hungarian travel words

Basic and useful Hungarian phrases for a trip to Budapest

When you plan to travel to Budapest and Hungary for a few days, it is definitely important to learn a few useful Hungarian phrases and words . Don’t worry, most young Hungarians speak English, and everybody in the tourism and hospitality industry speaks English very well (in Budapest for sure); however, some basic Hungarian will come in handy.

In this post, you will learn a few simple Hungarian phrases and words that will make Hungarians like you! The Hungarian language is one of the most difficult in the world, so there is no point in learning full sentences, or questions and answers, if you spend just a few days in Hungary .

Instead, a few greetings and common Hungarian words will show the locals that you are interested in them and respectful of their customs and culture: the perfect attitude to start a conversation or receive a smile back.

Are you planning to visit Budapest? Check out our super efficient resources: – 1-day itinerary in Budapest with detailed map and duration – the best cheap things to do in Budapest – food, attractions, transport and more – useful Budapest travel tips by locals – and much more about what to visit in Hungary

Help me run my blog! This post contains some affiliate links: the small commission I may earn if you click through and make a purchase/booking (at no extra cost to you) will go towards supporting the site and our travels. That means more posts and useful info for you! We only recommend products we use ourselves and believe in. Thank you for supporting Travelling Sunglasses! Click here to read our full disclosure .

Basic Hungarian rules and my experience as an expat

When I moved to Hungary in 2014, I thought I could learn the language quickly, just like I had done with English and Spanish. Boy, was I wrong!

I joined group classes where I learned some basic grammar and everyday vocabulary. It was really hard, and it made little sense to me. Afterward, any new word would rarely stay in my head for long. Colleagues at the office and Italian-Hungarian tandem classes kept me trained, but I didn’t progress much.

You know why? It’s because almost everybody I encountered spoke enough English , or I spoke enough Hungarian. We understood each other, even though I could not form a full sentence in Hungarian, and I understood maybe one in five words they said 😀 .

I remember I was at the supermarket, looking for yeast to bake a cake, but I could see only yeast for bread. I told two Hungarian words to a kind lady: “Sorry, cake?” I pointed at the wall of mysterious products, and smiled. She helped me right away!

Long story short: a couple of Hungarian words and a smile on your face will make a difference during your trip to Budapest or Hungary.

Just remember a few easy rules:

In Hungarian, you speak the way you write (as opposed to English), so you can give it a try and pronounce the words you see. It may make the person laugh, and then they will help you!
There are lots of accents on vowels, but you can skip them, you should be understood anyway
Don’t take for granted that people speak English: after all, you are a guest in their country! Be polite and first ask if they speak English
Always keep a smile on your face 🙂

G reetings and u seful Hungarian words

Say these useful Hungarian phrases to everybody: hotel staff, waiters, bus drivers, tour guides, shop assistants. They are basic, polite words that will create a good vibe around you.

Jó napot = good day (pronounced yo na-pot ) ( bonus : say “jó reggelt” before 9 AM, pronounced yo reh-gelt )
Jó estét = good evening (pronounced yo esh-tet ) (from when it gets dark)
Jó éjszakát = good night (pronounced yo ey-sa- kat) (when you actually go to bed)
Szia = hi, hello when greeting someone (pronounced see-yah , very informal) ( bonus : “szia” is singular, say “sziasztok” to greet many people)
Hello = hello when greeting and also bye when going away (pronounced hello , very informal)
Viszlát = goodbye (pronounced vees-lat , formal) ( bonus : the full, polite version is “viszontlátásra” and only a very patient Hungarian will help you learn it 🙂 )
Igen = yes (pronounced ee-gen with hard “g” like “get”)
Nem = no (pronounced nem )
Köszi= Thank you (pronounced kew-si , consider the “ö” sounds like the “o” of “colonel”, informal) ( bonus : the full, polite word is “köszönöm”, pronounced kew-sew-newm )
Bocsi = sorry (pronounced bo-chi , informal) ( bonus : the full, polite word is “bocsánat”, or “elnézést”)
Egészségedre = cheers when drinking, bless you when sneezing, and I hope you enjoyed your meal when you emptied your dish. (This may sound hard, but it’s guaranteed to produce smiles and appreciation! Pronounced eh-geh-sheh-geh-dreh ).

Only after you have greeted someone, you can go ahead with asking for help or information. Here’s the most useful sentence in Hungarian :

Beszél angolul? = do you speak English? (This is tricky because Hungarians downplay their language skills! They may answer “a little” but actually speak well. I recommend using a strong English accent, otherwise they may try to answer you in Hungarian :D) (pronounced beh-sel ahn-go-lool )

Show appreciation in Hungarian

Use these simple Hungarian words to describe the food you are eating or what you saw during the day, even when the local person is speaking to you in English. A smile is guaranteed!

Nagyon finom = delicious (pronounced nah-jon fee-nom )
Nagyon kedves = very kind (tell them when they help you with directions) (pronounced nah-jon ked-vesh )
Nagyon szép = gorgeous (pronounced nah-jon sep , with a long “e” like in “saint”
Budapest is a gorgeous city = Budapest nagyon szép város (pronounced Budapesht nahjon sep vahrosh)
Király = cool! (Literally, it means “king”) (Use it as appreciation for a good and complete answer, or when you learn something interesting) (pronounced kee-rah-y )

Bonus tip: do you tip in Hungary? Yes, it is customary to leave a 10% tip at the end of your meal, even to the bartender when you get your drink at the counter. However, some establishments include it as “service” in the bill (look for “ szervisz ” at the end of the receipt) and in that case it is not expected to leave a 10% tip. In order to receive extra good service at your hotel, leave 2000 HUF (that’s 4-5 Euros) at check-in!

Talking about money , the currency in Hungary is the Hungarian Forint. I strongly recommend the Wise multi-currency account and debit card (formerly TransferWise) to save money on commissions and exchange fees! Check out our Wise account review here or request your card here (we will receive a commission after your first transaction. Thank you!).

City basics and survival on the street in Hungarian

I bet you will use Google Maps or something similar, so you should be quite independent as you get around Budapest.

However, just in case your battery is dead, or the app shows you indications in Hungarian, or if you simply prefer to read the signs in front of you, here are some useful Hungarian words to understand the city around you.

Utca, út, körút = street, avenue, ring boulevard (pronounced uzza like “pizza”, uut , ko-root )
Tér, tere = square (pronounced ter , teh-reh )
Híd = bridge (pronounced heed )
Bejárat = entrance (pronounced beh-yah-raht )
Kijárat = exit (pronounced kee-yah-raht ) (Language geeks, see how it works? Járat means to go, be means in and ki means out!)
Étterem = restaurant (pronounced eh-teh-rem )
Bankkartya = credit card (pronounced bahnk-kaar-tya )
Készpénz = cash (pronounced kes-penz ) ( Bonus tip : watch out for signs that say “csak bankkártya” or “csak készpénz”, as they accept only card or only cash).
Busz = bus (pronounced boos )
Villamos = tram (pronounced vil-la-mosh )
Metro = underground, subway, metro (pronounced metro )
Nyitva = open (pronounced neet – va where the “n” sound is similar to the Spanish “ñ”)
Zarva = closed (pronounced zahr – va)

Bonus tip: how to behave in the street and on means of transport in Budapest

Cross the street on the zebra, as cars usually stop for you
Wait for the green light
On the bus/tram/metro, get up and let women and elderly take the seat, and let them through the door first
On the bus/tram/metro stop, first you let everybody out, and then you get on
Smoke only outdoors and a few meters away from restaurant doors
Throw trash in bins
Ask the locals for updated rules on public drinking because they keep changing

S imple Hungarian words for foods and drinks

If you’re adventurous with local foods and you like to find restaurants for locals, probably there won’t be an English menu, and the waiters’ English could be very basic.

Here are a few Hungarian words for survival :

Víz = water (pronounced veez )
Bor = wine (pronounced bor )
Sőr = beer (pronounced shewr , with the “o” sound of “colonel”, or similar to “sure” in British English)
Kávé = coffee (pronounced kaa-veh )
Csirke = chicken (pronounced chir-keh )
Marha = beef (pronounced mahr-ha , push out air like when laughing at the “ha”)
Vegetáriánus = vegetarian (try to ask this and they should point at a suitable dish) (pronounced with hard “g”)
Krumpli/burgonya = potatoes (pronounced kroom-plee / boor-go-nya )
Saláta = salad (pronounced shah-lah-tah )

What else should you know about Budapest? Check out our super efficient resources: – 1-day itinerary in Budapest with detailed map and duration – the best cheap things to do in Budapest – food, attractions, transport and more – useful Budapest travel tips by locals – and much more about what to visit in Hungary

Like these simple Hungarian words? Consider leaving a tip 🙂

I think these simple Hungarian phrases and words will be very helpful during your stay in Budapest and Hungary!

Tried and tested by me, an expat in Budapest, and by my parents on holiday here 🙂

Would you like to learn more Hungarian words? Let me know in the comments! And if you found this post useful, please consider giving a donation in a few simple clicks. I really appreciate it!

14 thoughts on “ Basic and useful Hungarian phrases for a trip to Budapest ”

thank you i have a friend that speaks only hungarian no english ( in america) so i am trying to learn hungarian for her. she gets really happy when i speak hungarian. ( life is charades)

Hi Emma, that’s very sweet of you! I hope your friendship will be great! Nagyon jó!

Thank you Giulia, As you say, it’s always nice to show respect via basic language knowledge and your crib sheet helps a lot.

Hi Chris, thank you for your comment! I am glad this was useful to you 🙂

Thank you so much for these useful vocabulary words. We are going to Budapest in the next 3 weeks and I will use your information for my crash course. Glad you are here. Kind Warm Regards.

Hi Dee, thank you for your comment! I hope this was useful and you are enjoying your stay.

I spent a week in Budapest in 2007, and absolutely fell in love with the city. I had a fantastic time. Its the most beautiful city: and everyone I met could not have been nicer; especially the infinitely patient gentleman who helped me find the correct bus to get me back to the hotel when I got disoriented in Moskva ter. Getting around using the trams was SO easy and fun, but the line going to my hotel was under repair so I used the bus to get to the trams My visit was in mid-November, so it was very cold; I’m so looking forward to visiting in Spring/Summer so I can enjoy some of the places I didn’t get to see before

Hi Susan! Thank you for your comment. I’m so glad you had a great experience when getting back to your hotel! Moszkva ter – now Szell Kalman ter – is really large and a bit confusing. Come back soon, the city has changed a lot since 2007, so many buildings were renovated and it’s even more beautiful 🙂

This is fantastic information. My father’s family immigrated from Hungary. Specifically from Budapest and a small town in northeastern Hungary Nyir Lugos. It has been a lifelong dream for me to visit Hungary and see where my grandparents lived. We are planning to do so next year. I stumbled upon your website this morning and have found it to be so helpful!

Hi Tammy! Thank you for your lovely comment 🙂 I’m sure these sentences will be very useful in Nyir Lugos! I hope you’ll manage to come to Hungary next year, let me know if I can assist!

Great article! I recently found out through one of those dna testing sites that I have a bit of Hungarian in me, so this was cool to read!

Exciting! Then you will feel at home in Budapest!

Wish I had these last time I went to Hungary. Luckily I leave in the neighbourhood so it might be the first place I go to after we’re allowed to travel again. Thank you for sharing

I’m really glad I could help! I hope you will travel to Hungary soon 🙂

TOP 100 Basic Hungarian Phrases

Trying to understand different language is a huge thing for travelers. Being able to say Hello and How are you or mastering essential phrases like how to order a beer. Learning basic words is showing effort, respect, and an open mind. When traveling in Hungary, although most people, especially those in the touristy areas speak English, here are a few basic Hungarian phrases that will help you get by.

NOTE : Please keep in mind that these Hungarian phrases are written in a way that will be easiest for you to pronounce them.

We made a list of 100 basic Hungarian phrases that definitely will make your life easier while visiting Hungary.

Basic Hungarian phrases for greetings

Hello = Szia! (formal: Jó napot!)
How are you? = Hogy vagy?
I’m fine = Jól vagyok
I’m not well = Nem vagyok jól
I come from (America) = Amerikai vagyok
What country are you from? = Melyik országból jöttél?
Thank you = Köszönöm
Sorry = Elnézést
No problem = Semmi baj
Goodbye = Szia (formal: Viszont látásra!)
Can you speak English? = Beszélsz angolul?
What is your name? = Hogy hívnak?
My name is John = John vagyok

Basic Hungarian phrases for addressing people

I am = én vagyok
You are = te vagy
He/She/They = ő / ő / ők
He is/She is/They are = ő van / ő van / ők vannak
Female/Male (junior) = ő / ő
Female/Male (senior) = Ön

Basic Hungarian phrases for directions (taxis, buses, airport, etc.)

Speak slowly = Mondd lassabban, kérlek.
Do you use the taxi meter? = Bekapcsolta a taxi órát?
Nearby = közel
Go straight = Menj egyenesen!
Take/Go left = Fordulj balra!
Go right = Fordulj jobbra!
Stop = Állj meg!
To the airport please = A reptérre kérem.
Station = állomás
Bus stop = buszmegálló
Bus = autóbusz
Train = vonat
Airplane = repülő
Minibus = minibusz
Car = autó
Bicycle = bicikli
Motorcycle = motorbicikli
Boat = hajó

Basic Hungarian phrases for shopping

Bargaining is a must at the Bazaars in Hungary . Some Hungarian words will help you get a better price. Here are some useful ones…

How much? = Mennyibe kerül?
Very expensive = Nagyon drága.
Can you reduce the price? = Lehet alkudni?
I want this one = Ezt kérem szépen!

Basic Hungarian numbers

9 = kilenc
11 = tizenegy
21 = huszonegy
22 = huszonkettő
30 = harminc
31 = harmincegy
40 = negyven
50 = ötven
60 = hatvan
70 = hetven
80 = nyolcvan
90 = kilencven
100 = száz
500 = ötszáz
1,000 = ezer

Basic Hungarian phrases for restaurants or cafes

Restaurant = étterem
Café = kávézó
Excuse me = Elnézést!
Bathroom = Mosdó
What is this? = Mi ez?
Hungry = Éhes
May I have the menu = Megkaphatnám a menüt?
Vegetarian = vegetáriánus
Vegan = vegán
Water = víz
Beer = sör
Chicken = csirke
Rice = rizs
Cold = hideg
Hot = meleg
Please no ice = jég nélkül
No sugar = cukor nélkül
1 more please = még egyet kérnék
I like spicy = szeretem a csípőset
Not spicy = nem csípős

Check some Hungarian recipes here

Basic Hungarian words and sentences for an emergency

Hurts = fáj
Tooth = fog
Dentist = fogorvos
Where is the police station? = Hol van a rendőrség?
Where is the hospital? = Hol van a kórház?
Call an ambulance = Hívj mentőt!
I’m lost = Eltévedtem
Can you help = Tudnál segíteni?

Hungarian phrases for a night out

Single = szingli
Would you like a drink = Meghívhatlak egy italra?
I’m drunk = Részeg vagyok
Cheers = Egészségedre!

The 100 of the most basic Hungarian phrases help you have the wonderful trip in Hungary.

Check out our list on TOP 100 Macedonian Phrases now!

Guide,tips and tricks for Budapest travelers

Hungarian phrases for tourists 2024 | Basic Hungarian for tourists

Basic Hungarian words that tourists must learn for Budapest trip

Learning basic Hungarian phrases before your Budapest trip in 2024 can be rewarding in certain ways. In this post we cover basic phrases in Hungarian with pronunciation.Not only the basic Hungarian but we try to cover H ungarian phrases for travel which may benefit you in your next Hungary journey.

It is pretty difficult for someone to learn Hungarian if he/she is not serious about it. Additionally, Hungarian words and meanings can be challenging to learn as even google translate is not advanced enough to translate the correct meaning.

If you are staying in the Budapest city center,you may not require to speak Hungarian,however, make sure you take a comfortable backpack or carry on luggage as you will walk a lot. You can find a good variety of travel luggage on Horizn-Studios and get 20% discount with HSxBudapezt code.

This is because all the shops and restaurants have English-speaking representatives in Budapest city center.

Specially the Jewish quarter Budapest which is a tourist heaven, majority of restaurants have English speaking waiters.

If you are looking for artistic historic 5 start hotels in Budapest, we recommend checking the following.

Hilton Hotel
Mystery Hotel

Difficulty of Hungarian language should not keep you hesitant to plan a Budapest trip as following attractions don’t require Hungarian Language knowledge if you book in advance.

However, at some places, which are away from tourist areas, Hungarian becomes a necessity,even in 2024.

Table of Contents

B asic Hungarian phrases

One basic Hungarian word which every foreigner learns is “Szia” (C-yaa). It means Hi as well as Bye if you are saying to a single person.

However,for multiple addressee, Hi and Bye can be said with the word “Sziasztok” (C-yas-tok).

“Koszonom” (ko-so-num) is another basic phrase in Hungarian which means Thank you.

S zia meaning

Szia has multiple meanings in Hungarian language. Szia means Hi,Hello and Bye. If you meet some single person, you can say Szia, you can also say Szia when you are leaving after the meeting with a single person.

Szia is normally used if you are meeting a single person. If you are meeting multiple people, you can say “Sziasztok” “C-Yas-tok”. Sziasztok is also meaning Hello,Hi and Bye, but for plural audience.

How do you pronounce Hogy Vagy?

You can pronounce Hungarian phrase “Hogy Vagy” as “Hoj Voj”. Like the J sound in Benjamin.

Although gy is read as strong j, but even with the mentioned pronunciation, others will be able to understand.

It means “how are you”,and is the common question asked after Szia.

How do you respond to thank you in Hungarian?

You can respond to Thank you “Koszonom” (Ko-so-num) with word “Szivesen” in Hungarian. Szivesen is pronounced as “C-V-Shen”.

Thank you in Hungarian

There are multiple Hungarian phrases for tourists to say thank you in Hungarian.

If you are using informal Hungarian for saying Thank You, you can simply say “Koszi” pronounced as “Keh-c”.

Another alternate of saying thank you in Hungarian is “Kosz”, pronounced as “Kus” like in “Must”.

If you are using formal Hungarian for saying Thank you, you can say “Koszonem Szepen” pronounced as “Ko-so-num Say-pen”.

How do you apologize in Hungarian?

It is worth knowing some Hungarian phrases for tourist if you want to apologize for a mistake.The proper word for apologizing in Hungarian is “Bocsanot”, pronounced as “Bo-cha-not”.

However, you can use the short form of “Bocsi” pronounced as “Bochi” as well.

This word is normally used if you accidentally touch someone while walking or in the tram and bus.

And the other person,if Ok with your apology,will respond with “Semi baj” pronounced as “Shemmi Boy” meaning “no problem”.

B asic Hungarian greetings

“Szia” is the Hungarian Basic word meaning Hi,Hello and Bye, which means you can use these word for basic Hungarian greetings. However, Hungarian language does have other options to greet.

Good morning Hungarian

For saying good morning in Hungarian you should use “Jo Reggelt” pronounced as “Yo rey-get”.

Want to learn Hungarian or any other language in an easier way, check out Mondly app to get started with your language learning adventure.

Good day in Hungarian

You can say good day in Hungarian as “Jo Napod” pronounced as “Yo Napod”.

Good evening in Hungarian

For saying Good evening in Hungarian, you can say “Jo estet”,which can be pronounced as “Yo-Ash-tait”.

How to say goodnight in Hungarian

If you want to say good night in Hungarian, you can say “jó éjszakát!” which is read as “Yo-Ay-saw-kawt”.

Here Ej has the sound like English alphabet A.

Common Hungarian phrases for shopping

It would be nice to learn some common Hungarian phrases for shopping in a grocery store in Budapest were shopkeeper does not speak English. These are Ugyanaz,Kulonbseg, Kerek, Hol talalom, Keszpensz and Karty.

If you are at a Hungarian grocery store (SPAR,Tesco,CBA,ALDI) in Budapest and dont know if the price of an item is the one you are pointing to, you can ask a store helper by saying “ugyanaz (u-ja-naaz)” (is it same?)

Another key Hungarian phrase for tourists to know is “Kulonbseg” (kul-on-b-shake) which mean “Difference”.

If you are search for something in the Hungarian store, and want to ask an attendant, you can say “Kerek”. It is the Hungarian phrase for “I am looking for/I want”.

You can also use the basic Hungarian phrase “hol talalom egy” (whole taw-la-lom ej) meaning “Where can i find” .

Cash in Hungarian is Keszpenz “Case pains”, while card is called “Kartya”.

Key Hungarian Phrases for returning items

It will be a good idea to learn key Hungarian phrases, if you bought something from a grocery store in Budapest and want to return it for money.

A useful Hungarian phrase for tourists is “szeretem visszaadni abc” (ser-et-tem vissa-adni abc) which means “I want to return it”.

Another easy phrase in Hungarian for tourists to use when returning items can be “nem kerek” (Nem Kay-rek) which is”I do not want it”.

For changing an item you can ask with the basic Hungarian phrase like this “szeretem cherelni ezt a termek” (ser-et-tem cher-ail-ni aiz-t a ter-maik) which means “i want to change this product”.

