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How Long Does it Take to Learn Hungarian?

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What’s one of the first things you consider when determining whether to learn something new? If you’re like most people, you probably look at how long it will take to learn, how difficult it is, and whether it’s worth the investment.  

If you’re reading this, odds are you want to start learning Hungarian but have not yet committed. You might be asking the all-too-common question: How long does it take to learn Hungarian? 

While there’s no solid timeline for how long this process takes, there are estimates for each level (beginner, intermediate, and advanced) based on data from the Foreign Service Institute (FSI). In this article, we’ll take a look at these rough estimates and give you some useful tips on how to learn Hungarian faster! 

Still, you must remember that there are no super-shortcuts that enable you to learn a whole language in just a few weeks. If you’re determined to learn a language, you must put in the time and effort. If you’re motivated and willing to learn consistently, great results are guaranteed.

If you’re ready to take on the world and study Hungarian, what are you waiting for? The magic recipe for how to learn Hungarian fast is only a few scrolls away.

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Log in to Download Your Free Cheat Sheet - Beginner Vocabulary in Hungarian Table of Contents
  1. Factors That Will Affect Your Learning Progress
  2. How Long Does it Take to Achieve Beginner Level?
  3. How Long Does it Take to Achieve Intermediate Level?
  4. How Long Does it Take to Achieve Advanced Level?
  5. How HungarianPod101.com Can Help You Achieve Your Goals

Factors That Will Affect Your Learning Progress 

The FSI groups languages into four categories, based on how difficult they are for a native English speaker to learn. Level I languages are the easiest, while Level IV languages are the most difficult. 

Can you guess which category Hungarian belongs to?

Well, we have to break it to you: Hungarian is considered a Category III language, which makes it a rather difficult one to learn. But this doesn’t make it impossible! It will just take you a bit more time and effort to learn than it would take for you to learn French, for example. 

The actual speed of your Hungarian learning will depend on a variety of factors, such as:

  • How much time you put into your studies
  • Your study methods 
  • Your environment
  • Your motivation and goals

Now, let’s dive a little deeper!

How Long Does it Take to Achieve Beginner Level?

The average English speaker would need to spend 1 hour studying each day for approximately 12 weeks in order to reach the beginner level. 

However, we must emphasize that this number—and the others mentioned in this article—is merely an approximate to give you a basic idea of what to expect. 

With that in mind, how much time do you think it would take you to achieve the beginner level of Hungarian?

If your answer is “longer than I would like,” remember that HungarianPod101.com has plenty of fun and practical resources for learning Hungarian. Check out the following pages to speed up your progress and stay motivated: 

And here are some additional steps you can take to make the most of your study time

  • Prepare flashcards to make those words stick and carry them with you everywhere.
  • Learn the basic Hungarian sentence structure (hint: it’s usually S-V-O).
  • Watch short videos at a slow speed.

Finally, here are some skills and knowledge you’ll have by the time you reach this level: 

  • You’ll have memorized the Hungarian alphabet. 
  • You’ll know the pronunciation of each letter. 
  • You’ll know some key vocabulary and phrases for everyday interactions.
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How Long Does it Take to Achieve Intermediate Level?

If you continue to study for 1 hour each day, you should be able to reach the intermediate level in approximately 28 weeks.

At the intermediate level, you will…

  • …be able to read short and simple texts, and understand the main points. 
  • …have a larger vocabulary than you did at the beginner stage. 
  • …be able to hold basic conversations at a slow speed on topics that are familiar to you. 

Of course, your exact skillset at this level may vary depending on the speed of your progress. This is just a rough outline of what’s expected of intermediate-level learners. 

There are several things you can do at this point to make the most of your study time. To give you some inspiration, here’s how to learn Hungarian quickly using a variety of tools:

  • Broaden your vocabulary, especially on niche topics that fascinate you or relate to your daily life. 
  • Read Hungarian newspapers or blogs; this will further expand your vocabulary and give you insight into Hungarian culture and society. 
  • Watch Hungarian YouTube channels or Netflix shows with English subtitles.
  • Listen to Hungarian podcasts on your topics of interest. 
  • Go through HungarianPod101’s Level 2 Hungarian and Level 3 Hungarian pathways. 

At this point, we can’t stress enough how important it is to listen a lot, practice your pronunciation often, and keep a dictionary with you any time you read. The journey from beginner to intermediate level will involve expanding your vocabulary and gaining a better understanding of how Hungarians speak and converse with each other. By actively immersing yourself in different forms of Hungarian media, you can speed up your progress and develop these new skills faster. 

As mentioned in our bullet list, you should read plenty of Hungarian blogs, magazines, and newspapers. Keep a dictionary handy, so you can look up any unfamiliar words and note them down in a journal to study later. Having a written record of which words you’re struggling with is a great way to plan your next steps forward.

Newspapers, in particular, are a great reading source if you want to develop a more versatile vocabulary. You can read up on all kinds of modern, trending topics such as politics, coronavirus, and the labor market. You can also read newspapers or blogs specific to Budapest, the capital city of Hungary; this is a great idea if you plan on visiting the city in the near future!

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How Long Does it Take to Achieve Advanced Level?

Reaching the advanced level means that you’re finally fluent in Hungarian. According to the FSI, reaching this level of fluency will take you about 44 weeks (or 1100 hours) if you study for an hour every day.

This is a huge time commitment, but if you’re persistent, you can become fluent in Hungarian! 

The most common mistake language learners make is giving up. When you reach a plateau or feel like it’s taking you longer than it should to reach the next level, it’s easy to get discouraged. But! Just because you missed a few days of learning because you had other, more important things to do (let’s say, job-related), don’t beat yourself up. Just get back on track as soon as possible, and forget the setback even happened.

