Hungarian Basic Course 1732 Studios

Hungarian · Unit 16

Unit 16: Keményék költöznek

Volume 2

The Keménys move house

320 lines

Basic Sentences I

  1. 1

    (The Keménys are moving into a new apartment. The Fehérs are helping them.)

    (Keményékhard
    újnew
    lakásbaapartment, flat
    költöznek.spend
    Fehérékthe Fehérs
    segítenekhelp (v)
    költözködni.)to move, change residence
  2. 2

    Frank and I will help the movers carry up the heavy furniture. In the meanwhile the ladies will unpack the linen and dishes.

  3. 3

    First we'll have to put the furniture in its proper place. We'll unpack the other things later.

  4. 4

    O.K. Whatever you say.

költözködni.)
to move, change residence
Ferenc
Francis, Frank
Közben
meanwhile
  1. 5

    Where are you going to put these two armchairs?

  2. 6

    Next to the window.

  3. 7

    And that small round table?

  4. 8

    Between the two armchairs.

kerek
round
  1. 9

    Please bring the small rug here from behind the cabinet. I'll put it under the round table.

  2. 10

    From behind which cabinet?

  3. 11

    From behind the cabinet next to the door.

  4. 12

    Where are you putting the floor lamp that's beside that crate?

láda
crate, chest, case
  1. 13

    Behind the desk. Or rather next to this armchair in the corner. It'll look very cozy, won't it?

  2. 14

    Yes. Are you going to put the curtain rods over the windows now?

  3. 15

    Yes. Then we can hang the curtains up also.

  4. 16

    I don't believe they're here yet. I don't even know what crate they're in.

a
desk
karosszék
armchair
Barátságos
friendly
akasztani
to hang
  1. 17

    The men are bringing two crates up the stairs right now.

  2. 18

    Isn't the elevator working?

  3. 19

    Yes, but you can't carry boxes in it.

felvonó
elevator
  1. 20

    The bedclothes are in one of them. I put the curtains under them. The kitchen utensils are in the other one.

ágynemű
bedclothes, bedding
a
quilt, cover
  1. 21

    I don't see the crate that the silver and paintings are in.

  2. 22

    Many things are not here yet.

  3. 23

    Would you call the movers for me? Their phone number is in my coat pocket.

  4. 24

    Is this your coat?

a
company, firm
  1. 25

    No, it isn't mine, but one of the worker's. Mine is hanging on the clothes rack, next to yours.

  2. 26

    Is the central heating in the apartment working yet?

enyém
mine
magáé
yours
fűtés
central heating
  1. 27

    The radiator's warm. I believe the manager has turned the heat on for us.

  2. 28

    I haven't met any of the other tenants in the house yet.

házfelügyelő
manager
  1. 29

    The house is brand new. We're the first tenants. The walls were only painted yesterday.

  2. 30

    Do you know who the other tenants will be?

  3. 31

    The Austrian Consul is moving in on the main floor below us next week. And a journalist is coming to live on the third floor right above us.

  4. 32

    What, didn't Szabó the lawyer get the apartment above you?

vadonatúj
brand new
A
wall
többi
the rest, remaining, other
  1. 33

    No. As usual, the housing office assigned it to Alpári the journalist instead of to him.

  2. 34

    Let's go to the kitchen. I'm going to make some coffee. Afterwards we can put the apartment in order and clean up.

  3. 35

    The cleaning woman will clean it up tomorrow.

történni
to happen, occur
takarítónő
cleaning woman
  1. 36

    An electric range, a new refrigerator and a pantry! This is really a well-equipped kitchen.

jégszekrény
refrigerator
felszerelt
equipped
  1. 37

    Where's the percolator?

  2. 38

    It's probably among those pots that we haven't unpacked yet.

  3. 39

    We'll have to get the cups out also. They're in the crate that's still locked.

  4. 40

    Where's the key?

kávéfőző
percolator
Valószínűleg
probably
kulcs
key
  1. 41

    Look in my pocket.

  2. 42

    It's not there.

  3. 43

    Then look in John's.

  4. 44

    Let's go on the terrace and have some coffee. You can see the city from there.

  1. 45

    The view is nice here, from Rózsadomb.

  2. 46

    Many people are moving to Buda. You know, the French Consul used to live above us. Last week he moved out of the apartment above ours. He also lives in Buda now.

