Hungarian Basic Course 1732 Studios

Hungarian · Unit 13

Unit 13: A vendéglőben

Volume 2

In the restaurant

361 lines

Basic Sentences I

  1. 1

    I talked to Mrs. Virág this morning. She asked me if we'd like to have supper with them. They're planning to go to the "Europe" restaurant.

    Délelőttforenoon, in the morning
    Virágnévalflower
    beszéltem.speak
    Kérdezte,ask (a question)
    hogyhow; that
    volna-ewhether we'd be in the mood
    kedvünkwhether we'd be in the mood
    velükwith them
    vacsorázni.to eat supper
    Azthe (before a vowel); also 'that' in 'az a ...'
    EurópaEurope
    vendéglőberestaurant
    akarnakwant
    menni.to go
  2. 2

    I don't mind. But I'd rather go to the "Belváros" Café. It's been a long time since we were there.

kedvünk
whether we'd be in the mood
Európa
Europe
bánom
I don't care, mind
inkább
rather
  1. 3

    I believe they'd like to go there too. I'll call and ask them. Is it all right if we meet in the. restaurant after eight?

  2. 4

    It is now ten minutes to six. I'd like to take a short walk before supper. If we could meet at the Lánchíd a few minutes before seven we'd still have time to go for a walk.

Lánchídnál
at the chain bridge
  1. 5

    O.K., I'll discuss it with the Virágs. I'll take my coat along, because it's cool outside. I don't want to catch a cold. I already feel a little chilly.

  2. 6

    You feel chilly? I'm warm and I didn't feel cold outside at all. Are we going to the Lánchíd by street car?

  3. 7

    I forgot. Our car is broken down and is being repaired. I'll call a taxi and we can go in it.

  4. 8

    I talked to Mrs. Virág this morning. She asked me if we'd like to have supper with them. They're planning to go to the "Europe" restaurant.

  5. 9

    I don't mind. But I'd rather go to the "Belváros" Café. It's been a long time since we were there.

  6. 10

    I believe they'd like to go there too. I'll call and ask them. Is it all right if we meet in the. restaurant after eight?

  7. 11

    It is now ten minutes to six. I'd like to take a short walk before supper. If we could meet at the Lánchíd a few minutes before seven we'd still have time to go for a walk.

  8. 12

    O.K., I'll discuss it with the Virágs. I'll take my coat along, because it's cool outside. I don't want to catch a cold. I already feel a little chilly.

  9. 13

    You feel chilly? I'm warm and I didn't feel cold outside at all. Are we going to the Lánchíd by street car?

  10. 14

    I forgot. Our car is broken down and is being repaired. I'll call a taxi and we can go in it.

megfázni
to catch a cold
van
I'm warm

Basic Sentences II

  1. 15

    Please enter. Do you want a table for four?

  2. 16

    Yes, for four.

  3. 17

    Are you going to have dinner?

  4. 18

    Yes. Please give us the menu. What kind of soup do you have?

befáradni
to go in, enter
szíves
cordial, amiable
szíves
be so kind, would you kindly
  1. 19

    We have excellent broth with liver dumplings, and we also have tomato soup.

  1. 20

    We want two orders of broth and two tomato soups. What can you recommend afterwards?

  2. 21

    We have roast duck with potatoes and steamed cabbage.

utána
afterwards
párolt
steamed
  1. 22

    I'd rather have a good helping of pork goulash with noodles and cucumber salad. Mary, will you have stuffed cabbage?

töltött
stuffed
  1. 23

    I'd like fish. I want fried Balaton pike with rice and lettuce.

  2. 24

    And you Mr. Virág, what would you like?

  3. 25

    I want chicken paprika with noodles and cucumbers. And my wife wants Wiener schnitzel with green peas and fried potatoes.

  4. 26

    What would you like to drink? We have some very good wines.

Rántott
fried in bread crumbs
  1. 27

    I'd rather have a glass of beer. I'm thirsty after that long walk.

  2. 28

    I want a bottle of 'badacsonyi szürkebarát'. And bring me a bottle of soda water also.

Szomjas
thirsty
séta
walk
  1. 29

    Would you like some pastry afterwards?

  2. 30

    Do you have cherry strudel?

  3. 31

    Yes, it's just out of the oven.

  4. 32

    Then I want cherry strudel, and my husband wants chocolate cake.

rétes
cherry strudel
  1. 33

    And we want two orders of pancakes with jam.

  2. 34

    I'll bring the soup right away.

  3. 35

    Please enter. Do you want a table for four?

  4. 36

    Yes, for four.

  5. 37

    Are you going to have dinner?

  6. 38

    Yes. Please give us the menu. What kind of soup do you have?

  7. 39

    We have excellent broth with liver dumplings, and we also have tomato soup.

  8. 40

    We want two orders of broth and two tomato soups. What can you recommend afterwards?

  9. 41

    We have roast duck with potatoes and steamed cabbage.

