August 12, 2020 08:45
How to Practice Hungarian

Hungarian language is often described as one of the most unique and challenging languages in the world with its flexible word order and complex grammatical rules. However, with practice and hard-work you can easily understand the basics, which will be especially important during your Hungarian studies. In this article, we provide you with some useful links and practical advices from beginner to proficiency level. 

Writing

If you intend to learn Hungarian and you primarily focus on building your vocabulary, you should start practicing on an everyday basis.  Nowadays, you can both study new words and have fun at the same time by using language-learning platforms and applications such as Duolingo, Memrise or Drops. You only need to download the app, sign in and then you are ready to practice. In most apps, if you set the notification alarm, it will always remind you to practice during the day. 

Reading

If you like reading and you want to practice Hungarian through classics, here you can find the free online data store of the Hungarian Digital Library. You can easily boost your vocabulary by reading Hungarian books as well as Hungarian translations of many international classics such as the Grimm Tales or The Little Prince. It’s completely free of charge. 

Another way to practice Hungarian is to read bilingual books. There are many available bilingual books in different combinations, which means you can compare the native language with its translation. In addition, there are new adaptations of Hungarian classics which are easier to read depending on your level of Hungarian language.

Grammar

Do you have problems with Hungarian grammar? Surely, Hungarian is one of the top ten most difficult languages in the world, especially because of its complex grammatical rules.  Nevertheless, with practice, diligence and a little bit of help, you can definitely learn it. So, if you have problems with Hungarian grammar and you don’t know how to start conjugating verbs, here you can find a great tip and try the conjugator generator with its 2831 verbs or you can watch YouTube videos about the topic. 

Speaking

Some students think that the hardest part of learning a new language is when you need to express your thoughts and ideas in speech.  In fact, speaking in Hungarian is not easy but here we collected some useful tips to deal with your stage fright. Start step by step and first, check the pronunciation dictionaries. You can join online discussions on social media platforms or if you really want to get out of your comfort zone, you can always join a Hungarian language group where you can talk about interesting topics.

Listening

Listening practices help you to prepare for real life conversations. By them, you can learn how to pay attention and listen actively at the same time, which means you can easier react to your partner’s questions in the future. Start with the beginner level and practice frequently by watching Hungarian movies with English subtitles, by listening podcasts or by watching YouTube videos. For instance, Hungarian Pod 101 is a platform that provides access to plenty of audio-, video-, and reading mater on multiple levels. On their YouTube channel, you can watch useful videos about numerous topics. 

With regular practice and hard work, you can easily understand the logic behind Hungarian, from its complex grammatical rules to minor differences between synonyms. If you focus on all the above-mentioned skills and you practice on a daily basis, you will definitely learn more about the Hungarian language as well as the Hungarian culture itself. Have fun and good luck!

Are you interested in our international student’s opinion about the Hungarian language? If you are a Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship holder, you will also have the opportunity to learn more about Hungarian language during your university studies. Check out one of our scholarship holder’s thoughts here:

Links and sources: catchbudapest ; duolingo ; memrise ; languagedrops ; cooljugator ; mek.oszk.hu ; forvo.com ; Learning Hungarian Facebook Group ; Reddit ; Hungarian Pod 101 Youtube channel

Sources of the Pictures: kaboompics’ picture on Pixabay ; Pexel’s picture on Pixabay ; 6689062’s picture on Pixabay

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