Let’s Learn Hungarian!

Lesson 4 introduces you to Zoltán and his Aunt Erzsi, who insists she is fine even though everything seems to hurt! This is another informal language dialogue with a number of useful, everyday expressions.

We enjoy reading your comments and finding out how you enjoy the podcast and why you’re interested in learning Hungarian. Feel free to drop us a line on a post and let us know your thoughts. Thanks again to all those who’ve previously written.

Our theme music is provided courtesy of Curtis Maranda. You can check out more of his music by going to http://www.curtismaranda.com/ Thanks again to Curtis for providing us with the music for our podcast.

Download Lesson 4 here (MP3 audio, 18:41)

 

Dialogue for Lesson 4 (casual speech):

Zoltán: Szia Erzsi néni. Hogy vagy? Jól vagy?

Aunt Erzsi: Jól vagyok. Minden rendben van.

Zoltán: Igen? Az jó.

Aunt Erzsi: Igen. De mostanában fáj a lábam. És fáj a karom. Meg fáj a hátam is.

Zoltán: Hmmmmmm. Szóval jól vagy.

Aunt Erzsi: Igen, jól vagyok.

Dialogue for Lesson 4 (English translation):

Zoltán: Hi Auntie Erzsi. How are you? Are you well?

Aunt Erzsi: I’m fine. Everything’s all right.

Zoltán: Oh, yeah? That’s good.

Aunt Erzsi: Yes, but nowadays my legs hurt. And my arms hurt. And my back hurts as well.

Zoltán: Hmmmmm. So you’re well.

Aunt Erzsi: Yes, I’m fine.

Vocabulary for Lesson 4:

ausztrál – Australian

olasz – Italian

néni – an older woman, “Auntie”

Jól vagy? – Are you well?

Jól vagyok. – I’m fine.

minden – everything

rendben van/rendben – It’s ok, It’s all right.

az – that

Az jó. – That’s fine, that’s great.

de – but

mostanában – nowadays, these days

fáj – hurt, something hurts

Fáj a lábam. – My legs hurt.

láb – leg(s)

a lábam – my leg(s)

Fáj a karom. – My arms hurt.

kar – arm(s)

a karom – my arm(s)

meg – and, and so

Fáj a hátam. – My back hurts.

hát – back

a hátam – my back

is – also, as well

szóval – in short, in one word

Jól vagy. – You’re well.

some common Hungarian “pet names”

szivem – my heart

drágám – my dear

édesem – my sweet

kincsem – my treasure

cicám – my kitty

mókuskám – my squirrel

macikám – my bear

Lesson 3 is packed with lots of useful, everyday expressions, so make sure you learn them well! See below for the new dialogue, vocabulary, and some simple grammar forms. It’s a lot of new material, but try to learn it all if you can, and see if you can memorize the dialogue too.

We love getting feedback, hearing how all of you are doing with the language, and why you want to learn Hungarian, so feel free to leave us a comment on this post with your thoughts and impressions. Thanks for all of the previous comments and words of support.

Once again, our theme music is provided courtesy of Curtis Maranda. Please check out more of his music by going to http://www.curtismaranda.com/ Thanks to Curtis for providing us with the music for our podcast.

Download Lesson 3 here (MP3 audio, 21:47)

 

Dialogue for Lesson 3 (casual speech):

Mari: Halló.

James: Szia Mari! James vagyok.

Mari: Szia James! Hogy vagy?

James: Kösz, jól. Most szabad vagy?

Mari: Igen, miért?

James: Nem megyünk moziba?

Mari: Jaj, bocs, most nem tudok.

James: Jó. Akkor máskor. Szia!

Mari: Szia!

Dialogue for Lesson 3 (English translation):

Mari: Hello!

James: Hi, Mari! It’s James.

Mari: Hi, James! How are you?

James: Fine, thanks. Are you free now?

Mari: Yes, why?

James: Do you want to go to the movies?

Mari: Oh, sorry, I can’t (go) now.

James: All right. Another time, then. Bye!

Mari: Bye!

Vocabulary for Lesson 3:

német – German

német vagy? (informal) – Are you German?

ír – Irish

Ír vagy? (informal) – Are you Irish?

orosz – Russian

orosz vagy? (informal) – Are you Russian?

halló – Hello (answering the phone)

szia – hi/bye (to one person only)

sziasztok – hi/bye (to more than one person)

Magyar vagyok. – I’m Hungarian.

Amerikai vagyok. – I’m American.

Angol vagyok. – I’m English.

Kanadai vagyok. – I’m Canadian.

hogy – how

vagy – you are

Hogy vagy? – How are you?

kösz – thanks

köszi – thanks

jól – fine, well

most – now

szabad – free

miért – why

megyünk – we go (somewhere)

mozi – the movies, movie theater

moziba – to the movies

jaj – oh!, oh no!

bocs – sorry (casual)

nem tudok – I can’t

tudok – I can

akkor – then

máskor – another time

Grammar for Lesson 3:

1. Stating your name:

(your name) vagyok.

I’m (your name).

2. Stating your nationality:

(your nationality) vagyok.

I’m (your nationality).

3. Negating a verb:

-place nem before the verb

tudok (I can) — nem tudok (I can’t)

értem (I understand) — nem értem (I don’t understand)

megyünk (we go) — nem megyünk (we don’t go)

Hi folks,

Earlier the site went down for a few hours while we upgraded our content management software, so we apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused. Please let us know if there is something that isn’t working correctly after this upgrade.

A new lesson is coming in a day or two!

–steven