clinic” – Magánklinika                           “Amusement park” – Vidámpark

“Hypermarket” – Hipermarket                            “Subway station” – Metróállomás

“Telephone box” – Telefonfülke                         “Sports center” – Sportközpont / Sportcenter“

Cycle path” – Bicikliút                                       “Gas station” – Benzinkút

Office Essentials

“Paper clip” – Gémkapocs                                “Scissors” – Olló

“Correction fluid” – Hibajavító                           “Hole punch” – Lyukasztó

“Envelope” – Boríték                                         “Wastebasket” – Szemeteskosár

“Pushpin” – Rajzszög                                        “Stamp” – Pecsét

“Calculator” – Számológép                                “Magnifier” – Nagyító

Animals

“Giraffe” – Zsiráf                                                 “Stallion” – Csődör

“Gazelle” – Gazella                                            “Sow” – Anyakoca / Anyasertés

“Elephant” – Elefánt                                           “Piglet” – Kismalac

“Lion” – Oroszlán                                                “Goat” – Bakkecske

“Hippopotamus” – Víziló                                     “Billygoat” – Bakkecske

“Blue whale” – Kékbálna                                    “Sheep” – Bárány

“Coyote” – Prérifarkas                                        “Ram” – Kos

“Ostrich” – Strucc                                               “Goose” – Lúd

“Tortoise” – Teknősbéka                                    “Rooster” – Kakas

“Polar bear” – Jegesmedve                               “Fox” – Róka

Fruits, Vegetables & More

“Apple” – Alma                                                   “Plum” – Szilva

“Green apple” – Zöldalma                                  “Passion fruit” – Maracuja

“Peach” – Őszibarack                                         “Cherry” – Cseresznye

“Blackberry” – Szeder                                         “Sour cherry” – Meggy

“Fig” – Füge                                                         “Melon” – Sárgadinnye

“Cauliflower” – Karfiol                                          “Spinach” – Spenót

“Zucchini” – Cukkini                                             “Arugula” – Rukkola

“Brussels sprouts” – Kelbimbó                            “Broccoli” – Brokkoli

“Asparagus” – Spárga                                         “Cucumber” – Uborka

“Sweet potato” – Édesburgonya                          “Mushroom” – Gomba

3. Verbs

Like nouns, verbs are crucial in any language. Learning the intermediate Hungarian verbs listed below will allow you to build upon the vocabulary you learned in our beginner words article, and we’ve hand-picked those verbs you’re most likely to use on a regular basis. 

Work

Would you like to be able to tell your colleagues how you get to work? Check out our vocabulary list for means of transportation in Hungarian.

“To present” – Prezentálni                                “To manage” – Kezelni

“To operate” – Működtetni                                “To invest” – Befektetni

“To call” – Hívni                                                 “To reward” – Jutalmazni

“To arrange” –  Megszervezni                           “To contribute” – Hozzájárulni

“To type” – Gépelni                                            “To write” – Írni

“To manage” – Kezelni                                       “To join” – Csatlakozni

“To cancel” – Lemondani                                    “To burn out” – Kiégni

“To hand in” – Leadni                                          “To carry out” – Kivitelezni

“To take on” – Felvenni valakit                            “To create” – Készíteni

“To fill out” – Kitölteni                                           “To pay” – Fizetni

Emotions

“To love” – Szeretni                                           “To detest” – Gyűlölni

“To like” – Kedvelni                                            “To pity” – Sajnálni

“To admire” – Csodálni                                       “To crave” – Áhítozni

“To envy” – Irigyelni                                            “To desire” – Kívánni

“To hate” – Utálni                                                “To mourn” – Gyászolni

“To tire” – Fárasztani                                           “To bore” – Untatni

4. Adjectives

With adjectives, we’re able to describe the world around us. As an intermediate Hungarian learner, you are capable of learning and remembering more complex adjectives, which will allow you to describe objects and feelings more accurately. 

In the lists below, you’ll find intermediate Hungarian words on a range of topics, including patterns, personalities, and emotions.

Patterns

“Floral” – Virágos                                                “Spotted” – Foltos

“Checkered” – Pepita                                          “Dotted” – Pöttyös

“Striped” – Csíkos                                               “Plaid” – Kockás

“Wavy” – Hullámos                                              “Paisley” – Kasmírmintás

“Abstract” – Absztrakt                                         “Tartan” – Skótkockás

Describing Objects

“Wide” – Széles                                                 “Spiky” – Szúrós

“Narrow” – Keskeny                                           “Flat” – Tompa

“Rugged” – Érdes                                               “Oval” – Ovális

“Wooden” – Fa                                                    “Round” – Gömbölyű

“Metal” – Fém                                                      “Smooth” – Sima

Describing People

“Cold” – Rideg                                                    “Laidback” – Laza

“Optimistic” – Optimista                                      “Pessimistic” – Pesszimista

“Evil” – Gonosz                                                   “Shy” – Félénk

“Good-natured” – Jóindulatú                               “Pathetic” – Szánalmas

“Sweet” – Aranyos                                               “Humble” – Szerény

“Creative” – Kreatív                                             “Dramatic” – Drámai

“Hardworking” – Szorgalmas                              “Attractive” – Vonzó

“Honest” – Őszinte                                              “Caring” – Törődő

“Friendly” – Barátságos                                      “Discreet” – Diszkrét

“Calm” – Nyugodt                                                “Generous” – Nagyvonalú

Describing Emotions

As social creatures, we like expressing our emotions to others. This list of intermediate Hungarian words will get you started off on the right foot. 

“Proud” – Büszke                                              “Surprised” – Meglepett

“Confused” – Zavarodott                                   “Confident” – Magabiztos

“Lonely” – Magányos                                         “Excited” – Izgatott

“Frightened” – Rémült                                        “Jealous” – Féltékeny

“Amused” – Szórakozott                                    “Bored” – Unott

Describing the Weather

“Snowy” – Havas                                                “Sleety” – Havas esős

“Bright” – Világos                                                “Showery” – Zivataros

“Misty” – Ködös                                                   “Hailing” – Jégesős

“Freezing” – Fagyos                                           “Gloomy” – Szomorkás

5. Adverbs

Adverbs are words that present additional information about a verb, adjective, or another adverb. These words may not be as vital to the language as nouns and verbs, for instance, but adding them to your intermediate Hungarian vocabulary bank will allow you to more aptly describe the context of actions, states of being, and more. 

