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The Hungarian Language

Researchers at Université Paris-Sorbonne have concluded that, of today's world languages, Hungarian is the only language that has kept 68% of its ancient etymons, that is, the original elements of humanity's primeval language. Of the 56 particularities of the Sumerian grammar, 53 figure in the Magyar Language.

Hungary has almost 10 million inhabitants, 92 % of which speak Hungarian as a native language. Approximately 4 million Hungarian speakers live in the neighboring countries as minorities, in the areas that were once part of the Kingdom of Hungary before World War I.

1480 - MARCIO GALOTTI

A humanist in the court of King Mátyás Corvinus stated with amazement:
“The Hungarians may be aristocrats or peasants but they all use the same language.”

1830 - SIR JOHN BOWRING

English traveller and writer, visited Hungary and published an anthology in English of the work of Hungarian writers and poets.
„The Hungarian language goes far back. It developed in a very peculiar manner and its structure reaches back to times when most of the now spoken European languages did not even exist. It is a language which developed steadily and firmly in itself, and in which there are logic and mathematics with the adaptability and malleability of strength and chords… This language is the oldest and most glorious monument of national sovereignty and mental independence. „

GEORGE BERNARD SHAW

Leading dramatist of his generation, and in 1925 was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature.
“After studying the Hungarian language for years, I can confidently conclude that had Hungarian been my mother tongue, it would have been more precious. Simply because through this extraordinary, ancient and powerful language it is possible to precisely describe the tiniest differences and the most secretive tremors of emotions.”

Here you can find some useful expressions.

EnglishHungarianPronounciation
Hello/ByeSzia[see-ah]
Good byelViszontlatásra![vee-sont-laa-taash-ra]
Good Morning!Jó reggelt![yo nah-pot]
Good Afternoon!Jó napot![yo reh-gelt]with hard G
Good Evening!Jó estét![yo esh-tate]
Good Night!Jó éjszakat![yo ay-sah-kat]
Thank you!Köszönom![kur-sur-nurm]
YesIgen[ee-gen]hard G like in "gate"
NoNem[nem]
You look goodSzép vagy[sairp vodge]
I love you!Szeretlek![seh-ret-lek]
Cheers!Egészségedre![eges-shai-ged-re]
A beer, please!Egy sört kérek![edj shirt kay-rek]
How much is it?Mennyibe kerül?[menn-yibe keh-rul]
Excuse me!Elnézést![el-nai-zeisht]
Excuse me, I don't speak Hungarian.Elnézést, nem beszélek magyarul.[el-nai-zasht, nem be-sail-ek ma-dga-rool]
How are you?Hogy vagy?[hodj vadj]
I feel fine.Jól vagyok.[yol va-djok]
I feel sick.Nem vagyok jól / Beteg vagyok.[nem va-dgokyol/be-tegvadgok]

Self Introductions

Hungarian Manners

Greetings

Do You Speak English?

Making apologies

Numbers 1-10

Numbers 11-100

How Much?

The language is not related to any other Central European language. The Hungarians call their language “magyar” and its grammar and vocabulary are completely different to the Indo-European languages which surround Hungary. Hungarian is an agglutinative language, meaning that it relies heavily on suffixes and prefixes. Pronunciation is less difficult, especially compared to other neighbouring languages like Czech or Russian.

Interesting Facts About The Hungarian Language that Most People Don’t Know

  • One of the earliest remaining fragments of the Hungarian language was found in Nova Scotia, Newfoundland?
  • The oldest of the Euroasiatic languages is the Hungarian language.
  • One of the few valuable incunabula in British Museum Library in London is Hungarian. „Az Ephesom helyeknek yrth Zent Pál levelének elsew capitóliuma”?- in 1533 and was written in Hungarian
  • Hungarian is the only language that has preserved most of its ancient elements. Most old languages have evolved over time and ancient grammar, words, dialects, colloquialism, the elements of literacy and various other essences of the language are usually lost.
  • Researchers at Université Paris-Sorbonne have concluded that, of today’s world languages, Magyar is the only language that has kept 68% of its ancient etymons, that is, the original elements of humanity’s primeval language.
  • Of the 56 particularities of the Sumerian grammar, 53 figure in the Magyar Language.
  • Hungarian family names have been used as the geographical names in many places all over the world?
  • Did you know that Sir John Bowring, who was an English political economist, traveler, polyglot and a 4th Governor of Hong Kong, spoke fluent Hungarian?
  • Did you know that in the Western countries alphabet usually contains around 7 vowels? For example, in Italy there are only 5.Whereas the Hungarian language recognizes and uses 14 vowels: a-á, e-é, i-I, o-ó, ö-ő, u-ú, ü-ű.
  • Did you know that in the list of the most melodic languages first comes the Italian language, followed by the Greek and the third most melodic language is the Hungarian?
  • Did you know that Hungarian names, geographical names, thousands occur in different parts of the world?
  • In Hungarian there are extremely many words that mean the same, yet with a shade difference.

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