HungarianPod101.com Blog

Do you know which two animals ancient Hungarians most revered? The deer and the wolf! The former for its grace and gentle nature, and the latter for its strength and tendency toward predation.  While we no longer regard animals with quite the same level of esteem, they still play a large role in our daily lives. As a Hungarian learner, you’ll greatly benefit from learning the names of common animals in Hungarian. Doing so will allow you to better understand native Hungarian speakers and strike up conversations with just about anyone—because who doesn’t like talking about their pets or their favorite wild creatures?  In this article, you’ll learn the names of the most common Hungarian animals as well as those abroad. We’ll cover... Show more

Remember the time your mom handed you the phone, telling you to order the pizza yourself if you wanted it so much? You were shaking so badly that you ended up just eating leftovers from the fridge that night…  For some, speaking on the phone can be challenging or even frightening. During a phone conversation, we cannot see the other person’s facial expressions or other body language cues that we normally rely on for effective communication.  Now imagine trying to talk on the phone in a foreign language!  As a language learner, you’ll benefit from learning Hungarian phone call phrases for different situations. Knowing the essential phrases and expressions by heart will allow you to speak on the phone with more confidence. You’ll be... Show more

So, you’ve just started learning Hungarian. Congratulations!  Are you feeling excited? Confident? Or maybe a bit nervous and overwhelmed? That would be entirely understandable. When you decide to pick up a foreign language, it can be difficult to know where you should start.  But luckily for you, HungarianPod101.com has your back!  In this article, you’ll find 200+ basic Hungarian words for beginners. Memorizing these words will give you a solid vocabulary base to build upon, which will be super-important once you start trying to form sentences.  We’ve collected only the most common Hungarian words for beginners, so you won’t have to bother with words that are too advanced or not very useful. We’ve even categorized them to... Show more

Have you ever been lost for words or needed extra time to think about what to say? We’ve all been there.  Those natural pauses in conversation can easily become awkward or uncomfortable, though, which is where filler words come in. These are small words, expressions, or sounds that we use to "fill" those pauses in order to keep the conversation flowing and veil our momentary lapse.  Each spoken language has its own unique filler words. You’re probably familiar with fillers like "well," "you know," and "ehm" in English, but did you know that learning Hungarian filler words can greatly enhance your conversation skills as a student of the language?  In this article, HungarianPod101 will discuss fillers in more detail, introduce you... Show more

We’ve all been in love, right?  In relationships, it’s crucial to express your emotions and to let the other party know how you feel about them.  But what if that other party happens to be a fine Hungarian man or woman? The last thing you want to do is let that gorgeous human you just spotted at a party get away.  Saying the right words at the right time is key, but this can be difficult enough in your native language—let alone a foreign one like Hungarian!  In this article, we’ll introduce you to various Hungarian phrases about love. You’ll learn how to flirt and express your initial affection, the best ways to say "I love you," in Hungarian, and several handy Hungarian dating phrases. We’ll even get you ready to ask that fine... Show more

Learning how to negate is an essential part of studying a language. How else would you tell your friend that no, you’re not going to do their homework for them? Or tell your grandma that you don’t want any more soup after the third round?  It’s through negation that we’re able to fully express our emotions, give our honest opinions, and set healthy boundaries.  In this article, you’ll learn… ...how to make negative sentences in Hungarian....how to give negative responses to questions....how the double negative in Hungarian works....some useful words of negation you can start using right away.  Don’t worry—it’s easy as pie! (That said, you might want to read our article on Hungarian word order before you dig in…) ... Show more

When there are so many popular languages you could study, why learn Hungarian?  That’s a fair question, and one to which we have some answers!  In this article, we’ll discuss why you should learn Hungarian and what benefits you can expect to gain from studying this beautiful language. And trust us, there are a lot—from improved mental health to increased business opportunities!  Another question many aspiring learners ask is: "Why is Hungarian so difficult to learn?" Keep in mind that with the right mindset, tools, and learning techniques, studying Hungarian is going to be like a promenade along the Seine...or should we say, along the Danube? To help you find the best way to learn Hungarian—as you should find what works for... Show more

What’s one of the first things you consider when determining whether to learn something new? If you’re like most people, you probably look at how long it will take to learn, how difficult it is, and whether it’s worth the investment.   If you’re reading this, odds are you want to start learning Hungarian but have not yet committed. You might be asking the all-too-common question: How long does it take to learn Hungarian?  While there’s no solid timeline for how long this process takes, there are estimates for each level (beginner, intermediate, and advanced) based on data from the Foreign Service Institute (FSI). In this article, we’ll take a look at these rough estimates and give you some useful tips on how to learn Hungarian... Show more

Have you ever found yourself in a situation where the perfect proverb could have hit hard like a meteor and left everybody speechless? We’ve all been there. But at HungarianPod101.com, we know that the words don’t always roll off the tongue so easily—especially when you’re trying to speak a foreign language! In this article, we’re going to cover thirty of the most common Hungarian proverbs and idioms. We’ve divided them into three categories, so you’ll find proverbs and idioms on life, love, and even money. These are phrases you’ll hear often while in Hungary, so memorizing them and learning how to use them will really help your language skills shine in any situation. → For even more great phrases to practice, we recommend checking... Show more

When preparing ourselves to go on a trip, we want to know everything about our destination, right? Right.  Knowing what a country or city has to offer before arriving helps us plan ahead and pack accordingly, allowing us to make the best of our vacation time!  One thing we recommend if you’re planning a trip to Budapest is to do your research on the best places to visit. Creating a list of the attractions you most want to see will ensure you don’t waste a precious minute of your stay in this intriguing city.  In this Budapest travel guide, we’ll make the research part easier for you. We’ve compiled a list of the top ten places to visit in Budapest, in addition to some useful pre-trip information and a list of common Hungarian... Show more