The key to successful language learning is to be aware of your level. If you start learning Hungarian words and phrases that are too advanced for you, it will increase the likelihood that you’ll give up after a while. Our aim at HungarianPod101.com is to provide study materials for learners of all levels. We previously posted an article about beginner Hungarian phrases [link], so we recommend you start there if you’re new to the game.
In this article, however, you’re going to learn several intermediate Hungarian phrases that will help you sound more like a native speaker. These phrases are ideal for learners who are ready to cross over from the beginner level to the intermediate level. If you feel ready for our list of intermediate Hungarian phrases and expressions, let us outline what you’ll learn about today.
- Talking about past events
- Making and changing plans
- Explaining and listing reasons
- Making recommendations and complaints
- Reaction phrases for everyday conversations
- Etiquette phrases for both social and business settings
Sound good? Let’s jump into it!
Table of Contents
- Talking About Past Events
- Making and Changing Plans
- Explaining and Listing Reasons
- Making Recommendations and Complaints
- Reaction Phrases for Everyday Conversations
- Etiquette Phrases for Social and Business Settings
- How HungarianPod101 Helps You Reach Your Hungarian Learning Goals
1. Talking About Past Events
Using the past tense in Hungarian is super easy. Unlike many other languages, such as English and French, we have only one past tense. In this section, we’ll show you how the past tense works by introducing you to intermediate Hungarian words and phrases for talking about past events. You can use them when talking to your friends or coworkers about a wild Friday night or other memorable experiences.
- “We had fun at the party last night.”
Jól szórakoztunk a partin tegnap este.
- “I started going to the gym three years ago.”
Három éve kezdtem edzőterembe járni.
- “That was the best day of my life. My child was born.”
Ez volt életem legszebb napja. Megszületett a gyermekem.
- “I used to have a cat named Creme.”
Volt egy macskám, akit Krémnek hívtak.
- “I got invited to a house party in Los Angeles last year.”
Tavaly meghívtak egy házibuliba Los Angeles-ben.
2. Making and Changing Plans
Imagine not being able to make a dinner party because something came up, and not knowing how to inform your Hungarian friends. Lucky for you, these next Hungarian phrases for intermediate learners will help you make and change plans. Knowing how to do this is crucial, as punctuality is important to Hungarians. We advise that you take a close look at these phrases and try to memorize as many as you can.
- “Do you want to have lunch together this Tuesday?”
Szeretnél együtt ebédelni ezen a kedden? [informal]
- “Would you like to have lunch together this Tuesday?”
Volna kedve együtt ebédelni ezen a kedden? [formal]
- “Can I bring my boyfriend/girlfriend to the party?”
Elhozhatom a barátomat/barátnőmet a buliba?
In the sentence above, you can replace barátomat/barátnőmet with párom (“partner”) in order to sound more “grown-up.”
- “Unfortunately, I can’t make it to the dinner party because my sister is coming to town.”
Sajnos nem tudok ott lenni a vacsora partin, mert a nővérem jön a városba.
- “Would it be a problem if we rescheduled?”
Gondot jelentene, ha áttennénk az időpontot?
- “Let’s have a Zoom meeting on Wednesday at two p.m. to discuss the details.”
Tartsunk egy Zoom meetinget szerdán délután kettőkor, hogy megbeszéljük a részleteket!
The sentence above will come in handy at your workplace, especially nowadays in the time of home offices and remote working.
- “Where would you like to go after the cinema?”
Hova szeretnél menni a mozi után?
You can visit our free vocabulary list Talking About Your Plans to learn more useful phrases along with their pronunciation.
3. Explaining and Listing Reasons
These next intermediate Hungarian phrases will be useful in both your private life and your professional life. Giving reasons and explaining decisions is a huge part of everyday life, so learning how to do so in Hungarian is essential.
Did you have a heated argument with a Hungarian friend of yours? Hit them back with logical reasoning!
Must you tell your Hungarian boss why your project will perform better than they think? Explain it with ease!
With the following intermediate phrases for Hungarian conversations, all this (and more) is possible.
- “I wrote this because I thought you would like it.”
Azért írtam ezt, mert azt gondoltam, tetszene neked.
- “I believe it was the right decision. That’s why I don’t understand your fury.”
Úgy gondolom, ez volt a helyes döntés. Ezért nem értem a haragodat.
- “If you had told me the truth, we wouldn’t be here right now.”
Ha elmondtad volna az igazat, most nem lennénk itt.