You’re studying for yourself, by yourself, so it takes a large amount of willpower and motivation to be persistent with your lessons. Just remember that it’s okay to fall off the wagon sometimes—as long as you always get back on! 

Here are a few tips on how to learn the Hungarian language as you journey from intermediate to advanced: 

  • Study field-specific words, such as business terms or medical expressions, to keep your vocabulary varied. 
  • Watch Hungarian shows in different genres: crime shows, sitcoms, reality shows, etc. 
  • Start reading books in Hungarian; start small, and gradually work your way up to larger books.
  • Download Hungarian language learning apps and visit forums so you can chat with fellow language learners.
  • Go through HungarianPod101’s Level 4 Hungarian and Level 5 Hungarian pathways.

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How HungarianPod101.com Can Help You Achieve Your Goals

There you go: a few tips for learning Hungarian fast and easy. We hope we managed to cover everything you want to know about how long it will take to learn Hungarian, but don’t hesitate to reach out if we missed something—we’ll be glad to help. 

Remember that there are no studying barriers you cannot overcome! With HungarianPod101, you have a supportive group to back you up every step of the way. We provide you with pre-assembled study materials that have been tried and tested, as well as forums where you can ask questions and chat with other HungarianPod101 members.

We’ll be back soon with another useful, practical article—stay tuned and good luck with your studies!

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Is Hungarian Hard to Learn?

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This is an article for those who are interested in learning Hungarian, but still have questions they want answered before taking the plunge. Can you guess the first question potential learners tend to ask? Yep: “Is Hungarian hard to learn?”

Many people have the impression that Hungarian is difficult and that learning it is out of their grasp.

Below, we’ll answer some of the most commonly asked questions from absolute beginners. We wish to encourage them—and you—to overcome the obstacles and learn Hungarian. Here at HungarianPod101, we strive to help every learner achieve success, especially those who have reached a plateau during their language-learning journey. We guarantee that we’ll be there for you every step of the way. 

In this article, we’ll shed some light on what things make Hungarian hard to learn, how to overcome them, and which aspects of the language are actually super-simple! And, if you’re already in the mood to learn Hungarian by the time you reach the end—which you probably will be, because it’s a unique and awesome language—we’ll give you some advice for starting out. Finally, we’ll list all the benefits of HungarianPod101 and our services, and why we’re the best choice for Hungarian language-learning.

Are you ready to embark on a new, exciting, and challenging journey? Read on—you won’t regret it!

Log in to Download Your Free Cheat Sheet - Learning Hungarian Table of Contents
  1. Is it Hard to Learn Hungarian?
  2. What are the Hardest and Easiest Parts of Learning Hungarian?
  3. I Want to Learn Hungarian. Where Should I Start?
  4. Advice for a New Hungarian-Learner
  5. Why is HungarianPod101 Great for Learning Hungarian?
  6. Conclusion: HungarianPod101.com Brings Out the Best in You

1. Is it Hard to Learn Hungarian?

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Before you start learning Hungarian, you must be aware of the challenges you’re going to face. In this section, we’ll shed light on the question every native Hungarian gets asked by a foreigner at least once in their life: “Is Hungarian a hard language to learn?” Well, there are obviously a few hard parts, just like in any language, but really, Hungarian isn’t that difficult to master once you get the basics down.

That said, every learner is different and everybody has their own strengths and weaknesses when it comes to language-learning. As such, it takes each and every person a different amount of time to master Hungarian. But one thing is guaranteed: If you’re dedicated enough to learn, and if you’re genuinely interested in the language and culture, the process will be easy as pie. You’ll find that the language is quite logically structured. 

Another factor to take into consideration is the level at which you wish to speak the language. If you’re aiming for a basic speech level to make your way around Hungary and converse with natives, then your journey will be child’s play compared to someone seeking an advanced level.

However, whatever your goal is, you can count on HungarianPod101 to be your constant companion.

To give you an example of the difference between a basic speech level and an advanced one, we’ve listed two sentences below. One is very simple, and the other is more complex. 

  • “The weather is nice.”
    Szép az idő.
  • “The weather is so nice, it makes me want to be outside all day.” 
    Olyan szép idő van, hogy legszívesebben egész nap kint lennék.

As you can see, the latter sentence contains more information than the former, and you can already see changes in conjugation!

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2. What are the Hardest and Easiest Parts of Learning Hungarian?

To effectively map out your study strategy, you have to know what the hardest and easiest aspects of the language are. We’ll start by looking at the more difficult aspects.

1- Why is Hungarian Hard to Learn?

1. Cases

Hungarian has thirty-five different cases. Many of these cases apply solely to prepositions, which are then attached to the words themselves.

For example:

  • “I brought you a cake.”
    Hoztam neked egy tortát.

The sentence above is in the accusative case. Here, “I brought” is hoztam, “you” (actually meaning “to you”) is neked, and “a cake” is egy tortát. The -t at the end of tortát indicates the accusative case.

2. Vowels

Hungarian has fourteen vowels. However, the only difference between most of them is their accents: a-á, e-é, o-ó-ö-ő, etc. Nevertheless, these ‘slight’ differences carry great value both in writing and in speech. If you misspell or mispronounce a vowel, the word could be nonsensical or mean something completely different than the word you intended to use. You can easily overcome this hardship by practicing the pronunciation of each vowel.

  • “Eating” (Evés)
  • “Yearly” (Éves)
  • “Five” (Öt)
  • “(I want) him/her” (Őt [akarom])

3. Pronunciation

The hardest part of learning Hungarian for beginners is probably the pronunciation. Words that appear to be identical can mean completely different things. This happens when an accent—which is indicated by one or two little dots or lines above a vowel—causes a slight change in sound.