Manner

“Thoroughly” – Alaposan                                  “Honestly” – Őszintén

“Thankfully” – Hálásan                                      “Clumsily” – Ügyetlenül

“Casually” – Átlagosan                                      “Cleverly” – Ügyesen

“Bravely” – Bátran                                             “Ruthlessly” – Könyörtelenül

“Loudly” – Hangosan                                         “Cruelly” – Gonoszan

“Angrily” – Haragosan                                       “Passionately” – Szenvedélyesen

“Easily” – Könnyedén                                        “Uncertainly” – Bizonytalanul

“Gently” – Gyengéden                                       “Quickly” – Gyorsan

“Happily” – Boldogan                                         “Dramatically” – Drámaian

“Sadly” – Szomorúan                                         “Playfully” – Játékosan

Time

“So far” – Eddig                                                 “Rarely” – Ritkán

“Lately” – Az utóbbi időben                               “Regularly” – Gyakran

“Recently” – Mostanában                                  “Yet” – Még / Már

“Annually” – Évente                                           “Seldom” – Néha

“Early” – Korán                                                  “Never” – Soha

“Usually” – Általában                                         “Constantly” – Folyamatosan

“Monthly” – Havonta                                          “Before” – Azelőtt

“Daily” – Naponta                                               “Soon” – Hamar(osan)

“Formerly” – Előzőleg                                        “Already” – Már

“Last” – Utoljára

Place

“Everywhere” – Mindenhol                               “East” – Keletre

“Nowhere” – Sehol                                           “Somewhere” – Valahol

“Here” – Itt                                                         “Along” – Végig

“There” – Ott                                                      “Next door” – A szomszédban

“Abroad” – Külföldön                                          “Upstairs” – Fent az emeleten

“Indoors” – Bent                                                  “Downstairs” – Lent a földszinten

“Outdoors” – Kint                                                 “Near” – Közel

“Down” – Lent                                                      “Towards” – Felé

“Right” – Jobbra                                                   “Back” – Hátul

“Left” – Balra                                                        “Front” – Elöl

6. Prepositions

Prepositions are words (or sometimes affixes, in the case of Hungarian) that express the relationship between two elements of a clause or sentence. Keep in mind that many of the prepositional prefixes listed below have a counterpart in English. 

“Around” – Körül                                                 “Through” – Át-

“In” – Be-                                                             “Out” – Ki-

“On” – Rá-                                                           “Above” – Felett

“Under” – Alatt                                                     “Up” – Fel-

“Behind” – Mögött                                               “Down” – Le-

“Next to” – Mellett                                               “Away” – El-

“Between” – Között                                             “Apart” – Szét-

“Opposite” – Szemben                                        “At” – -nál / -nél

“Below” – Alatt                                                     “With” – -val / -vel

“Into” – Bele-                                                       “Within” – Belül

7. Conjunctions

Conjunctions link together two words or phrases (and sometimes even sentences). In our beginner words article, we introduced you to a few of the simpler ones; this time, we’ll show you the most useful intermediate Hungarian conjunctions! 

“Accordingly” – Aszerint                                   “Consequently” – Következtetésképpen

“Actually” – Igazából                                        “For example” – Például

“Nevertheless” – Mindamellett                         “For this reason” – Ezen okból

“Nonetheless” – Mindazonáltal                        “From here on” – Innentől kezdve

“Moreover” – Sőt                                              “To begin with” – Először is

“However” – Habár                                           “With this in mind” – Ennek következtében

“Although” – Bár                                                “Such as” – Úgy mint

“Besides” – Emellett                                           “Similarly” – Hasonlóképpen

“Nor” – Sem                                                        “In contrast” – Ezzel szemben

“Therefore” – Ennélfogva                                    “Hence” – Így

“Third” – Harmadjára                                           “In conclusion” – Összefoglalásképp

“Thus” – Tehát                                                     “In the meantime” – Időközben

“Whereas” – Míg                                                  “To be specific” – Konkrétumként

“Yet” – Márpedig                                                  “To illustrate” – Szemléltetésképpen

“Further” – Továbbá                                             “As a result” – Eredményképp

“Afterwards” – Azontúl                                         “Equally important” – Hasonló fontossággal

8. Auxiliary Words and Particles

Lastly, let’s see some intermediate Hungarian auxiliary words. 

“Be” – Lenni                                                 “Would” – -ná/-né
“I am your mother.” –                          “Would you tell me?” –
Az édesanyád vagyok.                       Elmondanád nekem?

“Need” – Kell / Szükséges                           “Mustn’t” – Tilos
“I need to buy bread.” –                      “You mustn’t say yes.” –
Kenyeret kell vennem.                        Tilos igent mondanod.

9. How HungarianPod101.com Can Help You Reach Your Hungarian Learning Goals

If you’ve made it this far, it means that you now know the most common intermediate Hungarian words. You’re now well-equipped to talk about a variety of topics: work, animals, emotions, and the list goes on… As always, feel free to reach out to us with any questions you might still have.

→ To continue improving your ability to speak and understand Hungarian at the intermediate level, we recommend checking out our Lower Intermediate Hungarian course!

If you’re thirsty for more, don’t hesitate to contact us or browse our website. The easiest way to perfect your Hungarian language skills is by joining HungarianPod101, where the fun and study materials are endless.

If you sign up today, you’ll gain access to blog posts, audio files, video lessons, and much more. We have materials and lessons available for learners at every level, and our team is always ready to help you out and be your biggest cheerleader!

So, what are you waiting for? Join now.

Do you know which two animals ancient Hungarians most revered? The deer and the wolf! The former for its grace and gentle nature, and the latter for its strength and tendency toward predation. 

While we no longer regard animals with quite the same level of esteem, they still play a large role in our daily lives. As a Hungarian learner, you’ll greatly benefit from learning the names of common animals in Hungarian. Doing so will allow you to better understand native Hungarian speakers and strike up conversations with just about anyone—because who doesn’t like talking about their pets or their favorite wild creatures? 