One of the top attractions in Budapest is the Great Synagogue . If you plan to visit, make sure to book your Great Synagogue ticket in advance to avoid long queues.

Although you can survive without having money exchange Budapest.

But, at some souvenir shop Budapest in Central Market Hall Budapest , you may find some vendors not speaking English, in such cases, these phrases may be useful.

But in such shops,buying through credit card and then returning of money procedure may be different for each vendor shop. If you have around 2 hours, it is worth checking Budapest Market Hall walk with tastings .

Basic Hungarian phrases for using toilets

In Hungarian language there are hardly any words which are same as in English.

However, with toilets and bathroom, the spellings of terminologies in Hungarian are almost same,but pronunciations are different.

Toilet in Hungarian has many variants, and has following terminologies in Hungarian language.

One of the terminology for toilet in Hungarian is WC also written as vécé , which is pronounced as “Way-tSay” in Hungarian,while in English is called “Dub-lew See”.

Toilet is also called Toalett in Hungarian language.

Check more about Public toilets Budapest.

For washrooms, the Hungarian word in fürdőszoba which is pronounced as”Fur-dow-Soba”.

In any Shopping mall Budapest , off course you can find the signs and directions for toilets.

However, if you have to deal with the workers, these words may come handy.

Hungarian words for medical terms

If you are a patient, or get sick during your Budapest trip, you may need to buy medicines.

Pharmacy is also called pharmacy at some places in Budapest, however, there are other names associated as well.

Hungarian names for pharmacy are “patika” and “Gyogyszertar”(joj-ser-tar).There are limited 24 hour pharmacies in Budapest .

Hospital in Hungarian is called “KorHaz” (core haz).Doctor is called Orvos (Or-vosh) or HaziOrvos (Hazi-Orvosh).

If you are not an EU citizen, and encounter any emergency in Budapest to visit Hospital.The hospitals may charge a high fee which may range from 50 to 200 USD/EUR/GBP just for a normal checkup,while staying in the hospital will be pretty high cost.

It is recommended to get health insurance before traveling to Budapest, one recommended option is insubuy .

Hungarian phrases for Metro journey

Are you traveling to Budapest with train, it is better to know some Hungarian words associated with train station.

The Hungarian word for train station is “ vasútállomás” (Va-Shoot-Alo-Mash) .Another word associated with Hungarian train stations is “ pályaudvar” (Paa-ya-Ud-Var).

The word Palyudvar is also associated with famous Hungarian train stations.e.g. Keleti Palyaudvar,Deli Palyaudvar and Nyugati Palyaudvar.

Due to complexities associated with BKV website which is in Hungarian, it is better to book your Budapest train ticket with TrainLine .

If you are traveling in Budapest underground metros, you will hear this Hungarian phrase “a következő megállo …”, which means, the “next station is….”.

Hungarian words for air journey

Airport is called “ repülőtér ” (Ray-pool-o-tayr) in Hungarian.

If you are using Bus 100E from Deak Ferenc ter,Kalvin ter or Astoria to reach the Budapest airport, it will contain English boards along with Hungarian,but coming through M3+200E bus may not be very English friendly.

If you are at the Budapest airport,and want to check arrivals, you should check érkezés (Air-keh-zaish), while departures can be checked under board displaying Indulás (In-du-lash).

Arriving at the airport,although you can book a taxi from the booth,right next to the arrivals section.

In case you want to book airport transfers prior to your Budapest visit,Either you can spend sometime finding the best taxis in Budapest or you can find estimated fares online.

Hungarian words for taxi

As of 2024, you will not find many foreign taxi drivers in Budapest.

Luckily, the taxis in Budapest are yellow in color and also called Taxi.

Uber Budapest is not there, but Bolt Taxi, Fo Taxi and City Taxi are somehow trusted names among Budapest Taxis .

In Budapest,if the taxi driver in Budapest is above 40, there are more chances that he does not speak English.

The Hungarian words for Going/coming and their forms in present/past/future tenses are hard to understand for first timers.

In case you book a taxi on the road, the best way to tell him your destination is to show him a written address with post code and ask an estimated fare in written format. Here are some examples.

1061 – Budapest, Király u. 30

1066 – Budapest, Teréz krt. 25

Although it is not advised to book a taxi from the road,but calling it from the official number of taxi company,as you will be able to speak in English.

Taxis which are registered in Budapest have written a sticker “ minősített taxi ” ( licensed taxi) on back doors.

Instead of booking a taxi to explore the city, it is better to have a guided tour with tuk tuk riksha that takes through major monuments in Budapest.

Hungarian words while driving in Budapest

While driving a car in Budapest, you have to be very careful.

Before entering to a street in Budapest,specially city center, you should check if it is allowed to enter the street.

Although White circle with red perimeter is a clear sign for no entry in Hungary, but sometimes there is another board beneath the circle.

Still in 2024,it may be challenging for you to read Hungarian sign boards with no English translation on Budapest streets.

The board is written like “ Kiveve Engedellyel “, it means only authorized people are allowed to enter this street. Hence, if you are a tourist,most probably you will not be authorized.

Similarly, at some signs show “ Kiveve and a bicycle sign ” which means, only bicycles are allowed to enter the street while the other exceptions stand true.

An additional Hungarian phrase you may see on traffic boards is “ behajtani tilos “, which means “No Entry”, as it may be a one way road.

Magánterület, behajtás csak engedéllyel! is normally displayed in Hungary,in front of private properties or private parking. It means private properties,only authorized people can enter.

A similar word used in front of private properties is Idegeneknek belépni tilos! which means “entry of unknown people is forbidden”.

Important Hungarian words for drinking

Budapest is famous for partying,cheap beer and having fun time.

In the city area,while having a pub crawl,evening cruise with drinks and visiting ruin bars of Budapest, you can easily live with English Language.

However, if you are staying outside the city, you may face challenges in talking to locals who are not English speaking.

If you happen to visit a store for buying beers, or wine for partying at your place, you will definitely need to know these words.

Hungarian word for Wine is “Bor”, while Beer is called “Sor” pronounced as “Shr”.

Another famous drink which is specific to Hungary is the Hungarian Palinka.

Egészségedre in English

When Hungarians are drinking,their way for saying cheers is egészségedre.

Egészségedre means “for your good health” and pronounced as Ay-Gays-Shay-Gay-d-Ry.

Still wondering what are the current prices in Budapest ?

If you want to have cheap and best breakfast in Budapest , you can buy from the ALDI store which has best croissants.

However,if you are in a non-tourist place in Budapest, you must remember “Reggelli” which is breakfast in Hungarian.

Hungarian numbers pronunciation

0 – nulla(zéró) 1 – egy (pronounced as edge) 2 – kettő (pronounced as Ketto, kett like in kettle) 3 – három (pronounced as Harom) 4 – négy (Pronounced as Naige like in Baige) 5 – öt (Pronounced as oot like in foot) 6 – hat (Pronounced as Hawt) 7 – hét (Pronounced as Hate) 8 – nyolc (Prnounced as Ni-yol-ts) 9 – kilenc (Pronounced as Key-len-ts)

Parking-fines-and-car-locks-Budapest-Hungary

Budapest Parking 2024 | Parking in Budapest 2024

Budapest food prices | Prices in Budapest 2024

Cheap shopping in Budapest 2024 | Sales in Budapest 2024

Does Budapest have uber?Uber Budapest Alternative 2024

Privacy overview.

11 Essential Hungarian Phrases You...

Essential Hungarian Phrases, According to a Language Expert

Often described as one of the world’s most difficult languages, Hungarian presents a challenge to visitors hoping to test their linguistic mettle. Get the lowdown on the most important (and occasionally amusing) phrases to learn, from Hungarian teacher Dávid Hollós.

The jury’s out on exactly how difficult Hungarian is to learn, but one thing’s for sure: this rich language is among Europe’s loneliest. With Hungary (mostly) surrounded by Slavic-speaking countries, Hungarian’s closest (but still distant) relative is much further north, in Finland. Both Finnish and Hungarian belong to the Finno-Ugric language family, along with Estonian and a number of languages spoken by smaller communities in northeastern Europe and Siberia. The relative solitude of Magyar (as the language is called in Hungarian) – not to mention its 14 vowel sounds – certainly contributes to the difficulty it presents to speakers of other European languages.

Nonetheless, mastering a few Hungarian phrases will add to any Budapest city break or an adventure discovering the wine regions of Hungary . This brief guide takes in key expressions and popular idioms, both equipping you to conquer the bar or supermarket and offering insight into Hungarian culture as reflected in its language .

Greetings and other useful words and phrases

Szia (see-ya) / Sziasztok ( see- ya-stock)

Meaning: Hi / Hello / Bye (informal)

This is the basic greeting among friends. Use szia when greeting one person and use sziasztok when meeting several people. The phrase can also be used when saying goodbye; this one’s fairly intuitive for English speakers, given the phonetic closeness to the ubiquitous informal goodbye, ‘See ya!’

Jó napot (yoh nah -poht)

Become a Culture Tripper!

See privacy policy .

Meaning: Good day / Good morning

As in many languages, in Hungarian there is a difference between informal and formal address. If you want to be more formal, you can use Jó napot as a general greeting, regardless of the time of day. It’s an incredibly useful catch-all phrase for language learners.

Viszontlátásra ( vee -sont-lah-tash-rah)

Meaning: Goodbye

This phrase is rather formal, so you shouldn’t say it to friends when bidding them farewell. Although it looks very long, thankfully the short version is also perfectly acceptable: viszlát (vee-slaht).

Jó reggelt / estét / éjszakát (yoh reg -ghelt / esh -tate / ey -sa-kaht)

Meaning: Good morning / evening / night

The general rule of thumb is that you should say Jó reggelt until around 10am, Jó estét after around 6pm or 7pm and Jó éjszakát when heading to bed, as with ‘Good night’ in English. For everything in between, Jó napot or Szia(sztok) is a safe bet.

Igen / nem ( ee ghen / nehm)

Meaning: Yes / no

Luckily, these basic expressions are pretty simple in Hungarian – don’t be afraid to say igen to new adventures in Hungary!

Elnézést ( el -neh-zesht)

Meaning: Excuse me

If you want to ask somebody for something, this is a near foolproof expression with which to begin your request. It will also almost certainly come in handy when fighting to get off the bus – preferably accompanied by an appropriate level of assertiveness.

Köszönöm ( kew -sew-newm) / Köszi ( kew -see)

Meaning: Thank you / Thanks

Never underestimate the power of a kind word – Hungarian hearts can be melted with a vote of thanks in their native tongue. Köszönöm can be used in just about any situation, while köszi is informal and should be avoided when addressing older people.

Nem értem / Nem beszélek magyarul (nehm ehr -tehm / nehm be -say-lek ma -djar-oohl)

Meaning: I don’t understand / I don’t speak Hungarian

However confident you might be in your linguistic abilities, there’s always a chance you won’t understand absolutely everything. These phrases might help you out, although there is a good chance that the cause of your confusion will be repeated back to you, just slower and louder.

Visiting a restaurant / bar

Egy sört / bort / pálinkát kérek (edj shewr -t / bohr -t / pah -link-ah-t keh -rek)

Meaning: I’d like one beer / wine / pálinka please

Hungary is making a name for itself as a prime destination for wine connoisseurs (you might have heard about wine from the Tokaj region, for example), while excellent local beer is available in supermarkets and bars. No visit to Hungary would be complete without trying pálinka – a local fruit brandy, fermented exclusively from fruit without any sugar or alcohol added. It’s no surprise, then, that being able to order at the bar in Hungary is a matter of extreme importance.

Egy sör nem sör (edj shewr nem shewr)

Meaning: One beer is not a beer

This succinct phrase originates from the longer saying, ‘One beer is not a beer, two beers are half a beer, four beers are one beer but one beer is not a beer…’ and expresses the universal truth that one beer is never enough.

Nagyon finom ( nadj -ohn feeh -nohm)

Meaning: Very delicious

The perfect phrase to compliment the chef on a delectable plate of traditional chicken paprikash or lecsó vegetable stew.

Egészségedre ( ag -esh-sheg-ad-reh)

Meaning: Cheers / Bless you

Egészségedre (literally meaning ‘to your health’) is said when glasses are raised for a toast. Don’t forget to look into each other’s eyes while saying it, otherwise it will bring you seven years of bad luck. This phrase is also said when somebody sneezes.

Fizetek / Fizetnék ( fee -zet-ek / fee -zet-nehk)

Meaning: I’d like to pay

When you are at a restaurant, this is the easiest way to express your desire to hand over your money in exchange for all the delicious dishes you’ve just enjoyed.

A számlát kérem (ah szahm -laht keh -rehm)

Meaning: I’d like the bill please

This slightly more complex phrase is most likely accompanied with the internationally known gesture of writing a phantom signature in the air.

Készpénz / bankkártya ( cays -pehnz / bank kahr -tja)

Meaning: Cash / card

Many market stalls (and some smaller shops) only accept cash, so these two expressions might come in especially handy when trying to buy some traditional paprika or a bottle of Tokaj wine.

Conversation and other hobbies

Hogy vagy ? (hodj vadj)

Meaning: How are you?

A common conversation starter, but people offering a friendly Hogy vagy ? rarely expect to hear a monologue about your problems – it’s better to give a short answer, then ask the same question and hope your interlocutor returns the favour.

Puszi ! ( poo -see)

Meaning: Kiss on the cheek

It’s not what you think! Puszi is a very common phrase used when finishing a phone call or when friends (usually girls) say goodbye after hanging out together. To add to the cuteness (or hilarity) of this phrase, it’s often said twice.

Szeretlek ( seh -ret-lehk)

Meaning: I love you

Planning on falling in love on your trip to Hungary? This is a simple but effective way to express your affection. A word of advice, though: with every beautiful Hungarian admirer comes a dad with homemade pálinka that you will likely be required to consume to excess. The reward is great: if you survive, you will instantly become a family member.

Slang and unusual sayings

Szakad az eső ( sah -kaad az eh -shew)

Meaning: ‘The rain is being torn apart’ – said when observing heavy rain; along the lines of ‘It’s raining cats and dogs’

Heavy storms and rain are commonplace in Hungary, particularly after hot summer days. When Hungarian speakers look out of the window and see a downpour, they might disappointedly say ‘Már megint szakad az eső…’ (‘Oh no, the rain is being torn apart again…’). At least there are no falling household pets, right?

Király / zsír / állat ( kee -rali / zhee -r / ah -laat)

Meaning: Cool (literally ‘king / fat / animal’)

Don’t be alarmed by the near-constant discussion of kings and fat animals in Hungary – this is a good thing. Roughly equivalent to the English exclamation ‘Cool!’, when something is really good you may well hear Hungarians say ‘Ez király! Ez nagyon zsír!’ (‘This is king! This is very fat!’) or ‘Ez nagyon állat!’ (‘This is very animal!’).

Meaning: Very (literally ‘pumpkin’)

In addition to the wide variety of pumpkins grown on Hungarian soil, the local language is also flush with the tasty squash. Often used to mean ‘very’, the phrase is an endearing intensifier to add emphasis to your sentences. You can be tök boldog (‘pumpkin happy’), tök szomorú (‘pumpkin sad’) or things can be tök jó / rossz (‘pumpkin good / bad’). After all, why limit pumpkins to your dinner plate?

These are just a few of the phrases that might come in handy when visiting Hungary. One question still remains: isn’t Hungarian tök király ?

Culture Trips launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes places and communities so special.

Our immersive trips , led by Local Insiders, are once-in-a-lifetime experiences and an invitation to travel the world with like-minded explorers. Our Travel Experts are on hand to help you make perfect memories. All our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

All our travel guides are curated by the Culture Trip team working in tandem with local experts. From unique experiences to essential tips on how to make the most of your future travels, we’ve got you covered.

Places to Stay

The best hotels to book in debrecen, hungary, for every traveller.

The Best Spa Hotels in Hungary

Artist Márta Kucsora Talks Hungarian Art and Where To See It in Budapest

Architecture

The most beautiful ödön lechner buildings in budapest.

The Best Luxury Hotels to Book in Hungary

Food & Drink

The 8 best cafes in szentendre.

See & Do

Lake balaton: journey to the hungarian sea with photographer zsófia pályi.

The Best Hotels in Hungary for Every Traveller

All Aboard the Budapest Railway Staffed (Almost) Entirely By Children

The 7 Best Places to Stay in Szentendre, Hungary

Introducing Panel Magazine, The Literary Journal Born In A Budapest Bookshop

Coming Home: The Revival of Jewish Life in Budapest

Post ID: 1113997
Sponsored? No
View Payload

Matador Original Series

33 awesome expressions to know before you travel to hungary.

This list covers some of the most common sayings, used both in Hungary and beyond.

1. Úgy szép az élet, ha zajlik.

“Life is beautiful if it’s happening.”

Life is good when it is interesting when things happen, even if they are stressful or don’t go in the direction we intend them to. People use this phrase when someone is complaining that life is getting too busy, or too stressful.

2. A türelem rózsát teremt.

“Patience creates roses.”

The equivalent of “All good things come to those who wait”.

3. Fából vaskarika.

“Iron ring made of wood.”

The expression is used for something impossible, something absurd.

4. Lassan járj, tovább érsz.

“Walk slowly, you’ll get farther.”

Don’t rush things, they will turn out better.

5. Két malomba őrölnek.

“They grind in two different mills.”

They speak about two different things, which leads to a misunderstanding.

6. Egyik tizenkilenc, másik egy híján húsz.

“One is nineteen, the other is one less than twenty.”

They are both equal, referring usually to equally bad.

7. Sokat akar a szarka, de nem bírja a farka.

“The magpie wants a lot, but its tail can’t carry it all.”

When someone is trying to do more than they are capable of or more than possible in a given time, they are given this reminder. Equivalent of “ Don’t bite off more than you can chew .”

8. Ahány ház, annyi szokás.

“As many customs as houses.”

Every family has its own customs.

9. A jég hátán is megél.

“He/she can survive on ice.”

Nothing can bring him/her down.

10. Eső után köpönyeg.

“Raincoat after the rain.”

It is too late to fix something.

11. Sok beszéd szegénység.

“Too much talk is poverty.”

Instead of talking, you should take action.

12. Ritka, mint a fehér holló.

“As rare as the white raven.”

It is extremely rare.

13. A rest kétszer fárad.

“The lazy one tires twice.”

If you don’t do something right the first time, you’ll have to do it all over again.

14. Se füle, se farka.

“It has no ears, nor tail.”

It makes no sense.

15. Zsákbamacska.

“Cat in a sack.”

You don’t know what you are getting.

16. Vak tyúk is talál szemet.

“Even a blind chicken finds one grain.”

Anyone might get a great result once, it doesn’t mean it will always occur.

17. Madarat tolláról, embert barátjáról ismerni meg.

“You’ll recognize the bird from its feathers, the man from his friends.”

You are who your friends are.

18. A hazug embert hamarabb utolérik, mint a sánta kutyát.

“A lying man is caught faster than a limping dog.”

A liar will be caught very fast. Used when the speaker suspects someone is lying, but can’t prove it.

19. Disznótór nem erőszak.

“No one is forced to attend the dinner party after killing the pig.”

For traditional Hungarians killing a pig is a popular event, attended by the whole village, or neighborhood, and culminates in a great dinner/celebration. The expression is used when someone is offered a great opportunity but is reluctant to accept it.

20. Ki korán kel aranyat lel.

“The one who gets up early will find gold.”

Early bird gets the worm.

21. Addig nyújtózz, amíg a takaród ér.

“Stretch only as far as your blanket reaches.”

Only take on as much as you are capable of doing.

22. Körmödre ég a gyertya.

“The candle is burning on your nail.”

You put off something until the very last minute.

23. Nem lehet mindent egy kalap alá vetni.

“We can’t put everything under one hat.”

Everything is variable, we can’t consider everything under the same rule.

24. Sejti, mint macska az esőt.

“He/she suspects it, like the cat (suspects) the rain.”

It is said of someone who thinks he/she knows something that might happen in the near future but isn’t sure of it.

25. Nagy port vert fel.

“It kicked up a lot of dust.”

It refers to people who made a huge deal of something, such as news that got blown out of proportion.

26. Nagy kő esett le a szívéről.

“A big stone fell off his/her heart.”

It is said when something that caused great stress or worry got resolved.

27. Kötve hiszem.

“I believe it if I’m tied off.”

I doubt it.

28. Fabatkát sem ér.

“It is not worth a wooden coin.”

It is worthless, not worth a penny.

29. Rossz fát tett a tűzre.

“He/she put bad wood on the fire.”

They did something wrong.

30. Nagy fába vágta a fejszéjét.

“He/she got his/her ax in a big tree trunk.”

They attempted something very difficult.

31. Köti az ebet a karóhoz.

“He/she is tying the dog to the pole.”

It is said about someone who won’t let go (of an idea).

32. Várja, hogy a sült galamb a szájába repüljön.

“He/she is waiting for the baked bird to fall into his/her mouth.”

It is said about someone too lazy to do anything even for themselves.

33. Nem akar kötélnek állni.

“He/she doesn’t want to stand for the rope.”

