Hungarian Accents

Students learning English as a second language often find grammar and pronunciation difficult. It is a language with plenty of rules and many exceptions to those rules. Don’t worry, Hungarian pronunciation is easier to learn. Most Hungarian words that you will encounter are pronounced phonetically. Any time this changes, you will find the word will include , which will guide you in proper Hungarian pronunciation.

If you are reading Hungarian words from a book, you will find it simple to sound them out and as you progress, you will find that your Hungarian pronunciation is quite good. However, what you may find slightly more difficult to learn is phonology. Phonology is defined as the way the words of a language are spoken out loud. When you are learning the Hungarian language, the most challenging part of phonology is knowing which syllable to stress.

Many Hungarian words have accents. There are seven pairs of short and long corresponding accented vowels in the Hungarian alphabet

with some being long and some being short, but for the most part each word you learn will contain only one type of vowel pair. In addition, the Hungarian alphabet contains 44 letters.

Here are some examples of pronunciation of the Hungarian accents.

A, a - aw as in paw

A, á - a as in alter

E, e - e as in pet

E, é - e as in prey

I, i - i as in magazine

O, o - o as in toy

The difference between the Hungarian accents is simply the pronunciation of the vowels.

It is common for Hungarians to use accents when spelling Hungarian words, and students are encouraged to use these accents at all times as well. This is of great assistance in easing the process of learning how to speak Hungarian with ease and ensuring correct Hungarian pronunciation. There are many Hungarian words in which the accent changes the words’ meanings.

For many native English speakers, properly pronouncing Hungarian vowels can prove difficult. Once you have mastered these basic sounds though, you will discover that your Hungarian accent is easier to understand and much more authentic. Most English speakers pronounce their vowels closed and with an emphasis on the nasal cavity and throat. When practicing Hungarian words, concentrate on forming your vowels across the roof of your mouth with an open throat. Many students have found that this makes proper pronunciation easier.

Your pronunciation and phonology when learning Hungarian can be greatly aided by learning with native Hungarian speakers. Watching Hungarian movies or listening to radio shows is a great way of exposing yourself to the language, especially if that dream holiday to Hungary is not yet in reach. A great way to ensure your Hungarian pronunciation is authentic is to learn Hungarian by subscribing to a podcast. Hungarianpod101 subscribers have instant access to a number of tools, including an incredible variety of podcasts that allow you to listen to native speakers and learn to speak Hungarian the same way real Hungarians do.