In this article, you’ll learn the names of the most common Hungarian animals as well as those abroad. We’ll cover everything from pets to a variety of wildlife: mammals, reptiles, sea creatures, birds, and the list goes on. And the cherry on top? Toward the end of the article, we’ve also included the names of animal body parts and a handful of fun Hungarian idioms that mention animals. 

For maximum clarity, we’ve listed each animal with its name in both English and Hungarian. But if you still have any questions or concerns, you can reach out to us in the comments—we’d be glad to help! 

Ready to jump in?

Table of Contents

1. At Home (Hungarian Pets / Magyar kiskedvencek)
2. On the Farm (Hungarian Farm Animals / Magyar háziállatok)
3. In the Wild / Forest / Safari (Hungarian Land Animals / Magyar szárazföldi állatok)
4. In the Ocean (Hungarian Aquatic Animals / Magyar vízi állatok)
5. Hungarian Bugs and Insects / Magyar bogarak és rovarok
6. Hungarian Birds and Reptiles / Magyar madarak és hüllők
7. Animal Body Parts
8. Animal-Related Idioms and Slang Expressions in Hungarian
9. How HungarianPod101.com Can Help You Get the Most out of Language Learning

1. At Home (Hungarian Pets / Magyar kiskedvencek)

This first category is probably everyone’s favorite, because who doesn’t like pets? Plus, the first Hungarian animal words you should learn are those you’re most likely to hear during a conversation. Pets are like this. Learning these words will allow you to talk about your own pets with a native Hungarian speaker, or even inquire about their favorite animals. Also, talking about your fur babies is a great ice-breaker when meeting new people.

• “Dog” – Kutya
• “Cat” – Macska
• “Hamster” – Hörcsög
• “Guinea pig” – Tengerimalac
• “Parrot” – Papagáj
• “Goldfish” – Aranyhal
• “Rabbit” – Nyúl

We call baby rabbits “bunnies” in English, right? Well, there are special names for baby animals in Hungarian, too. You can learn what some of them are and hear their correct pronunciation in our lesson Baby Animals. 

• “Pond slider” – Ékszerteknős
• “Chinchilla” – Csincsilla
• “Mouse” – Egér

While mice are not usually considered pets, nothing is impossible! Nowadays, some people do own mice as pets—not to mention other strange animals, like snakes and tarantulas!

→ Would you like to hear the pronunciation of the most popular pets in Hungarian? Then visit our absolute beginner lesson Pets!

2. On the Farm (Hungarian Farm Animals / Magyar háziállatok)

The next category we’ll cover is farm animals (háziállatok). Before we look at this list of animals in Hungarian, let’s break down the word for farm animals: 

Háziállatok is the plural form of háziállat, which refers to a single domestic animal. The word háziállat is composed of two separate words, which are házi (“related to the house”) and állat (“animal”). 

• “Horse” – Ló
• “Cow” – Tehén
• “Calf” – Borjú
• “Duck” – Kacsa
• “Donkey” – Szamár
• “Goose” – Lúd
• “Sheep” – Birka
• “Cattle” – Szarvasmarha
• “Chicken” – Csirke
• “Turkey” – Pulyka
• “Rooster” – Kakas
• “Frog” – Béka
• “Pig” – Sertés / Disznó / Malac
• “Goat” – Kecske
• “Yak” – Jak
• “Fox” – Róka

While the fox is obviously not a domesticated animal, you can often find them lurking around roosts on farms in search of a nice meal.

→ Please visit our lesson Hungarian Vocab Builder: Animals to hear the pronunciation of more common domesticated animals.

3. In the Wild / Forest / Safari (Hungarian Land Animals / Magyar szárazföldi állatok)

Now we’re getting to the interesting part. Wild animals are definitely some of the most fascinating creatures on the planet. And even though the “classic” wild or safari animals—which make up the majority of the following list—cannot be found in Hungary outside a zoo, Hungarian forests have their own captivating fauna. Wild animals in Hungary include bears, deer, and even wolves—but you definitely wouldn’t spot a lion outside a cage! 

In Hungarian, we call wild animals vadállatok. Make sure to watch the plural suffix (-k) and the linking vowel (o). The names of some wild animals in Hungarian, as you can see below, are similar to their English counterparts. 

• “Deer” – Szarvas
• “Bear” – Medve
• “Wolf” – Farkas
• “Lion” – Oroszlán
• “Elephant” – Elefánt
• “Cheetah” – Párduc
• “Rhinoceros” – Rinocérosz
• “Ostrich” – Strucc

Did you know that the strucc is the largest bird in the world? Learn more fun facts about animals on our website.

• “Zebra” – Zebra
• “Giraffe” – Zsiráf
• “Hippopotamus” – Víziló
• “Tiger” – Tigris
• “Gazelle” – Gazella
• “Chimpanzee” – Csimpánz
• “Meerkat” – Szurikáta
• “Jaguar” – Jaguár
• “Otter” – Vidra

4. In the Ocean (Hungarian Aquatic Animals / Magyar vízi állatok)

The closest thing to an ocean you’ll find in Hungary is a big lake called Balaton, so you won’t be finding any octopus or jellyfish in Hungarian waters! Nonetheless, aquatic animals make for an interesting conversation topic, so it’s definitely worth learning their names in Hungarian.

• “Dolphin” – Delfin
• “Fish” – Hal
• “Shark” – Cápa
• “Whale” – Bálna
• “Octopus” – Polip
• “Jellyfish” – Medúza
• “Lobster” – Homár
• “Squid” – Tintahal
• “Turtle” – Teknősbéka
• “Eel” – Angolna
• “Salmon” – Lazac
• “Crab” – Rák
• “Clownfish” – Bohóchal

Did someone say “Nemo”? In Hungarian, we translate the name of this fish quite literally: bohóc (“clown”) and hal (“fish”).

• “Walrus” – Rozmár
• “Seahorse” – Tengericsikó

This one is funny, as it also translates quite literally. Csikó means “foal” in English, while tengeri means
“marine.”

• “Starfish” – Csillaghal

5. Hungarian Bugs and Insects / Magyar bogarak és rovarok

Even though many people find bugs and insects unpleasant, they’re actually an important part of the ecosystem. It may be hard to believe, but there are many bug species in Hungary that are currently endangered. Considering their importance, it would be good for you to learn at least a few bugs by their Hungarian names! 

