Dialogue

Vocabulary

Learn New Words FAST with this Lesson’s Vocab Review List

Get this lesson’s key vocab, their translations and pronunciations. Sign up for your Free Lifetime Account Now and get 7 Days of Premium Access including this feature.

Or sign up using Facebook
Already a Member?

Lesson Notes

Unlock In-Depth Explanations & Exclusive Takeaways with Printable Lesson Notes

Unlock Lesson Notes and Transcripts for every single lesson. Sign Up for a Free Lifetime Account and Get 7 Days of Premium Access.

Or sign up using Facebook
Already a Member?

Lesson Transcript

INTRODUCTION
Simone:Hi everyone and welcome to HungarianPod101.com. This is Lower Beginner, season 2, lesson 21, Make Sure You Carry a Towel if You’re in Hungary at Easter! I’m Simone.
Csaba:And I’m Csaba.
Simone:In this lesson we’re going to learn negation, and what to say at Easter.
Csaba:The conversation takes place in Anne’s apartment.
Simone:Between Anne and Balázs.
Csaba:They use the informal language.
Simone:Let’s listen to the conversation.
POST CONVERSATION BANTER
Simone:What is the Easter holiday like in Hungary?
Csaba:Nowadays unfortunately a lot of people try to get out of it. But traditionally you basically walk up to a girl, say one of the Easter limericks and than spray cologne on them. For this, you get a chocolate egg or rabbit.
Simone:All right, makes sense.
Csaba:In the olden days it was a lot more fun. Buckets of cold water and hand painted eggs.
Simone:That is more fun for guys than us.
Csaba:Well, yes. But it also had more sense of tradition. After this whole ceremony, you eat a lot of sweets and cakes and probably drink a lot as well.
Simone:When is that not a part of a celebration? (laughs) All right, let’s go to vocab.
KEY VOCAB AND PHRASES
Simone:What is the first word we discuss?
Csaba:Szabad locsolni?
Simone:What does that mean?
Csaba:It means “may I sprinkle water on you.” It is only used on Easter, although you can always try.
Simone:So the second word, locsolni is...
Csaba:“To sprinkle.”
Simone:All right, a bit of traditional Hungarian culture and language for you.
Csaba:Even better if you say: Szabad e locsolni?
Simone:Again, please!
Csaba:Szabad e locsolni? The e sound doesn’t really add to the meaning and a grammar explanation is not necessary here, but it sounds a lot more authentic and traditional. Old Hungarian. Szabad e locsolni?
Simone:All right, this will make you sound like a local on Easter.
Csaba:Also, you have to know that if you’re a guy, on Easter you’re called the locsoló.
Simone:Repeat.
Csaba:Locsoló. This word means “the person who does the sprinkling.” You may think that this is a niche part of the language, but you should be prepared for everything, right?
Simone:Sure. So, use that in a typical Easter-related sentence.
Csaba:Én vagyok a locsoló.
Simone:“I am the sprinkler!”
Csaba:Én vagyok a locsoló. You have to state this before you launch the bucket of water. Or cologne.
Simone:And the limerick?
Csaba:That comes before Én vagyok a locsoló. “Easter limerick” is locsolóvers.
Simone:We know locsoló, what is vers?
Csaba:Vers means “poem.”
Simone:Use it in a sentence please.
Csaba:Mondok egy locsolóverset.
Simone:“I’ll say a limerick!”
Csaba:Mondok egy locsolóverset.
Simone:All right, we’ve got you all prepared for Easter now.
Csaba:Yes, and the rest is your job. A huge meal will help you stay sober.
Simone:All right, let’s go to grammar.
GRAMMAR POINT
Simone:In this lesson we’re going to learn more about negation.
Csaba:We’ve had tons of sentences with the negation, but it is worth exploring it in a more systematic way. Number one: The most straightforward way of using the negative nem is putting it in front of a conjugated verb.
Simone:Right, by doing that, you negate the entire sentence. Give us an example for that, please.
Csaba:Nem megyek iskolába.
Simone:“I’m not going to school.”
Csaba:Nem megyek iskolába. Megyek is the conjugated verb, before which nem came.
Simone:All right, one more like this.
Csaba:Tamás nem kér kávét.
Simone:“Thomas doesn’t want coffee.”
Csaba:Tamás nem kér kávét. Similar structure.
Simone:Ok and what’s next?
Csaba:You don’t necessarily want to negate the entire sentence, just a part of it. Listen to this. Tamás nem kávét kér.
Simone:“It is not coffee that Thomas wants.”
Csaba:Tamás nem kávét kér.
Simone:So basically, whatever you put nem before, that part gets negated. We know Thomas wants something, but it is not coffee.
Csaba:No let’s see this one. Nem Tamás kér kávét.
Simone:Again, please.
Csaba:Nem Tamás kér kávét.
Simone:“It is not Thomas who wants coffee.”
Csaba:Exactly. Now, often when you only negate one part of the sentence, another clause might follow, one starting with “but.” In Hungarian, hanem.
Simone:All right, let’s see.
Csaba:Nem Tamás kér kávét, hanem Péter.
Simone:“It is not Thomas who wants coffee, but Peter.”
Csaba: Nem Tamás kér kávét, hanem Péter.
Simone:Hanem means “but” then?
Csaba:I’d say that it leads in the second clause in these cases.
Simone:Let’s hear another example.
Csaba:We change direction and learn “neither.” The Hungarian word for that is sem.
Simone:“I’m not going either.”
Csaba:Én sem megyek. Compare with: Én nem megyek.
Simone:“I’m not going.” So sem means “neither.”
Csaba:Right. It think we can put this grammar part to bed, but the lesson notes, as usual, will contain more examples and sentences.

Outro

Simone:That’s right. Catch you next time for lesson 22! Bye everyone.
Csaba:Sziasztok.

Comments

Hide