Trending Now

The 25 dreamiest airbnbs in italy, 27 zion national park cabins to make your desert dreams come true, this road trip expert’s free map of 429 national park sites will vastly improve your us travels, 19 unique airbnbs in los angeles' trendiest neighborhoods, 22 airbnbs in austin for a bbq- and music-filled trip, discover matador, adventure travel, train travel, national parks, beaches and islands, ski and snow.

We use cookies for analytics tracking and advertising from our partners.

For more information read our privacy policy .

Matador's Newsletter

Subscribe for exclusive city guides, travel videos, trip giveaways and more!

You've been signed up!

Hungarian phrasebook

1 Understand
2.2 Consonants
3.1 Case System
4.2 Problems
4.3 Numbers
4.4.1 Clock time
4.4.2 Duration
4.4.4 Months
4.4.5 Writing time and date
4.6.1 Bus and train
4.6.2 Directions
4.7 Lodging
4.11 Shopping
4.12 Driving
4.13 Authority
5 Learning more

Hungarian ( magyar ) is a Uralic, non-Indo-European linguistic island spoken in Central Europe found mainly in Hungary but also in parts of Austria , Slovakia , Romania , Ukraine , Slovenia , Croatia and Serbia . It is surrounded by, but not related to, Germanic, Romance and Slavic languages, from which it borrows heavily (the ö, the ü and the knack for combining two-words-in-one from German, the soft sign from Slavs). Its closest relatives are Khanty and Mansi, both spoken in the Khanty–Mansi Autonomous Okrug of Russia . Two of Hungarian's distant relatives, both spoken in Europe, are Finnish and Estonian . It shares the following properties with them:

There is no grammatical gender.
The first syllable is almost always stressed (including in borrowed words).
Vowel and consonant length are distinctive; i.e., the meanings of words change when they are altered.
Words are marked by case endings ("suffixes") which take on vowels similar to those in the words (e.g., a vonat Budá ra vagy Pest re közlekedik = the train goes to Buda or Pest ). This feature makes Hungarian an agglutinative language.
The importance of the similarity of vowels is a common aspect among languages which share a feature known as vowel harmony . The rules of vowel harmony are quite complex, but the phenomenon basically consists of vowels produced in the front of the mouth being placed together and vowels produced in the back of the mouth being placed together, with front and back vowels not being used together.

Remember, one difference in pronunciation or vowel length can lead to misinterpretation.

English-speakers tend to find most everything about the written language tough going, including a number of unusual sounds like gy (often pronounced like the d in "during" in British English and ű (vaguely like a long English e as in me with rounded lips), as well as agglutinative grammar that leads to fearsome-looking words like eltéveszthetetlen (unmistakable) and viszontlátásra (goodbye).

Also, letters can be pronounced differently than in English: the "s" always has a "sh" sound, the "sz" has the "s" sound, and the "c" is pronounced like the English "ts", to name a few. On the upside, it is written with the familiar Roman alphabet (though one adorned with lots of accents), and — unlike English — it has almost totally phonetic spelling. This means that if you learn how to pronounce the 44 letters of the alphabet and the digraphs, you will be able to pronounce almost every Hungarian word properly.

The stress always falls on the first syllable of any word, so all the goodies on top of the vowels are pronunciation cues, and not indicators of stress. Diphthongs are almost nonexistent in Hungarian (except in adopted foreign words). Just one of many profound grammatical differences from most European languages is that Hungarian does not have or need the verb "to have" in the sense of possession - the indicator of possession is attached to the possessed noun and not the possessor, e.g. Kutya = dog, Kutyám = my dog, Van egy kutyám = I have a dog, or literally "Is one dog-my".

Hungarian has a very specific case system which encompasses the grammatical, locative, oblique, and the less productive; for example a noun used as the subject has no suffix, while when used as a direct object, the letter "t" is attached as a suffix, with a vowel if necessary. One simplifying aspect of Hungarian is that there is no grammatical gender, even with the pronouns "he" or "she", which are both "ő", so one does not have to worry about the random Der, Die, Das sort of thing that occurs in German; "the" is simply "a", or "az" if the following noun starts with a vowel. In Hungarian, family name precedes given name, as in some Asian languages. And the list of differences goes on and on, such as the definite and indefinite conjugational system, vowel harmony, etc. Attempting anything beyond the very basics will gain you a great deal of respect since so few non-native Hungarians ever attempt to learn any of this difficult but fascinating language.

Pronunciation guide

Vowel length is indicated by the acute accent. Words are often distinguished only by vowel length: e.g., k ó r "disease" vs. k o r "age".

Only the consonants having sounds different from those in English are noted here. Consonant length is distinctive: tizenegyedik "eleventh" vs. tizennegyedik "fourteenth". Consonants written with two letters are doubled by doubling the first letter: asszony "woman". Exception: tizennyolc is tizen-nyolc . Think of pronouncing 'Ben Nevis' with the two n's pronounced separately, with a split-second pause between them.

Unless you are seriously considering mastering Hungarian, learning Hungarian grammar on your trip is not realistic. But it can help to at least recognize that the following verb conjugations and noun/adjective declensions are used. Perhaps the most difficult feature of Hungarian is the presence of 18 Grammatical Cases. Hungarian usually follows a Subject-Object-Verb word syntax, and like most Uralic languages, is an agglutinative language.

Case System

Nominative: The subject of the sentence, usually no ending.
Accusative: Showing possession of the direct object.
Illative: When the subject goes into something.
Inessive: When the subject goes in something.
Elative: When the subject goes out of or out from something.
Sublative: When the subject goes onto the object.
Suppressive: When the subject goes on or at a particular object.
Delative: When the subject goes off, from or about the object.
Allative: Towards the object.
Adessive: Near, at the object.
Ablative: (away) from an object.
Dative: to, for an object.
Instrumental: With/By an object.
Translative: (turning) into
Causal-Final: for the purpose of doing something
Essive-Formal: As
Terminative: Up to/Until
Distributive: Per, each.

Phrase list

Writing time and date, transportation, bus and train, learning more.

Has custom banner
Guide phrasebooks
Guide articles
Phrasebooks

Essential Hungarian Phrases, According to a Language Expert

Check out this guide to some of the most useful and fascinating phrases in the hungarian language, from simple greetings to intriguing idioms..

Often described as one of the world’s most difficult languages, Hungarian presents a challenge to visitors hoping to test their linguistic mettle. Get the lowdown on the most important (and occasionally amusing) phrases to learn, from Hungarian teacher Dávid Hollós.

Szia (see-ya) / Sziasztok ( see- ya-stock)

Meaning: Hi / Hello / Bye (informal)

Jó napot (yoh nah -poht)

Meaning: Good day / Good morning

Viszontlátásra ( vee -sont-lah-tash-rah)

Meaning: Goodbye

Jó reggelt / estét / éjszakát (yoh reg -ghelt / esh -tate / ey -sa-kaht)

Meaning: Good morning / evening / night

Igen / nem ( ee ghen / nehm)

Meaning: Yes / no

Luckily, these basic expressions are pretty simple in Hungarian – don’t be afraid to say igen to new adventures in Hungary!

Elnézést ( el -neh-zesht)

Meaning: Excuse me

Köszönöm ( kew -sew-newm) / Köszi ( kew -see)

Meaning: Thank you / Thanks

Nem értem / Nem beszélek magyarul (nehm ehr -tehm / nehm be -say-lek ma -djar-oohl)

Meaning: I don’t understand / I don’t speak Hungarian

Egy sört / bort / pálinkát kérek (edj shewr -t / bohr -t / pah -link-ah-t keh -rek)

Meaning: I’d like one beer / wine / pálinka please

Egy sör nem sör (edj shewr nem shewr)

Meaning: One beer is not a beer

Nagyon finom ( nadj -ohn feeh -nohm)

Meaning: Very delicious

The perfect phrase to compliment the chef on a delectable plate of traditional chicken paprikash or lecsó vegetable stew.

Egészségedre ( ag -esh-sheg-ad-reh)

Meaning: Cheers / Bless you

Fizetek / Fizetnék ( fee -zet-ek / fee -zet-nehk)

Meaning: I’d like to pay

When you are at a restaurant, this is the easiest way to express your desire to hand over your money in exchange for all the delicious dishes you’ve just enjoyed.

A számlát kérem (ah szahm -laht keh -rehm)

Meaning: I’d like the bill please

This slightly more complex phrase is most likely accompanied with the internationally known gesture of writing a phantom signature in the air.

Készpénz / bankkártya ( cays -pehnz / bank kahr -tja)

Meaning: Cash / card

Many market stalls (and some smaller shops) only accept cash, so these two expressions might come in especially handy when trying to buy some traditional paprika or a bottle of Tokaj wine.

Hogy vagy ? (hodj vadj)

Meaning: How are you?

Puszi ! ( poo -see)

Meaning: Kiss on the cheek

Szeretlek ( seh -ret-lehk)

Meaning: I love you

Szakad az eső ( sah -kaad az eh -shew)

Meaning: ‘The rain is being torn apart’ – said when observing heavy rain; along the lines of ‘It’s raining cats and dogs’

Király / zsír / állat ( kee -rali / zhee -r / ah -laat)

Meaning: Cool (literally ‘king / fat / animal’)

Meaning: Very (literally ‘pumpkin’)

These are just a few of the phrases that might come in handy when visiting Hungary. One question still remains: isn’t Hungarian tök király ?

23 Hungarian phrases to learn while in Budapest

There's no doubt that the Hungarian language is incredibly hard to learn, but these few words are probably the most important to master while in Budapest. Not only that, trying to speak a few words to a local in Hungarian might help get a better answer out of them, or a smile at the very least. We've provided a not-very-technical pronunciation guide and some information on exactly how to use your new Hungarian words. Have fun and good luck!

EDITOR’S NOTE: For a more comprehensive list of crucial Hungarian phrases, check out our more recent article on the topic, 36 useful Hungarian phrases for varied occasions in Budapest :

How to pronounce it : See-yaw What it means: Basically it means 'hi!' but it can also mean goodbye. Double it up for a friendly 'szia-szia' when you're leaving friends.

How to pronounce it : Haw-j Vah-j (j as in joke) What it means: Literally 'how are you?' Make sure you ask this only if you really want to know how the other person is as this question is likely to elicit a long, detailed explanation of everything happening in their life - good or bad.

How to pronounce it : Me ooh-y-shaarg? (y as in yolk) What it means: Basically this means 'what's news?' It generally gets a much simpler response than 'hogy vagy?' A typical response is 'minden ok,' which means 'everything's ok.' If your Hungarian lessons are progressing well you can even just ask 'mizu?' (pronounced: me-zoo), which is slang for 'mi újság?' If you're using 'mizu?' then ten gold stars for you!

Csókolj meg!

How to pronounce it : Choc-ohly mag! (y as in yolk) What it means: 'Kiss me, beneath the milky twilight, Lead me out on the moonlit floor.' Well actually it just means 'kiss me' and if things are progressing well during your stay in Budapest this could be one of the best phrases you learn. But beware: if you've just met the person, this phrase could either get you kissed or punched in the face.

Csinos vagy.

How to pronounce it : Chee-nosh vah-j (j as in joke) What it means: 'You're pretty.' You would normally say this to a girl. Spread the love! If you see a pretty girl, let her know.

Jóképű vagy.

How to pronounce it : Yoh cap-ooh vah-j (j as in joke) What it means: 'You're good looking.' You would normally say this to a boy. He'll be very flattered.

Hol vannak a lányok?

How to pronounce it : Whole vahn-knack aw lun-nok What it means: 'Where are the girls?' Don't worry! There are plenty of people out and about, especially in the heart of District VII, particularly on Kazinczy and Király streets.

Mennyi az idő?

How to pronounce it : Man-yee aw-z id-err What it means: 'What time is it?'

Hol vagyok?

How to pronounce it : Whole vah-j-ork (j as in joke) What it means: 'Where am I?' Maybe it's time to ask for directions or to consult your map.

Kérek egy sört / bort / pálinkát.

How to pronounce it : Keh-rack a-j (a as in apple, j as in joke) cher-t (Cher as in the singer) / bore-t / pah-lin-cart What it means: 'I'd like a beer / wine / pálinka.' And that brings us to what is possibly THE most important word in the Hungarian language: pálinka. This is a Hungarian fruit brandy that comes in flavours like plum, honey, cherry, apricot etc. It's a potent spirit that you'll either love or hate, but no matter what you must try it at least once while in Budapest.

Éhes vagyok!

How to pronounce it : Eh-hash Vah-j-ork (j as in joke) What it means: 'I'm hungry!!!!' Well you won't be for long! Budapest is full of great culinary options and traditional Hungarian food is hearty to say the least.

Egészségedre!

How to pronounce it : Ag-esh-sheg-ad-reh What it means: 'Cheers!' Make sure you clink glasses and say this before taking the first sip of your alcoholic beverage. And make sure you look the person in the eye! It's considered rude not to in Hungary.

Jo étvágyat!

How to pronounce it : Yoh-ehrt-vah-jot (y as in yolk, j as in joke) What it means: 'Bon appetit!' Waiters often say this when placing meals on the table, and if you're eating a meal with a Hungarian they'll definitely say this before starting to eat.

Tele vagyok.

How to pronounce it: Te-le Vah-jork What it means: 'I'm full!' You'll probably say this more than once, while you're in Budapest especially because what we call street-food snacks like lángos will literally keep you full for the whole day. Also if you're trying things like Hungarian gulyás soup there's no way you'll be left hungry.

Finom volt.

How to pronounce it: Fee-nom vault What it means: 'It was yummy!' You can say this to the waiter when he asks how your dish was, or just say 'finom!' while eating as an exclamation of delight - 'yum!'

How to pronounce it: Whole lah-come? What it means: 'Where do I live?' Let's hope you never have to ask this. But if you do, it's probably a sign of a good night. We'd be so proud of you if you forgot where you lived but remembered all your Hungarian words.

Merre van a Szimpla?

How to pronounce it: Meh-reh vahn aw Seem-plah What it means: 'Which way is Szimpla?' If you haven't yet heard, Szimpla is Budapest's first and most famous ruin pub. It's a favourite of tourists and Erasmus students.

How to pronounce it: Ser-at-lack What it means: 'I love you!'

Nem kérek csipőst és hagymát.

How to pronounce it : Nam keh-rack chee-persht ersh haw-j-mart What it means: This phrase means: 'I don't want chilli or onions.' If you can say this while ordering a gyros at midnight after a few shots of pálinka well good on you, sir! Whether you're a boy or a girl you'll definitely be asked if you want chilli and onions on your gyros. Most people will say no to both in the hope of getting to say 'csókolj meg!' to someone later in the evening.

Találkozzunk egy kávéra.

How to pronounce it : Ta-lahl-cozz-oonk eh-j kah-veh-ra (j as in joke) What it means: ' Let's meet for a coffee.'

Mennyibe kerül?

How to pronounce it : Men-yee-beh ker-ool What it means: 'How much is it?'

Van egy cigid?

How to pronounce it : Vahn eh-j cig-eed (j as in joke) What it means: 'Do you have a cigarette?' This implies that you don't have one and would like to scrounge one.

Eco-friendly Budapest – How to go green around town in 2024

If you visit or live in the Hungarian capital, here’s how you can contribute to the city’s nature-friendly initiatives.

New urban district to be built on the Danube, with artificial lake and sandy beach

A Mediterranean lagoon in Budapest? Sure, why not? With the new project, you will soon enjoy a sandy beach, a luxury hotel, and shopping facilities!

10 family-friendly attractions to enjoy with kids in Budapest

Budapest is not only child-friendly but child-focused.

The astounding stairways of Buda Castle

Many routes lead to the hilltop sights of Budapest’s most hallowed neighborhood, but these sets of statuesque stone steps are enchanting in and of themselves.

Constructed scripts
Multilingual Pages

Useful Hungarian phrases

A collection of useful phrases in Hungarian, a Uralic language spoken mainly in Hungary.

Jump to phrases

See these phrases in any combination of two languages in the Phrase Finder . If you can provide recordings, corrections or additional translations, please contact me .

Key to abbreviations: frm = formal, inf = informal, sg = singular (said to one person), pl = plural (said to more than one person).

Audio recordings by Zoltán and Ildi

Download all the audio files (Zip format, 1.9MB)

Hear some Hungarian phrases:

If you would like to make any corrections or additions to this page, or if you can provide recordings, please contact me .

Collections of Hungarian phrases (some with audio) http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/other/quickfix/hungarian.shtml http://www.transparent.com/languagepages/hungarian/HuPhrases.htm http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Travel-g274881-s604/Hungary:Important.Phrases.html

Phrases in other languages

728x90 (Best VPN)

Why not share this page:

Talk in Arabic - Learn Egyptian, Iraqi, Levantine, Sundanese, Moroccan, Algerian or Saudi Arabic

If you like this site and find it useful, you can support it by making a donation via PayPal or Patreon , or by contributing in other ways . Omniglot is how I make my living.

Get a 30-day Free Trial of Amazon Prime (UK)

Learn languages quickly
One-to-one Chinese lessons
Learn languages with Varsity Tutors
Green Web Hosting
Daily bite-size stories in Mandarin
EnglishScore Tutors
English Like a Native
Learn French Online
Learn languages with MosaLingua
Learn languages with Ling
Find Visa information for all countries
Writing systems
Con-scripts
Useful phrases
Language learning
Multilingual pages
Advertising

ELTE people
Students' Union
Internationalization
Regulations
Administration Data
News News Events Interviews Calls for applications, Announcements
Academic system
Outgoing mobility
Incoming mobility
Degree programs
Summer university
Language courses
Meet ELTE students
International Student Bodies
Practical matters
Our local representatives
Meet us in your country
Talent Support
Helping those affected by the Ukranian crisis
Research Research Facts EURAXESS Business collaborators
University Spin-offs
Institutional partnerships
National Laboratories Programme
Innovation support for students
ELTE Excellence
Accommodation
Life management support
Equal opportunities
Career services
Digital operation

Useful Hungarian phrases

Although there are many tourists and international students in Budapest and you can easily communicate in English in Budapest, it is always useful to say a few words in the local language. When you need to arrange official documents and administration, your mentor , a Hungarian student at ELTE, can help you with finding your way.

Some basic vocabulary useful during your time in Hungary:

If you would like to learn more Hungarian, sign up for the language courses offered during the academic year or apply for the Summer University of Hungarian Language and Culture organized at ELTE in the summer.

We use “cookies” on the website to provide the best user experience to our visitors in addition to secure browsing. You can change your cookie settings at any time in your browser settings. More information

How to Learn Hungarian – The Ultimate Guide

To learn a new language is a commendable act and you can already be proud of yourself for making this decision. Reading this might be your first, second (or hundredth) attempt towards reaching your goal to finally learn Hungarian. No matter where you are right now, to learn Hungarian can be frightening and overwhelms at many stages if you don’t know what you’re doing.

In this ultimate guide to learning Hungarian, we will give you an anchor – a guideline through the language you can always come back to whenever you’re stuck. Whether you’re a complete beginner or a seasoned Hungarian-fighter, we wrote this guide to catch you where you are and provide you with an overview and study guide both applicable (i.e. you can start instantly) and relevant: If you learn the language based on this guide you’ll learn Hungarian in a way people actually speak it in real life. In short: We want to prepare you for having real conversations . If you can relate to this and conversational fluency is your ultimate goal, we invite you to take at least an hour to read this guide and to define your next personal action steps.

If you don’t have an hour and are somewhat in a rush, no problem. Just download or print this guide as a handy PDF and come back to it later, whenever it suits you.

Want To Save This Article For Later?

No problem! Just enter your email address and we’ll send you the PDF of this guide for FREE.

You’ll ALSO receive:

– The 500 most frequent Hungarian words in a neat & handy list, you can start learning with instantly as well as

– a thorough list of the 10 most frequent Hungarian words (and how to use them!)

Life in Budapest
Language and One Hungarian Word a Day
The 500 Most Frequent Words – Free PDF

Quick navigation through the article:

Why learn Hungarian?

What are the main characteristics of the Hungarian language?

What kind of language is hungarian – a linguistic background by non-linguists, the hungarian alphabet and pronunciation.

The “nature” of the Hungarian language: Agglutination

How agglutination works: vowel harmony

The hungarian word order.

How to learn Hungarian step by step

1. Establish a steady study routine and know your “why”

2. Learn the alphabet

3. learn the numbers, 4. prepare and start learning the 500 most frequent hungarian words, 5. have your references ready, 6. build your first script.

7. Immerse, immerse and immerse more

8. Learn vocabulary – the right way

9. practice speaking – it’s time to get real, why learn hungarian.

You (hopefully) have your very specific personal reason to learn Hungarian. Maybe you fell in love with a Hungarian person, are in search of your Hungarian roots, live in Hungary for a while, or plan to visit the country. You might find people look at you in a weird way when you tell them you picked Hungarian as your next language to learn. That doesn’t matter, as you have plenty of further reason to study this wonderful language, apart from your personal one:

Hungarian opens doors for life or travel in Central and Eastern Europe. While it’s the only official language in Hungary and one of the official languages of the European Union, Romania, Serbia, Croatia, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Austria recognize it as a minority language too.
Hungary is a historically and culturally rich country and the language will help you savor this in an authentic way. Hungary produced some of the finest poets, writers, and composers of the last centuries.
Hungary’s pop culture is extensive and manifests itself in contemporary music, novels, poetry, film making and so much more. Needless to say the language is the key to all of these.