• “Spider” – Pók
• “Butterfly” – Pillangó
• “Bee” – Méh
• “Ant” – Hangya
• “Fly” – Légy
• “Caterpillar” – Hernyó
• “Stag beetle” – Szarvasbogár
• “Dragonfly” – Szitakötő
• “Ladybug” – Katicabogár
• “Cricket” – Tücsök
• “Wasp” – Darázs
• “Praying mantis” – Imádkozósáska
• “Flea” – Bolha
• “Earwig” – Fülbemászó
• “Grasshopper” – Szöcske
• “Stink bug” – Poloska

Hungary has been battling with stink bugs for many years, as they tend to form giant swarms during the fall. And the most annoying thing—as you might have guessed from their name—is that if you kill one, it’ll be super stinky afterward.

6. Hungarian Birds and Reptiles / Magyar madarak és hüllők

We couldn’t leave birds and reptiles out of our list of basic animals in Hungarian, right? They’re a crucial part of the planet’s fauna, and there are some really interesting species in Hungary. So, make sure to keep an eye out for them during your stay in Hungary—you’ll be able to encounter most of them in cities, as well as in forests and in the country. 

• “Snake” – Kígyó
• “Aesculapian snake” – Sikló

Aesculapian snakes are very common in hilly settings.

• “Crocodile” – Krokodil

There are two zoos in Hungary that have crocodiles: one in Budapest and one in Debrecen. 

• “Lizard” – Gyík
• “Pond turtle” – Mocsári teknős

The pond turtle is one of the endangered animals in Hungary, so you’d better watch out for them. If you harm one, you could be fined 50,000 HUF (which is approximately 135 EUR or 168 USD).

• “Adder” – Vipera
• “Eagle” – Sas
• “Swan” – Hattyú
• “White stork” – Fehér gólya
• “Blackbird” – Fekete rigó
• “Crow” – Varjú
• “Swallow” – Fecske
• “Tit” – Cinege
• “Pigeon” – Galamb

Pigeons are common in cities, especially in the most famous squares. This is because some people like to feed them, which draws them in like a moth to a flame. 

And last but not least, let’s cross the border between natural and supernatural for a moment:

• “Turul” – Turul

Even though this is a mythical bird of prey, we wanted to include it on our list of Hungarian animal words, as the turul is the national animal of Hungary.

7. Animal Body Parts

A word list of the most common animal words in the Hungarian language would not be complete without the names of animal body parts. Here are the most important ones: 

• “Tail” – Farok
• “Paw” – Mancs
• “Hoof” – Pata
• “Tentacle” – Csáp
• “Beak” – Csőr
• “Snout” – Ormány
• “Udder” – Tőgy
• “Crest” – Sörény
• “Claw” – Karom
• “Whisker” – Macskabajusz

Literally, the Hungarian word for “whisker” means “cat mustache.” Clever, eh? 

8. Animal-Related Idioms and Slang Expressions in Hungarian

Finally, let’s see some Hungarian idioms and slang expressions that mention some of the animals from our list. Some of these are pretty funny, so you might want your notebook handy to take some notes. 😉 

#1 “To kill two flies with one hit” – Két legyet üt egy csapásra

Original idiom: “To kill two birds with one stone”

#2 “Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth.” – Ajándék lónak ne nézd a fogát!

#3 “The smart one lets go; the donkey suffers.” – Okos enged, szamár szenved.

This idiom means that if you’re wise, you won’t get into a fight with someone (even if they’re wrong!). Otherwise, you’ll needlessly tire yourself out and lose the fight. 

#4 “Owl tells to the sparrow that it has a big head.” – Bagoly mondja verébnek, hogy nagyfejű.

Original idiom: “The pot calls the kettle black.”

#5 “Lots of geese defeat the pig.” – Sok lúd disznót győz.

This idiom means that the weak can defeat the strong if there’s enough of them.

Which of these animal-related idioms is your favorite?

9. How HungarianPod101.com Can Help You Get the Most out of Language Learning

How many Hungarian animal names do you still remember? Hopefully, you’ve gotten at least one or two safely tucked away already, but don’t forget to read through this article again and write down any words you’re struggling to remember. This will help store all of this new vocabulary in your long-term memory! 

Today, we introduced you to the Hungarian names of several different animals: 

• Pets
• Farm animals
• Wild animals
• Aquatic creatures
• Bugs and insects
• Birds and reptiles

We also provided a short list of animal body parts in Hungarian and introduced a few fun animal-related idioms. 

Did you enjoy studying about the animals native to Hungary and learning what to call the animals in your country? 

Before you go, let us know in the comments what your favorite animal is! Do you know its name in Hungarian?

Remember the time your mom handed you the phone, telling you to order the pizza yourself if you wanted it so much? You were shaking so badly that you ended up just eating leftovers from the fridge that night… 

For some, speaking on the phone can be challenging or even frightening. During a phone conversation, we cannot see the other person’s facial expressions or other body language cues that we normally rely on for effective communication. 

Now imagine trying to talk on the phone in a foreign language! 

As a language learner, you’ll benefit from learning Hungarian phone call phrases for different situations. Knowing the essential phrases and expressions by heart will allow you to speak on the phone with more confidence. You’ll be able to go over the conversation in your head (and in Hungarian!) as many times as you need to before picking up the phone.

In this article, we’ve compiled the most useful Hungarian phrases for a phone call and categorized them according to the normal progression of a phone conversation. If you feel like something is missing, however, don’t hesitate to reach out to us in the comments. We’d be glad to help!

Table of Contents

1. Picking up the Phone
2. Saying Who You Are
3. Stating the Reason for the Call
4. Asking to Speak to Someone
5. Asking Someone to Wait
6. Leaving a Message
7. Asking for Clarification
8. Ending the Phone Call
9. Sample Phone Conversations
10. How HungarianPod101.com Can Help You Reach Your Hungarian Learning Goals

1. Picking up the Phone

To start, how should you answer the phone in Hungarian? 

Most phone calls begin with a friendly greeting, so here are a couple of different ways you can greet the caller when picking up the phone: 

Haló?
“Hello?”

Tessék? / Igen?
“Yeah?” / “Yes?”

