Complete Beginner's Guide to How to Learn Hungarian Quickly

Introduction

Many people believe Hungarian is one of the hardest languages to learn. Sokan úgy gondolják, hogy a magyar az egyik legnehezebb nyelv.

But here's the truth: while Hungarian grammar can be complex, the basics of speaking and understanding are quite achievable. De itt van az igazság: bár a magyar nyelvtan összetett lehet, az alapvető beszéd és megértés könnyen elsajátítható.

The key is starting with practical, everyday Hungarian rather than getting lost in complex grammar rules. A lényeg az, hogy a gyakorlati, mindennapi magyarral kezdjünk, ahelyett, hogy elvesznénk a bonyolult nyelvtani szabályokban.

Part 1: Essential First Steps in Hungarian

Basic Greetings:

1. Informal Greetings

• Szia! (Hi/Bye) - [si-a]
• Helló! (Hello) - [he-lo]
• Jó napot! (Good day) - [yo na-pot]

2. Formal Greetings

• Jó reggelt! (Good morning) - [yo reg-gelt]
• Jó estét! (Good evening) - [yo esh-tayt]
• Viszontlátásra! (Goodbye) - [vi-sont-la-tash-ra]

Essential Phrases for Beginners:

1. Basic Communication

• Igen (Yes) - [i-gen]
• Nem (No) - [nem]
• Köszönöm (Thank you) - [kö-sö-nöm]
• Kérem (Please) - [kay-rem]
• Bocsánat (Sorry) - [bo-cha-nat]

2. Important Questions

• Mi ez? (What is this?) - [mi ez]
• Hol van? (Where is it?) - [hol von]
• Mennyi? (How much?) - [men-nyi]
• Beszél angolul? (Do you speak English?) - [be-sayl an-go-lul]

Part 2: Survival Hungarian

Essential Verbs:

1. To Be (lenni)

• vagyok (I am)
• vagy (you are - informal)
• van (he/she/it is)
• vagyunk (we are)
• vagytok (you are - plural)
• vannak (they are)

2. To Have (birtokolni; "birtokolni" is not commonly used in everyday speech. The structure "nekem van" (I have or, literally, for me there is/...) is more accurate for practical use.)

• nekem van (I have)
• neked van (you have)
• neki van (he/she has)
• nekünk van (we have)
• nektek van (you have - plural)
• nekik van (they have)

Basic Structure: (Pronoun in dative case) + "van" + possessed noun with possessive suffix

Examples: Van kutyám. (I have a dog.) Nekem van kutyám. (I have a dog. - emphasizing the owner) Kutyám van. (I have a dog. - emphasizing what is possessed)

Variations: The pronoun (nekem, neked, etc.) is optional and used for emphasis. The word order can change to shift focus.

"Van" is omitted in first and second person, except in questions or negatives.

Basic Nouns You'll Need:

1. Places

• étterem (restaurant) - [ayt-te-rem]
• bolt (shop) - [bolt]
• piac (market) - [pi-ats]
• bank (bank) - [bank]
• hotel (hotel) - [ho-tel]
• állomás (station) - [al-lo-mash]

2. Food & Drink

• víz (water) - [veez]
• kenyér (bread) - [ke-nyayr]
• kávé (coffee) - [ka-vay]
• sör (beer) - [shör]
• leves (soup) - [le-vesh]
• hús (meat) - [hoosh]

Part 3: Basic Grammar Concepts

Word Order Basics:

Basic Sentence Structure

• Subject + Verb + Object Example: Én szeretem a kávét (I like coffee)

Focus Position 

• Subject + Object + Verb Example: Én a kávét szeretem  (I like coffee, not the toast)

Simple Possessives:

1. My/Your/His/Her

• az én házam (my house)
• a te házad (your house)
• az ő háza (his/her house)

2. Our/Your/Their

• a mi házunk (our house)
• a ti házatok (your house - plural)
• az ő házuk (their house)

Part 4: Top Student Tips 

Shadow speaking: Repeat after native speakers in videos/audio

Mental rehearsal: Practice conversations in your head

Voice recording: Record yourself speaking and analyze your pronunciation

Language exchange: Find a Hungarian conversation partner online

Role-play: Act out common scenarios (ordering food, asking directions)