Here are further 35 good reasons for you to learn Hungarian that will always help you reconnect with your “why”.

If there’s anything the general public knows Hungarian for it’s its uniqueness . Over the decades and centuries, this led to various myths and accusations.

“Hungarian is one of the hardest languages in the world. You will never learn it!”

“It has 457 grammatical cases.”

“There are absolutely no similar words to any languages whatsoever”.

None of these is true. Yes, we like to consider Hungarian to be different and unique, but this leads to both advantages and disadvantages. And why even compare? No matter which language you pick, you’ll always find reasons for why it’s hard. You’ll always find evidence for what you choose to believe. Why not believe you can learn it?🙃

From a completely unbiased and objective, scientific point of view, here are the main characteristics of the Hungarian language you should be aware of:

Hungarian is a non-Indo-European language

This is what makes Hungarian so different from most widely-studied languages. Most European languages (English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, etc.) belong to the Indo-European language family, the only exceptions are Basque, Finnish, Estonian, and Turkish. But even languages like Hindi, Urdu, and Persian are Indo-European, meaning English has technically more in common with these than with Hungarian.

Another example for a (more widely-studied) non-Indo-European language is Mandarin Chinese (Sino-Tibetan language family) and mind you, it also receives its fair share of badges that label it the hardest language in the world.

Note to self: Different isn’t the same as difficult. We, humans, are just wired to fear the unknown and often have a more difficult time to tackle it. Here at Catch Budapest Flo and I believe everyone with at least one somewhat functioning ear, regardless of their age, gender, or “language-genes” is capable to learn any language they want to. In the end, it all boils down to the right attitude, motivation, and techniques.

Hungarian belongs to the Ugric branch of the Finno-Ugric grouping of the Uralic language family

The three most well-known Finno-Ugric (and Uralic, for that matter) languages are Finnish, Estonian, and Hungarian. Frankly, we have never heard of any other of the languages of this family, but a quick Wikipedia search will give you the Komi, Udmurt, Moksha, and Erzya languages. Since they’re in different branches, Hungarian in its application also has little to do with Finnish or Estonian. Probably like English has with, say, Albanian. Both are in the same language family but in different branches. Long story short – the Hungarian language is isolated.

Does Hungarian have anything in common with other languages?

Despite the uniqueness of its language, Hungary is an industrialized nation in the heart of Europe and is anything but isolated. This also manifests itself in the language, meaning Hungarian borrowed plenty of international words it incorporates into its daily use. If you take a look at all international words in the Hungarian language you’ll figure that you already know a lot more than you think.

We collected 505 international words in Hungarian here.

Hungarian uses an extended version of the Latin alphabet. Hungarian is officially an entirely phonetic language which means you say and write everything based on the alphabet and the pronunciation of its single letters. This is true for written Hungarian but in reality, spoken everyday-Hungarian often deviates significantly from its official phonetic character.

The alphabet has 44 letters, some of which are digraphs and there is even a trigraph plus you’ll see lots of diacritics. Remember each letter – never mind its unfamiliarity and funny strokes – represents one single sound and no more.

Consonants come in the form of single characters ( b, c, d, f, etc.), digraphs ( cs, gy, ty, etc.), or the trigraph dzs .

All vowels have short and long forms – what the stroke-diacritics indicate is a longer pronunciation of the respective vowel.

It isn’t nearly as complicated as it looks and you can learn and understand the alphabet in less than an hour.

Note: There’s no way to get around knowing the alphabet extraordinarily well when you learn Hungarian. Seriously, don’t even consider to learn anything else before you have a firm grasp of the alphabet and the Hungarian pronunciation. Put in this effort at the very beginning and it’ll save you tons of time and sweat later on.

Here is our guide to learn the Hungarian alphabet in 4 steps.

Additionally, check out our Learn the alphabet- chapter below, where we added useful videos that explain the Hungarian consonants, vowels, and the Hungarian spelling rules, respectively.

The nature of the Hungarian language: agglutination

We can just as well call agglutination the essence of the language – it’s one of those distinguishing elements that make Hungarian so Hungarian. Agglutination is related to glue and is the process to stick all those prefixes and suffixes to the beginnings and endings of the words, and thereby express time, location, relationships, and everything else grammar is for.

That’s how the insanely long words come about – instead of in our house (3 words in English) Hungarians say házunkban (house-our-in) and use one word only.

Other famous agglutinating languages are Turkish, Korean, and Japanese.

In contrast, English is an analytical language. Instead of gluing directly to the words, it uses helper words (e.g. prepositions) to convey relationships.

German and Spanish, on the other hand, are fusional languages and are characterized by their systems of declensions (changing the form of the words) and verb conjugations.

The term vowel harmony will be one of the first things you hear when you start out with Hungarian and it seems to be the alpha and omega of the language. Vowel harmony is the method we use for agglutination. Hungarian distinguishes between so-called back vowels and front vowels :

a, á, u, ú, o and ó are back vowels. Hungarians remember these with the word autó (car) .
e, é, i, í, ü, ű, ö and ő are front vowels. Hungarians remember these with the word teniszütő (tennis racket) .

In short, every suffix has multiple versions and you must pick the one based on the vowels of the root word. If a root word contains only back vowels, you’ll have to use the back-voweled suffix. It’s the same the other way round. If a word contains both back and front vowels, it’s the last vowel counts.

If we look at the suffixes -ban and -ben and stick with the previous example házunkban ( house-our-in ), you can see ház has only the back vowel á . Therefore, to express in the house you use the back-voweled version of the suffix for in ( -ban instead of -ben ).

Another factor that distinguishes Hungarian from other, more common languages is its topic-prominent sentence structure. In Hungarian, word order isn’t defined by regular sentence constituents (subject, verb, object) but rather by the speaker’s communicative intentions – what the speaker wants to emphasize.

You’ll often hear Hungarian has a flexible word order, but it’s not true. It just follows other rules than most languages and word order is about the topic in question, not about the grammatical ingredients of the sentence.

In English, we would say I’m going to the doctor. (Subject-Verb-Object). Everything else ( Going to the doctor I’m ., The doctor going am I to. etc.) is incorrect.

The same sentence in Hungarian can be put as

“Én megyek az orvoshoz.” (I’m going to the doctor.);

“Az orvoshoz megyek én.” (It’s the doctor I’m going to.);

“Én az orvoshoz megyek.” (I am going to the doctor (… and where are you going?));

“Megyek én az orvoshoz”. (something like “Trust me, I’m really going to the doctor!”); and

“Megyek az orvoshoz én.” (something like “Stop to annoy me, I’m really going to the doctor!”).

All of them are correct and all of them mean I’m going to the doctor. Still, they carry different messages and only one of them is correct based on what it is you really want to say.

Hungarian learners often state sentence structure is their biggest challenge with the language and they can never seem to get it right. Also, Hungarians mostly cannot explain why they said a sentence in a certain way, as they say it boils down to a matter of feeling .

This is not true. The Hungarian sentence structure follows 5 straightforward rules. We explain these with plenty of exercises in the Workbook of our Smart Hungarian Short Stories Course .

So what’s the Hungarian language and why does it bear the badge of being one of the most difficult in the world?

To sum up, the difficulty of Hungarian lies in multiple factors language learners aren’t used to. Hungarian is from another language family and consecutively works differently. The biggest differences are aspects of the pronunciation, its agglutinative nature, and its sentence structure. In the next chapter, we’ll outline a detailed study guide for you that’ll help you tackle Hungarian in a way it makes sense, is smart, and efficient.

How to Learn Hungarian Step by Step

1. establish a steady study routine and know your why.

Instead of bursts of productivity and droughts of no practice for weeks, establish a steady study routine, and stick to it.

It’s important your plan is realistic and aligns well with the rest of your life. 3 hours every day might not be suitable while you have a full-time job, but 45 minutes in the morning might be. I have often made the mistake to set myself unfeasible goals and what made me give up was me disappointing myself because I wasn’t able to keep up with what I assigned myself. Don’t make that mistake.

Also, consider your natural peak states . Are you a morning person? In this case, an hour of concentrated Hungarian-learning in the morning can work, especially if you know you can’t even say a proper sentence in your mother tongue in the evenings after work. If you’re a night owl like I though, by all means, go for the evenings or nights when everything else is quiet. Or lunch-break, or whatever you see fit.

What I try to say is it’s better to integrate your language-habits gradually, gently, and as easily as possible than to force yourself. Fun and motivation are key for learning and to study when it works best for you is the foundation.

Also, know your why, as it is your anchor you can come back to when things get rough.

Set your very specific goals with learning Hungarian. It is very important to not be vague about them. Fluency , or understand conversations better aren’t precise enough, as these aims are nothing you can measure yourself up against.

It is a lot more important, what fluency and better understanding mean to you, personally. Whether you want to be able to converse with your Hungarian partner’s family, are in search of your Hungarian roots, want to gain Hungarian citizenship, or master your daily life in Budapest/Hungary – what you personally take away from your Hungarian-learnings should largely depend on what you actually want to achieve.

To define your goals, we suggest you take a piece of paper and write down your ideal outcome. First, think about how speaking Hungarian will improve your life and which doors it’ll open for you. Here are some examples of how you could formulate your goal, depending on your situation:

I’ll have the chance to develop a much closer bond to the family of my wife, husband, or partner and finally take part in family gatherings.
I’ll master my everyday-life in Hungary with confidence, and won’t need a translator anymore every time I go to the doctor or need professional assistance with something.
My Hungarian roots are important to me and I will connect a lot better with them by learning the language.
Learning Hungarian will greatly help me achieve my goal of getting Hungarian citizenship.

After that, think of the last situation that frustrated you with the language and imagine how you’d exactly want this situation to turn out instead in the future.

Maybe you’ve been trying to communicate with your husband’s family but felt like an outsider because of your lack of understanding. Now try to vividly imagine how you’re able to follow and participate in the next family gathering without feeling completely lost and overwhelmed.

After that, formulate a specific goal you’ll start working on today. It’s crucial your first mini-goal is something you feel comfortable with. This means it should be neither too low, nor too high. If you’re a complete beginner, to aim for understanding everything that’s said at your father-in-laws birthday which is in two weeks, and giving a 10-minute-speech in Hungarian would feel unrealistic and demotivating. However, to be able to uphold a 5-minute conversation about a topic you’re comfortable with with your wife’s brother you’ll see in two weeks might is something worth working towards right now.

If you haven’t done it yet, it’s now high time for taking that piece of paper and putting your goals and visions on there. This sheet of paper will be your future reference for both the harder moments when you feel like you want to give up, but also the place you celebrate your wins – think about how good it’ll feel to tick your first mini-goal off and formulate your new one!

So many people dive straight in and have no idea what they’re doing, where they’re aiming, and what they do all this for and, therefore, quit. To learn Hungarian without a plan and routine is like starting a new business from the ground without thinking about it for a second. It’s possible, but it’ll make your life unnecessarily hard.

… and learn it properly. We have already touched on this further above but want to stress this again and again. It’s very alluring to skip through it, print out a cheat sheet and move on to the more fun stuff, but you’ll never understand Hungarian if the alphabet doesn’t become your lifeblood. It’s better to understand this in the very beginning, but it’s never too late.

So what should you do?

There are a few resources we can recommend and we suggest you use each of these, in this particular order.

Here is our overview of the Hungarian alphabet, sounds, and a cheat sheet included.

After you have a basic overview of each letter and its corresponding sound, you need to understand how these sounds behave in words. Since spoken Hungarian can be anything but phonetic you need a solid foundation of this to be able to follow a conversation later on.

Here’s a great video series that explains the Hungarian consonants, vowels, and the Hungarian spelling rules, respectively:

We also suggest you download this epic Hungarian pronunciation trainer – it’s well worth your $12. It’ll do two things for you:

1) Help you practice all sounds with flashcards in context (ie. in relevant words they appear in) and

2) train your ear to so-called “minimal pairs” – help it to distinguish between similar words (e.g. doboz-toboz, örülök – őrülök, elvesz – elvèsz – èlvez, and there are a lot more). It’s a useful tool to get a firm grasp of the Hungarian alphabet and sound system and will save you a lot of pain later on.

All in all, we recommend you spend around 10 days (1-1,5 hours per day) on just the alphabet, or until you feel like you really got it.

Numbers are everywhere and the most rational among us will argue you can explain the entire world with them. While I’m not sure about that, dealing with numbers is something you won’t find your way around easily. I’m not gonna lie, it won’t be the most fun activity of your Hungarian-journey but to understand how counting works in Hungarian is overall an easy win.

Important: A no-brainer, but I want to emphasize you should learn every number and its (fast!) pronunciation. Hungarian cashiers hold the world record for their speed of pronouncing 5-digit numbers and it’s really frustrating to not understand what someone says, even though technically you know all words.

Here’s how to learn the Hungarian numbers:

This article explains how to learn the Hungarian numbers in 9 straightforward steps , including their pronunciation, ordinals, and how to talk about time and dates.

The app Foreign Numbers is your best friend when you learn to understand the spoken numbers. It’s basically a listening comprehension trainer for numbers where you can define the range of numbers you want to practice. It’s smart, helpful, and free.

You don’t have to be able to count from 1 to 1,000,000 before you move on but I suggest you have a firm grasp of everything to 1,000; most things (decimals, hundreds and thousands) to a million and have no problems with date and time.

Hungarian numbers build on themselves logically, so this shouldn’t take you more than 3-5 days with 1-2 days of understanding all concepts and 1-3 days of practicing them.

While you don’t need to know all of them before you move on, the next crucial step after you learned the alphabet and the numbers is to start learning the 500 most frequent words and to make this a part of your pre-established study routine.

Think about it – around 300 words make out 65% of all written material in English and with 2,000 words you have 80% of all conversations and texts covered. When it comes to learning Hungarian (or any language, really!) the Pareto Principle, aka Law of the Vital Few applies. The 500 most frequent Hungarian words are the ones you’ll encounter frequently – in written texts, conversations, movies, songs, books, you name it – they’re everywhere. If you focus on these first it’ll help you stay on track and see what is and isn’t important.

We all have a limited amount of energy, brain capacity, patience, and willpower. Learning 7 ways to say hello and goodbye for every time of the day is what drains these precious reserves without getting us anywhere.

The problem is – how should you know what these most frequent words are in Hungarian?

We’ve collected them in a neat and handy list for you. We figured most frequency lists you’ll find via a Google search are useless, as they include so many grammatical words (like on, at, and the ), words in their conjugated forms ( megyek, mennek instead of just megy ), and are often based on written language only which is useless for speaking.

So what I did was combine various frequency lists I could find and remove all grammatical words and unhelpful variations. What’s left are 500 words you can learn and apply instantly. All words come in their original/root form (no conjugations or declinations). I also cut out any words you won’t find in regularly spoken Hungarian.

The list of the 500 most frequent Hungarian words comes as a bonus with the PDF-version of this study-guide which you can download here:

Additionally, you’ll receive a list of and guide to the 15 most frequent Hungarian words and how to use them together with the download . The most frequent Hungarian verbs are also the most versatile ones. For these, it isn’t enough to learn the infinitive – you need to understand how to use them which I also explain in the free download.

To give you an idea, these the most frequent Hungarian words I talk about and which you need to spend extra time on:

van – to be, to exist
nincs – the verb of non-existence
kell – to have to, to need, to be needed/necessary
megy – to go
jön – to come
csinál – to make
tesz – to put, to do
vesz – to take, to buy
mond – to say
beszél – to talk
jár – to go, to go somewhere regularly
szól – to speak, to sound
tud – to know, to can
tetszik – to be likable
akar – to want

One or the other of these sure sounds already familiar to you if you learn Hungarian for a while.

As mentioned, you don’t need to have them all in your long-term memory, but make it a part of your daily study routine to learn them. When in doubt about which vocabulary to learn, always go with these frequency list first. I’ll talk about how I suggest you approach to learn vocabulary later on. For now…

Get these now:

After you learned the alphabet and numbers, make sure you have the following Hungarian-learning ingredients close and add them to your shopping cart if necessary:

The alphabet – printed, with everything that helps you pronounce each sound (example words, little drawings, etc.). You can find our downloadable cheat sheet here where you can add your own comments.
A good Hungarian Phrasebook such as Lonely Planet’s Hungarian Phrasebook – as your dictionary. It cuts through the noise and is way cheaper and a lot more practical than a proper dictionary which you really don’t need right now. Use the dictionary at the end.
A good grammar book – one you like and find comprehensible. We’re not gonna lie, there aren’t many of them. Routledge’s Hungarian Grammar is a great choice.

Bookmark these in your browser:

Hungarian Reference – Hands down the best online Hungarian grammar fix you can find.
Forvo – For pronunciation. All pronunciations are recorded by native speakers (both male and female) so you can get a good feeling for all the fine nuances a single word can sound like, depending on the speaker.
Wikiszótár – A great monolingual dictionary. It comes with pictures and multiple example sentences to every word. It explains the multiple usages of a word and also sheds light on the suffixes and prefixes. Luckily, it works really well with Google’s page translation. A powerful resource to learn about a word in context.
A good online Hungarian-English dictionary – We recommend the SZTAKI online dictionary or dict.cc . Both are good for when you need a quick translation fix.
Google Image Search – The old version. The best way to learn about what locals understand by certain words is to type the vocabulary you’re unsure of into Google Image Search. The captions additionally provide the words with a natural context. The captions disappeared with the more recent versions of the image search, that’s why we’ve linked the old one.
Hungarian Multisearch – A genius search tool that’ll instantly open a Google Image Search, Forvo, the SZTAKI dictionary, and Wikiszótár once you type in your word and press enter. Enable popups!
The Cooljugator – Conjugates roughly 3,000 Hungarian verbs for you upon one click, in every tense, showing both their definite and indefinite conjunctions.
A list of the 500 most frequent Hungarian words – we have prepared one for you and you’ll receive it once you download this guide as a PDF.
This list of the 15 most important Hungarian verbs – comes along with the download of the PDF of this guide, too. These verbs appear in every text you read and every conversation you have and will confuse you again and again without a proper explanation.
This lesson about the Hungarian present tense – a mini-lesson on one of those things you’ll want to understand early on: the Hungarian present tense conjugation.
This exhaustive list of Hungarian-learning resources.

It’s important you don’t start to dig any of these but treat all of them as references . These are your resources where you can quickly look up words, rules, and pronunciation without an endless search. They’ll save you a lot of unnecessary search effort later, so you can spend on time on what matters most, which lies in the following steps…

To get a basic feeling for the language and your first boost of confidence it’s important you have a basic conversational script ready. This means nothing more than to learn to talk a tiny bit about yourself and ask some basic questions.

After initial greetings, first conversations usually turn towards where you live and what you do. Just think about how you would typically introduce yourself in your mother tongue and translate this into Hungarian.

Here’s my personal quick introduction as an example:

Juli vagyok, és 29 [huszonkilenc] éves vagyok.

Juli am-I, and 29 year-ish am-I.

I’m Juli and am 29 years old.

Magyar vagyok.

Hungaria am-I.

I’m Hungarian.

Most Ausztriában élek.

Now Austria-in live-I.

I currently live in Austria.

Budapesten születtem.

Budapest-on born-was-I.

I was born in Budapest.

Tíz évet éltem Németországban és 15 [tizenöt] évet éltem Budapesten.

10 year(acc.) lived-I Germany-in and 15 year(acc.) lived-I Budapest-on.

I lived in Germany for 10 years and in Budapest for 15 years.

Beszélek magyarul, németül és angolul.

Speak-I Hungarian-in, German-in and English-in.

I speak Hungarian, German and English.

A barátommal, Floval élek. Együtt van egy online vállalkozásunk, amellyel segítünk másoknak magyarul tanulni.

The boyfriend-my-with, Flo-with live-I. Together exists an online business-ours, which-with help-we others-for Hungarian-in to-learn.

I live with my boyfriend Flo. Together we have an online business with which we help others learn Hungarian.

Szeretek utazni és falat mászni. Szeretek kint lenni a természetben és kirándulni.

Like-I to-travel and wall(acc.) to-climb. Like-I outside to-be the nature-in and to-go-on-excursions.

I like traveling and wall climbing. I like being outside in nature and making excursions.

You can express basically all your core data with “vagyok” (I am) , “szeretek” (I like) and “élek” (I live) .

Here are a few questions you can ask your conversational counterpart and a few possible answers for where it’s relevant.

Hogy hívnak? – What’s your name?

Answer: [Name] vagyok .

Honnan jössz? – Where are you from?

Amerika / amerikai vagyok. – USA / I’m American.

Kanada / kanadai vagyok. – Canda / I’m Canadian.

Németország / német vagyok. – Germany / I’m German.

Anglia / angol vagyok. – England / I’m English.

Brazília / brazil vagyok. – Brasil / I’m Brazilian.