You can use these next three phone phrases in Hungarian whether you’re the caller or the receiver: 

Szia!
“Hi!”

Jónapot!
“Hello!” (Literally: “Good day.”)

Mondd!
“Tell me.”

That last phrase works kind of like “shoot” in English, like when you’re encouraging someone to say something. 

2. Saying Who You Are

When you make a call in Hungarian, it’s expected that you introduce yourself to the other person. 

Your introduction should include your name at the very least. If you’re making a formal or business call, you should also include the name of your company. 

Here are some common phone phrases in Hungarian for introducing yourself: 

Péter vagyok.
“I’m Peter.”

Péter beszél.
“This is Peter speaking.”

You could use that second phrase when making or receiving a call, though it’s most commonly used when answering a call from an unknown number.

Péter vagyok a HungarianPod101-től.
“I’m Peter from HungarianPod101.”

Note the Hungarian suffix used in the phrase above: -től. The suffix you attach to a word will depend on the vowels the word contains. When you’re calling from a company, the suffix will either be -tól or -től.

→ Read our blog post A Simple Guide on How to Introduce Yourself in Hungarian to learn even more useful phrases.

3. Stating the Reason for the Call

Once you’ve greeted the receiver and stated who you are (and possibly the name of your company), you should brief them regarding the subject of your call. 

A simple “Yo, what’s up with you?” (Na, mizu veled?) might suffice for a casual chat with one of your friends, but most other situations will require that you know some formal Hungarian phone phrases. Below, you’ll find some neutral phrases that you can adapt for either context. 

Azért hívom / hívlak, hogy (a lakásról) kérdezzek.
“I’m calling to ask you (about the apartment).”

You would use hívom in formal contexts and hívlak in casual contexts. Again, watch the suffixes (-ról and -ről).

Azért hívom / hívlak, hogy megerősítsem (az időpontot).
“I’m calling to confirm (the appointment).”

Here, we’re confirming a date or appointment. In both English and Hungarian, the noun is in the accusative case; in Hungarian, this means adding the suffix -ot / -et / -öt.

Szeretnék a menedzserrel / vezetővel beszélni (a kiszolgálásról).
“I’d like to speak to the manager (about the service).”

Ha minden igaz, volt Öntől / tőled egy nem fogadott hívásom. Ezért hívom / hívlak.
“If I’m not mistaken, I have an unreceived call from you. That’s why I’m calling now.”

Öntől is the formal version of “from you,” and tőled is the informal version.

4. Asking to Speak to Someone

This step will come in handy when you’re calling an office or company, as the person who picks up may not be who you’re looking for. You might also need to ask if a friend is home should you call them on their landline. Most of these Hungarian phone phrases can be used in both formal and informal contexts. 

Szeretnék Katával beszélni.
“I’d like to speak to Kate.”

Beszélhetnék Katával?
“May I speak to Kate?”

Kata ott van?
“Is Kate there?”

Keep in mind that the phrase ott van is much too casual for use in business calls or other formal situations. Only use it when calling friends or family members. 

Oda tudná / tudnád adni Katának a telefont?
“Could you put Kate on the phone?”

This is another informal phrase, though using the tudná (Ön) conjugation makes it a bit more formal.

5. Asking Someone to Wait

We’ve all been there. Where, you ask? Talking on the phone with our friend, only to be interrupted when our parents barge in to tell us the least important thing ever that apparently could not have waited. 

Well, there are a million other reasons why you might have to ask someone to wait a little bit. Here are some useful Hungarian phone call phrases you can use in these situations: 

Csak egy pillanat, megnézem.
“Just a moment, I’ll check.”

Tartaná egy percig, kérem?
“Would you hold for a minute, please?”

Below is a very formal phrase you should save for business contexts (avoid using it with friends or family unless you want to joke around): 

Hadd irányítsam át egy kollégámhoz! Kérem, maradjon vonalban!
“Let me direct you to one of my colleagues. Stay on the line, please.”

This next phone phrase, on the other hand, is quite informal. Refrain from using it with business partners.

Várj csak egy kicsit!
“Just wait a bit.”

6. Leaving a Message

Although it can happen in friendlier atmospheres, you’ll most likely have to leave a message when making a formal/business call. For instance, perhaps the person you’re trying to reach is unavailable, but their assistant would be happy to take a message. (Or maybe you’re the assistant offering to take a message for your boss.) 

In either case, we have just the perfect Hungarian phone call phrases for you. (Mind the formal / informal conjugations of words.)

→ Tired of Hungarian formalities? Learn how to get rid of them with the other person’s consent.

Most nem tud a telefonhoz jönni. Szeretne / szeretnél neki üzenetet hagyni?
“S/he can’t come to the phone right now. Would you like to leave a message?”

Milyen üzenetet szeretne / szeretnél hagyni?
“What message would you like to leave?”

Hagyhatok üzenetet?
“Can I leave a message?”

Megmondaná / megmondanád neki, kérem, hogy hívjon vissza a […] telefonszámon?
“Can you please tell him/her to call me back at [phone number]?”

7. Asking for Clarification

Asking for clarification is a crucial part of any phone call in Hungarian, especially if you’re a beginner or lack confidence in your listening comprehension skills. While it might be a bit embarrassing, wouldn’t it be even worse if you failed to deliver what you were asked because you didn’t understand? 

If you’re uncertain about what someone has said, don’t be afraid to ask. Hungarians will appreciate that you want to pay close attention.

Here are some common phone phrases in Hungarian you might use when asking for clarification:

Elnézést, de nehezen hallom / hallak. Szerintem rossz a vonal. Megismételné / megismételnéd, kérem / kérlek?
“I’m sorry, but I’m having a hard time hearing you. I think there’s a bad connection. Could you repeat that, please?”

Lebetűzné / lebetűznéd a nevét / nevedet, kérem / kérlek? Nem értettem jól.
“Could you spell your name, please? I didn’t understand it well.”

Csak hogy biztosra menjek, hogy jól hallottam / hallottalak…
“Just to make sure I heard you correctly…”

Mit mondtál?
“What did you say?”

That last one is an informal way of asking what the other person said if you didn’t hear them clearly.