  10. 42

    I'd rather have a good helping of pork goulash with noodles and cucumber salad. Mary, will you have stuffed cabbage?

  11. 43

    I'd like fish. I want fried Balaton pike with rice and lettuce.

  12. 44

    And you Mr. Virág, what would you like?

  13. 45

    I want chicken paprika with noodles and cucumbers. And my wife wants Wiener schnitzel with green peas and fried potatoes.

  14. 46

    What would you like to drink? We have some very good wines.

  15. 47

    I'd rather have a glass of beer. I'm thirsty after that long walk.

  16. 48

    I want a bottle of 'badacsonyi szürkebarát'. And bring me a bottle of soda water also.

  17. 49

    Would you like some pastry afterwards?

  18. 50

    Do you have cherry strudel?

  19. 51

    Yes, it's just out of the oven.

  20. 52

    Then I want cherry strudel, and my husband wants chocolate cake.

  21. 53

    And we want two orders of pancakes with jam.

  22. 54

    I'll bring the soup right away.

Azonnal
immediately, at once

Basic Sentences III

  1. 55

    I want some salt and paprika. I like spicy food.

  2. 56

    Here's the salt shaker.

  3. 57

    How do you like your chicken paprika?

  4. 58

    Superb! This restaurant has excellent food.

fűszeres
spicy, seasoned
Remek
superb, splendid
  1. 59

    My goulash is first class also.

  2. 60

    The main meal of the Hungarians is at noon, isn't it? In the evening they have only a light meal.

  3. 61

    That depends on the job. In the factories and in the offices people eat a 'canteen' meal. It's cheap but there's not always enough to eat.

  4. 62

    What do you mean by 'üzemi ebéd'?

elsőrangú
first rate, first class
A
factory
  1. 63

    It's what the workers get in the factories and state offices. It generally consists of soup, meat and a vegetable dish.

  2. 64

    What do you usually eat for supper at home, Mr. Virág?

  3. 65

    We have a cold supper. We always have sausage, butter, ham and cheese at home. We drink tea with the meal.

Rendszerint
usually, as a rule
kolbász
sausage
  1. 66

    I've eaten a lot. Couldn't we have a cup of black coffee? There's a little espresso place on Calvin Square. You can get good black coffee there.

  2. 67

    We'd be glad to go there, but my boss invited us for coffee at their home.

eszpresszó
espresso, coffee house
Örömmel
gladly, most willingly, with pleasure
hozzájuk
to their home
  1. 68

    That's too bad. I'll call the waiter and pay him. Then we can divide the amount. All right?

  2. 69

    As you wish. How much is it altogether?

  3. 70

    180 forints.

  4. 71

    Divided by two, that makes ninety for each of us. Here's mine ('the amount'). I'll leave a tip on the table.

Kár
pity, shame, that's too bad
Ahogy
as
osztva
divided
  1. 72

    Does every customer generally give a tip?

  2. 73

    If everybody would only give a tip! Then the waiters would make a good living, too. But according to many you offend the worker with a tip.

  3. 74

    I think the waiters like it if you 'offend' them.

  4. 75

    I want some salt and paprika. I like spicy food.

  5. 76

    Here's the salt shaker.

  6. 77

    How do you like your chicken paprika?

  7. 78

    Superb! This restaurant has excellent food.

  8. 79

    My goulash is first class also.

  9. 80

    The main meal of the Hungarians is at noon, isn't it? In the evening they have only a light meal.

  10. 81

    That depends on the job. In the factories and in the offices people eat a 'canteen' meal. It's cheap but there's not always enough to eat.

  11. 82

    What do you mean by 'üzemi ebéd'?

  12. 83

    It's what the workers get in the factories and state offices. It generally consists of soup, meat and a vegetable dish.

  13. 84

    What do you usually eat for supper at home, Mr. Virág?

  14. 85

    We have a cold supper. We always have sausage, butter, ham and cheese at home. We drink tea with the meal.

  15. 86

    I've eaten a lot. Couldn't we have a cup of black coffee? There's a little espresso place on Calvin Square. You can get good black coffee there.

  16. 87

    We'd be glad to go there, but my boss invited us for coffee at their home.

  17. 88

    That's too bad. I'll call the waiter and pay him. Then we can divide the amount. All right?

  18. 89

    As you wish. How much is it altogether?

  19. 90

    180 forints.

  20. 91

    Divided by two, that makes ninety for each of us. Here's mine ('the amount'). I'll leave a tip on the table.

  21. 92

    Does every customer generally give a tip?

  22. 93

    If everybody would only give a tip! Then the waiters would make a good living, too. But according to many you offend the worker with a tip.

  23. 94

    I think the waiters like it if you 'offend' them.

Bárcsak
if only

Notes on Grammar: The Present Conditional

If I were, I would

Ha Budapesten lennék, megnézném a hidakat. If I were in Budapest, I'd look at the bridges.

Lennék and megnézném are in the conditional. The conditional is the form of the verb that English gives with 'would' or 'if I were'.