There are also digraphs to worry about. You’ll need to memorize these and learn which words are written with them. But remember: There’s nothing that can’t be mastered with a little practice.

In addition, there are a few sounds that learners tend to struggle with. Here are some things you’ll have to remember:

  • The letter combination ‘sz’ represents the English [s] sound.
  • ‘S’ alone represents the English [ʃ] sound. 
  • The ‘cs’ sound in Hungarian is [tʃ] in English, just like in “champion.”
  • The Hungarian ‘zs’ sounds like [ʒ], or the ‘s’ in “pleasure.”

There are other digraphs (and thus, diphthongs) and one trigraph that English does not have. These include gy, ly, ny, ty, dz, and dzs, although many of these have similar sounds that occasionally appear in English. 

Here’s a sentence with digraphs that, in speech, form diphthongs:

In this example, there are three different digraphs.

Other sound differences include:

  • The ‘c’ sound in Hungarian is [ts] in English, just like at the end of “cats.”
  • The letter ‘j’ is pronounced as the ‘y’ in “voyage.”
  • The letter ‘r’ is rolled like in Spanish.

Once you get the hang of Hungarian pronunciation, it will actually become an “easy” part of the language, as Hungarian is rather phonetic. This means that if you familiarize yourself with the diphthongs, digraphs, and other sounds and letters that English doesn’t have, you’ll be able to easily write down a word you hear and vice-versa. In Hungarian, every letter has its own sound (except for ‘j’ and ‘ly’ which have the exact same sound: [j]) and every sound belongs to a letter (except for the above-mentioned [j] sound). This makes the pronunciation and spelling simpler than in languages like French or English.

2- Why is it Easy?

Now, let’s see what exactly makes learning Hungarian super-easy! 

1. Vocabulary

Hungarian might be from a different language family than English, but as it’s located in Europe, it took on many loanwords from its neighbors. So there are some words you’ll definitely recognize when you see or hear them.

Keeping in mind that the spelling has changed to match the rules of Hungarian phonetics, you’ll certainly recognize these words: 

  • Alkohol
  • Analízis
  • Bank
  • Busz
  • Kategória
  • Kombináció
  • Dizájn
  • Dráma
  • Elefánt
  • Magazin
  • Misszió
  • Neutrális
  • Opera
  • Park
  • Probléma
  • Sport
  • Stratégia
  • Stressz
  • Taxi
  • Toalett
  • Turista

There are at least 500 of such “borrowed” words in Hungarian.

2. Verb tenses

Present tense:

  • “I (am) read(ing).”
    Olvasok.

Hungarian does not differentiate between the simple present and the present continuous tenses.

Past tense:

  • “I (was) read(ing).”
    Olvastam.

Neither does it differentiate between the simple past or past continuous.

Future tense:

  • “I will (be) read(ing).”
    Olvasni fogok.

The way Hungarians usually form the future tense is with an infinitive verb and the conjugated form of fog.

This structure is gradually falling out of use as Hungarians tend to express the future tense with the help of the present tense. When doing so, the present tense verb is typically preceded by a time adverb. For instance, “later” or “tomorrow.”

Future tense:

  • “I will read.”
    Majd / Később olvasok.

Majd and később both have a similar meaning to “later.”

  • “I will read tomorrow.”
    Holnap olvasok.

3. Genders

Hungarian does not have grammatical gender. Because of this, you don’t have to worry about which form/gender of “the” to use, as you would in French or German, for example. In Hungarian, you can use your brain cells for more important things.

4. Plurals

Hungarian has a very straightforward way of forming plural nouns. It’s as easy as doing so in English, but the letter used in Hungarian is different. While English uses ‘s’ (e.g. “cats“), Hungarian uses ‘k’ (macskák).

If the stem word ends in a vowel, then the vowel gets an accent:

  • “Cat”
    Macska
  • “Cats”
    Macskák

If it’s a possessive noun, Hungarians use an ‘i’ before the possessive letter at the end (instead of a ‘k’). That’s about it.

  • “My cat”
    Macskám
  • “My cats”
    Macskáim

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3. I Want to Learn Hungarian. Where Should I Start?

If you’ve managed to get over the “How hard is Hungarian to learn?” question, and if you’re eager to start learning it now despite the challenges it might pose, you’re in the right place. Here, we’ll give you some advice on where to start your language-learning journey. 

1 – Create a study schedule and set goals.

Setting goals gives you motivation and something to strive for. It’s even better if you put them down on paper, so if you ever feel unmotivated, you just have to look at them and remind yourself of why you’re learning Hungarian.

2 – Expand your vocabulary.

Use word lists to build up a solid vocabulary. Luckily, we have all the word lists you need, with a range of topics, from Food to Love! Choose whichever topic you want to study and go! Don’t forget that you can get pretty far in a conversation if you know just enough words. Start with nouns and work your way through verbs and adjectives.

3 – Make it fun.

Once you learn how to make your study time fun, you’ll look forward to studying a whole lot more. Great ways of making language-learning enjoyable include listening to Hungarian music and checking the lyrics of songs, or watching Hungarian series. There are many options online on RTL Most.

4 – Find a study partner.

Another way of making studying fun is to do it with a friend. Learning Hungarian with one of your friends does more than give you two bonding time—it also makes you twice as efficient because you push each other toward your goals. That said, your study partner doesn’t have to be someone you know already. You can find someone online who shares your Hungarian-learning interests and ambitions. If possible, though, studying with a native speaker is the best way to really pick up the language! 