  3. 47

    I'd rather live in Buda too. But my daughter goes to school in Pest. It's better for us to be there because of her.

  4. 48

    Look! There's an airplane coming from the direction of the Danube. It's flying toward Vienna.

felől
from (the direction of)
  1. 49

    I wish I were on it also!

  2. 50

    Why don't you go? It isn't such a great thing today.

  3. 51

    For me it is. My wife is afraid to fly. And I can't go without my wife.

nélkül
without

Közmondások - Proverbs

  1. 52

    Where there is much, there is more.

  2. 53

    Time is the best doctor.

  3. 54

    A pepper is small, but it is strong.

  4. 55

    To an honest person every road is straight.

  5. 56

    It is good everywhere, but best at home.

  6. 57

    Whoever sits on the ground does not fall hard.

  7. 58

    Borrowed bread has to be paid back.

  8. 59

    One trouble brings another.

Notes on Grammar: Postpositions

Under, to under, from under

Hozza ide a kis szőnyeget a szekrény mögül. Bring the small rug here from behind the cabinet. A kerek asztal alá teszem. I'll put it under the round table.

Some postpositions have three forms: one for the place to which, one for the place where, one for the place from which.

Alá, alatt, alól. Mögé, mögött, mögül. The form for the place to which is used like -ba, -be. The form for the place where is used like -ban, -ben.

Below us, above us

A jövő héten az osztrák konzul költözik alánk a földszintre. The Austrian Consul is moving in on the main floor below us next week.

Each of the three forms takes personal endings: alánk, alattunk, alólunk. Fölénk, fölöttünk, fölülünk.

A múlt héten elköltözött a lakásból fölülünk. Last week he moved out of the apartment above ours.

Postpositions with one form

Miatta jobb, ha ott lakunk. It's better for us to be there because of her.

Miatt, helyett and nélkül have one stem, and the personal endings go on it: miattam, helyettem, nélkülem.

The tables list the three forms of eight postpositions, the personal forms of four of them, and the personal forms of miatt, helyett and nélkül.

Postpositions, 1 of 4

Postpositions, 2 of 4

Postpositions, 3 of 4

Postpositions, 4 of 4

  1. 60

    from here, beyond, across, through, all along, compared to

A. Postpositions (Continued)

In an earlier unit it was noted that personal suffixes may be added to postpositions: mellettem, alattunk, fölöttük. In this unit we find examples of some postpositions which may occur in three forms: one, referring to where (in what place); two, indicating whither (to what place); and three, denoting whence (from what place). The table following lists the most common postpositions that have these three forms:

Place to which | Place where | Place from which
Hova? | Hol? | Honnan?
alá | alatt | alól
elé | előtt | elől
fölé | fölött | fölül
mellé | mellett | mellől
mögé | mögött | mögül
közé | között | közül
köré | körül | 
felé |  | felől

These three forms for each postposition may in turn take the personal or possessive suffix, as indicated in the chart following:

Place to which | Place where | Place from which
Hova? | Hol? | Honnan?
alám | alattam | alólam
alád | alattad | alólad
alá, alája | alatta | alóla
alánk | alattunk | alólunk
alátok | alattatok | alólatok
alájuk | alattuk | alóluk
fölém | fölöttem | fölülem
föléd | fölötted | fölüled
fölé, föléje | fölötte | fölüle
fölénk | fölöttünk | fölülünk
fölétek | fölöttetek | fölületek
föléjük | fölöttük | fölülük
felém |  | felőlem
feléd |  | felőled
felé, feléje |  | felőle
felénk |  | felőlünk
felétek |  | felőletek
feléjük |  | felőlük
mellém | mellettem | mellőlem
melléd | melletted | mellőled
mellé, melléje | mellette | mellőle
mellénk | mellettünk | mellőlünk
mellétek | mellettetek | mellőletek
melléjük | mellettük | mellőlük

Note: The use of the forms in the first column is similar to the use of the suffix -ba, -be, contrasting with the forms in the second column, the use of which is similar to that of the suffix -ban, -ben.