Where the English has a past tense or 'would', both Hungarian clauses take the conditional. Where the English 'if' clause is present, both are present.

Ha holnap esik, nem megyek. If it rains tomorrow, I won't go. The ha clause can come first or last.

Politeness and wishes

Szeretnék egy csésze kávét. I'd like a cup of coffee. Inkább golfoznék. I'd rather play golf.

As in English, 'I'd like' is more polite than 'I want'. Hungarian prefers the conditional to a direct statement or command, which can sound curt.

After bárcsak, 'if only', the conditional states a wish. Bárcsak sütne a nap! If only the sun would shine.

The -n- of the conditional

The sign of the conditional is -n- after the verb stem. The stem with -n- is the infinitive less its final -i: lenni, lennék.

Personal endings follow, one set for the definite form and one for the indefinite, each with a back-vowel and a front-vowel shape.

Adnám, I'd give it. Adnék, I'd give. In the first and second person plural the two are the same: adnánk, adnátok. Lenni also has volnék.

The first table gives the four sets of endings. The others show them on six verbs, definite beside indefinite.

The Present Conditional, 1 of 9

The Present Conditional, 2 of 9

The Present Conditional, 3 of 9

The Present Conditional, 4 of 9

The Present Conditional, 5 of 9

The Present Conditional, 6 of 9

The Present Conditional, 7 of 9

The Present Conditional, 8 of 9

The Present Conditional, 9 of 9

  1. 95

    If you had ice cold beer, I'd drink a glass.

  2. 96

    I'm sure they'd gladly come if we spoke to them.

  3. 97

    If I were in Budapest, I'd look at the bridges.

  4. 98

    He'd eat the soup, if he were hungry.

  5. 99

    If it rains tomorrow, I won't go.

  6. 100

    I won't say anything, if you're right.

  7. 101

    If he is here, he's studying Hungarian.

  8. 102

    I'd like a cup of coffee.

  9. 103

    We'd gladly go for a swim.

  10. 104

    I'd rather play golf.

  11. 105

    If only the rain would stop!

  12. 106

    If only the sun would shine!

  13. 107

    If only I had a lot of money!

A. The Present Conditional

The conditional in Hungarian is characterized by a suffix -n- added to the verb stem. The conditional stem with -n- is the same form as that of the infinitive minus the final -i. To this conditional stem the following personal endings are added:

 |  |  |  |  |  | 
Back-vowel definite: | -ám | -ád | -á | -ánk | -átok | -ák
Back-vowel indefinite: | -ék | -ál | -a | -ánk | -átok | -ának
Front-vowel definite: | -ém | -éd | -é | -énk | -étek | -ék
Front-vowel indefinite: | -ék | -él | -e | -énk | -étek | -ének

Examples of the Present Conditional in Hungarian:

Definite |  | Indefinite | 
adnám | kérném | adnék | kérnék
adnád | kérnéd | adnál | kérnél
adná | kérné | adna | kérne
adnánk | kérnénk | adnánk | kérnénk
adnátok | kérnétek | adnátok | kérnétek
adnák | kérnék | adnának | kérnének

Definite |  | Indefinite | 
tanítanám | költeném | tanítanék | költenék
tanítanád | költenéd | tanítanál | költenél
tanítaná | költené | tanítana | költene
tanítanánk | költenénk | tanítanánk | költenénk
tanítanátok | költenétek | tanítanátok | költenétek
tanítanák | költenék | tanítanának | költenének

Definite |  | Indefinite | 
innám | enném | innék (innám) | ennék (enném)
innád | ennéd | innál | ennél
inná | enné | inna (innék) | enne (ennék)
innánk | ennénk | innánk | ennénk
innátok | ennétek | innátok | ennétek
innák | ennék | innának | ennének

The verb lenni ('to be') has two forms for the conditional: lennék and volnék.

The most common use of the conditional tense is in so-called conditional sentences. Statements of this type consist of two parts: 1) a clause usually beginning with ha 'if', which states the condition, and 2) another clause which indicates the result of the condition. If the conditional in English is expressed by the past tense or by 'should' 'would' (or their short form '-'d'), the corresponding Hungarian sentence will have the verb in the conditional form in both the 'if' clause and the result clause. However, if the verb in the English 'if' clause is in the present tense, the tense used in Hungarian will also be present in both clauses. (Note that the position of the 'if' clause in the Hungarian sentence is the same as in English: it may come first or it may be the final element of the sentence.)

Ha lenne jégbehűtött sörük, innék egy pohár sört.  If you had ice cold beer, I'd drink a glass.
Biztosan örömmel jönnének, ha szólnánk nekik.  I'm sure they'd gladly come if we spoke to them.
Ha Budapesten lennék, megnézném a hidakat.  If I were in Budapest, I'd look at the bridges.
Megenné a levest, ha éhes volna.  He'd eat the soup, if he were hungry.
Ha holnap esik, nem megyek.  If it rains tomorrow, I won't go.
Nem szólok semmit, ha igaza van.  I won't say anything, if you're right.
Ha itt van, magyarul tanul.  If he is here, he's studying Hungarian.