Are there any language-learning strategies that have helped you in the past? Let us know in the comments!

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4. Advice for a New Hungarian-Learner

Learning a new language can be a lot of fun, especially if that language is as awesome as Hungarian. Of course, knowing the language is a must if you plan to live in Hungary, but even if you just learn Hungarian as a hobby, you’ll have a cool “fun fact” to tell about yourself when meeting new people.

If you really want to learn Hungarian, the first thing you must do is never become discouraged or afraid. You should understand that Hungarian might take quite some time to master—depending on your goals, as we told you above—but it will be so rewarding once you’ve gotten there! 

1 – Listen to words and lines over and over again.

If you listen to Hungarian content often and really pay attention, you’ll easily start to notice the tones people use (i.e. when they raise or lower their voices) and the rhythm of their speech. Paying attention to these aspects and repeating the things you hear will help you sound more like a local.

2 – Perfect your pronunciation.

As we said above, Hungarian pronunciation is considered a difficult aspect of learning the language, but it’s not Mission Impossible. Just record your voice when trying to pronounce words and then listen to that word said out loud by a native speaker. Compare their pronunciation to yours, and if you’re not quite there yet, keep repeating the process. Your accent will soon vanish.

3 – Use applications.

We strongly suggest that you download applications onto your phone so you can study on the go, even if your notes and books aren’t with you. Fortunately, HungarianPod101 has an application that has everything in one place. That said, your phone can be of great use even if you only use its camera. Just take pictures of your notes, and you’ll never have to carry notebooks or heavy study books with you again! 

4 – Be open.

You’ll soon notice that Hungarian is like no other language. You must be open to the Hungarian language, as well as the culture, if you want to succeed. Try to speak to natives frequently (we recommend the online application Tandem). If you’re exposed to the language you’re learning on a daily basis, it will be much easier for words and expressions to stick in your mind. In addition, if you’re speaking with somebody interesting and having a fascinating conversation, you’re studying almost effortlessly.

Here are a few icebreakers for these conversations:

  • “Do you play any sports?”
    Sportolsz valamit?
  • “Yes, I play volleyball.”
    Igen, röplabdázom.
  • “And what do you think of basketball?”
    És mit gondolsz a kosárlabdáról?
  • “I love it. I always watch the NBL. And you?”
    Imádom. Mindig nézem az NBL-t. És te?

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5. Why is HungarianPod101 Great for Learning Hungarian?

With HungarianPod101, you’ll learn Hungarian with fun, interesting, and relevant lessons. We have over 900 audio and video lessons designed for easy listening, and numerous dialogues on a wide range of topics. Just repeat what you hear and you’ll learn Hungarian quickly and in an interesting way that doesn’t feel like studying at all. Each lesson comes with transcripts of the dialogues and lesson notes explaining what you heard during the lesson. There’s also a vocabulary list with each audio lesson that covers the most important words and phrases.

Our tutors are just as knowledgeable and energetic as our lessons are. If you have any questions after listening to a lesson, you can ask our tutors in the comment section and they’ll get back to you as soon as possible with helpful information.

Many of our services are free and don’t require an account: 

  • Vocabulary lists
  • A Hungarian dictionary
  • A list of the 100 most common words
  • Some Hungarian key phrases
  • A Word of the Day feature

However, if you want to get the full HungarianPod101 experience and maximize your language-learning success, we suggest that you sign up for an account. One of the many useful features that comes with an account is spaced-repetition flashcards—you can easily test your memory, and you don’t have to bother writing the words down yourself. These flashcards also contain example sentences and audio files of the word’s pronunciation!  

Once you sign up, you can use all the features of our website for seven days.  

If you would like to learn with your own personal teacher, all you have to do is subscribe to Premium PLUS, which comes with several other benefits as well:

  • Assessment tests
  • Custom word lists
  • Interactive quizzes
  • Pronunciation reviews
  • HD videos

Join the hundreds of thousands of people already learning Hungarian through the power of our mobile apps, desktop software, and website (which has free Hungarian lessons released every week, by the way)!

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6. Conclusion: HungarianPod101.com Brings Out the Best in You

We hope that we’ve encouraged you to embark on the new and exciting journey of learning Hungarian. Now you know that Hungarian is not a hard language to learn, and you also know how to overcome the more difficult aspects and where to begin learning.

We also listed the advantages of studying Hungarian with us specifically. Remember, if you sign up, not only do you get everything mentioned above, but also the perks of having a supportive group to help you along the way. We guarantee that if you decide to be part of our family, you’ll never have unanswered questions or lack support.

If you would like to get full access to all the good stuff we have to offer, join the HungarianPod101 family today.

By the way, is Hungarian the first new language you’re learning, or do you know more? What strategies have helped you learn languages, and what do you normally learn first? Let us know in the comments!

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The 10 Most Common Mistakes in Learning Hungarian

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Today, you’ll learn about the ten most common Hungarian mistakes that learners of the language make and how to avoid them. From incorrect pronunciation to improper grammar usage, we’ll outline the most common Hungarian mistakes you should watch out for.

We won’t lie to you, these are pretty hard to overcome. Hungarian has many sounds not found in other languages, and its word order confuses many English-speaking learners. However, once you’re aware of these issues and have spent enough time practicing, you’ll be able to fine-tune your accent and communicate like a native! We’ll also show you an example of each mistake so that you’re fully prepared for your visit to Hungary.

And at the end of this article, we’ll reveal the biggest Hungarian mistake of them all!

Are you ready to learn about the most common Hungarian mistakes? Let’s get started.