8. Ending the Phone Call

At the end of each call, we say goodbye to the other party and hang up, right? Right. So, here are a few simple Hungarian phone call phrases for ending a call:

Tudok még valamiben segíteni (Önnek / neked)?
“Can I help you with anything else?”

Önnek (formal “to you”) or neked (the informal version) are not necessary in this Hungarian phone call phrase. You could choose to include one of them, but the sentence is grammatically correct without them. 

Sokat segített / segítettél. Köszönöm!
“You’ve helped a lot. Thank you.”

Akkor szombat nyolckor találkozunk.
“See you at eight o’clock on Saturday, then.”

Legyen szép napja / napod!
“Have a nice day.”

9. Sample Phone Conversations

Now that you have some useful phrases up your sleeve, it’s time to see how a typical phone call in Hungary might sound. Below, you’ll find two sample phone conversations: one casual and one formal. 

Informal conversation

This informal Hungarian phone call is a casual conversation between two friends who are setting up a time to meet for brunch on a weekend.

A:
Haló?
“Hello?”

B:
Szia, Kata! Áron vagyok. Hogy vagy?
“Hi, Kate. This is Aron. How are you?”

A:
Jól vagyok, köszi. És te? Olyan jó hallani felőled!
“I’m good, thanks. And you? It’s so good to hear from you.”

B:
Én is jól vagyok. Arra gondoltam, elmehetnénk villásreggelizni valamikor. Mit gondolsz?
“I’m good, too. I was thinking we could have brunch some day. What do you think?”

A:
Királyul hangzik! Mondjuk a Best Bistroba?
“That sounds awesome. How about Best Bistro?”

B:
Persze. Ráérsz most szombaton, mondjuk délelőtt tizenegykor?
“Sure. Are you free this Saturday, let’s say at eleven a.m?”

A:
Igen, menjünk!
“Yes, let’s go.”

B:
Remek! Foglalok asztalt. Akkor majd találkozunk!
“Great. I’ll make the reservation. See you then.”

A:
Tökéletes! Rendben, majd találkozunk!
“Perfect. Alright, see you.”

→ But what if Kate did not want to see Aron or if there was a scheduling conflict? Learn about ways to reject an invitation in Hungarian.

Formal conversation

After they’ve set the time and place, one of the friends calls the restaurant to reserve a table.

A:
Jónapot! Best Bistro étterem. Miben segíthetek?
“Hello, this is the Best Bistro restaurant. How may I help you?”

B:
Jónapot! Két főre szeretnék asztalt foglalni, Kovács Áron névre.
“Hello, I’d like to make a table reservation for two under the name of Aron Smith.”

A:
Természetesen. Mikor számíthatunk Önökre?
“Of course, sir. When can we expect you?”

B:
Most szombaton, délelőtt 11 órakor, ha lehetséges.
“This Saturday, at eleven a.m. if it’s possible.”

A:
Persze, vannak szabad asztalaink arra az időpontra. Szeretné, ha billiárdasztalt is foglalnék Önöknek?
“Sure, we have free tables at that time. Would you like me to reserve one of our pool tables for you, too?”

B:
Nem, köszönöm!
“No, thank you.”

A:
Rendben. Segíthetek még valamiben?
“Alright. Is there anything else I can help you with?”

B:
Nem, köszönöm, ez minden!
“No, thank you, that’d be all.”

A:
Rendben. Szép napot, uram!
“Alright. Have a nice day, sir.”

B:
Köszönöm, Önnek is!
“Thank you, you too.”

→ Make sure to check out our free vocabulary list of words and phrases you might need in a restaurant!

10. How HungarianPod101.com Can Help You Reach Your Hungarian Learning Goals

So, do phone calls in Hungarian still seem scary? Or do you feel more confident and prepared now?

We hope this article will help you in the long run and that you’ll be able to handle any future phone calls with ease. You now know the most practical phrases for answering the phone, stating your purpose for calling, getting to the right person, leaving a message, and ending the phone call. You’ve also seen how these phrases might sound in the context of real-life phone calls. 

→ If you’d like to learn even more phrases, you can check out our list Useful Phrases for a Phone Call. 

If you still feel a bit shy about making phone calls in Hungarian, remember that practice makes perfect. There’s no shame in going over the conversation in your head before making the call. Plus, if you need any help with grammar, expressions, or anything else, the HungarianPod101 team will always be there for you. Never forget that.

Before you go: What are the different ways to introduce yourself when answering the phone in Hungarian? Write at least one way below in the comments.

So, you’ve just started learning Hungarian. Congratulations! 

Are you feeling excited? Confident? Or maybe a bit nervous and overwhelmed?

That would be entirely understandable. When you decide to pick up a foreign language, it can be difficult to know where you should start. 

But luckily for you, HungarianPod101.com has your back! 

In this article, you’ll find 200+ basic Hungarian words for beginners. Memorizing these words will give you a solid vocabulary base to build upon, which will be super-important once you start trying to form sentences. 

We’ve collected only the most common Hungarian words for beginners, so you won’t have to bother with words that are too advanced or not very useful. We’ve even categorized them to make your studying process even smoother. Below, you’ll find all of the Hungarian vocabulary basics: pronouns, numbers, nouns, adjectives, and conjunctions. 

Let’s get right to it, then!

Table of Contents

1. Pronouns
2. Numbers
3. Nouns
4. Verbs
5. Adjectives
6. Conjunctions
7. Other Hungarian Beginner Words
8. How HungarianPod101.com Helps You Reach Your Hungarian Learning Goals

1. Pronouns

The first set of Hungarian beginner words you should study are the pronouns. You’ll need these little words in order to form just about any sentence, so let’s kick off our list with these essential Hungarian words.

Pronouns can be used to represent a subject or an object within a sentence, and different types of pronouns are used for different purposes. Here, we’re going to introduce the personal (nominative + accusative), demonstrative, and interrogative pronouns.

→ By the way, make sure you check out our article about pronouns for more information on how to use them!

Personal Pronouns (Nominative)

English	Hungarian
I	Én
You [singular]	Te
He / She / It	Ő / Az
We	Mi
You [plural]	Ti
They	Ők

Example:

• Mi sosem alszunk. – “We never sleep.”