Just as in English an expression in the conditional such as 'I'd like to have' seems more polite than 'I want', so also in Hungarian the conditional is usually preferred to more direct statements or commands, which sometimes sound abrupt and curt.

Szeretnék egy csésze kávét.  I'd like a cup of coffee.
Örömmel mennénk úszni.  We'd gladly go for a swim.
Inkább golfoznék.  I'd rather play golf.

The conditional is also used when a wish, a strong desire or longing for something is expressed. In this construction the expression is usually introduced by such a word as bárcsak, meaning 'if only':

Bárcsak elállna az eső!  If only the rain would stop!
Bárcsak sütne a nap!  If only the sun would shine!
Bárcsak sok pénzem volna!  If only I had a lot of money!

Notes on Grammar: How to Express 'To Be Cold' and 'To Be Warm'

Cold: three ways to say it

Fázom. I am cold. Hideg van. It is cold, of the weather. Hideg. It is cold, of some object.

Fázni is used only of living beings. Hideg van is the usual pattern for the weather. Hideg alone is an equational sentence.

Warm: the possessive and van

Meleg van. It is warm, of the weather. Meleg. It is warm, of some object. These follow the patterns for cold.

Hungarian has no verb for 'to be warm' to match fázni. For a living being it uses the possessive form of meleg with van.

Melegünk van. We are warm. Nincs melegem. I am not warm. Nekem melegem van és kint sem fáztam. I'm warm and I didn't feel cold outside at all.

  1. 108

    I am cold.

  2. 109

    It (the weather) is cold.

  3. 110

    It (some object) is cold.

  4. 111

    It (the weather) is warm.

  5. 112

    It (some object) is warm.

  6. 113

    We are warm.

  7. 114

    I am not warm.

B. How to Express 'To Be Cold' and 'To Be Warm'

Fázom.  I am cold.
Hideg van.  It (the weather) is cold.
Hideg.  It (some object) is cold.

The examples above illustrate three ways of expressing the idea of 'cold'. The verb fázni of the first sentence is always used with reference to living beings. The combination hideg plus van as used in the second sentence is the usual pattern with reference to the weather. Hideg without a verb is the pattern of the equational sentence described in Unit One.

Meleg van.  It (the weather) is warm.
Meleg.  It (some object) is warm.
Melegünk van.  We are warm.
Nincs melegem.  I am not warm.

Notice that the patterns for expressing 'warm' in Hungarian are identical to those expressing 'cold', with the exception of the forms referring to living beings. Since Hungarian lacks a verb for 'to be warm' corresponding to fázni ('to be cold'), the pattern with reference to living beings is the proper possessive form of meleg plus the third person singular of lenni ('to be').

Notes on Grammar: The Suffix -val, -vel

With: -val and -vel

Mivel akar írni? With what do you want to write? A gyerekekkel jöttek. They came with the children.

Hungarian says 'with' by the ending -val for back-vowel words and -vel for front-vowel words.

After a vowel the ending is added directly. A final -a or -e becomes -á or -é: A szállodával együtt megvettem a vendéglőt is. I bought the restaurant together with the hotel.

After a consonant the consonant doubles

Forinttal fizetek. I pay with forints.

After a consonant, the v of the ending changes into that consonant. The result is a double consonant: forinttal, gyerekekkel, emberrel.

Ezzel az emberrel nem beszélek. I'm not speaking to that man.

  1. 115

    I pay with forints.

  2. 116

    With what do you want to write?

  3. 117

    They came with the children.

  4. 118

    I'm not speaking to that man.

  5. 119

    I bought the restaurant together with the hotel.

C. The Suffix -val, -vel

The concept of 'with' is expressed in Hungarian by the ending -val, -vel. This suffix is added directly to words ending in a vowel (excepting -a or -e, which modify to -á and -é respectively). For words ending in a consonant, the v of the ending is assimilated with the final consonant of the word, resulting in the doubling of the latter.

Forinttal fizetek.  I pay with forints.
Mivel akar írni?  With what do you want to write?
A gyerekekkel jöttek.  They came with the children.
Ezzel az emberrel nem beszélek.  I'm not speaking to that man.
A szállodával együtt megvettem a vendéglőt is.  I bought the restaurant together with the hotel.

Notes on Grammar: Telling Time, 1 of 2

Hours and minutes

Öt óra. 5 o'clock. Öt óra tizennyolc perc. 5:18. The full hour is a cardinal number and óra. The minutes follow as a number and perc.

Tíz perccel múlt hat óra. It's 6:10. Word for word, 'with ten minutes past six hours'. The first fourteen minutes after the hour are usually said this way.

Perccel is perc with the ending -vel.