Log in to Download Your Free Cheat Sheet - Beginner Vocabulary in Hungarian Table of Contents
  1. Pronunciation Mistakes
  2. Vocabulary Word Mistakes
  3. Word Order Mistakes
  4. Spelling and Grammar Mistakes
  5. Formal vs. Informal Speech
  6. The Biggest Mistake in Hungarian
  7. Conclusion: HungarianPod101.com Helps You Reach Your Full Potential

1. Pronunciation Mistakes

The most important aspect of effective communication in every major language is the pronunciation. In some languages, mispronouncing a word can change its meaning entirely; in others, incorrect pronunciation can simply make your speech difficult to understand. It might even get you into trouble, and that’s the last thing you want to do in a foreign country!

That’s why we’ve included common Hungarian pronunciation mistakes first on our list. 

1 – [A] vs. [Á]

Hungarian accent mistakes are very common, especially where these two sounds are concerned. We’ve already mentioned that Hungarian has many sounds that no other (or very few) languages have, and [á] falls into this category. Let’s see an example:

  • Micsoda?
    “What’s that?” / “Pardon?” / “Sorry?”

Learners often pronounce this word as [mit͡ʃodá] instead of [mit͡ʃodɑ]. The mispronunciation of the sounds [a] and [á] is quite common as the sound [á] does not exist in English.

2 – Diphthongs

The hardest things for native English-speakers to pronounce in Hungarian are dipthongs. In particular, foreigners struggle to pronounce [ɲ]. For example, they often pronounce the word above as [bárán] instead of [báráɲ].


2. Vocabulary Word Mistakes

Vocabulary mistakes are easy to make because Hungarian has many words that can mean different things depending on the context. For example, a given word may serve as a verb in one context but as a noun in another. The Hungarian language is tricky, but if you pay attention and familiarize yourself with the homonyms, then you should be fine.


 Fal

In Hungarian, the word fal can have two different meanings: 

  • “Wall” [noun]
  • “He/she engorges” [third person singular verb]

 Levél

The word levél can also have two meanings: 

  • “Letter” [noun]
  • “Leaf” [noun]

As you can see, it’s a noun in both cases. Also, while the meanings are different, the two nouns are correlated!  


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3. Word Order Mistakes

Hungarian word order is a bit tricky. Although Hungarian has no strict or specific rules about how to order words in a sentence, it’s still possible to make mistakes here.  

Hungarian typically uses the S-V-O word order, but again, this can vary. The Hungarian sentence structure is based on these three basic rules:

1. Priority of word. The important words, the ones you want to emphasize, should be at the beginning of the sentence. In speech, these words might be stressed as well.

2. Priority of negation. Negating words, if any, are always at the beginning of a Hungarian sentence.

3. Focus of the sentence. The focus of the sentence is usually the word before the verb.

Now that you know these rules, let’s see some of the common Hungarian mistakes regarding word order.

“You are beautiful.”

  • Te vagy gyönyörű. X
  • Te gyönyörű vagy. O

Keep in mind that Hungarian generally drops the pronoun in a sentence like this, but we’re using the full expression to better explain how the word order works. 

Now, don’t let the English auxiliary verb “to be” fool you. While it comes after the pronoun in English, doing this in Hungarian is a big mistake.

“They are here.”

This sentence only makes sense when you mean that it is them who are here. But if you want your emphasis to be on ‘here,’ you would need to use a different word order:

‘Here they are.’ – ‘Itt vannak.’

In this case, the emphasis is on ‘here,’ so ‘itt’ is at the beginning of the Hungarian sentence.

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4. Spelling and Grammar Mistakes

Before we start, there’s some good news: Hungarian does not use genders for the third person singular! 

However, there are still some common Hungarian spelling and grammar mistakes that learners make every now and then. These include misspelling and conjugation problems. 

Spelling Mistakes

We’ll begin with a very common Hungarian spelling mistake:

“Stork”

  • Gója X
  • Gólya O

Even native speakers struggle with knowing when to use j vs. ly, as they sound identical to each other. It’s only by tradition that either of them is used in Hungarian words. 

However, there’s one rule that’s easy to remember:

All words starting with the sound [j] are written with the letter j, except in lyuk meaning “hole” and its derivatives.

Conjugation Mistakes

Now, onto conjugation errors! 

“I am too old.”

  • Én lenni túl öreg.
  • Én túl öreg vagyok. O

The conjugation of the Hungarian auxiliary verb “to be” is of great importance. This is because it’s spelled completely differently for each of the three tenses in Hungarian (past, present, future). 

Above was an example of a sentence with incorrect word order that also used the infinitive instead of the conjugated, proper form of the Hungarian verb “to be” (which is vagyok in present tense). Below are examples of how to write this sentence correctly in the past and future tenses.

  • “I was too old.”
    Én túl öreg voltam.

The Hungarian verb “to be” in the past tense is voltam.

  • “I will be too old.”
    Én túl öreg leszek.

The Hungarian verb “to be” in the future tense is leszek.

5. Formal vs. Informal Speech

This is more of a cultural mistake, rather than one concerning grammar or pronunciation. But, here it is: 

If you want locals to respect you, learn to respect them yourself. This applies mostly to elderly people or other adults you don’t know very well. Of course, you can use a less formal tone with people you don’t know as long as they’re around your age; this also applies to kids, friends, and family.

Our point is: Watch how you speak. Use a different tone and conjugation depending on how well you know the person you’re speaking with. However, even when you want to be polite, one of the common mistakes in spoken Hungarian is saying maga instead of ön.

Here’s an example of a simple sentence you could use with an elderly person:

  • Ön sorban áll?
    “Are you waiting in line?”