Magyarország / magyar vagyok. – Hungary / I’m Hungarian.

Hány éves vagy? – How old are you?

Answer: [Number] vagyok.

Mit dolgozol? – What do you work as? / What’s your profession?

orvos – doctor

ügyvéd – lawyer

szabadúszó – freelancer

mérnök – engineer

közgazdász – economist

tanár – teacher

nyugdíjas – retired

… vagyok.

Mik a hobbijaid? – What are your hobbies?

sportolni – to work out

úszni – to swim

olvasni – to read

filmezni – to watch movies

túrázni – to hike

bulizni – to party

festeni – to paint

Does this sound too simple, stiff, and robotic? You bet! However, it’s your first gateway to and anchor for the language. Nothing’s more frustrating than to learn random vocabulary but to not have the basics to talk a bit about yourself.

Make scripting your personal basic introduction your first priority after the alphabet.

HungarianPod101 is a great program for just that. No other language program does a better job to explain the very basics and to help you get started from scratch.

7. Immerse, immerse, and immerse more

I wrote this guide for those Hungarian-learners whose primary goal is to take part in real-life Hungarian conversations. If you learn the language for purely academic purposes, this approach won’t work for you. If you’re still with us, you have to listen to and read in the language. What do we mean by that?

How not to immerse in Hungarian

First, we’ll specify what we don’t mean when we encourage you to listen to real-life spoken language and read Hungarian texts.

Consider these as the six big don’ts of learning Hungarian.

Don’t shield yourself from proper , real-life Hungarian. This means, don’t stick to slow, articulated textbook audio in the hope of getting to the real thing (conversations) one day. We have created a whole (free) course on this debate about what to listen to ; the bottom line being: It won’t get you there, ever.
Don’t listen to the radio or a whole movie in the hope you’ll get used to it one day. You won’t. It’s too hard and, since it comes without any proper material it’ll only frustrate you.
Don’t listen to Hungarian music or the radio in the background or while you sleep in the hope it’ll magically bring you closer to understanding more. I mean, it certainly won’t do harm, but don’t get your hopes too high on effortless, passive learning while you cook or sleep.
When it comes to reading, don’t force your way through boring news pieces or articles you think are important . Why try to read something in a foreign language you wouldn’t even glance at if it was in your mother tongue?🤯
Don’t read children’s books in the hope they’re easier. The hard truth is, from a linguistic perspective, Hungarian children’s books are as complicated as adult material. They’re written by writers who have native speakers in mind – they care about making their stories linguistically diverse using varied vocabulary and highly complex sentences if it makes their work literarily more valuable.
Don’t start with actual attempts at conversation straight away. See, the problem with listening and trying to converse with native speakers is that it leaves little room to practice listening. The conversation drags you along, you hang in there as long as you can, but eventually give up because you’re left behind. Yes, you were immersed but there’s still no feeling of accomplishment. In fact, these conversations are what make Hungarian-learners often give up for good.

How to immerse in Hungarian instead

As said before, useful immersion still is in a combination of listening, reading, and speaking. Here’s why:

When we communicate we spend 45% listening, 30% speaking, 16% reading, and 9% writing.

Great, so how are you supposed to immerse then, now we’ve ruled out all the conventional ways of listening, reading, and speaking the language? Immersion is all about being directly exposed to the language, after all. At the same time, actual conversations are intimidating and can be downright discouraging for beginning and lower intermediate learners.

How to immerse through listening

What you need for a useful listening experience is tons of native, natural material that comes with a transcript. A transcript is kind of the key to the kingdom – the way you’ll get through to everything you cannot grasp by pure listening. Native material paired with a transcript is like taking part in real-life conversations with a remote control which helps you to pause, rewind and repeat what’s been said – at a slower speed if necessary.

This cures the usual drawbacks of the disheartening listening practices most Hungarian learners do (like listen to the radio, watch a movie or listen to textbook conversations that don’t help in real life).

Note: We created the Smart Hungarian Audio Course to be just the kind of listening material you need. It’s 20 real-life spoken dialogues that come with transcripts, translation, vocabulary lists, and everything else that’ll help you improve your listening skills significantly. We recommend you check it out if you have a few bucks to spare.

Moreover, we also offer a free video + email course about the exact steps on how to create and work your way through your own listening material – it’s great if you’re not ready to spend money but have a little time on your hands.

How to immerse through reading

Hungarian is one of those languages in which you cannot ignore the grammar totally, even at the beginning. Due to its agglutinative nature described above every word you learn is subject to frequent change within a sentence. Reading will help you understand how all those suffixes and prefixes work.

What to read, however, now that news pieces and children’s books are out of the way?

Our tip: Read something you’re genuinely interested in.

Material that engages and excites you is crucial for language-learning. If you don’t like what you read you’ll never stick to your reading habit.

Instead of complicated news pieces, read a Hungarian blog you’d also read in your own language. Here’s our comprehensive list . The next time you want to read up on something, try to Google it in Hungarian and see where it takes you.

It’s also essential to always listen to what you read. No new word or grammar rule will be of use if people don’t understand what you say, and vice versa.

Unfortunately, we didn’t come across the perfect Hungarian reading material yet – one which consists of the most important words, comes with an audiobook, and a translation…

… that’s why we created our own😉.

Our Smart Hungarian Short Stories is a course that teaches Hungarian through the magic of story.✨

In it, 8 short stories of various genres become the course syllabus. The vocabulary and grammar you learn are based on the gripping content you read.

So before you spiral down a vortex of random vocabulary lists and grammar rules, you get to experience these rules in an engaging context and make sense of them as you read the story.

All short stories of the course consist of the 2,000 most frequent Hungarian words. This means you’ll learn words that have a proven real-life application. You don’t have to question whether they’re necessary – we did this part for you.

You can have a look at the Smart Hungarian Short Stories Course here.

Yes, the steps are in the right order; we recommend you start to learn vocabulary (apart from the 500 most frequent words mentioned above) only after and based on your immersion practice. This way, you’ll avoid learning irrelevant vocabulary you’ll never use and learn all vocabulary as applied in real life.

We’ve seen many Hungarian-learners start out by learning various word lists (greetings, animals, or even home appliances) and become frustrated, as they couldn’t apply what they have learned in real-life conversations.

After you tackled a spoken conversation or an exciting story you’ll be left with plenty of new words and expressions. It’s tempting to start hammering them all into your brain, but there’s a more effective and sophisticated way to do this.

Learn vocabulary based on your personal needs and goals

No one else but you can make the decision of which words to actually learn. No app, vocabulary book, or even frequency list can tell you exactly what you need to achieve your Hungarian-learning goals.

While it’s tempting to be hyper-motivated and squeeze as many words into your brain as possible you’re much better off if you focus on what is important for YOU and your learning.

This is easier said than done. Often, we simply do not know which words are important to us and which aren’t – as everything can seem both very important and very unimportant at the same time.

Here are a few guidelines for which words to learn from an audio conversation or the reading material of your choice:

Think back to when you probably last used this word / talked about a topic this word is related to in your mother tongue.
What is your personal style of speaking and what kind of age group/type of people are you most likely to converse with? Are you likely to hear or want to use many colloquialisms and urban slang?
Is this a filler word / conversational connector? Go for it! Fillers and “conversational connectors” are frequently recurring and also help you a lot with making your own speech more natural. Read more about this here.

To show you an example of how to pick the right vocabulary for you, here are the first 20 words of the vocabulary list of the first conversation of our Smart Hungarian Audio Course :

We have marked all basic words in green: words as “to give”, “to want” and “to speak” are among the most frequent in every language and Hungarian is no exception – learn them!

The three words marked with yellow are either fillers or otherwise frequently recurring expressions that are an organic part of almost any spoken conversation and we suggest you learn these too.

The words we have marked with red, on the other hand, are subject to your individual preferences. When was the last time you have talked about debt? Are you an entrepreneur or will you converse with people in the corporate environment? Are you likely to use slang (“egy csomó”)? If the answer is no to either of these words marked in red, skip them. If they’re important to you, learn them.

How to learn vocabulary

There are a gazillion ways to learn vocabulary, starting from making your own classic vocabulary book, various pretty apps, and advanced systems to get words into your brain. We (and the polyglots we admire) swear by the spaced repetition system (and Anki as its tool) to be the most effective and easy way. We won’t go into the scientific background of this system and the usage of Anki here. We go into the latter in our bonus vocabulary trainer that comes in addition to our Smart Hungarian Audio Course or Smart Hungarian Short Stories Course , however.

About the Spaced Repetition System (SRS)

You’ve probably been told in order to remember something you’ll need to repeat it as often as possible. This rote repetition mindset is what led many of us frenetically to read study material again and again before a test at school or university. While an all-nighter filled with repetition sessions definitely helps to save the day and pass the exam, there seems to be something in the air that made us forget every single thing we’ve learned after handing in the test.

The lesson? Rote repetition is good to pass university exams. However, it’s terrible for language learning, as it’s useless for your long-term memory. What you’ll want to go with instead is so-called spaced repetition – a method backed by several scientific studies ranging back to David Ebbinghaus’ 1885 experimental study called “Memory: A Contribution to Experimental Psychology”. You have probably heard the abbreviation SRS or the term Spaced Repetition System multiple times. So what is it exactly and how can it help you learn vocabulary more efficiently?

Think back to the example of studying by repeating hundreds of times right before the exam and then not recalling it ever again. Well, spaced repetition is kind of the opposite. Instead of drilling something into your brain by force, you can consider it a way gentler (and a lot more efficient!) approach to learning. With a spaced repetition system you’ll recall your vocabulary right before you’re most likely to forget it. The repetition occurs at pre-determined intervals that get bigger and bigger as time passes. Answering why exactly spaced repetition works would go beyond the scope of this article and tap into the world of neuroscience, but it’s a method polyglots swear by for decades.

Pro tip: Gabriel Wyner’s book “Fluent Forever” is an excellent piece of language-learning literature and we warmly recommend it if you want to dive deeper into the theory (and practice!) of spaced repetition.

Thanks to the advance of modern technology we don’t have to resort to handmade flashcards and set ourselves a timer for when to repeat each and every word. Which gets us to…

Anki as the language-learners’ best tool for using the Spaced Repetition System:

The terms Spaced Repetition System and Anki go hand in hand.

In short: Making vocabulary more memorable by involving your senses and via using spaced repetition (i.e. repeating vocabulary just when it’s most efficient for your brain) is your best bet for learning vocabulary. To apply this method we suggest using Anki, as it offers the most room and opportunities for customization and the maximization of your learning efficiency.

Anki and all its opportunities are science in their own right and to explain its usage would go way beyond the scope of this article. However, thanks to the wonderful world wide web you have all opportunities to get started quickly and create your own flashcards.

Here are two excellent starting points that have helped us tremendously:

The Anki Online Manual including some video tutorials about the basics such as:

Shared Decks and Review Basics
Switching Card Order

The Anki subreddit – a place to ask all your questions, learn, and communicate with other Anki-users and get additional tips. It’s a great community of 65k learners.

Emotions and your senses as the beating heart of vocab-learning

Our most memorable memories are the ones that involve and combine a multitude of our senses. Before we tell you about three actionable steps to personalize your flashcards, here’s a quick example to demonstrate this, so you understand the importance of these steps:

Just think of the Hungarian word Egészségedre! (Cheers!) . We don’t know about you, but every time I’m abroad and tell a foreigner I’m Hungarian the same thing happens. If that specific person has or had any connection whatsoever before with Hungary or a Hungarian person, the conversation usually goes like this:

FOREIGNER: So where are you from?

JULI: Hungary.

FOREIGNER: Oh amazing, I’ve been there! // Oh great, I have a Hungarian friend! He has this weird name, it was [insert Hungarian name spoken with a foreign accent here]. Anyways, I know one word in Hungarian! Egészségedre? Is that right?

JULI: Yeah, it means cheers!

FOREIGNER: Haha great, I know, that’s all I remember, although I knew quite a few words more…

How’s that possible? Why can someone years after they visited Hungary last or talked to a Hungarian person remember such a random word as Egészségedre! ? It doesn’t resemble any English word (or, for that matter, probably any other word of any language), includes a sound English doesn’t even use, and has five syllables and twelve letters (i.e. it’s LONG!). Still, it seems to make its way easily into people’s long-term memories. In the meantime, here you are, sitting above your vocabulary list, staring at a basic word like akar for the 500th time, and still have no idea what it could possibly mean.

To understand this, let’s for a second think about how our foreign friend most probably acquired Egészségedre! . That’s right – he or she was either out on an (in-)famous Budapest pub-crawl or just casually had a drink with his or her Hungarian friend. In either case, pálinka and its exorbitantly strong taste and smell certainly played a role. After they clinked glasses and cheered with Egészségedre! our foreign friend drowned the strong liqueur that burned its way straight to their stomach. They asked him- or herself when they last had a drink this strong and remembered this fun evening, the smell, and the taste for a long time. Egészségedre! stuck naturally for years to come. It became a part of the experience; of the memory.

You, on the other hand, put in so much effort! Instead of downing shots, you sat diligently at your desk, stared at your vocabulary list, and wrote down akar again and again and tried to get it into your brain. Still, the next time you need the Hungarian word for to want you cannot recall it. Frustration slowly arises and you ask yourself how on earth you should ever be able to build up a decent pool of vocabulary.

Do you see where I’m getting?

While our foreign friend had a lot of fun and sensual stimulation (taste, smell, feelings, etc.) while he learned his word you’re stuck with a chore – an exercise neither you nor your brain like.

And while you, unfortunately, cannot connect the experience of a great night out, drinking, strong tastes, smell, and making new friends to every single word you learn, we can still draw a conclusion from this simple example:

Vocabulary connected to memories with all your senses involved is a lot more memorable.

Here are three actionable steps you can take instantly to make your flashcards more memorable:

1. Add your own images

Seems trivial, but bear with us. Google Image Search is a powerful language-learning tool if you use it the right way. What you have to do when you find the right images is is type your search term in Hungarian; into the older version of Google Image Search which you can find here (the latest version comes without captions, so we use this older one).

This will do lots of things for you:

It’ll show you what this term means in Hungary, for Hungarians;
You’ll get a plethora of further example sentences for the word or term, used in real-life context;
You can pick an image for the word that appeals to you most and will help you to remember it best;
If you go through this quick process for every word you create a visual memory for it which brings you one big step forward when it comes to committing it to your long-term memory.

2. Add sound (the pronunciation) to every word

To add a further sense to connect with (and to know how to say what you want to say!) always learn words together with their pronunciation. No exceptions. False learning is the meanest thing you can do to yourself – and to unlearn wrong pronunciation is so much worse than to learn the right one. Forvo is your go-to place for this particular feature. You’ll have to set up a free account to unlock the download feature that lets you add the pronunciations to your flashcards.

3. Create and add your own memory hooks to every new Hungarian word

When you learn vocabulary and put it into Anki, try to add your personal connection to the word. For example, when you try to remember the word gondol (to think), think of the last time you racked your head around something. Any major decisions you had to take recently? The more personal and memorable this is, the better. Add a few words to the word you strongly associate with it. Apart from hearing and seeing, this stimulates your emotions and connects your brain deeper with the word.

Note: To explain how to install and use Anki and add all these features to your flashcards goes beyond the scope of this article. We mentioned our favorite Anki resources above. Besides, our Smart Hungarian Audio Course and Smart Hungarian Short Stories Course come with a vocabulary trainer that walks you through the installation and Anki-interface step by step.

You’re now well-prepared. If you followed the instructions in this guide you have a firm grasp of the alphabet and the numbers. You can talk a bit about yourself, ask basic questions, and your main efforts lie in practicing real-life spoken Hungarian conversations in a deliberate, comprehensible way. You progress every day, learning useful vocabulary so you can apply. If you did all of this in a structured, established study-routine, assuming you have one hour every day with weekends off, around 4-6 weeks have now passed from the beginning to this point.

It’s time to have the talk!

First, we want to dispel the myth that you have to be or live in Hungary to practice speaking the language, as this is plain BS. Since you read this guide, chances are you have internet access and this is all you need to speak any language you want, anytime, from anywhere.

Online video calls such as Skype enable us to do this. The only questions are where to look for conversation partners, what kind of conversation partner to look for, and how to practice with a conversation partner in the most efficient way.

The right Hungarian conversation partner for you

You have three options: To practice with a tandem language partner, a tutor, or a proper Hungarian teacher. Both of these options have their pros and cons.

Tandem partners are usually free but the exchange relies on its mutuality. This means your language partner wants to practice your mother tongue with you as well. Since your partner doesn’t have all the skills that require teaching a language, designing your progress here is mostly up to you if you want to make the most of your practice. Also, prepare your language tandem mostly won’t be able to answer all your questions regarding specific grammar rules or even vocabulary. This means you’ll probably have to do a lot of extra work after the exchanges.

If you don’t want to spend money and don’t mind giving back by helping with your mother tongue and are a structured person who doesn’t need much hand-holding, a tandem partner is a great solution.

Conversing with a tutor usually has a fee lower than learning with a teacher. Tutors have experience teaching the language and are able to answer most of your questions. They don’t hold a teaching degree, however, so a large part of structuring and topic design will still be up to you and your efforts.

If you’re ready to spend a little money, are ready to look some things up for yourself but prefer a little structure and guidance, and don’t want to teach your own language yourself, a language tutor is what you want.

Practicing with a teacher costs money (but has become very affordable!) and the focus will be solely on you and your learning progress. A teacher will most likely have a certain kind of syllabus, will design the lessons according to your level and will be able to answer all the questions you have regarding the language.

If you want structure, guidance immediate answers and are ready to spend money, a language teacher will work best for you.

Finding your conversation partner

There is an abundance of options online for finding someone to speak in Hungarian with from which we want to highlight two, as these will cover all your needs.

If you look for a free tandem partner , look in Facebook groups for language exchange. Either, you look in Hungarian-specific groups (the best one being the Learn Hungarian – Tanuljunk Magyarul-group ) or you go for the more general ones and look for a tandem partner there.

Language Exchange has 16,000+ members and Vivalanga has 15,000 members, but there are a lot more.

If you’re looking for a tutor , I Juli, offer weekly, monthly, or quarterly sessions (update: weekly currently full). You can book them on the Steady (~Patreon) page of Catch Budapest . We start with where you are, define your goals together, and work towards them in a structured, but flexible way, according to your needs.

If you look for a teacher , try iTalki . It’s a wonderful platform that connects language learners with teachers via Skype lessons. You’ll both find teachers and community tutors for fair prices.

How to make the most out of your conversations

This is the dealbreaker. Finding the right conversation partner is important but the way you approach your lessons is crucial. Your goal is not to learn a specific curriculum but to put what you have learned into conversational practice. That’s why I rather talk about your conversation partner instead of your teacher. Conversations should be all that this is about. For this to happen, you have to take every hour you converse into your own hands. While a teacher will have a certain plan on how to proceed, you will still make the most of your lessons if you approach them with a specific idea in mind, based on what’s important for you. That’s why you go one-on-one after all – to give yourself the freedom of this kind of customization and fit it all to your personal needs.

So how exactly do you make the most of every lesson?

If this is your first Skype-conversation, you’ll no doubt be nervous. The good thing is, you already have a lot of momentum, as you listened to natural, conversational Hungarian for weeks already, read at your level to have the first grasp of grammar, and have your script about yourself as an anchor.

Before every lesson, it’s important you know what you want to get out of it. Maybe you want to perfect talking about yourself or maybe there’s something in the natural conversational audio that you want to dive deeper into. Perhaps you want to learn to talk business, talk about skiing, hiking, or the last book you read. Whatever it is – make it relevant to you. Don’t talk about things you won’t encounter in real life.

Make sure you have all your necessary references open during the conversation: an online dictionary, a relevant word list for your topic, Google Translate or whatever you find helpful.

Your main goal should be to not switch to English; to simply eliminate that option. Your conversations with your language partners should come as close to real-life, full-on Hungarian conversations as humanely possible.

What about real-life conversations?

Have them, whenever you can. Following this guide isn’t about shielding yourself from practicing Hungarian IRL. It’s rather a more structured approach to reach your goal. We saw learners solely rely on textbooks and others solely rely on becoming streetsmart and just picking it up on the side via daily conversations with friends and family – none of them worked. That’s the reason I wrote this guide – to provide you with more structure and show you what works instead.

Learning Hungarian (or any language) is a rewarding, enriching and fun adventure and it’s important you perceive it that way. It’s a big project and requires work but so do all good things in life.

Are you ready for the challenge? If so, here’s what you can do right now:

Formulate your next step. Take stock of where you are and define a clear next action you can start to work on as of today.

Even better, drop your next step below as a comment, so that others can learn from you too. Once you’re done, don’t forget to share this guide with all your fellow Hungarian-learners who could use a little help, nudge and structure.

Happy learning – jó tanulást!

Disclaimer: Some of the links above are affiliate links, meaning that, at no additional cost for you, we will earn a small commission if you decide to make a purchase. Nevertheless, we only recommend these products because they are helpful and useful, not because of the small commissions we make if you choose to buy something. Please do not spend any money on these products unless you feel you need them or that they will help you achieve your Hungarian-learning goals.

nice i so much enjoy this keep it no

You can also try TUTOROO. They have native Hungarian language tutors and speakers that you can hire to learn the Hungarian language easier and effectively. You can choose your own tutor from this link: https://www.tutoroo.co/hungarian-tutor and you can inquire directly with them about the classes. Check out their website for more information. Hope this helps!