Personal Pronouns (Accusative)

English	Hungarian
Me	Engem
You [singular]	Téged
Him / Her / It	Őt / Azt
Us	Minket / Bennünket
You [plural]	Titeket / Benneteket
Them	Őket

Example:

• Szeretném (őt) randira hívni. – “I would like to ask her on a date.”

Demonstrative Pronouns

English	Hungarian
This	Ez
That	Az
These	Ezek
Those	Azok

Example:

• Azok a macskák nagyon aranyosak. – “Those cats are really cute.”

Interrogative Pronouns / Question Words

English	Hungarian
What	Mi
Who	Ki
To whom	Kinek
Why	Miért
Where	Hol
When	Mikor
For what	Minek

Example:

• Ki mondta ezt neked? – “Who told you this?”

2. Numbers

Another important aspect of the Hungarian language for beginners to grasp is the number system. Thankfully, numbers in Hungarian are not as difficult as those in French, for example, where eighty is expressed as “four times twenty.”

We’ve listed the numbers 1-10 in Hungarian below. If you want to learn even more numbers along with their pronunciation, you can check out our Numbers vocabulary list. 

“One” – Egy                                                              “Six” – Hat

“Two” – Kettő                                                             “Seven” – Hét

“Three” – Három                                                        “Eight” – Nyolc

“Four” – Négy                                                            “Nine” – Kilenc

“Five” – Öt                                                                  “Ten” – Tíz

3. Nouns

Once you have the pronouns and numbers down, you should focus your attention on memorizing as many nouns as possible. Below, we’ve listed several Hungarian nouns for beginners and categorized them according to topic; you’ll find frequently used words for family, work, and more! Learning these will give you a strong vocabulary base and prepare you to start forming basic sentences. 

Family

“Mom” – Anya                                                               “Grandparent” – Nagyszülő

“Dad” – Apa                                                                   “Grandma” – Nagymama / Nagyi

“Sibling” – Testvér                                                          “Grandpa” – Nagypapa / Papó

“Sister” – Lánytestvér                                                     “Uncle” – Nagybácsi

“Little sister” – Húg

“Big sister” – Nővér

“Brother” – Fiútestvér

“Little brother” – Öccs

“Big brother” – Báty                                                          “Aunt” – Nagynéni

“Cousin” – Unokatestvér                                                   “Godparent” – Keresztszülő

Occupations

“Police officer” – Rendőr                                                    “Teacher” – Tanár

“Fireman” – Tűzoltó                                                           “Translator” – Fordító

“Cook” – Szakács                                                              “Interpreter” – Tolmács

“Engineer” – Mérnök                                                          “Locksmith” – Lakatos

“Doctor” – Orvos / Doktor                                                    “Painter” – Festő

Places Around Town

“Hospital” – Kórház                                                         “Hair salon” – Fodrászat

“School” – Iskola                                                             “Beauty salon” – Kozmetika

“Kindergarten” – Óvoda                                                   “Bank” – Bank

“Library” – Könyvtár                                                         “Pharmacy” – Gyógyszertár

“Supermarket” – Szupermarket                                        “Market” – Piac

“Bakery” – Pékség                                                           “Restaurant” – Étterem

“Bus station” – Buszállomás                                            “Police station” – Rendőrség

School/Office Essentials

“Pen” – Toll                                                                      “Rubber” – Radír

“Pencil” – Ceruza                                                            “Sharpener” – Hegyező

“Paper” – Papír                                                                “Ruler” – Vonalzó

“Stapler” – Tűzőgép                                                         “Glue” – Ragasztó

“Notebook” – Jegyzetfüzet                                               “Sellotape” – Cellux (szalag)

“Folder” – Dosszié                                                           “Computer” – Számítógép

“Student book” – Tankönyv                                              “Laptop” – Laptop

“Exercise book” – Munkafüzet                                         “Printer” – Nyomtató

“Pencil case” – Tolltartó                                                   “File cabinet” – Iratszekrény

“Highlighter” – Szövegkiemelő                                         “Paper shredder” – Iratmegsemmisítő

Body Parts

“Head” – Fej                                                                     “Eye” – Szem

“Neck” – Nyak                                                                  “Eyebrow” – Szemöldök

“Body” – Test                                                                    “Eyelash” – Szempilla

“Torso” – Törzs                                                                 “Nose” – Orr

“Leg” – Láb                                                                       “Mouth” – Száj

“Arm” – Kar                                                                      “Tooth” – Fog

“Hand” – Kéz                                                                    “Lip” – Ajak

“Finger” – Ujj                                                                    “Chin” – Áll

“Toe” – Lábujj                                                                    “Ear” – Fül

And a couple of cheeky ones:

“Butt” – Fenék                                                                   “Boob” – Mell

Food

“Vegetable” – Zöldség                                                        “Fruit” – Gyümölcs

“Carrot” – Répa                                                                  “Blueberry” – Áfonya

“Tomato” – Paradicsom                                                      “Strawberry” – Eper

“Potato” – Krumpli / Burgonya                                             “Orange” – Narancs

“Salad” – Saláta                                                                  “Lemon” – Citrom

“Cabbage” – Káposzta                                                         “Banana” – Banán

→ Click for more beginner Hungarian words for vegetables and fruits.

“Milk” – Tej                                                                           “Egg” – Tojás

“Tea” – Tea                                                                          “Yogurt” – Joghurt

“Water” – Víz                                                                       “Cheese” – Sajt

“Cocoa” – Kakaó                                                                 “Oat” – Zab

“Chicken” – Csirke                                                              “Pork” – Sertés

“Lamb” – Bárány                                                                 “Duck” – Kacsa

“Beef” – Marha                                                                   “Fish” – Hal

“Salmon” – Lazac                                                               “Shrimp” – Garnéla(rák)

→ Check out what Hungarian grocery shopping would look—and sound—like.

4. Verbs

Verbs are another essential set of Hungarian beginner words to pick up early on. They serve a vital function in sentences, so we’ve made sure to include only the most useful verbs on our list. Below, the verbs are divided into two categories: 1) verbs you might use to describe your daily routine, and 2) other common verbs you should learn as a beginner in Hungarian. 