Some postpositions have only one stem, to which personal suffixes are added:

 |  | 
miattam | helyettem | nélkülem
miattad | helyetted | nélküled
miatta | helyette | nélküle
miattunk | helyettünk | nélkülünk
miattatok | helyettetek | nélkületek
miattuk | helyettük | nélkülük

Many postpositions are invariable, that is, they do not take personal endings:

innen, túl, át, keresztül, végig, képest

Notes on Grammar: Postpositions with Demonstrative Forms

Beside this armchair: the postposition twice

A mögül a szekrény mögül, ami az ajtó mellett áll. From behind the cabinet next to the door.

With a demonstrative, the postposition comes twice: after the demonstrative and after the noun. Ez alatt az asztal alatt, under this table.

Before a consonant, ez becomes e, as az becomes a. Vagy inkább e mellé a karosszék mellé a sarokban. Or rather next to this armchair in the corner.

  1. 61

    under this table

  2. 62

    next to this table

  3. 63

    because of this man

  4. 64

    without this girl

B. Postpositions with Demonstrative Forms

Keeping in mind the corresponding Hungarian pattern for this book, that girl, these men, etc., note the parallel pattern in Hungarian for phrases similar to under this table; behind that house; above those chairs: ez alatt az asztal alatt; a mögött a ház mögött, azok fölött a székek fölött.

In this pattern ez behaves in the same way as az before a consonant:

ez alatt az asztal alatt

- but

e mellett az asztal mellett
e miatt az ember miatt
e nélkül a lány nélkül

Notes on Grammar: The Possessive in -é or -éi

The worker's: -é

Nem, ez nem az enyém, hanem az egyik munkásé. No, it isn't mine, but one of the worker's. Az enyém a fogason lóg, a magáé mellett. Mine is hanging on the clothes rack, next to yours.

The suffix -é on a noun or pronoun means 'that of': munkásé, the worker's. Magáé, yours. Kié az a pénz? Whose is that money?

For several things owned, the suffix is -éi, 'those of'. In speech -é is preferred unless the plural meaning is not clear.

Mine, yours, his

The personal pronouns have irregular forms for this: enyém, mine. Tied, yours. Övé, his. Mienk, ours.

The table gives them for one thing owned and for several: enyém, enyéim.

The Possessive in -é or -éi, 1 of 2

The Possessive in -é or -éi, 2 of 2

  1. 65

    My book is black, yours is gray.

  2. 66

    Peter's wife is Hungarian, John's is American.

  3. 67

    Whose is that money?

C. The Possessive in -é or -éi

Thus far we have used Hungarian possessive forms only in the combination possessor plus thing possessed: János háza, az én barátom, Péter feleségének a neve.

The suffix -é added to a noun or pronoun indicates 'that of' and the resulting form corresponds to 'John's' or 'his' in 'That book is John's' or 'that book is his'. The plural adds -i: -éi 'those of'. For example:

Az én könyvem fekete, a magáé szürke.
Péter felesége magyar, Jánosé amerikai.
Kié az a pénz?

The tendency in colloquial Hungarian is to use the singular form -é in preference to the plural -éi except in those cases where the plural meaning is not obvious from the context.

Note the following irregular possessive forms of the personal pronouns:

 |  |  | 
enyém | mienk | enyéim | mieink
tied | tietek | tiéid | tieitek
övé | övék | övéi | övéik

Notes on Grammar: Impersonal Subject

They say, one does not know

Azt mondják, hogy sohasem lesz vége a hideg háborúnak. They say the cold war will never end.

Hungarian has three patterns for an action when the person acting is not named. Azt with a third person plural verb: azt mondják, people say.

Az ember with a third person singular verb: az ember nem tudja, one doesn't know. The plain infinitive: nem tudni, it isn't known.

The table lists the three patterns and the verb form each one takes.

Impersonal Subject

  1. 68

    People say, they say, it is said

  2. 69

    One doesn't know, it isn't known

  3. 70

    It isn't known, people don't know

  4. 71

    People don't know, they don't know one doesn't know

  5. 72

    They say that the cold war will never end.

  6. 73

    One doesn't know what tomorrow will bring.

  7. 74

    It isn't known why he did it.

  8. 75

    They don't know what they want.