Catch Budapest

Budapest Guide
Learn Hungarian
One Hungarian Word a Day
Our Courses
Smart Hungarian Short Stories Course: Learn Hungarian Through the Magic of Short Stories
The Best Resources for Learning Hungarian

This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies.

Cookie and Privacy Settings

We may request cookies to be set on your device. We use cookies to let us know when you visit our websites, how you interact with us, to enrich your user experience, and to customize your relationship with our website.

Click on the different category headings to find out more. You can also change some of your preferences. Note that blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience on our websites and the services we are able to offer.

These cookies are strictly necessary to provide you with services available through our website and to use some of its features.

Because these cookies are strictly necessary to deliver the website, refusing them will have impact how our site functions. You always can block or delete cookies by changing your browser settings and force blocking all cookies on this website. But this will always prompt you to accept/refuse cookies when revisiting our site.

We fully respect if you want to refuse cookies but to avoid asking you again and again kindly allow us to store a cookie for that. You are free to opt out any time or opt in for other cookies to get a better experience. If you refuse cookies we will remove all set cookies in our domain.

We provide you with a list of stored cookies on your computer in our domain so you can check what we stored. Due to security reasons we are not able to show or modify cookies from other domains. You can check these in your browser security settings.

We also use different external services like Google Webfonts, Google Maps, and external Video providers. Since these providers may collect personal data like your IP address we allow you to block them here. Please be aware that this might heavily reduce the functionality and appearance of our site. Changes will take effect once you reload the page.

Google Webfont Settings:

Google Map Settings:

Google reCaptcha Settings:

Vimeo and Youtube video embeds:

You can read about our cookies and privacy settings in detail on our Privacy Policy Page.

Top 25 Hungarian Phrases

Learn top 25 Hungarian phrases

Vocabulary (Review)

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.

Lesson Transcript

Create a free lifetime account to access audio lesson archives, create a free lifetime account to access video lesson archives, create a free lifetime account to download this audio lesson, create a free lifetime account to download this video lesson, create a free lifetime account to create your dashboard, create a free lifetime account to try the basic lesson check list, create a free lifetime account to try the premium lesson check list, create a free lifetime account to try the review track, create a free lifetime account to try the dialogue track, create a free lifetime account to access this lesson’s grammar guide, create a free lifetime account to personalize your learning, create a free lifetime account to try the kanji close up, create a free lifetime account to try the pdf lesson notes, create a free lifetime account to try the pdf lesson transcript, create a free lifetime account to try this premium feature, create a free lifetime account to try my notes, create a free lifetime account to try my flashcards, high definition hungarian video lessons, create a free lifetime account to access assessments, audio lesson archives, video lesson archives, download audio and video lessons, add lesson to dashboard, basic lesson checklist, premium lesson checklist, the review track, dialogue only track, grammar guide, mark this lesson complete, mark this lesson as favorite, kanji close up, pdf lesson notes, pdf lesson transcript, pop out audio player, control audio speed, glorious fullscreen video, read along with video lesson captions, complete assessments.

Our team of Hungarian language specialists have been releasing new audio and video lessons weekly. That's a lot of Hungarian language learning! All new lessons are FREE for the first 3 weeks before going into our Basic and Premium Archive.

Our team of Hungarian language specialists have been releasing new audio and video lessons weekly. That's a lot of Hungarian language learning! All lessons are free for the first 2 weeks before going into our Basic and Premium Archive.

Want to learn offline or on-the-go? All our Audio and Video lessons can be easily downloaded with the click of a button. Load them onto your mobile device or simply listen offline from your computer. The choice is yours!

Customize your learning with your very own Dashboard. Get lesson recommendations suited for your level, track your progress and store your favorite lessons and series all in one convenient place.

Having trouble staying on track? The Basic Lesson Checklist will help you stay organized and committed to your Hungarian language goals!

Having trouble staying on track? The Premium Lesson Checklist will help you stay organized and committed to your Hungarian language goals!

Listen and repeat with the Review Track. Hear the lesson vocabulary and main phrases and repeat after the native speaker – it's the best way to perfect your pronunciation!

Don't have enough time for an entire lesson today? Listen to the Dialogue Only Track to hear the native Dialogue. Listening to a little bit of Hungarian everyday, no matter how much, will greatly improve your listening comprehension. Guaranteed!

Access this Lesson’s Grammar Guide and unlock in-depth explanations, answers, examples, and a BONUS audio track.

Track your learning progress one lesson at a time! As you work your way through our lesson archives, we'll track your progress so you can see just how fast you're learning.

Like this lesson? Want to listen again later? Mark this lesson as a favorite and create a handy shortcut in your Favorite Lesson list!

Take a closer look at the kanji characters used in the lesson Dialogue with the Kanji Close Up Practice Sheets! You'll learn the meaning, readings, and stroke order of each character. Plus, improve your writing with kanji stroke order practice sheets!

Follow along to our award winning lessons with detailed PDF Lesson Notes! These easy to print notes take a closer look at the grammar point and vocabulary words presented in the audio lesson. Plus, read more about Hungarian cultural topics related to the lesson.

Want to understand every single word and phrase you’ll hear in this lesson?

Here’s how: just access the complete PDF transcript and you’ll never miss a word. Get your FREE Lifetime Account and unlock this powerful study tool.

Like to multitask while you study? Pop out the Audio Player to play in the background while you work, play or follow along with our Premium Tools.

My Notes allows you to take notes while listening to our lessons. Come across an important verb conjugation breakthrough? Learn a handy mnemonic device? Make a note of it on the lessons pages and refer back to My Notes for quick reference!

Add this wordlist to your Premium Smart Flashcard Study Decks for faster memorization.

Didn't catch that last word? Want to slow down the audio so you catch every single syllable? You can! All our audio files can be slowed down and sped up to match your speaking and listening needs.

Sit back and enjoy the HungarianPod101 video learning experience in all its fullscreen glory. Our Hungarian specialists are consistently producing and releasing new video series, with all lessons free for the first 2 weeks before going into our Basic and Premium Archive.

Want to read along and FULLY understand the Hungarian in this lesson? Just turn on the Video Captions. You'll be able to read along as you watch – in Japanese or with English translations!

Improves reading, listening and comprehension skills – guaranteed!

Unlock our high definition video lessons that get you speaking, reading, writing and understanding Hungarian in minutes. Clearer picture, clearer sound – all so you learn Hungarian without missing a beat.

How good is your Hungarian? Let’s find out! Test your language skills with assessments. Unlock interactive assessments that test you on all of the Hungarian you've learned so far.

Learn Hungarian in the fastest, easiest and most fun way

Create Your Free Lifetime Account

Or sign up using Facebook

Already a Member? Sign in Here

Essential Hungarian Vocabulary: List of the 1000 Most Common Words

📊 I created this list of the thousand most common Hungarian words by performing a statistical analysis of an extensive collection of documents written in Hungarian (including news articles and many other articles).

I did my best to convert the words appearing in the documents into their dictionary form before counting them and sorting them by frequency.

Because this vocabulary list is sorted by frequency, the words appearing near the top are more common than those appearing further down the list.

Hungarian is a rather difficult language for English speakers to learn. It is one of the few European languages that don’t belong to the Indo-European language family (Estonian and Finnish are other examples).

Very few of the thousand most common Hungarian words are similar to their English translations.

Because there is barely any vocabulary overlap between Hungarian and English, learning Hungarian is harder than learning languages like Spanish or Italian, which have many words that resemble their English counterparts.

🇭🇺 To start learning Hungarian, try a free lesson from Pimsleur.

List of the most common Hungarian vocabulary words

Here is the list of the 1000 most common Hungarian words:

The definite article in Hungarian is simply the letter “ a ”, but it changes to “ az ” before a vowel.

az [article] (the)
és [conjunction] (and)
hogy [conjunction] (that)
is [adverb] (too)
nem [adverb] (no)
ez [pronoun] (this)

This is the indefinite article in Hungarian, and it is also the word for the number “ one ”.

In most languages the verb “ to be ” is one of the most common words, and this is true in Hungarian as well.

This hungarian word is a synonym of “ és ”.

de [conjunction] (but)
már [adverb] (already)
kell [verb] (must)
szerint [postposition] (according to)
ha [conjunction] (if)
év [noun] (year)
még [adverb] (yet)
csak [adverb] (just)
aki [pronoun] (who)
nagy [adjective] (great)
el [adverb] (away)
amely [pronoun] (which)
ki [adverb] (out)
több [numeral] (more)
mint [conjunction] (as)
tud [verb] (can)
vagy [conjunction] (or)
ami [pronoun] (which)

Hungarian is an example of what linguists call a “ genderless language ” because it does not make use of grammatical gender. In particular, the Hungarian pronoun “ ő ” is equivalent to both the English pronouns “ he ” and “ she ”.

sem [conjunction] (neither)
magyar [adjective] (hungarian)
pedig [conjunction] (while)
új [adjective] (new)
két [numeral] (two)
jó [adjective] (good)
minden [determiner] (every)
után [postposition] (after)
így [adverb] (like this)
mond [verb] (tell)
maga [pronoun] (itself)
be [adverb] (in)
tesz [verb] (to do)
mert [conjunction] (because)
ember [noun] (human)
majd [adverb] (and then)
mi [pronoun] (we)
akkor [adverb] (then)
olyan [determiner] (such)
úgy [adverb] (so)
rész [noun] (part)
nap [noun] (day)
azonban [conjunction] (however)
között [postposition] (between)
fel [adverb] (up)
tart [verb] (to keep)
idő [noun] (time)
vesz [verb] (to take)
miatt [postposition] (because of)
kerül [verb]
százalék [noun] (percentage)
most [adverb] (now)
ad [verb] (to give)
kap [verb] (to get)
egyik [pronoun] (one)
ország [noun] (country)
első [adjective] (first)
nagyon [adverb] (very)
más [adjective] (other)
eset [noun] (case)
amikor [adverb] (when)
sok [adjective] (many)

This word is a short variant of the conjunction “ és ”.

áll [verb] (to stand)
hely [noun] (place)

The word “forint” refers to the official currency of Hungary. The forint was introduced in Hungary in 1946, replacing the previous currency, the pengő. The word “forint” is believed to have been derived from the Italian “fiorino,” a gold coin used in Florence during the Renaissance.

élet [noun] (life)
jól [adverb] (well)
éves [adjective] (annual)
én [pronoun] (I)
lát [verb] (to see)
nincs [verb]
itt [adverb] (here)
mellett [postposition] (by)
sor [noun] (row)
számára [postposition] (for)
ők [pronoun] (they)
szeret [verb] (to love)
volna [verb]
ezért [pronoun] (therefore)
teljes [adjective] (complete)
hanem [conjunction] (but)
alatt [postposition] (under)
Magyarország [proper noun] (Hungary)
fontos [adjective] (important)
ilyen [determiner] (such)
akar [verb]
vég [noun] (end)
szó [noun] (word)
mely [pronoun] (which)
alap [noun] (basis)
kérdés [noun] (question)
kormány [noun] (government)
által [postposition] (by)
munka [noun] (work)
három [numeral] (three)
ahol [adverb] (where)
illetve [conjunction] (and)

This Hungarian vocabulary word can mean “ an hour ”, and it can also mean “ a clock ” or “ a watch ”. The origin of this word is the Latin term “ hora ”, which features among the most common Latin words .

ezer [numeral] (thousand)
le [adverb] (down)
millió [numeral] (million)
ír [verb] (Irish)
hét [noun] (week)
csapat [noun] (team)
szám [noun] (number)
város [noun] (city)
világ [noun] (world)
elnök [noun] (president)
terület [noun] (area)
viszont [conjunction] (on the other hand)
kis [adjective] (small)
ellen [postposition] (against)
fél [noun] (a half)
helyzet [noun] (situation)
cég [noun] (company)
ma [adverb] (today)
saját [adjective] (own)
kér [verb] (to ask)
való [adjective]
át [adverb] (over)
marad [verb] (to stay)
út [noun] (way)
hoz [verb] (to bring)
jelent [verb] (to mean)
kapcsolat [noun] (relationship)
közel [adverb] (near)
hiszen [conjunction] (but)
ott [adverb] (there)
második [numeral] (second)
eredmény [noun] (result)
azért [adverb]
valamint [conjunction] (as well as)
előtt [postposition] (before)
férfi [noun] (man)
él [verb] (to live)
cél [noun] (target)
ne [adverb]
program [noun] (program)
rendszer [noun] (system)
milliárd [numeral] (billion)
például [adverb] (for example)
ugyanis [conjunction] (because)
néhány [determiner] (some)
talál [verb] (to find)
kezd [verb] (start)
amerikai [adjective] (american)
jár [verb] (to go)
mindig [adverb] (always)
inkább [adverb] (rather)
pont [noun] (point)
egész [adjective] (whole)
lehetőség [noun] (possibility)
név [noun] (name)
másik [pronoun] (another)
vezető [noun] (conductor)
óta [postposition] (since)
mivel [conjunction] (as)
nő [noun] (woman)
nélkül [postposition] (without)
történik [verb]
oldal [noun] (side)
hónap [noun] (month)
közöl [verb]
közül [postposition]
ügy [noun] (case)
dolgozik [verb] (to work)
gyerek [noun] (child)
jön [verb] (to come)
válik [verb] (to become)
mutat [verb] (to show)
korán [adverb] (early)
adat [noun] (data)

This Hungarian word is a loanword from the Slavic languages. It is similar to the Czech word “ peníze ” and the Slovak word “ peniaze ”.

négy [numeral] (four)
család [noun] (family)
rá [pronoun]
egymás [pronoun] (each other)
fiatal [adjective] (young)
bár [conjunction] (bar)
magas [adjective] (high)
ár [noun] (price)
vele [pronoun]
egyre [adverb]
sikerül [verb] (succeed)
milyen [pronoun]
szervezet [noun] (organization)
gondol [verb]
német [adjective] (german)
perc [noun] (minute)
akár [conjunction]

The Hungarian word “feladat” is a common term that describes a task, mission, or assignment given to someone to complete. It’s a word that you’ll often hear in schools, where teachers give their students assignments to complete, or in the workplace, where employees are given tasks to finish.

mindenki [pronoun] (everybody)
tér [noun] (space)
megy [verb] (to go)
játszik [verb] (to play)
hosszú [adjective] (long)
együtt [adverb] (together)
támogatás [noun] (support)
elmúlt [adjective] (past)
indul [verb] (to start)
biztos [adjective] (sure)

Budapest is a common Hungarian word because it is the name of the capital city of Hungary. Budapest is a significant cultural, economic, and political center in Hungary and the broader region of Central Europe. The name “Budapest” is derived from two separate cities, Buda and Pest, which were united in 1873 to form the modern city.

érdek [noun] (interest)
eddig [adverb] (so far)
szükség [noun] (need)
szól [verb] (to speak)
hasonló [adjective] (similar)
jelenik [verb]
idén [adverb] (this year)
érkezik [verb] (to arrive)
míg [adverb] (while)
ám [conjunction] (but)
e [pronoun]
hazai [adjective] (domestic)
figyelem [noun] (attention)
semmi [pronoun] (nothing)
érték [noun] (value)
gyermek [noun] (child)
vezet [verb] (to lead)
további [adjective] (further)
párt [noun] (party)
igen [adverb]
tovább [adverb] (further)
gazdasági [adjective] (economic)
nemzetközi [adjective] (international)
nyer [verb] (to win)
hatás [noun] (effect)
segít [verb] (to help)
probléma [noun] (problem)
használ [verb] (to use)
film [noun] (film)
európai [adjective] (european)
tehát [conjunction] (so)
fő [adjective] (main)
készül [verb] (to prepare)
egyes [adjective] (individual)
politikai [adjective] (political)
törvény [noun] (law)
ok [noun] (reason, cause)
közös [adjective] (common)
jelenleg [adverb] (currently)
utolsó [adjective] (last)
mintegy [adverb] (about)
néz [verb] (to look)
mind [conjunction]
segítség [noun] (help)
helyi [adjective] (local)
állít [verb] (set)
szemben [noun]
valami [pronoun] (something)
szép [adjective] (beautiful)
belül [adverb] (inside)
okoz [verb] (to cause)
vissza [adverb] (back)
éppen [adverb] (just)
persze [adverb] (of course)
túl [adverb]
beszél [verb] (talk)
annyi [pronoun] (so much)
nehéz [adjective] (difficult)
végez [verb] (to finish)
szerep [noun] (role)
döntés [noun] (decision)
autó [noun] (car)
egyetlen [adjective] (single)
számít [verb]
kör [noun] (circle)
aztán [adverb] (then)
mód [noun] (way)
dolog [noun] (thing)
elég [adjective] (enough)
természetes [adjective] (natural)
talán [adverb] (maybe)
újra [adverb] (again)
ugyanakkor [adverb] (at the same time)
orosz [adjective] (russian)
dönt [verb]
tavaly [adverb] (last year)
cím [noun] (title)
össze [adverb] (together)
érez [verb] (to feel)
keres [verb] (to look for)
ahogy [conjunction] (as)
harmadik [numeral] (third)
állam [noun] (state)
jelentős [adjective] (significant)
terv [noun] (plan)
László [proper noun]
lép [verb] (to step)
hír [noun] (news)
megoldás [noun] (solution)
ház [noun] (house)
szint [noun] (level)

The Hungarian word “képviselő” can be translated to English as “representative”. It is derived from the Hungarian verb “képvisel,” meaning “to represent”. In the context of Hungarian politics, a képviselő is an elected member of the National Assembly, Hungary's highest organ of state power. The képviselők are responsible for representing their constituents, participating in legislative and policymaking activities, and overseeing the work of the government.

látható [adjective] (visible)
jövő [adjective] (future)
csoport [noun] (group)
november [noun] (november)
miért [adverb] (why)
Európa [proper noun]
ide [adverb] (here)
öt [numeral] (five)
szükséges [adjective] (necessary)
épület [noun] (building)
sokkal [adverb] (much)
szabad [adjective] (free)
szinte [adverb] (almost)
lap [noun] (sheet)
lány [noun] (girl)
alkalom [noun] (occasion)
pálya [noun] (track)
pár [determiner]
forma [noun] (form)
hagy [verb] (to let)
siker [noun] (success)
jelentkezik [verb]
utóbbi [adjective] (latter)
folytat [verb]
határ [noun] (border)
végül [adverb] (eventually)
keret [noun] (frame)
című [adjective] (titled)
verseny [noun] (race)
pontos [adjective] (exact)
követő [adjective] (follower)
szerepel [verb]
piac [noun] (market)
korábbi [adjective] (earlier)
szintén [conjunction] (also)
intézmény [noun] (institution)
többi [adjective] (other)
cikk [noun] (article)
várható [adjective]
összeg [noun] (amount)
képes [adjective]
valaki [pronoun] (someone)
múlt [adjective] (past)
ismét [adverb] (again)
kéz [noun] (hand)
következő [adjective] (following)
gyors [adjective] (fast)
legalább [adverb] (at least)
hív [verb] (to call)
játékos [noun] (player)
igény [noun] (demand)
euró [noun] (euro)

Könnyű is a highly versatile Hungarian adjective that has multiple meanings. It can be translated to English as “light” or “easy”. This word is commonly used to describe physical objects that are not heavy, such as a feather or a piece of luggage. Additionally, it is also used to describe tasks that are not difficult to accomplish, such as an easy math problem or a simple chore. Due to its broad applicability, könnyű is a word that is frequently used in everyday conversation and writing.