Quarters name the next hour

Negyed kettő, 1:15. Fél kettő, 1:30. Háromnegyed kettő, 1:45. A quarter, a half or three quarters takes the number of the next hour.

The ten minutes after a quarter use perccel múlt: Öt perccel múlt fél kilenc, 8:35.

The ten minutes before an hour or a quarter use perc múlva lesz, 'after minutes will be': Öt perc múlva lesz három, 2:55. Öt perc múlva lesz fél kilenc, 8:25.

Where both patterns fit, Hungarian prefers the one with múlva.

At a time: -kor, előtt, után

Fél háromkor érkezik a vonat. The train arrives at 2:30.

With a full hour, a half or a quarter, 'at' is the suffix -kor. When minutes are added, the postposition előtt or után takes its place.

Fél három után öt perccel érkezik a vonat. The train arrives at 2:35. Negyed egy előtt három perccel indulunk. We're starting at 12:12.

Éva három óra harmincöt perckor érkezik. Eve arrives at 3:35. Here the hour and minutes are said in full, with -kor and no half hour.

  1. 120

    5 o'clock

  2. 121

    12 o'clock

  3. 122

    5:18

  4. 123

    12:35

  5. 124

    ('(with) ten minutes past six hours')

  6. 125

    ('(with) 14 minutes past seven hours')

  7. 126

    1:15

  8. 127

    12:15

  9. 128

    1:30

  10. 129

    12:30

  11. 130

    1:45

  12. 131

    12:45

  13. 132

    It's 8:35

  14. 133

    It's 4:48

  15. 134

    ('After 5 minutes will be three')

  16. 135

    ('After ten minutes will be eleven')

D. Telling Time (Continued)

(1)

The full hour in Hungarian is expressed by a cardinal number corresponding to the time plus óra:

5 o'clock - öt óra
12 o'clock - tizenkét óra

(2)

Minutes after the hour may be expressed according to the above formula followed by a cardinal number corresponding to the number of minutes past the hour:

5:18 - öt óra tizennyolc perc
12:35 - tizenkét óra harmincöt perc

(3)

Generally minutes are expressed with reference to the quarter hour in which they occur (see Unit 8). The first 14 minutes after the hour are usually expressed by (number of minutes) perccel múlt (number of hour) óra:

It's 6:10 - Tíz perccel múlt hat óra  ('(with) ten minutes past six hours')
It's 7:14 - Tizennégy perccel múlt hét óra  ('(with) 14 minutes past seven hours')

(The -cel of perccel is a form of the -vel in C above.)

(4)

The quarter hours are expressed as follows: (See Unit 8 also.)

It's a quarter past: Negyed plus number of next hour

1:15 - Negyed kettő
12:15 - Negyed egy

It's half past: Fél plus number of next hour

1:30 - Fél kettő
12:30 - Fél egy

It's a quarter to: Háromnegyed plus number of next hour

1:45 - Háromnegyed kettő
12:45 - Háromnegyed egy

(5)

The first ten minutes following each quarter hour are expressed in the formula (number of minutes past the quarter hour) plus perccel múlt (quarter hour) plus the following hour:

It's 8:35 - Öt perccel múlt fél kilenc
It's 4:48 - Három perccel múlt háromnegyed öt

(6)

The pattern for expressing minutes from 1 to 10 before the full hour is:

(Number of minutes before the hour) plus perc múlva lesz plus (number of next hour):

It's 2:55 - Öt perc múlva lesz három  ('After 5 minutes will be three')
It's 10:50 - Tíz perc múlva lesz tizenegy  ('After ten minutes will be eleven')

(7)

The pattern for expressing minutes from 1 to 10 before each quarter hour is:

(Number of minutes before the quarter) plus perc múlva lesz plus negyed / fél / háromnegyed

It's 12:14 - Egy perc múlva lesz negyed egy
It's 8:25 - Öt perc múlva lesz fél kilenc
It's 4:35 - Tíz perc múlva lesz háromnegyed öt

From the foregoing pattern it is apparent that there is an overlapping, which indicates that some time expressions can be rendered in several ways:

It's 4:25 - Tíz perccel múlt negyed öt
Öt perc múlva lesz fél öt
Négy óra huszonöt perc
It's 5:40 - Tíz perccel múlt fél hat
Öt perc múlva lesz háromnegyed hat
Öt óra negyven

In the quarter hours where the overlapping occurs, Hungarian prefers to use the pattern with múlva.

(8) The Suffix -kor (Continued)

In Unit 8 a general statement was given concerning the use of -kor in Hungarian. In time expressions referring to the time of the day, the suffix -kor is found in those phrases specifying the full hour, half hour or quarter hour. However, when minutes are included in such phrases előtt or után (depending on the meaning) are used instead of -kor.