Daily Routine

“Wake up” – Felébredni                                                         “Work” – Dolgozni

“Get up” – Felkelni                                                                 “Study” – Tanulni

“Brush teeth” – Fogat mosni                                                  “Drive” – Vezetni

“Have breakfast” – Reggelizni                                                “Travel” – Utazni

“Have lunch” – Ebédelni                                                         “Wash hands” – Kezet mosni

“Have dinner” – Vacsorázni                                                     “Commute” – Ingázni

“Get ready” – Elkészülni                                                          “Pay” – Fizetni

“Get dressed” – Felöltözni                                                       “Buy” – Vásárolni / Venni

“Eat” – Enni                                                                              “Greet” – Üdvözölni

“Drink” – Inni                                                                             “Talk” – Beszélni

“Go” – Menni                                                                            “Have a conversation” – Beszélgetni

“Come” – Jönni                                                                        “Shake hands” – Kezetrázni

→ Wondering how to use these words in sentences? Follow along with a small dialogue about a Hungarian person’s daily grind.

Other Common Verbs

“Give” – Adni                                                                             “Speak” – Beszélni

“Get” / “Receive” – Kapni                                                           “Cry” – Sírni

“Do” – Csinálni                                                                           “Bake” – Sütni

“Make” – Készíteni                                                                     “Cook” – Főzni

“Let” – Hagyni                                                                             “Learn” – Tanulni

“Ask” – Kérdezni                                                                          “Wait” – Várni

“Answer” – Válaszolni                                                                 “Queue” – Sorban állni

“Search” – Keresni                                                                      “Wave” – Integetni

“Find” – Találni                                                                             “Nod” – Bólintani

“Smile” – Mosolyogni                                                                   “Love” – Imádni

“Laugh” – Nevetni                                                                        “Like” – Szeretni

“Laugh out loud” – Röhögni                                                           “Hate” – Utálni

5. Adjectives

Even though adjectives are not required in a sentence, grammatically speaking, it’s nice to know some of them in case you ever want to describe something.

For example, let’s say you meet a beautiful girl or a handsome guy at a bar in Hungary. Well, what would you say to them if you had no adjectives to fall back on? Tough question, right? Well, no need to worry, because we have got you covered.

Below, you’ll find the most practical adjectives in Hungarian for beginners. These words are commonly used amongst Hungarians and are rather simple to pick up, so you’ll have little problem composing basic sentences. Who knows? Maybe you’ll even make that person you laid eyes on swoon. 😉 

Describing Objects

“Big” – Nagy                                                                    “Thick” – Vastag

“Small” – Kicsi                                                                 “Thin” – Vékony

“Long” – Hosszú                                                              “Sharp” – Éles

“Short” – Rövid                                                                “Hard” – Kemény

“Medium” – Közepes                                                        “Soft” – Puha

Describing People

“Pretty” – Csinos                                                                “Slim” – Vékony

“Handsome” – Helyes / Jóképű                                          “Obese” – Túlsúlyos

“Stylish” – Divatos                                                               “Kind” – Kedves

“Tall” – Magas                                                                      “Smart” – Okos

“Short” – Alacsony                                                                “Silly” – Buta

→ Did csinos or helyes land you a date? Then check out our list of common phrases in Hungarian you’ll need for a date—you’re welcome. 

Describing Emotions

“Happy” – Boldog                                                                 “Scared” – Ijedt

“Sad” – Szomorú                                                                  “Tired” – Fáradt

“Excited” – Izgatott                                                                “Longing” – Vágyakozó

“Indifferent” – Közömbös                                                        “Hopeful” – Reménykedő

“Angry” – Mérges                                                                    “Disgusted” – Undorodó

→ Test your knowledge. Try a Quizlet for Hungarian emotions.

Describing the Weather

“Sunny” – Napos                                                                       “Windy” – Szeles

“Rainy” – Esős                                                                          “Cloudy” – Felhős

“Hot” – Forró                                                                              “Foggy” – Ködös

“Warm” – Meleg                                                                        “Stormy” – Viharos

“Cold” – Hideg                                                                           “Clear” – Tiszta

6. Conjunctions

Conjunctions are a crucial part of any language, serving to connect two or more words, phrases, or sentences (both grammatically and logically). These essential Hungarian beginner words will help the listener better comprehend your message by allowing them to see the connections between different points. 

“And” – És                                                                                   “So” – Szóval

“But” – De                                                                                   “After” – Miután

“Although” – Ám / Azonban                                                         “Even though” – Habár

“Then” – Aztán                                                                             “Lest” – Nehogy

“Because” – Mert                                                                          “Nor” – Sem

7. Other Hungarian Beginner Words

Last but not least, auxiliaries are another key set of words that Hungarian beginners should learn early on. See the examples below for a better idea of what they are and how they’re used. 

“Will” – Fog ➤ “I will tell you.” – El fogom mondani neked.

“Dare” – Mer ➤ “I dare to tell you.” – El merem mondani neked.

“May” – Szabad ➤ “I may tell you.” – El szabad mondanom neked.

“Have to” – Kell ➤ “I have to tell you.” – El kell mondanom neked.

“Can” – Tud ➤ “I can tell you.” – El tudom mondani neked.

“Manage” – Sikerül ➤ “I managed to tell you.” – El sikerült mondanom neked.

8. How HungarianPod101.com Helps You Reach Your Hungarian Learning Goals

If you’ve made it this far, it means you’ve familiarized yourself with the most useful Hungarian beginner words. By now, you probably know…

• …personal and demonstrative pronouns.
• …how to count to (at least) ten.
• …the most basic nouns, verbs, and adjectives in a variety of categories. 
• …the most important conjunctions and auxiliaries for conversations. 

How many of these words were new to you? Did you know some of them already? Let us know in the comments! 

If you found this list a bit overwhelming, it’s nothing to be ashamed or discouraged about. The most important thing is to keep practicing until it sticks! 

This is where HungarianPod101 comes in. 

We provide a range of study materials and practical exercises for learners, including an entire series of Hungarian lessons for beginners. You’ll also find free vocabulary lists, a Hungarian dictionary, a voice recording tool, and much more! When you become a member, you not only gain access to some of the best Hungarian language learning resources on the web, but you also join an entire community of dedicated teachers and other learners like yourself. 

If you’re thirsty for more, let us know in the comments so that we can address the issue in our next article. And in the meantime, continue exploring our website or take some time to click through the educational links throughout this article. 

What are you waiting for? Join now.