közben [adverb] (during)
ismer [verb] (to know)
személy [noun] (person)
termék [noun] (product)
komoly [adjective] (serious)
megyei [adjective] (county)
próbál [verb] (to try)
ellenére [postposition] (despite)
választás [noun] (choice)
román [adjective] (romanian)
víz [noun] (water)
nemcsak [conjunction] (not only)
eljárás [noun] (procedure)
esik [verb] (to fall)
fizet [verb] (to pay)
egyébként [adverb] (otherwise)
szeptember [noun] (September)
hogyan [adverb] (how)
vizsgálat [noun] (examination)
vasárnap [adverb] (on Sunday)
politikus [noun] (politician)
történet [noun] (story)
továbbra [adverb]
követ [verb] (to follow)
hat [numeral] (six)
tevékenység [noun] (activity)
százalékos [adjective] (percent)
csökken [verb] (to decrease)
mégis [conjunction] (yet)
szóló [adjective] (solo)
elleni [adjective] (against)
állami [adjective] (state)
senki [pronoun] (nobody)
István [proper noun]
Péter [proper noun]
esemény [noun] (event)
miután [conjunction] (after)
anyag [noun] (material)
kíván [verb]
december [noun] (December)
szempont [noun] (point of view)
település [noun] (settlement)
olvas [verb] (to read)
álló [adjective] (standing)
vélemény [noun] (opinion)
eleje [noun]
jog [noun] (right)
megye [noun] (county)
információ [noun] (information)
tíz [numeral] (ten)
folyamatos [adjective] (continuous)
alá [postposition] (under)
augusztus [noun] (august)
fogad [verb] (bet)
számos [adjective] (numerous)
francia [adjective] (french)
lehet [verb]
utca [noun] (street)
felé [postposition] (towards)
otthon [noun] (home)
súlyos [adjective] (serious)
mérkőzés [noun] (match)
először [adverb] (first)
szerda [noun] (wednesday)
keresztül [postposition] (across)
kívül [adverb] (outside)
játék [noun] (game)
szakember [noun] (specialist)
este [adverb]
képest [postposition]
hivatalos [adjective] (official)
dollár [noun] (dollar)
későn [adverb] (late)
Orbán [proper noun]
többség [noun] (majority)
megfelelő [adjective] (appropriate)
javaslat [noun] (proposal)
ismert [adjective] (known)
alakul [verb]
csupán [adverb] (only)
igaz [adjective] (true)
válasz [noun] (answer)
folyamat [noun] (process)
hisz [verb] (to think)
visz [verb] (carry)
mérték [noun] (measure)
nevez [verb]
erős [adjective] (strong)
önkormányzat [noun]
kórház [noun] (hospital)
egyéb [pronoun] (other)
biztosít [verb]
rossz [adjective] (bad)
kicsi [adjective] (small)
választ [verb] (to choose)
szem [noun] (eye)
egyszerű [adjective] (simple)
hangsúlyoz [verb] (to emphasize)
szolgáltatás [noun] (service)
közt [postposition]
forrás [noun] (source)
János [proper noun]
egyszer [adverb] (once)
tartozik [verb] (appertain)
lépés [noun] (step)
helyszín [noun] (site)
támogat [verb] (to support)
vállal [verb] (to undertake)
mai [adjective] (today's)
külföldi [adjective] (foreign)
kedd [noun] (Tuesday)
jelenlegi [adjective] (current)
szakmai [adjective] (professional)
erő [noun] (force)
meccs [noun] (match)
iskola [noun] (school)
növekedés [noun] (growth)
változás [noun] (change)
eszköz [noun] (device)
különböző [adjective] (different)
csütörtök [noun] (thursday)
ön [pronoun] (you)

“élő” is a frequently-used Hungarian word because it has several useful meanings. One of the most common meanings of “élő” is “alive,” in the context of a living organism. In addition, “élő” can also mean “live” in the context of live broadcasting or live performances.

foglalkozik [verb]
közötti [adjective] (between)
sokan [adverb] (many)
hatalmas [adjective] (huge)
azaz [conjunction] (that is)
együttes [noun]
Fidesz [proper noun]
gazdaság [noun] (economy)
Ferenc [proper noun]
kapcsolatos [adjective]
születik [verb]
ráadás [noun]
köt [verb] (tie)
helyett [postposition] (instead of)
téma [noun] (topic)
vezetés [noun] (management)
ugyan [conjunction] (although)
haza [noun] (homeland)
régi [adjective] (old)
található [adjective]
áldozat [noun] (sacrifice)
mikor [adverb] (when)
nemzeti [adjective] (national)
csinál [verb] (to do)
lét [noun] (being)
barát [noun] (friend)
péntek [noun] (Friday)
nyújt [verb]
szabály [noun] (rule)
miniszter [noun] (minister)
számol [verb] (to count)
indít [verb] (to start)
vagyis [conjunction]
társaság [noun] (company)
miniszterelnök [noun] (prime minister)
bank [noun] (bank)
fogalmaz [verb]
adott [adjective] (given)
rövid [adjective] (short)
arány [noun] (ratio)
dolgozó [noun]
működik [verb]
hát [noun] (back)
lakás [noun] (apartment)
vendég [noun] (guest)
hatóság [noun] (authority)
készít [verb] (to make)
vonatkozó [adjective] (concerning)
állapot [noun] (state)
bizottság [noun] (committee)
feltétel [noun] (condition)
alacsony [adjective] (low)
október [noun] (october)
soha [adverb] (never)
országos [adjective] (national)
pénzügyi [adjective] (financial)
elsősorban [adverb] (primarily)
költség [noun] (cost)
találkozik [verb] (to meet)
vállalat [noun] (company)
szerződés [noun] (contract)
halál [noun] (death)
tölt [verb] (to charge)
rendez [verb] (to arrange)
idei [adjective] (this year's)
hozzáad [verb]
orvos [noun] (doctor)
sikeres [adjective] (successful)
uniós [adjective]
hozzátesz [verb] (to add)
se [conjunction]
rendelkezés [noun] (disposal)
sőt [conjunction] (indeed)
mindez [pronoun] (all this)
találkozó [noun] (meeting)
összesen [adverb] (altogether)
nyelv [noun] (language)
addig [adverb]
fordul [verb] (to turn)
gép [noun] (machine)
polgármester [noun] (mayor)

The Hungarian word “bíróság” is frequently used because it refers to a fundamental societal institution: the court system. A “bíróság” is a court of law, where legal disputes are resolved. As such, the word is commonly used in legal and political contexts, as well as in everyday conversation, when discussing legal matters.

valóban [adverb] (indeed)
közösség [noun] (community)
könyv [noun] (book)
szombat [noun] (Saturday)
szerez [verb] (acquire)
feleség [noun] (wife)
fejlesztés [noun] (development)
gyakran [adverb] (often)
környezet [noun] (environment)
ülés [noun] (seat)
esély [noun] (chance)
közlemény [noun] (announcement)
azóta [adverb] (since then)
március [noun] (march)
rendezvény [noun] (event)
összes [determiner] (all)
beteg [noun] (patient)
rendőrség [noun] (police)
gond [noun] (problem)
forgalom [noun] (traffic)
kevés [adjective] (few)
külön [adjective] (separate)
május [noun] (may)
forduló [noun] (turn)
olasz [adjective] (italian)
lévő [adjective]
tapasztalat [noun] (experience)
te [pronoun] (you)
darab [noun] (piece)
érdemes [adjective] (worthy)
politika [noun] (policy)
szív [noun] (heart)
baleset [noun] (accident)
igazi [adjective] (real)
jelez [verb] (to indicate)
vita [noun] (debate)
általános [adjective] (general)
Gábor [proper noun]
bizonyos [adjective] (certain)
közvetlen [adjective] (direct)
rendelkezik [verb] (to have)
adó [noun] (tax)
hal [verb] (fish)
alig [adverb] (barely)
fiú [noun] (boy)
pályázat [noun] (competition)
angol [adjective] (english)
válság [noun] (crisis)
győzelem [noun] (victory)
lakosság [noun] (population)
kevesebb [adjective] (less)
elé [postposition]
díj [noun] (fee)
Viktor [proper noun]
január [noun] (January)
körül [postposition] (around)
körülmény [noun] (circumstance)
zár [verb] (lock)
egykori [adjective] (former)
emelkedik [verb] (to rise)
sorozat [noun] (series)
tartalmaz [verb] (to contain)
irány [noun] (direction)
nyilatkozik [verb]

The Hungarian word “hétfő” (which means “Monday”) is composed of two parts: “hét” which means “week” and “fő” which means “head” or “first.” Therefore, “hétfő” literally means “the first day of the week” in Hungarian.

épít [verb] (to build)
Isten [proper noun]
miközben [conjunction] (while)
reggel [adverb] (in the morning)
mély [adjective] (deep)
jelentés [noun] (report)
végre [adverb] (at last)
ért [verb] (to understand)
György [proper noun]
fenti [adjective]
igazgató [noun] (director)
állat [noun] (animal)
előadás [noun] (lecture)
emel [verb]
tervez [verb] (to plan)
eredeti [adjective] (original)
videó [noun] (video)
egészen [adverb] (quite)
teljesítmény [noun] (performance)
hozzászólás [noun]
kor [noun] (age)
emberi [adjective] (human)
amíg [adverb] (until)
általában [adverb] (in general)
példa [noun] (example)
mintha [conjunction] (as if)
mindkét [numeral] (both)
József [proper noun]

This Hungarian word is formed as a combination of the word “ dél ” which means “ noon ” and the word “ után ” which means “ after ”.

szolgál [verb] (to serve)
rendőr [noun] (policeman)
méter [noun] (meter)
zene [noun] (music)
hol [adverb] (where)
helyez [verb] (to place)
levél [noun] (letter)
vállalkozás [noun] (enterprise)
közé [postposition] (between)
ekkor [adverb] (then)
sajnos [adverb] (unfortunately)
klub [noun] (club)
június [noun] (june)
tanács [noun] (advice)
század [noun] (century)
betegség [noun] (disease)
hall [verb]
különös [adjective] (strange)
tanár [noun] (teacher)
támadás [noun] (attack)
gyakorlat [noun] (exercise)
melyik [pronoun] (which)
pillanat [noun] (moment)

The Hungarian word “munkatárs” is a compound word composed of “munka” meaning “work” and “társ” meaning “companion” or “partner.” Therefore, “munkatárs” literally means “work companion” or “work partner”.

azonnal [adverb] (immediately)
hiány [noun] (deficit)
folytatódik [verb] (to continue)
használat [noun] (use)
társadalom [noun] (society)
Sándor [proper noun]
tárgyalás [noun] (negotiation)
kezdődik [verb] (to begin)
időszak [noun] (period)
évi [adjective] (annual)
Zoltán [proper noun]
központ [noun] (center)
Attila [proper noun]
változik [verb] (to change)
eddigi [adjective] (so far)
előző [adjective] (previous)
igazán [adverb] (really)
nép [noun] (people)

In Hungarian language, “forintos” is a word you may encounter while discussing prices or costs. It essentially means “in forints” or “with forints.” The adjective “forintos” derives from the word “forint,” which is Hungary’s basic currency unit.

védelem [noun] (protection)
intézkedés [noun] (measure)
kezelés [noun] (treatment)
módszer [noun] (method)
szél [noun] (wind)
mögött [postposition] (behind)
ennyi [pronoun] (so much)
szereplő [participle]
száz [numeral] (hundred)
nyolc [numeral] (eight)
mindössze [adverb]
szakasz [noun] (stage)
lista [noun] (list)
állás [noun] (job)
emellett [adverb] (in addition)
rend [noun] (order)
értékelés [noun] (evaluation)
érdekes [adjective] (interesting)
kutatás [noun] (research)
társadalmi [adjective] (social)
érintett [adjective]
személyes [adjective] (personal)
beruházás [noun] (investment)
küld [verb] (to send)
minél [adverb] (as much as possible)
belső [adjective] (internal)
kutató [noun] (researcher)

This Hungarian vocabulary word is a combination of the word “ hon ” which means “ home ” and the word “ lap ” which means “ page ”.

egyelőre [adverb] (for the time being)
kemény [adjective] (hard)
tulajdonos [noun] (owner)
jelen [adjective] (present)
Németország [proper noun]
független [adjective] (independent)
megállapodás [noun] (agreement)
András [proper noun]
vált [verb] (to change)
Románia [proper noun]
költségvetés [noun] (budget)
Tamás [proper noun]
évtized [noun] (decade)
látszik [verb]
figyel [verb] (to watch)
határoz [verb] (to decide)
veszély [noun] (danger)
július [noun] (July)
egyetem [noun] (university)

The Hungarian word “lényeg” can be translated to English as “essence,” “core,” or “substance,” and it refers to the essential or fundamental aspect of something. Hungarians often use the term to express the idea of getting to the heart of the matter.

lassú [adjective] (slow)
felvétel [noun] (recording)
készült [adjective]

The Hungarian word “kiállítás” translates to “exhibition” or “display” in English. It is a common Hungarian word because Hungary has a rich history of art and culture, and exhibitions are an important way of showcasing and promoting these works.

rendkívül [adverb] (extremely)
hiba [noun] (fault)
tárgy [noun] (object)
tanulmány [noun] (study)
hatalom [noun] (power)
tegnap [adverb] (yesterday)
közönség [noun] (audience)
családi [adjective] (family)
ajánl [verb] (to recommend)
szerinte [pronoun]
parlament [noun] (parliament)
volt [adjective] (volt)
parlamenti [adjective] (parliamentary)
Szent [proper noun]
hang [noun] (voice)
különbség [noun] (difference)
örül [verb]
vizsgál [verb] (study)
kár [noun] (damage)
elem [noun] (battery)
tekintet [noun] (look)
szociális [adjective] (social)
térség [noun] (area)
gyakorlati [adjective] (practical)
alkalmazás [noun] (application)
diák [noun] (student)
tiszta [adjective] (clean)
hamarosan [adverb] (soon)
oda [adverb] (there)
budapesti [adjective]
lehető [adjective] (possible)
osztály [noun] (class)
környék [noun]
kevésbé [adverb] (less)
átlagos [adjective] (average)
válogatott [verb]
növel [verb] (to increase)
derül [verb]
jogi [adjective] (legal)
kínai [adjective] (chinese)
ezután [adverb]
tervezett [adjective] (planned)
hagyományos [adjective] (traditional)
kategória [noun] (category)
alakít [verb] (to form)
viszony [noun] (relationship)
Debrecen [proper noun]
tartalom [noun] (content)

Only a small fraction of all Hungarian vocabulary words originate from Latin, and this is one of them. The original Latin word is “ cultura ”

tartó [adjective] (keeping)
rengeteg [adjective] (a lot)
rendszeres [adjective] (regular)
piaci [adjective]
szerintem [pronoun]
közép [noun] (middle)
nyár [noun] (summer)
egyáltalán [adverb] (at all)
magyarországi [adjective] (Hungarian)
épp [adverb]
megjelent [verb]
fotó [noun] (photo)
vásárol [verb] (to buy)
főváros [noun] (capital)
április [noun] (April)
katonai [adjective] (military)
írás [noun] (writing)
női [adjective] (female)
foglal [verb] (book)
csökkent [verb]
sérülés [noun] (injury)
szín [noun] (color)
anyagi [adjective] (material)
egészségügyi [adjective] (medical)
következik [verb] (to follow)
jóval [adverb] (well)
felmérés [noun] (survey)
mostani [adjective] (present)
róla [pronoun]
esetleg [adverb] (maybe)
anya [noun] (mother)
közösségi [adjective] (communal)
tény [noun] (fact)
szenved [verb] (to suffer)
hajt [verb] (to drive)
utal [verb]
működés [noun] (operation)
hiába [adverb] (in vain)
kapcsán [postposition]
remél [verb] (to hope)
görög [adjective] (greek)
fehér [adjective] (white)
asszony [noun] (woman)
kezdet [noun] (start)
háború [noun] (war)
döntő [noun] (the finals)
különleges [adjective] (special)
negyedik [numeral] (fourth)
egyaránt [adverb] (both)
továbbá [adverb]
egység [noun] (unit)
bevétel [noun] (income)
tájékoztatás [noun] (information)
szavaz [verb] (to vote)
láb [noun] (foot)
Lajos [proper noun]
kötelező [adjective] (obligatory)
tájékozódik [verb]
kulturális [adjective] (cultural)
emlékezik [verb]
lehetséges [adjective] (possible)
színész [noun] (actor)
épül [verb] (be under construction)
napi [adjective] (daily)
február [noun] (february)
biztonsági [adjective] (security)
ellátás [noun] (supply)
ezúttal [adverb] (this time)
tanul [verb] (to learn)
szocialista [adjective] (socialist)
templom [noun] (church)
állandó [adjective] (constant)
enged [verb] (give in)
alkalmas [adjective] (suitable)
fordít [verb] (to turn)
akció [noun] (action)
engedély [noun] (license)
köszönhető [adjective]
sokszor [adverb] (often)
létezik [verb] (to exist)
szakértő [noun] (expert)
kérdez [verb] (to ask)
kutya [noun] (dog)
fal [noun] (wall)
oktatás [noun] (education)
szállít [verb] (to deliver)
emlék [noun] (memory)
halad [verb] (progress)
tűnik [verb]
múlva [participle]
falu [noun] (village)
beszéd [noun] (speech)
kiadás [noun] (edition)
szövetség [noun] (alliance)
jellemző [adjective] (characteristic)
ezelőtt [adverb] (ago)
utazik [verb] (to travel)
kilométer [noun] (kilometer)
régió [noun] (region)
részben [adverb] (partly)
felett [postposition] (above)
résztvevő [noun] (participant)
ész [noun] (reason)
képzés [noun] (training)
Zsolt [proper noun]
alkalmazott [noun] (employee)
üzenet [noun] (message)
rajta [pronoun]
apa [noun] (father)
föld [noun] (earth)
internet [noun] (Internet)
széles [adjective] (wide)
Miskolc [proper noun]
megjelenítés [noun] (display)

The Hungarian word “úgynevezett” is a compound word composed of “úgy” meaning “so” or “thus” and “nevezett” meaning “called” or “named”. Therefore, “úgynevezett” literally means “so-called”. In practical usage, “úgynevezett” is used to introduce a term or expression that is not the actual or official name of something, but rather a common or colloquial name that people use to refer to it.

egyedül [adverb] (alone)
amennyiben [conjunction] (if)
mire [adverb] (what)
részlet [noun] (detail)
határozat [noun] (decision)
legtöbb [adjective]
oszt [verb] (to divide)
előre [adverb] (forward)
férfit [noun] (man)
katona [noun] (soldier)

The Hungarian word “önálló” is an adjective that translates to “independent” or “self-sufficient” in English. It is composed of two parts: “ön” meaning “self” and “álló” meaning “standing”. Therefore, “önálló” literally means “self-standing” or “self-reliant”.

egyház [noun] (church)
szolgálat [noun] (service)
kezel [verb]
mű [noun] (work)
révén [adverb]
nyugati [adjective] (western)
nyit [verb] (to open)
Oroszország [proper noun]
nyilvánosság [noun] (publicity)
történő [participle]
hallgató [noun] (student)
ül [verb] (to sit)
tényleg [adverb] (indeed)
sincs [verb]
idős [adjective] (elderly)
szülő [noun] (parent)
tehet [verb]
főleg [adverb] (mainly)
tavalyi [adjective] (last year's)
egyéni [adjective] (individual)
értelem [noun] (meaning)
élmény [noun] (experience)
gondolat [noun] (thought)
ilyenkor [adverb]
válaszol [verb] (to reply)
központi [adjective] (central)
kiváló [adjective] (excellent)
Csaba [proper noun]
öröm [noun] (joy)
lakó [noun] (resident)
üzleti [adjective] (business)

Despite the difference in spelling, this Hungarian vocabulary word comes from the English word “ goal ”.

gazda [noun] (farmer)
felhasználó [noun] (user)
hangulat [noun] (mood)
ünnep [noun] (holiday)
tőle [pronoun]
történt [verb]
hitel [noun] (credit)
tökéletes [adjective] (perfect)
külső [adjective] (external)
friss [adjective] (fresh)
kínál [verb]
hálózat [noun] (network)
módosítás [noun] (modification)
tartozó [adjective]
támad [verb] (to attack)
éjszaka [noun] (night)

The Hungarian word “király” translates to “king” in English. It is a common Hungarian word because Hungary was a monarchy for nearly 1,000 years until 1918, with a long line of kings and queens who ruled the country.

jogszabály [noun] (law)
átlag [noun] (average)
mellé [postposition] (next to)
hamar [adverb] (soon)
szervez [verb] (to organize)
fény [noun] (light)
kedves [adjective] (nice)
alkalmaz [verb] (to apply)
utána [adverb]
következmény [noun] (consequence)
önkormányzati [adjective] (municipal)

The word “osztrák” is a common Hungarian adjective because it refers to Austria, a neighboring country that has had a significant historical and cultural influence on Hungary. Hungary and Austria have a shared history that dates back centuries, including a period of dual monarchy known as the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

történelmi [adjective] (historical)
ingatlan [noun] (real estate)
ígér [verb] (to promise)
idéz [verb] (to cite)
változat [noun] (variant)
ítél [verb] (to judge)
említ [verb] (to mention)

The Hungarian word “munkahely” is a compound word made up of “munka” meaning “work” and “hely” meaning “place”. Therefore, “munkahely” literally translates to “workplace” or “place of work” in English.

testület [noun] (board)
annál [pronoun]
vehet [verb]
kész [adjective] (ready)
olcsó [adjective] (cheap)
lakik [verb] (to live)
tetszik [verb]
fegyver [noun] (weapon)
üzlet [noun] (business)
műsor [noun] (a show)
szöveg [noun] (text)
jelölt [noun] (candidate)
kísérlet [noun] (experiment)
havi [adjective] (monthly)
emiatt [adverb] (because of this)
partner [noun] (partner)
járó [adjective]
kizárólag [adverb] (exclusively)
tudás [noun] (knowledge)
bajnokság [noun] (championship)
csaknem [adverb] (almost)
szeretet [noun] (love)
harc [noun] (fight)
alkotás [noun] (creation)
vajon [adverb] (whether)
kereskedelmi [adjective] (commercial)
tömeg [noun] (crowd)
kislány [noun] (little girl)
energia [noun] (energy)
készített [verb]
azonos [adjective]
fok [noun] (degree)
árfolyam [noun] (exchange rate)
államtitkár [noun]
mennyi [pronoun]
bejelentés [noun] (announcement)
fut [verb] (to run)
alapvető [adjective] (basic)
állampolgár [noun] (citizen)
önmaga [pronoun] (himself)
szlovák [adjective] (slovak)
valamennyi [pronoun] (all)
ötlet [noun] (idea)
véd [verb] (to protect)
egyben [adverb]
teremt [verb] (to create)
Miklós [proper noun]
belőle [pronoun]
fejlődés [noun] (development)
hagyomány [noun] (tradition)
fizetés [noun] (salary)
török [adjective] (turkish)
végig [adverb]
tudományos [adjective] (scientific)
javasol [verb] (to suggest)
különösen [adverb] (especially)
kapa [noun] (hoe)
étel [noun] (food)
szándék [noun] (intention)
óriási [adjective]
ismeret [noun] (knowledge)
ellenőrzés [noun] (control)
megint [adverb] (again)
valóság [noun] (reality)
ukrán [adjective] (ukrainian)
előzetes [adjective] (preliminary)
biztonság [noun] (safety)
felel [verb] (to answer)
tavasz [noun] (spring)
dokumentum [noun] (document)
Kovács [proper noun]
mennyire [adverb] (how)
szavazat [noun] (vote)
valószínűleg [adverb] (probably)
újságíró [noun] (journalist)
neki [pronoun]
társ [noun] (partner)
olvasó [noun] (reader)
húsz [numeral] (twenty)
magyaráz [verb] (to explain)
tartott [verb]
iránt [postposition] (towards)
majdnem [adverb] (almost)
veszélyes [adjective] (dangerous)
ugyancsak [adverb] (also)

25 Hungarian Words that every foreigner should learn

By: Author Swedish Nomad

Posted on Last updated: March 20, 2021

Categories Hungary , Languages

Home / Europe / Hungary / 25 Hungarian Words that every foreigner should learn

Learning a few Hungarian words can be a great way of making new friends and understanding the culture better. While the younger generations often speak English these days, it’s always appreciated when a foreigner tries to learn Hungarian phrases and words.