- “I decided to choose this job for three reasons. First, the salary is really good. Second, it’s close to my house. Lastly, I love this field of business.”
Három okból választottam ezt a munkát. Először is, a fizetés nagyon jó. Másodszor, közel van a házamhoz. Végül pedig, imádom ezt az üzleti területet.
- “Although you already said no, I would like to explain my point of view.”
Habár már nemet mondtál, szeretném elmagyarázni az én nézőpontomat.
4. Making Recommendations and Complaints
Making recommendations to friends and complaining about poor service are both crucial parts of everyday life in Hungary. If you’ve ever wanted to recommend a book to a Hungarian friend or complain about dry chicken at a restaurant, keep reading! The following intermediate Hungarian phrases will help you make recommendations and complaints with ease.
- “You should read this. This is the best fantasy book I’ve ever read.”
Ezt el kellene olvasnod. Ez a legjobb fantasy könyv, amit valaha olvastam.
Visit our lesson At a Hungarian Bookstore to hear a conversation between a seller and a customer in a bookstore.
- “We loved that hotel. We would go back there again anytime!”
Imádtuk azt a szállodát. Bármikor visszamennénk oda!
- “The customer service is very poor there. Don’t go to that pub.”
A kiszolgálás nagyon rossz ott. Ne menjetek abba a bárba!
- “The bread is completely dry. Could you give me a fresh slice, please?”
A kenyér teljesen száraz. Tudna nekem egy friss szeletet hozni, kérem?
- “The food is excellent here. You should try it next time.”
Az étel kiváló itt. Legközelebb ki kellene próbálnod!
Need some more complaint phrases? Then visit our free vocabulary list!
5. Reaction Phrases for Everyday Conversations
If you visit or live in Hungary, engaging in everyday conversations is inevitable. To boost your confidence and help you make a good impression on others, we’ve compiled below a few intermediate conversational Hungarian phrases. We have also included a few sample dialogues using these reaction phrases so that you can see how they might be used in real life.
- “Awesome!” – Király!
- “Really?” – Tényleg?
- “Seriously?” – Komolyan?
- “I’m not kidding.” – Nem viccelek.
- “Mind-blowing!” – Eszméletlen!
Here are some sample dialogues for you:
A “We had fun at your party last time.” – Jól éreztük magunkat tegnap a bulidban.
B: “Awesome! I’m glad you could make it.” – Király! Örülök, hogy el tudtatok jönni!
A: “Did you really see him at the mall?” – Tényleg láttad őt a plázában?
B: “I’m not kidding. He was checking out engagement rings.” – Nem viccelek. Eljegyzési gyűrűket nézegetett.
A: “No way! Really?” – Ne már! Komolyan?
B: “I swear. It was huge!” – Esküszöm! Fantasztikus!
- ➜ Do you need some help with your Hungarian pronunciation? Then make sure to visit our lesson on how to speak like a local!
6. Etiquette Phrases for Social and Business Settings
We saved the easiest part for last. In this section, you’ll find intermediate Hungarian words and phrases for both social and business settings. The following expressions are common etiquette phrases that you can memorize and use anytime during a Hungarian conversation.
- “Enjoy!”
Jó étvágyat!
Not sure how to eat Hungarian food? Don’t be shy. Ask! (Or visit our dedicated lesson…)
- “Make yourself at home.”
Érezd otthon magad!
- “Let me know if you have any questions.”
Szólj, ha bármi kérdésed van!
- “Welcome to our team.”
Üdvözlünk a csapatban!
- “Drive safe.”
Vezess óvatosan!
7. How HungarianPod101 Helps You Reach Your Hungarian Learning Goals
This marks the end of our article. We hope we were able to familiarize you with the most common intermediate words and phrases in Hungarian and that you’ll be using them confidently every day.
Do you remember everything we covered today? We introduced intermediate Hungarian phrases for talking about past events, making and changing plans, explaining and listing reasons, and making recommendations and complaints. We also showed you some reaction phrases and other expressions for smooth social/business interactions.
Even though we covered a lot today, don’t forget that practice makes perfect. Even if you think you understood and memorized everything, come back to this article every now and then—maybe even take notes—so that the intermediate Hungarian vocabulary can truly sink in.
If you would like to expand your knowledge, join the HungarianPod101 family. Here, you can find lots of audio content, helpful videos, example conversations, and more—not to mention a supportive group of fellow language learners.
Which intermediate Hungarian phrase did you find the most useful? Let us know in the comments!