Fél háromkor érkezik a vonat.  The train arrives at 2:30.
Háromnegyed ötkor indulok.  I'll start at 4:45.
Negyed egykor még itt volt.  He was still here at 12:15.
Fél három után öt perccel érkezik a vonat.  The train arrives at 2:35.
Negyed egy előtt három perccel indulunk.  We're starting at 12:12.
Öt perccel háromnegyed négy után várom magukat.  I'll be expecting you at 3:50.
Éva három óra harmincöt perckor érkezik.  Eve arrives at 3:35.

The last example shows another way of expressing minutes using -kor. Note that the half hour is not mentioned in this construction.

Notes on Grammar: Telling Time, 2 of 2

  1. 136

    It's 12:14

  2. 137

    It's 8:25

  3. 138

    It's 4:35

  4. 139

    It's 4:25

  5. 140

    It's 4:25

  6. 141

    4:25

  7. 142

    It's 5:40

  8. 143

    It's 5:40

  9. 144

    5:40

  10. 145

    The train arrives at 2:30.

  11. 146

    I'll start at 4:45.

  12. 147

    He was still here at 12:15.

  13. 148

    The train arrives at 2:35.

  14. 149

    We're starting at 12:12.

  15. 150

    I'll be expecting you at 3:50.

  16. 151

    Eve arrives at 3:35.

Substitution Drill

  1. 152

    They'd be glad to come and eat dinner.

  2. 153

    I'd gladly go.

  1. 154

    I'd gladly go.

  2. 155

    He'd be glad to work.

  1. 156

    We'd gladly stop.

  2. 157

    They'd be glad to come.

  1. 158

    They'd be glad to come.

  2. 159

    I'd rather eat goulash.

  1. 160

    I'd rather eat goulash.

  2. 161

    Do you want to go by street car?

  3. 162

    We have Wiener schnitzel with salad.

  1. 163

    We're going downtown with the Virágs.

  2. 164

    It's 4:57

  3. 165

    It's 5:20

  1. 166

    It's 5:20

  2. 167

    It's 9:10

  1. 168

    It's 9:10

  2. 169

    It's 12:37

  3. 170

    It's 1:50

  1. 171

    It's 1:50

  2. 172

    The train arrives at 3:55

  3. 173

    I'm leaving at 3:05

  1. 174

    I'm leaving at 3:05

  2. 175

    I'll be there at 10

Variation Drill

  1. 176

    I'd rather eat goulash.

  2. 177

    He'd be glad to work in New York.

  3. 178

    They'd gladly come to the Gellért.

  4. 179

    If only I had a lot of money!

  1. 180

    If only I had a lot of money!

  2. 181

    We'd gladly drink a glass of beer.

  3. 182

    If I were hungry, I'd eat.

  4. 183

    If I were in Budapest, I'd look at the bridges.

  1. 184

    If I were in Budapest, I'd look at the bridges.

  2. 185

    If he had money, he'd travel to England.

  3. 186

    If the water were cold, he'd drink.

  4. 187

    If it weren't hot, we'd gladly go for a walk.

  5. 188

    If they came, they'd get a good dinner.

  1. 189

    If they came, they'd get a good dinner.

  2. 190

    If they had money, they'd buy the house.

  3. 191

    I'm not in the mood to cook dinner.

  4. 192

    Wouldn't you like to take a walk also?

  1. 193

    Wouldn't you like to take a walk also?

  2. 194

    How do you like the goulash?

  3. 195

    We have Wiener schnitzel with salad.

  4. 196

    I'm paying with American money.

  1. 197

    We're going to my boss' (home) for coffee.

  2. 198

    We met the Virágs.

  3. 199

    I'm cold.

  4. 200

    I'm warm.

  1. 201

    I'm warm.

  2. 202

    I'm busy.

  3. 203

    I'm hungry.

Transformation Drill

  1. 204

    New Yorkban megállok.

    I stop in New York.

  2. 205

    A háziasszonytól elbúcsúzik.

    He says good-by to the hostess.

  1. 206

    A háziasszonytól elbúcsúzik.

    He says good-by to the hostess.

  2. 207

    Sokat teniszezünk.

    We play a lot of tennis.

  1. 208

    Sokat teniszezünk.

    We play a lot of tennis.

  2. 209

    Magyar újságot járatnak.

    They subscribe to a Hungarian newspaper.

  1. 210

    Magyar újságot járatnak.

    They subscribe to a Hungarian newspaper.

  2. 211

    Gabonát termelek.

    I raise grain.

  1. 212

    Csekket bevált.

    He cashes a check.

  2. 213

    Beteget ápolunk.

    We nurse a sick person.

  1. 214

    Beteget ápolunk.

    We nurse a sick person.

  2. 215

    Ajándékot adnak.

    They give a present.

  3. 216

    Kertet öntözünk.

    We water a garden.

  1. 217

    Kertet öntözünk.

    We water a garden.

Translation Drill

  1. 218

    I'd like to see Hungary, especially Budapest.

  2. 219

    I'd be very glad if the State Department would transfer me to Hungary.

  3. 220

    But if they transferred me to Vienna, then I'd immediately go to Budapest.

