Dialogue

Vocabulary

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Lesson Notes

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Lesson Transcript

INTRODUCTION
Sziasztok. Hello and welcome to Hungarian Survival Phrases brought to you by HungarianPod101.com, this course is designed to equip you with the language skills and knowledge to enable you to get the most out of your visit to Hungary. You will be surprised at how far a little Hungarian will go.
Now, before we jump in, remember to stop by HungarianPod101.com and there, you will find the accompanying PDF and additional info in the post. If you stop by, be sure to leave us a comment.

Lesson focus

In today's lesson, we'll cover phrases used for apologizing. Now, as you haven't quite mastered Hungarian, it's probably very prudent to go over the phrases for apologizing as they just might come in handy.
We'll start with "Excuse me" or "Pardon me," which in Hungarian is: Elnézést.
Elnézést.
Let's break it down by syllable: El-né-zést.
Now let's hear it again: Elnézést.
This expression can be used to apologize for accidentally pushing someone on the tram, but if you remember one of our previous lessons, it can also precede a question you ask a stranger, much like "excuse me." Use this when you are trying to work your way through a crowd, at the subway station for instance, or when you are trying to get someone's attention in a store, or when asking for directions.
To recap: elnézést.
If you want to be even more apologetic, or you've done something worse than just pushing people slightly, you want to say: bocsánat.
Again: bocsánat,
bo-csá-nat.
bocsánat
Interestingly, even though this implies a more serious tone, you must use this one when talking to a friend.
To sum this section up: you use elnézést when you did minor damage to a stranger, and bocsánat when the damage is more significant, or you did it to a friend.
Among friends, Hungarians like to use a shortened version of bocsánat, too. It is bocs.
Bocs
Bocs
If you put a long úúú sound in front of this, you'll sound just like a native speaker.
Úúú bocs.
Now, what if someone says one of these to you, and you want to respond with "No problem" or "It doesn't matter." In this case, the proper response should be semmi baj, which literally means, "No problem".
semmi baj
Let's break it down by syllable: Sem-mi baj.
Now let's hear it once again: semmi baj
Semmi means "nothing", while baj means "problem" or "trouble."

Outro

Okay, to close out today's lesson, we'd like for you to practice what you've just learned. I'll provide you with the English equivalent of the phrase and you're responsible for shouting it aloud. You'll have a few seconds before I give you the answer; so, sok szerencsét, which means "good luck" in Hungarian.
"Pardon me. or Excuse me." - Elnézést.
Elnézést.
Elnézést.
"I'm sorry." - Bocsánat.
Bocsánat.
Bocsánat.
"I'm sorry. (between friends)" - Bocs.
Bocs.
Bocs.
"No problem." - Semmi baj.
Semmi baj.
Semmi baj.
All right. That’s is going to do it for today. Remember to stop by HungarianPod101.com and pick up the accompanying PDF. If you stop by, be sure to leave us a comment. Sziasztok!

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