Netflix and streaming: Watch Hungarian content with:

Hungarian audio + English subtitles (for beginners)

Hungarian audio + Hungarian subtitles (intermediate)

Hungarian audio only (advanced)

YouTube channels: Follow Hungarian vloggers and educational content

Podcasts: Listen during commutes or daily activities

Music: Create a Hungarian playlist to learn through songs

 

Priority Areas for Beginners:

• Basic Pronunciation Master vowel harmony rules
• Practice unique Hungarian sounds (gy, ny, ty)
• Learn stress patterns (always on first syllable)

Essential Grammar Concepts

• Word order basics
• Personal pronouns
• Present tense conjugation
• Basic cases (accusative, dative)

Survival Vocabulary

• Greetings and introductions
• Numbers and basic counting
• Directions and locations
• Food and drinks
• Emergency phrases

Create an Immersive Environment

• Label household items with Hungarian words
• Change phone language to Hungarian
• Follow Hungarian social media accounts
• Join Hungarian learning communities online

Part 5: Common Situations

At the Restaurant:

• Egy asztalt kérek (I'd like a table)
• Az étlapot kérem (The menu, please)
• Fizetek (I'd like to pay)
• Nagyon finom volt (It was very delicious)

Shopping:

• Mennyibe kerül? (How much does it cost?)
• Ezt kérem (I'll take this)
• Van más szín? (Do you have another color?)
• Túl drága (Too expensive)

Getting Around:

• Hol van a...? (Where is the...?)
• Merre van...? (Which way is...?)
• Messze van? (Is it far?)
• Gyalog megyek (I'll walk)

Part 6: Cultural Tips

1. Formal vs. Informal:

• Use formal with strangers and elders
• Wait for others to initiate informal speech
• When in doubt, stay formal

2. Basic Etiquette:

• Greet people when entering shops
• Say goodbye when leaving
• Use "Egészségére!" (Cheers/Bless you)
• Remove shoes when entering homes

Common Mistakes to Avoid:

1. Language Pitfalls

• Don't skip articles (a/az)
• Remember vowel harmony
• Use formal speech with strangers
• Don't translate word-for-word from English

2. Cultural Mistakes

• Don't clink beer glasses
• Don't eat without saying "Jó étvágyat!"
• Don't rush greetings and goodbyes
• Don't forget to greet shop staff

Ready to start your Hungarian language journey? Sign up for our FREE Hungarian Newsletter for weekly lessons, tips, and cultural insights!

Also, did you know you can schedule a FREE CONSULTATION to discuss your learning goals with us? Yes, you can do that here!

Homework for this lesson

Section A: Basic Greetings

1. To say "good morning" in Hungarian, you say "_______ reggelt!"
2. The informal way to say both "hi" and "bye" is "_______"
3. When formally saying goodbye, use "_______"
4. "Good evening" in Hungarian is "_______ estét!"

Section B: Essential Phrases

5. To ask "Do you speak English?" say "_______ angolul?"
6. The word for "please" in Hungarian is "_______"
7. To say "thank you," use "_______"
8. "Where is it?" in Hungarian is "_______ van?"

Section C: Basic Verbs

9. "I am" in Hungarian is "_______"
10. To say "they are," use "_______"
11. The Hungarian way to say "I have" is "_______ van"
12. "You have" (informal) is "_______ van"

Section D: Common Nouns

13. The word for "restaurant" is "_______"
14. "Water" in Hungarian is "_______"
15. To say "bread," use "_______"
16. The Hungarian word for "station" is "_______"

Section E: Practical Situations

17. To ask for the menu, say "_______ kérem"
18. "How much does it cost?" is "_______ kerül?"
19. To say "I'll walk" in Hungarian, use "_______ megyek"
20. When something is too expensive, say "Túl _______"

Section F: Cultural Knowledge

21. When toasting in Hungarian, you say "_______!"
22. Before eating, you should say "_______ étvágyat!"
23. For a sneeze, you also say "_______!"
24. When asking for a table at a restaurant, say "Egy _______ kérek"

Did you know?

We have a podcast for Hungarian language learners. You can listen to us here.

We have a monthly published Interactive Online Magazine. Check it out here.

Join us on Facebook and connect others by speaking Hungarian.

Check out some interviews with our learners on YouTube.