10 Essential Lessons Learned from Learning Hungarian

For the past couple of months, we have been creating a Hungarian video every week. After making 10 YouTube videos speaking Hungarian, we have learned 10 valuable lessons, and here they are:

The Complexity of the Hungarian Alphabet

While the Old Hungarian Alphabet is visually stunning, the modern Hungarian alphabet is challenging. With 44 characters, it takes significant practice to master. Some letters, such as B, D, F, M, and L, are familiar. However, others like ‘Gy’ and ‘Ny’ can be particularly difficult since they don’t correspond to sounds found in many other languages.

Why Pronunciation Matters

Once you become familiar with the Hungarian alphabet, you will find that words are pronounced exactly as they’re spelled, making it easier to communicate effectively. This is in stark contrast to languages such as English and French, where pronunciation rules can be quite inconsistent.

Unique Sounds and Difficult Characters

The letter ‘Gy’ poses a considerable challenge, as it appears frequently in common phrases. However, with guidance from native Hungarian speakers, we learned that it resembles the sounds ‘du’ or ‘during,’ but it is softer and situated in the middle of the mouth. Consequently, mastering this unique sound can enhance your overall pronunciation.

The Isolation of the Hungarian Language

Interestingly, Hungarian is not related to any other language groups in Europe, such as Romance or Germanic languages. It’s like a language island surrounded by German, Slovak, and Romance languages, presenting a unique learning opportunity.

Common Words & Their Origins

While learning Hungarian, you will encounter words that share roots with other languages, especially German. Examples include culinary terms, reflecting their historical influences during the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Interestingly, Hungarian words also have origins in various languages across the globe.

Nomadic Roots and Vocabulary

The history of the Hungarians as a nomadic people contributes to the language’s distinctiveness, with evidence suggesting they traveled as far as Canada before Columbus. Moreover, many words in Hungarian are vibrant and fun to pronounce, adding to the experience of learning this language.

Unique Sentence Structure

Unlike languages that follow a fixed word order, Hungarian syntax allows for flexibility based on emphasis. This aspect can be perplexing at first but also makes the language rich and engaging.

Our Love for the Hungarian Language

In our journey of learning Hungarian, we’ve discovered its beauty and complexity. We appreciate how different it is from other languages and its poetic nature. Furthermore, the kindness and support from native speakers have helped us immensely. Therefore, we are committed to continuing our learning journey with enthusiasm!

Join Us in Our Ongoing Journey of Learning Hungarian!

P.S. Please share your thoughts and any insights you may have. We would love to hear encouragement or corrections!

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