  4. 221

    I'd arrive at the East Station one beautiful morning and go and see the city immediately.

  5. 222

    I'd ask some man on the street what was worth seeing in Budapest.

  6. 223

    I'd go and look at the department stores and the nice little shops.

  7. 224

    I'd look for the shop where you can get Herend china and I'd buy a Herend lamp if it wasn't too expensive.

  8. 225

    I'd walk on Váci Street and go out on the bank of the Danube.

  9. 226

    I'd sit in a café on the bank of the Danube and there I'd have lunch.

  10. 227

    I'd tell the waiter to bring me a small order of goulash with noodles and a bottle of white wine.

  11. 228

    I'd buy a Hungarian newspaper and read the interesting articles in the newspaper.

  12. 229

    I'd eat the goulash and drink the wine.

  13. 230

    Afterwards, I'd just sit and look at the pretty Hungarian women.

  1. 231

    If I didn't have a wife yet, I'd ask one of the girls whether she'd care to have supper with me.

  2. 232

    If she said 'yes', I'd go with her to look at the famous statues, museums and parks.

  3. 233

    Afterwards I'd call a taxi and we'd go to Buda.

  4. 234

    In Buda we'd go up to the fort and walk on the Fisherman's Bastion.

  5. 235

    From the Fisherman's Bastion we'd see the bank of the Danube, the Parliament and the Cathedral.

  6. 236

    We'd see when they light the lamps on the bank of the Danube.

  7. 237

    Afterwards we'd walk on the old streets of Buda.

  8. 238

    Then we'd sit in a restaurant, there we'd listen to gypsy music and eat a good dinner.

  9. 239

    We'd surely have a very good time.

  10. 240

    I'd travel to the country and also would look at the old Hungarian cities.

  11. 241

    I'd go to the 'Alföld' and drive on the dusty highways.

  12. 242

    I'd stop in the villages and look at the houses.

  13. 243

    The farmers would show me the farms, the kitchen garden, the orchard and the animals.

  1. 244

    Perhaps one of them would invite me for a good dinner and give me 'gulyás' soup and apple strudel.

  2. 245

    We'd drink good Hungarian wine too.

  3. 246

    I'd go to the Balaton also and remain there a few weeks.

  4. 247

    I'd swim, go boat riding, play tennis and sleep all day long. There I could really spend my summer vacation well.

Response Drill

  1. 248

    Who called Mrs. Johnson on the phone?

  2. 249

    What did Mrs. Virág ask Mrs. Johnson?

  3. 250

    Where did the Virágs want to have supper?

  4. 251

    Where did Johnson rather want to go?

  5. 252

    Where did the Johnsons meet the Virágs?

  6. 253

    What did Johnson want to do before supper?

  7. 254

    What did Mrs. Johnson want to take along, and why?

  8. 255

    Did Johnson feel chilly too?

  9. 256

    Where was Johnson's car?

  1. 257

    How did they go to the Lánchíd?

  2. 258

    Was there an empty table in the restaurant?

  3. 259

    What did they ask the waiter for first?

  4. 260

    What kind of soup did the waiter recommend?

  5. 261

    Did Johnson ask for roast duck?

  6. 262

    Did Mary eat stuffed cabbage?

  7. 263

    What did the Virágs eat?

  8. 264

    What did they drink, beer or wine?

  9. 265

    Did they have pastry too?

  1. 266

    Did the Johnsons and the Virágs like the supper?

  2. 267

    Did the restaurant have good food?

  3. 268

    When is the main meal in Hungary, at noon or in the evening?

  4. 269

    What do people eat in factories and offices in Hungary?

  5. 270

    What do they usually give in a canteen meal in Hungary?

  6. 271

    What did Virág say they eat for supper at home?

  7. 272

    What did the Johnsons want to drink after supper?

  8. 273

    Did the Virágs go to the espresso place too?

  9. 274

    Why didn't they go?

  1. 275

    Who paid the waiter the bill?

  2. 276

    Did they leave a tip for the waiter?

  3. 277

    Do waiters like it when people give a tip?

  4. 278

    Do people give tips in America?

  5. 279

    When is the main meal in America?

  6. 280

    What do you eat in the evening?

  7. 281

    What do you eat at noon?

  8. 282

    Is there a canteen meal in the factories in America too?

Conversation Practice 1

  1. 283

    I don't feel like cooking today. Couldn't we go out for supper?

  2. 284

    Gladly. Where do you want to go?

  3. 285

    Maybe to a café on the Danube bank.

  4. 286

    I'd rather go to Buda, to a little restaurant.

  5. 287

    I don't mind! But I'd like to take a short walk before supper.

  6. 288

    So would I.

  7. 289

    Don't you want to invite the Kovácses? They'd surely come gladly.

  8. 290

    I'll call them right away and ask.

  9. 291

    Where do you want to meet the Kovácses?

  10. 292

    at the chain bridge

Conversation Practice 2

  1. 293

    May I have the menu, please!