If you pay attention, you can see that ön (and maga, for that matter) works as the third person singular when conjugating verbs. However, the conjugation changes when you address the same person in a different context (like if they’re your friend); in this case, you would use a different tone and conjugation. 

Bear with us… Here’s the impolite version of the polite version:

  • Maga sorban áll?
    “Are you waiting in line?”

Now, let’s see the friendly/informal version:

  • Te sorban állsz?
    “Are you waiting in line?”

In this case, you asked the same question from the same person, but used a different tone. And see how the conjugation changed?

A Mother and Her Son Discussing Something That Is Shown on a Laptop

6. The Biggest Mistake in Hungarian

It’s nice and all that we covered all of these Hungarian mistakes, and we hope we’ve given you the tools necessary to speak Hungarian with confidence. However, there’s still one mistake we haven’t talked about yet: 

The biggest mistake you could ever make is being afraid to make mistakes.

When you’re in Hungary and around locals, they appreciate nothing more than seeing that you’re making an effort to learn such a difficult language. Don’t be afraid to embarrass yourself with a mistake. Hungarians are going to be nice to you and correct you, especially if you ask them to. They won’t hold a grudge against you. We promise. 

Go out there and dare to speak!

Blond Woman Raising Her Hand in Class and a Teacher Pointing at Her

7. Conclusion: HungarianPod101.com Helps You Reach Your Full Potential

Now that you know the ten most common Hungarian mistakes that language-learners make, you can buy your tickets online and travel to Hungary straight away. We’ve talked about typical Hungarian mistakes ranging from mispronunciation to incorrect word order and beyond, so we do believe you’re ready to hit the road! 

Although we said at the beginning that it won’t be easy, you’ve made it through to the end of this article. We hope that, if you don’t remember anything else, you’ll never forget the very last and most important mistake we mentioned. Never be afraid of speaking and/or making a mistake. Get out there, give it your all, and see that people will appreciate your effort.

If you would like to read more articles like this one, join the HungarianPod101 family. We’ll help you through any hardships you encounter on your language-learning journey.

What was the most surprising Hungarian mistake we covered? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!

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Hungarian Keyboard: How to Install and Type in Hungarian

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You asked, so we provided—easy-to-follow instructions on how to set up your electronic devices to write in Hungarian! We’ll also give you a few excellent tips on how to use this keyboard, as well as some online and app alternatives if you prefer not to set up a Hungarian keyboard.

Log in to Download Your Free Hungarian Alphabet Worksheet Table of Contents
  1. Why it’s Important to Learn to Type in Hungarian
  2. Setting up Your Computer and Mobile Devices for Hungarian
  3. How to Activate an Onscreen Keyboard on Your Computer
  4. How to Change the Language Settings to Hungarian on Your Computer
  5. Activating the Hungarian Keyboard on Your Mobile Phone and Tablet
  6. Hungarian Keyboard Typing Tips
  7. How to Practice Typing Hungarian

1. Why it’s Important to Learn to Type in Hungarian

A keyboard

Learning a new language is made so much easier when you’re able to read and write/type it. This way, you will:

  • Get the most out of any dictionary and Hungarian language apps on your devices
  • Expand your ability to find Hungarian websites and use the various search engines
  • Be able to communicate much better online with your Hungarian teachers and friends, and look super cool in the process! 

2. Setting up Your Computer and Mobile Devices for Hungarian

A phone charging on a dock

It takes only a few steps to set up any of your devices to read and type in Hungarian. It’s super-easy on your mobile phone and tablet, and a simple process on your computer.

On your computer, you’ll first activate the onscreen keyboard to work with. You’ll only be using your mouse or touchpad/pointer for this keyboard. Then, you’ll need to change the language setting to Hungarian, so all text will appear in Hungarian. You could also opt to use online keyboards instead. Read on for the links!

On your mobile devices, it’s even easier—you only have to change the keyboard. We also provide a few alternatives in the form of online keyboards and downloadable apps.

3. How to Activate an Onscreen Keyboard on Your Computer

1- Mac

1. Go to System Preferences > Keyboard.

2. Check the option “Show Keyboard & Character Viewers in Menu Bar.”

3. You’ll see a new icon on the right side of the main bar; click on it and select “Show Keyboard Viewer.”

A screenshot of the keyboard viewer screen

2- Windows

1. Go to Start > Settings > Easy Access > Keyboard.

2. Turn on the option for “Onscreen Keyboard.”

3- Online Keyboards

If you don’t want to activate your computer’s onscreen keyboard, you also have the option to use online keyboards. Here are some good options:

4- Add-ons of Extensions for Browsers

Instead of an online keyboard, you could also choose to download a Google extension to your browser for a language input tool. The Google Input Tools extension allows users to use input tools in Chrome web pages, for example.

4. How to Change the Language Settings to Hungarian on Your Computer

Man looking at his computer

Now that you’re all set to work with an onscreen keyboard on your computer, it’s time to download the Hungarian language pack for your operating system of choice:

  • Windows 8 (and higher)
  • Windows 7
  • Mac (OS X and higher)

1- Windows 8 (and higher)

  1. Go to “Settings” > “Change PC Settings” > “Time & Language” > “Region & Language.”
  2. Click on “Add a Language” and select “Hungarian.” This will add it to your list of languages. It will appear as Magyar with the note “language pack available.”
  3. Click on “Magyar” > “Options” > “Download.” It’ll take a few minutes to download and install the language pack.
  4. As a keyboard layout, you’ll only need the one marked as “Hungarian – Magyar.” You can ignore other keyboard layouts.