Hungarian is a very complex and descriptive language and there are many words that can’t be translated into a single word in other languages.

I will also teach you some basic Hungarian words for everyday use, but first, let’s learn some unique words that Hungarians use.

If you date a Hungarian girl or guy, you’ll probably hope for Szerelem, which means romantic love. There are many words to describe love in the Hungarian language, for example, szeretet, which is used to describe the feeling of love towards something.

The word szerelem is only used for your partner to describe that wonderful romantic love.

Kolbászolni

This is one of my favorite words in Hungarian, not only because I love Kolbász (Hungarian sausage), but more so because of the meaning of this word.

It just makes me laugh every time I hear it, and Kolbászolni is used to describe a person who is either standing at one place doing nothing, or someone who’s walking slowly with no specific destination.

The literal meaning of Kolbászolni is what I find most amusing as it basically means “to be sausaging around”.

Zsír

Zsír literally means fat but is used as Hungarian slang for expressing that something is cool.

Someone who’s a Tutyimutyi is a person who has a weak will and fears every action. It’s not something that is labeled in a positive way, and it describes someone who is always scared of making mistakes, and they are often unable to take action.

This is one of the most common Hungarian words that foreigners don’t understand, and you will see it everywhere. So what does Magyar mean? It’s simply the name for Hungarians in the Hungarian language.

So, everything that is Hungarian will include the word Magyar, for example, The Hungarian language in Hungarian would be Magyar Nyelv and the local name for Hungary is Magyarország , which literally means land of Magyars.

Photo: Zoltan Tarlacz/Shutterstock

Szépség

Another word that might come in handy if you’re dating a Hungarian, szép means pretty, and szépség can be used to describe someone as a good-looking person in an informal way.

You will also see this word for beauty saloons as Szépségszalonok , which might be useful to know too.

Egészségedre!

If you’re going to a party or dinner with some Hungarians, someone might make a toast or say cheers before you drink. In Hungarian, you would say Egészségedre! and raise your glass.

It means to your health, but can also be used when someone sneezes and you want to say bless you.

Photo: Barb Elkin/Shutterstock

Kérem

Kérem means please, and it’s a polite thing to say, and can be compared to the German “bitte”. It’s used when you want something. For example, when you want the check at a restaurant, you can say A számlát, kérem, which means “the check, please”.

When you walk around in Hungarian cities such as Budapest, Debrecen, Miskolc or other bigger cities where people interact often, you’ll likely hear someone saying Szia, puszi, either when greeting each other or when they hang up on the phone.

Puszi means kiss and szia means hello, but can also be used when saying bye in an informal way to friends and family. It’s pronounced like “See-yaah pussy” which obviously can make English speakers burst into a laugh.

However, in Hungary, it’s common to say this when greeting or saying goodbye to friends in real life or on the phone. We actually have a similar expression in Sweden where we say Puss Puss when hanging up the phone, it basically means kiss kiss.

Elvágyódás

If you know the world wanderlust, the Hungarian word Elvágyódás is kind of similar, and it describes that feeling that you want to get away from where you currently are at the moment.

Photo: PKpix/Shutterstock

Nebáncsvirág

If you easily get offended while traveling around Hungary, someone might say that you’re Nebáncsvirág, which basically is used to describe a person who is easily offended.

Nos is a filler word in Hungarian, which means something like “well …”.

Hiányérzet

This is another Hungarian word that describes a feeling which has no translation in English. Hiányérzet is the feeling that you have forgot something but you can’t really name what you’re missing.

For example, if you pack for a trip and you’re sure that you forgot something while you’re on your way to the airport, then Hiányérzet is appropriate to use to describe what you’re feeling.

Photo: Ollyy/Shutterstock

If you’re spending time with Hungarians, you’ll hear them say Baszdmeg from time to time, and while the literal meaning is quite vulgar, it’s more commonly used to express anger and frustration.

The literal translation of Baszdmeg is f**k you, but it can also mean “damn it”. Baszdmeg is the most common Hungarian curse word.

Lófaszt!

The literal translation of Lófaszt is “Horse d*ck” but you can also use it for saying Bullshit!

Seggfej is the Hungarian translation for A**hole.

Funny Words in Hungarian

There are many Hungarian words that can sound funny to a foreigner. One of the best examples of this is the word Puszi, which is English is either referring to the female vagina or to describe someone as a coward.

In Hungarian however, Puszi means to kiss, and can be used when you part ways with a friend or hang up the phone when talking to a friend. Legjobb is another word that might make you think about some kind of job with your legs, but it simply means that something is the best.

Felpaprikázott = Peppered up
Fogpiszkáló = toothpick
Puszi! = kiss
Ürüfülkürt = Eustachian tube of a mutton
Legjobb = Best

Photo: Undrey/Shutterstock

Beautiful Hungarian words

Szeretlek = I love You
Édesség = Sweetie
Kedvesem = My dear
Aranyom = Honey

Long Hungarian Words

Hungarian words are known for being some of the longest compared to other languages. This is partly because it’s not really a single word, but rather a description of who, what, when, etc put together into one word.

In English, it’s common to separate words to describe what’s happening or what you’re referring to. But Hungarian words include this by adding parts in the beginning or by the end of the word, which results in more letters per single word.

Megszentségteleníthetetlenségeskedéseitekért = For your continued behavior as if you could not be desecrated
Mézeskalácssütés = Baking of Gingerbread
Legeslegnagyszerűbb = Most wonderful

Basic words in Hungarian

Now that you have learned some more advanced Hungarian words, it’s time to get back to the basics. These basic words in Hungarian can be used almost every day by tourists and expats.

Translate Hungarian words into English

Translating basic words in Hungarian is usually doable with Google Translate, which can be downloaded to your phone to use offline.

However, it’s not recommended to translate longer sentences because it’ll likely not turn out correct due to the difference in sentence making compared to English.

How to learn Hungarian words

Duolingo can be downloaded for free if you want to learn some basic Hungarian for your trip.

Another suggestion is to join a Facebook group about Hungary or find a language group with volunteers that want to practice their English in exchange for teaching some Hungarian.

Photo: David MG/Shutterstock

Frequently Asked Questions about words in Hungarian

What is the longest word in hungarian.

Megszentségteleníthetetlenségeskedéseitekért is considered to be the longest Hungarian word, and it has 44 letters.

How do you greet someone in Hungary?

If you greet a stranger in Hungary, you would either wish them a good day by saying Jó napot kivánok , but you could also say Szervusz or use the more informal Szia . In Hungary, it’s also common to greet each other with a kiss on the cheek, on the left side.

What is the Hungarian word for cheers?

When you make a toast or want to say cheers in Hungarian, you can say Egészségére! and raise your glass.

What is the Hungarian word for happiness?

Boldogság is the Hungarian translation for happiness.

Want to learn more Hungarian words? Leave a comment below!

Tuesday 17th of September 2019

Hi, You left the fakanál (wooden spoon ) out of your list! I think it should be there :) Regards Mike

Saturday 14th of September 2019

I am Hungarian, really liked your perspective on the language. Don't know if you know it, but nebancsvirag is the name of the touch-me-not plant (literally translates to 'don't-hurt-me-flower), but yes, we do use it metaphorically to describe people too. It is based on the nature of the plant as if you touch it, it explodes. :) Also Édesség is more sweets than sweetie. If you refer to a person it is édesem (my sweet ;))

IMAGES

Basic and useful Hungarian phrases for a trip to Budapest
Travel words and phrases in Hungarian
36 useful Hungarian phrases for varied occasions in Budapest
Basic and useful Hungarian phrases for a trip to Budapest
Basic Hungarian words 1st package with pronunciaton
Useful Hungarian Phrases & Saying Perfect For Travellers

VIDEO

How To Speak Hungarian 🇭🇺 #hungarian #hungary #magyar #language #shorts
Crossing the Chain Bridge [Budapest 2024][13]
Useful travel words in Croatian!
BEGINNERS IN HUNGARIAN: learn an unusual wordlist with 'i' and ' í' sounds
Hungary
Trams Passing at Kossuth Lajos Square [Budapest 2024][26]

COMMENTS

Basic and useful Hungarian phrases for a trip to Budapest
Greetings and useful Hungarian words. Say these useful Hungarian phrases to everybody: hotel staff, waiters, bus drivers, tour guides, shop assistants. They are basic, polite words that will create a good vibe around you. Jó napot = good day (pronounced yo na-pot) (bonus: say "jó reggelt" before 9 AM, pronounced yo reh-gelt)
Top 30 Hungarian Travel Phrases You Should Know
Learn the top 30 Hungarian travel phrases you should know. Get the translations, sample sentences, and audio lessons inside. Brought to you by HungarianPod101. ... Hungarian Dictionary Free 100 Most Common Words Free 2000 Most Common Words Hungarian Key Phrases Free. My Teacher. My Teacher Messenger My Assessment Test My Report. More. Hungarian ...
TOP 100 Basic Hungarian Phrases • Eat, Sleep, Wander
NOTE: Please keep in mind that these Hungarian phrases are written in a way that will be easiest for you to pronounce them. We made a list of 100 basic Hungarian phrases that definitely will make your life easier while visiting Hungary. Basic Hungarian phrases for greetings. Hello = Szia! (formal: Jó napot!)
HungarianPod101's Essential Hungarian Travel Phrase Guide
Here is how to reserve a table in a restaurant. 5. Asking for and Giving Directions. Hungarian language travel phrases for asking for or giving directions are just as important as phrases for transportation. God forbid, you get lost somewhere, you might need to ask locals to point you in the right direction.
36 useful Hungarian phrases for varied occasions in Budapest
Jó éjszakát. (yoh ey-sa-kat) "Good night" You can use this both in a formal or informal conversation. Viszontlátásra. (vee-saunt-lah-tahs-ra) "Goodbye" A formal term for farewell. In friendly company, you can simply say "szia", as explained above. Puszi.
Common phrases in Hungarian
This guide will help you learn some helpful, common phrases and words in Hungarian language for your trip to Budapest, to enjoy a full travel experience. Created with Sketch. 7A2AEB20-9444-4320-9263-BCD049522F4A
Hungarian phrases for tourists 2024
Learning basic Hungarian phrases before your Budapest trip in 2024 can be rewarding in certain ways. In this post we cover basic phrases in Hungarian with pronunciation.Not only the basic Hungarian but we try to cover H ungarian phrases for travel which may benefit you in your next Hungary journey.. It is pretty difficult for someone to learn Hungarian if he/she is not serious about it.
Essential Hungarian Phrases According To A Language Expert
Köszönöm (kew-sew-newm) / Köszi (kew-see) Meaning: Thank you / Thanks. Never underestimate the power of a kind word - Hungarian hearts can be melted with a vote of thanks in their native tongue. Köszönöm can be used in just about any situation, while köszi is informal and should be avoided when addressing older people.
33 Essential Expressions and Meanings in Hungarian.
The expression is used for something impossible, something absurd. 4. Lassan járj, tovább érsz. "Walk slowly, you'll get farther.". Don't rush things, they will turn out better. 5. Két malomba őrölnek. "They grind in two different mills.". They speak about two different things, which leads to a misunderstanding.
Useful Hungarian Phrases & Saying Perfect For Travellers
Guide to useful Hungarian phrases for tourist. How to say bye in Hungarian, hello, thank you, good morning, goodnight and more with help on pronunciation. ... learn the most useful Hungarian phrases to travel and to get to know this beautiful language! Below are tips on how a few basic words and phrases, like how to say hello, thank you, excuse ...
Hungarian phrasebook
Hungarian (magyar) is a Uralic, non-Indo-European linguistic island spoken in Central Europe found mainly in Hungary but also in parts of Austria, Slovakia, Romania, Ukraine, Slovenia, Croatia and Serbia.It is surrounded by, but not related to, Germanic, Romance and Slavic languages, from which it borrows heavily (the ö, the ü and the knack for combining two-words-in-one from German, the ...
Essential Hungarian Phrases, According to a Language Expert
Both Finnish and Hungarian belong to the Finno-Ugric language family, along with Estonian and a number of languages spoken by smaller communities in northeastern Europe and Siberia. The relative solitude of Magyar (as the language is called in Hungarian) - not to mention its 14 vowel sounds - certainly contributes to the difficulty it ...
23 Hungarian phrases to learn while in Budapest
How to pronounce it: Keh-rack a-j (a as in apple, j as in joke) cher-t (Cher as in the singer) / bore-t / pah-lin-cart What it means: 'I'd like a beer / wine / pálinka.' And that brings us to what is possibly THE most important word in the Hungarian language: pálinka. This is a Hungarian fruit brandy that comes in flavours like plum, honey, cherry, apricot etc.
Mini Lesson: Hungarian Phrases of Natural Conversation
The bigger part of the conversations we encounter is about establishing intimacy, common ground, and sympathy. This is true for the most basic encounters in the city as well as the more in-depth talks with our friends and families. If what your Hungarian conversation-partner gets is a robotic sentence from you what you'll get back is a ...
Get Talking: The Top Hungarian Phrases for Beginners
Nem értem. I don't understand. Orvosra van szükségem. I need a doctor. We hope you won't need to use this phrase, but it's one of the most important ones for beginners to learn. In the same vein, we also recommend checking out our vocabulary lists of phrases for talking about injuries and speaking with a doctor . 5.
Useful Hungarian phrases
Useful Hungarian phrases. A collection of useful phrases in Hungarian, a Uralic language spoken mainly in Hungary. Jump to phrases. See these phrases in any combination of two languages in the Phrase Finder.If you can provide recordings, corrections or additional translations, please contact me.. Key to abbreviations: frm = formal, inf = informal, sg = singular (said to one person), pl ...
Useful Hungarian phrases
Although there are many tourists and international students in Budapest and you can easily communicate in English in Budapest, it is always useful to say a few words in the local language. When you need to arrange official documents and administration, your mentor, a Hungarian student at ELTE, can help you with finding your way.
How to Learn Hungarian
The "nature" of the Hungarian language: Agglutination. How agglutination works: vowel harmony. The Hungarian word order. How to learn Hungarian step by step. 1. Establish a steady study routine and know your "why". 2. Learn the alphabet. 3.
Top 25 Hungarian Phrases
This is Top Words in Hungarian, and we are going to see and learn Top 25 Hungarian Phrases. 1. Szia! "Hello.". The first one is Szia, which means hello. Szia! But if I say to all of the viewers, then I would say Sziasztok! And this is an informal way of greeting people, so please use it with someone who's the same age as you or younger than ...
All Travel Phrases You Need in Hungarian! Learn Hungarian in ...
https://bit.ly/3u6IHQs ← If you want to study more, click here and get the best resources to learn in the most efficient way. ↓ More details below ↓Step 1: G...
Essential Hungarian Vocabulary: List of the 1000 Most Common Words
élő. [adjective] (live) "élő" is a frequently-used Hungarian word because it has several useful meanings. One of the most common meanings of "élő" is "alive," in the context of a living organism. In addition, "élő" can also mean "live" in the context of live broadcasting or live performances.
25 Hungarian Words that every foreigner should learn
Now that you have learned some more advanced Hungarian words, it's time to get back to the basics. These basic words in Hungarian can be used almost every day by tourists and expats. English. Hungarian. Hi/Hello. Szia/Szervusz! Goodbye. Viszontlátásra/Viszlát. Yes/No.
Hungarian phrasebook
Hungarian is a non-Indo-European language spoken in Central Europe. Speakers are found mainly in Hungary but also in parts of Austria, Slovakia, Romania, Ukraine, Slovenia, Croatia and Serbia. It is surrounded by Germanic, Romance and Slavic languages, and while it borrows heavily from them it is ultimately unrelated. Hungarian's distant relatives in the Uralic family, mostly spoken in Europe ...

Basic and useful Hungarian phrases for a trip to Budapest

Basic Hungarian rules and my experience as an expat

G reetings and u seful Hungarian words

Show appreciation in Hungarian

City basics and survival on the street in Hungarian

S imple Hungarian words for foods and drinks

Like these simple Hungarian words? Consider leaving a tip 🙂

14 thoughts on “ Basic and useful Hungarian phrases for a trip to Budapest ”

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

TOP 100 Basic Hungarian Phrases

We made a list of 100 basic Hungarian phrases that definitely will make your life easier while visiting Hungary.

Basic Hungarian phrases for greetings

Basic Hungarian phrases for addressing people

Basic Hungarian phrases for directions (taxis, buses, airport, etc.)

Basic Hungarian phrases for shopping

Basic Hungarian numbers

Basic Hungarian phrases for restaurants or cafes

Basic Hungarian words and sentences for an emergency

Hungarian phrases for a night out

Check out our list on TOP 100 Macedonian Phrases now!

Hungarian phrases for tourists 2024 | Basic Hungarian for tourists

B asic Hungarian phrases

S zia meaning

How do you pronounce Hogy Vagy?

How do you respond to thank you in Hungarian?

Thank you in Hungarian

How do you apologize in Hungarian?

B asic Hungarian greetings

Good morning Hungarian

Good day in Hungarian

Good evening in Hungarian

How to say goodnight in Hungarian

Common Hungarian phrases for shopping

Key Hungarian Phrases for returning items

Basic Hungarian phrases for using toilets

Hungarian words for medical terms

Hungarian phrases for Metro journey

Hungarian words for air journey

Hungarian words for taxi

Hungarian words while driving in Budapest

Important Hungarian words for drinking

Egészségedre in English

Hungarian numbers pronunciation

Related Posts

Budapest Parking 2024 | Parking in Budapest 2024

Budapest food prices | Prices in Budapest 2024

Cheap shopping in Budapest 2024 | Sales in Budapest 2024

Does Budapest have uber?Uber Budapest Alternative 2024

Essential Hungarian Phrases, According to a Language Expert

Often described as one of the world’s most difficult languages, Hungarian presents a challenge to visitors hoping to test their linguistic mettle. Get the lowdown on the most important (and occasionally amusing) phrases to learn, from Hungarian teacher Dávid Hollós.

Greetings and other useful words and phrases

Become a Culture Tripper!

Visiting a restaurant / bar

Conversation and other hobbies

Slang and unusual sayings

Places to Stay

The Best Spa Hotels in Hungary

Artist Márta Kucsora Talks Hungarian Art and Where To See It in Budapest

Architecture

The Best Luxury Hotels to Book in Hungary

Food & Drink

See & Do

The Best Hotels in Hungary for Every Traveller

All Aboard the Budapest Railway Staffed (Almost) Entirely By Children

The 7 Best Places to Stay in Szentendre, Hungary

Introducing Panel Magazine, The Literary Journal Born In A Budapest Bookshop

Coming Home: The Revival of Jewish Life in Budapest

Matador Original Series

1. Úgy szép az élet, ha zajlik.

2. A türelem rózsát teremt.

3. Fából vaskarika.

4. Lassan járj, tovább érsz.

5. Két malomba őrölnek.

6. Egyik tizenkilenc, másik egy híján húsz.

7. Sokat akar a szarka, de nem bírja a farka.

8. Ahány ház, annyi szokás.

9. A jég hátán is megél.

10. Eső után köpönyeg.

11. Sok beszéd szegénység.

12. Ritka, mint a fehér holló.