  2. 294

    Are you going to have dinner?

  3. 295

    Yes. What can you recommend?

  4. 296

    We have excellent broth with liver dumplings.

  5. 297

    I don't want any soup.

  6. 298

    We have beef or veal goulash with noodles and cucumber salad.

  7. 299

    Do you have stuffed cabbage?

  8. 300

    We don't, sir. But we have roast pork with steamed cabbage.

  9. 301

    I'll have one order of roast pork.

  10. 302

    Would you like something to drink?

  11. 303

    I'd like a glass of dark beer.

  12. 304

    I'll bring it right away.

Conversation Practice 3

  1. 305

    May I have the salt and the pepper?

  2. 306

    Here you are, here are the salt shaker and the pepper shaker.

  3. 307

    Thank you. Is your goulash spicy enough?

  4. 308

    Yes. I don't like food that is too spicy.

Conversation Practice 4

  1. 309

    How did you like the dinner?

  2. 310

    It was excellent. This restaurant has superb food.

  3. 311

    My roast goose was first class too. I've eaten a lot.

  4. 312

    Wouldn't you like a cup of black coffee?

  5. 313

    Let's go to an espresso place to have black coffee instead.

  6. 314

    Which espresso place do you want to go to?

  7. 315

    There's one on Calvin Square. They have good pastries there too.

  8. 316

    All right, let's go there.

Conversation Practice 5

  1. 317

    Would you like to go for a walk?

  2. 318

    Gladly, I'll just get my coat.

  3. 319

    It isn't cold outside.

  4. 320

    I still feel a little chilly now.

  5. 321

    You feel chilly? I'm warm. It's warm here in the room.

  6. 322

    Maybe I caught a cold, and that's why I feel chilly.

  7. 323

    I hope you won't get sick.

  8. 324

    I hope so too.

Narrative

  1. 325

    One Saturday afternoon Kertész telephoned Mary.

  2. 326

    Mary was just reading an interesting French novel when the telephone rang.

  3. 327

    She put down the book and picked up the phone.

  4. 328

    She asked who was speaking.

  5. 329

    A friend of his had introduced Kertész to Mary a year ago.

  6. 330

    Since then they had often met.

  7. 331

    Last week too they were at the theater together.

  8. 332

    Kertész then asked Mary whether she would like to have supper with him the following Saturday.

  9. 333

    Mary said she would be very glad to.

  10. 334

    They didn't agree then on where they would go, and since then they hadn't seen each other.

  11. 335

    Now Kertész asked Mary where she wanted to have supper.

  12. 336

    He recommended a little restaurant in Buda that he knew, and he knows they cook well there.

  13. 337

    The restaurant is on a quiet little side street, close to the Danube bank.

  14. 338

    The streetcar stop isn't far from the restaurant either; it is on the first cross street.

  15. 339

    But Mary wanted to go to the 'Budapest' restaurant instead, because there is music there too.

  16. 340

    Last week Kertész told Mary that he would like to listen to some Gypsy music.

  17. 341

    After supper it will be pleasant to chat to Gypsy music, said Mary.

  1. 342

    They met at seven in the evening in front of Mary's apartment.

  2. 343

    The weather was nice, only a little cool.

  3. 344

    Mary had a new dress on, which looked very good on her.

  4. 345

    She took a warm coat too, because she didn't want to catch a cold.

  5. 346

    They walked to the streetcar stop and got on the streetcar.

  6. 347

    The restaurant was close, so in a few minutes they were there already.

  7. 348

    When they went into the restaurant, the head waiter led them to a table.

  8. 349

    He brought the menu right away too.

  9. 350

    Mary ordered Wiener schnitzel with cucumber salad and potatoes, and Kertész ordered stuffed peppers.

  10. 351

    He ordered wine too.

  11. 352

    The waiter asked what kind of pastry they would like afterwards.

  12. 353

    He recommended strudel.

  13. 354

    Mary asked for cherry strudel, and Kertész for apple strudel.

  14. 355

    The supper was first class and they liked everything very much.

  15. 356

    The Gypsy played beautiful old Hungarian songs.

  16. 357

    After supper they sat there and talked for another half hour.

  17. 358

    They didn't order black coffee, because Kertész wanted to go to a little espresso place in Buda where you can get good coffee.

  18. 359

    Kertész called the waiter, paid the bill and left a tip on the table.

  19. 360

    Mary put on her coat.

  20. 361

    They went out into the street, and at the street corner they got on the first streetcar that went to Buda.

The particulars

The course
Foreign Service Institute, Hungarian Basic Course, Washington, 1962. Public domain. The teaching pages, the glosses and the narration of lines the tape lacks are ours.
Reading aloud
Digital narration, directed by 1732 Studios.
The book
Gulliver’s Fifth and Sixth Voyages, the work this course leads to, free to read here.
Data
JSON · Markdown · A guide for agents
Two whoopie pies and a pine. An inside joke.