2- Windows 7

1. Go to Start > Control Panel > Clock, Language, and Region.

2. On the “Region and Language” option, click on “Change Keyboards or Other Input Methods.”

3. On the “Keyboards and Languages” tab, click on “Change Keyboards” > “Add” > “Hungarian.”

4. Expand the option of “Hungarian” and then expand the option “Keyboard.” Select the keyboard layout marked as “Hungarian.” You can ignore other keyboard layouts. Click “OK” and then “Apply.”

3- Mac (OS X and higher)

If you can’t see the language listed, please make sure to select the right option from System Preferences > Language and Region

1. From the Apple Menu (top left corner of the screen) go to System Preferences > Keyboard.

2. Click the Input Sources tab and a list of available keyboards and input methods will appear.

3. Click on the plus button, select “Hungarian,” and add the “Hungarian” keyboard.

Adding a system language

5. Activating the Hungarian Keyboard on Your Mobile Phone and Tablet

Texting and searching in Hungarian will greatly help you master the language! Adding a Hungarian keyboard on your mobile phone and/or tablet is super-easy.

You could also opt to download an app instead of adding a keyboard. Read on for our suggestions.

Below are the instructions for both iOS and Android mobile phones and tablets.

1- iOS

1. Go to Settings > General > Keyboard.

2. Tap “Keyboards” and then “Add New Keyboard.”

3. Select “Hungarian” from the list.

4. When typing, you can switch between languages by tapping and holding on the icon to reveal the keyboard language menu.

2- Android

1. Go to Settings > General Management > Language and Input > On-screen Keyboard (or “Virtual Keyboard” on some devices) > Samsung Keyboard.

2. Tap “Language and Types” or “ + Select Input Languages” depending on the device and then “MANAGE INPUT LANGUAGES” if available.

3. Select “Hungarian” from the list.

4. When typing, you can switch between languages by swiping the space bar.

3- Applications for Mobile Phones

If you don’t want to add a keyboard on your mobile phone or tablet, these are a few good apps to consider:

6. Hungarian Keyboard Typing Tips

Typing in Hungarian can be very challenging at first! Therefore, we added here a few useful tips to make it easier to use your Hungarian keyboard.

A man typing on a computer

1- Computer

1. When your keyboard is set to Hungarian, to type accents, you’ll have to use:
0 → ö
– → ü
= → ó
[ → ő
] → ú
→ ű
; → é
‘ → á
` → í
And to be able to type their uppercase version, use Shift + the same keys.
The only difference when typing consonants is that the letter Y will be at the English Z key if you don’t use the QWERTY keyboard.

2. You can get the: 
– exclamation mark by pressing Shift + 4
– question mark by pressing Shift + ,
– apostrophe by pressing Shift +1
– quotation marks by pressing Shift + 2

2- Mobile Phones

  • On most mobile keyboards, in order to get access to accented letters, press the selected letter until accented options appear.

7. How to Practice Typing Hungarian

As you probably know by now, learning Hungarian is all about practice, practice, and more practice! Strengthen your Hungarian typing skills by writing comments on any of our lesson pages, and our teacher will answer. If you’re a HungarianPod101 Premium PLUS member, you can directly text our teacher via the My Teacher app—use your Hungarian keyboard to do this!

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Learn How to Talk About Your Family in Hungarian

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Did you know that only some reptiles and birds don’t parent their offspring? Except for crocodiles, all reptiles (and one family of bird species called megapodes) hatch from eggs and grow up alone, without any family.

The rest of us need family if we are to survive and thrive – humans and animals alike!

At HungarianPod101, we know how important family is. Therefore, we take care to teach you all the important vocabulary and phrases pertaining to family.

Table of Contents

  1. Why Is It Important to Know Hungarian Vocabulary about Family?
  2. Learn a New Culture? Learn its Family Vocab first
  3. How HungarianPod101 Can Help You Learn Hungarian Family Terms

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1. Why Is It Important to Know Hungarian Vocabulary about Family?

Lioness with Cub

Well, if you’re serious about studying any new language, then learning about the most important social unit in Hungarian culture would be a crucial part of your education.

What is family, though? Strictly speaking, it’s a group of people who live together and are supposed to take care of one another. Some of them are genetically linked.

Family isn’t just about who we’re related to by blood, of course. It’s also one of the main influences in shaping every child’s life.

Family is Important for Children’s Healthy Development

Phrases Parents Say

Family is the single most important influence in a child’s life. Children depend on parents and family to protect them and provide for their needs from the day they were born.

Primary caregivers, which usually comprise parents and family, form a child’s first relationships. They are a child’s first teachers and are role models that show kids how to act and experience the world around them.

By nurturing and teaching children during their early years, families play an important role in making sure children are ready to learn when they enter school.

Families Can Take All Shapes and Sizes

However, the way families are put together is by no means standard.

Mom and Daughter

Single-parent and same-gender households have become a new norm the past few decades, and there’s no shame in this. When there is love, connection and proper care, a child can thrive anywhere.

Everyone also knows that sometimes friends can become like family and remain with us for life, because it’s all about human connection.

After all, we share many commonalities simply because we’re human, and we are programmed to connect with one another and belong to a group. This is very important for our well-being and survival.

It’s All About Feeling Connected

As John Northman, a psychologist from Buffalo, NY, told WebMD – feeling connected to others contributes to mental as well as physical health.

He pointed out that when people feel connected, they feel better physically, and they’re also less likely to feel depressed.

Couples Chatting

Or, if they do feel depressed, they’d be in a better position to get out of it when they feel they are connecting with others. This is because they would be psychologically supported too, Northman said.

There has even been some links drawn between addiction and feeling disconnected from others. According to an article in Psychology Today, research indicates that addiction is not solely a substance disorder, but also affected by people feeling insecurely attached to others.

It showed that securely attached individuals tend to feel comfortable in and enjoy life, while insecurely attached people typically struggle to fit in and connect.

2. Learn a New Culture? Learn its Family Vocab first

So, it’s clear that for most of us, family is our entry point into connection and belonging. This is true of every culture, so in every country, family takes prominence.

For this reason, HungarianPod101 offers culturally-relevant lessons that will equip you well to understand families in Hungary.

Here are some of the most important Hungarian vocabulary and quotes about family and parenting!

A) Hungarian Family Vocabulary

Let’s start with the basic vocabulary. Without this collection of words, you’ll have a hard time describing any member of your family at all.

Family Terms
Family
család
Great grandfather
dédnagypapa
Mother
anya
Grandmother
nagymama
Father
apa
Grandfather
nagypapa
Wife
feleség
Grandchild
unoka
Husband
férj
Granddaughter
unoka
Parent
szülő
Grandson
unoka
Child
gyerek
Aunt
nagynéni
Daughter
lánya
Uncle
nagybácsi
Sister
lánytestvér
Niece
unokahúg
Brother
fivér
Nephew
unokaöcs
Younger sister
húg
Younger brother
öccs
Older brother
báty
Great grandmother
dédnagymama
Cousin
unokatestvér
Mother-in-law
anyós
Father-in-law
após
Sister-in-law
sógornő
Brother-in-law
sógor
Partner
társ

Family of Three

B) Quotes About Family

Hungarian Family Quotes

One of the ways to improve your Hungarian language skills is by memorizing quotes from books, or poems.

Either source some from Hungarian literature, or make use of ours!

Nem válaszhatod meg, ki legyen a családod. Ők Isten ajándéka számodra, ahogy te magad is az vagy a családod számára.

“You don’t choose your family. They are God’s gift to you, as you are to them.” – Desmond Tutu

A család nem egy fontos dolog. A család a legfontosabb.

“Family is not an important thing. It’s everything.” – Michael J. Fox

A család azt jelenti, hogy senki nincs elhagyva, senki nincs elfelejtve.

“Family means no one gets left behind or forgotten.” – David Ogden Stiers

A családom jelenti nekem az erőt és egyben a gyengeséget.

“My family is my strength and my weakness.” – Aishwarya Rai

A család a természet egyik remekműve.

“The family is one of nature’s masterpieces.” – George Santayana

Nehéz időkben a család az, aki támogat.

“When trouble comes, it’s your family that supports you.” – Guy Lafleur

A család az emberi társadalom első nélkülözhetetlen sejtje.

“The family is the first essential cell of human society.” – Pope John XXIII

Nincs olyan, ami az egész családnak szórakozás lenne.

“There is no such thing as fun for the whole family.” – Jerry Seinfeld

Meg kell védened a becsületed. És a családod.

“You have to defend your honor. And your family.” – Suzanne Vega

A boldog családok mind hasonlók egymáshoz, minden boldogtalan család a maga módján az.

“All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.” – Leo Tolstoy

C) Test Your Knowledge!

Do you feel you have learned a lot in this blog? Let’s quickly test that!

In the table below, match the Hungarian vocabulary on the left with the definition of the relative in the right column.

MY RELATIVES
Relative Name Definition
1. család a. My male child
2. anya b. My older male sibling
3. apa c. My female sibling
4. feleség d. My child’s child
5. férj e. My child’s female child
6. társ f. My female parent
7. gyerek g. My grandparent’s mother
8. lánya h. Mother to one of my parents
9. fia i. Relatives
10. lánytestvér j. My female child
11. fivér k. My younger male sibling
12. húg l. Male spouse
13. öccs m. The father of one of my parents
14. báty n. My child’s male child
15. dédnagymama o. My children’s father or mother
16. dédnagypapa p. The sister of one of my parents
17. nagymama q. The brother of one of my parents
18. nagypapa r. My male parent
19. unoka s. My sibling’s female child
20. unoka t. My sibling’s male child
21. unoka u. My male sibling
22. nagynéni v. My parents’ sibling’s child
23. nagybácsi w. Female spouse
24. unokahúg x. The grandfather of one of my parents
25. unokaöcs y. The person I am a parent to
26. unokatestvér z. My younger female sibling

How did it go? Don’t worry if you had trouble with it – you’ll get there! With a bit of practice, and our help at HungarianPod101, you’ll soon have these family terms under the belt.

Family Shopping

3. How HungarianPod101 Can Help You Learn Hungarian Family Terms

We hope that we helped you expand your family in Hungarian vocabulary!

HungarianPod101, with its innovative online learning system, stands out among online learning platforms to help you master Hungarian easily.

Our lessons are tailored not only to increase your language skills, but to also inform you of Hungarian culture, including the Hungarian family structure.

When you sign up, you will get instant access to tools like:

1 – An extensive vocabulary list, regularly updated
2 – A new Hungarian word to learn every day
3 – Quick access to the Hungarian Key Phrase List
4 – A free Hungarian online dictionary
5 – The excellent 100 Core Hungarian Word List
6 – An almost limitless Lesson Library for learners of all levels

Further speed up your learning with the help of a personal tutor, who will first assess your current Hungarian language abilities to personalize your training and tailor it to your needs.

Hard work always pays off, and to help you in this, HungarianPod101 will be there every step of the way toward your Hungarian mastery!

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Answers: 1.i. 2.f. 3.r. 4.w. 5.l. 6.o. 7.y. 8.j. 9.a. 10.c. 11.u. 12.z. 13.k. 14.b. 15.g 16.x. 17.h. 18.m. 19.d. 20.e. 21.n. 22.p. 23.q. 24.s. 25.t. 26.v.