D. Impersonal Subject

Note the three following constructions, all of which are 'impersonal' in the sense that the person acting is unspecified. The English equivalents include 'people (say, do, etc.)', 'one (says, does, etc.)' and 'it is (said, done, etc.)'.

 | 
azt - 3 pl. verb | Azt
az ember - 3 sg. verb | Az ember
infinitive | Nem tudni

One may also use the personal form, translatable impersonally:

Azt mondják  People say, they say, it is said
Az ember nem tudja  One doesn't know, it isn't known
Nem tudni  It isn't known, people don't know
Nem tudják  People don't know, they don't know one doesn't know

Azt mondják, hogy sohasem lesz vége a hideg háborúnak.
Az ember nem tudja, hogy mit hoz a holnap.
Nem tudni, hogy miért csinálta.
Nem tudják, hogy mit akarnak.

Notes on Grammar: Appositive

Alpári, the journalist: the same case

Helyette Alpárinak, az újságírónak utalta ki a lakáshivatal. The housing office assigned it to Alpári the journalist instead of to him.

Az újságírónak stands beside Alpárinak and says who he is. It takes the same case ending, the dative.

Molnárról, az ügyvédről beszélt. Rózsához, a tanárhoz fordult. In each sentence, the noun after the name takes the same case as the name.

  1. 76

    I got a letter from Kovács, the lawyer.

  2. 77

    He talked about Molnár, the lawyer.

  3. 78

    I went with Fehér, the writer.

  4. 79

    I gave it to Kemény, the doctor.

  5. 80

    He turned to Rózsa, the teacher.

E. Appositive

The forms underlined in the English sentences below are all examples of appositives.

I know Smith, the carpenter.
Mr. Smith, the senator, is from Massachusetts.

In Hungarian an appositive is always in the same case as the antecedent it accompanies.

Kovácstól, az ügyvédtől kaptam levelet.
Molnárról, az ügyvédről beszélt.
Fehérrel, az íróval mentem.
Keménynek, az orvosnak adtam.
Rózsához, a tanárhoz fordult.

Substitution Drill

  1. 81

    I'll put the flowers next to the armchairs.

  2. 82

    Please bring the rug here from behind the cabinets.

  3. 83

    An attaché is moving to the second floor right below us.

  1. 84

    An attaché is moving to the second floor right below us.

  2. 85

    The car came in front of me.

  1. 86

    They moved out from the apartment above us.

  2. 87

    He got up from beside me.

  1. 88

    He got up from beside me.

  2. 89

    John came here because of us.

  3. 90

    The secretary, instead of Szabó, got the apartment.

  1. 91

    They went without the children.

Variation Drill

  1. 92

    I'm going next to my friend.

  2. 93

    I came away from beside my friend. (I left my friend.)

  3. 94

    My neighbor put the blanket under me.

  1. 95

    My neighbor put the blanket under me.

  2. 96

    The dog ran away from behind us.

  3. 97

    The airplane is flying over that mountain.

  4. 98

    This horse belongs to my friend.

  1. 99

    This horse belongs to my friend.

  2. 100

    They say that even walls have ears.

  3. 101

    One doesn't know who his friend is.

Transformation Drill

  1. 102

    A ház mögé megyek.

    I'm going behind the house.

  2. 103

    A fa mellett vagyok.

    I am next to the tree.

  3. 104

    A gyerek a ház előtt van.

    The child is in front of the house.

  1. 105

    A gyerek a ház előtt van.

    The child is in front of the house.

  2. 106

    A pokróc alattam van.

    The blanket is under me.

  3. 107

    Ez Péter lakása.

    This is Peter's apartment.

  1. 108

    Ez Péter lakása.

    This is Peter's apartment.

  2. 109

    Ez az én szobám.

    This is my room.

  3. 110

    A feleségem zsebében van a kulcsom.

    My key is in my wife's pocket.

  1. 111

    A feleségem zsebében van a kulcsom.

    My key is in my wife's pocket.

  2. 112

    Az orvos házában lakik?

    Does he live in the doctor's house?

  3. 113

    A gyerek elszaladt mellőlem.

    The child ran away from beside me.

  1. 114

    A gyerek elszaladt mellőlem.

    The child ran away from beside me.

  1. 115

    Kinek utalták ki a lakást? Szabónak?

    Who was the apartment assigned to? To Szabó?

  2. 116

    Mit gondol, lesz háború?

    What do you think, will there be a war?

  3. 117

    Sok mindent gondolok.

    I think many things.

  4. 118

    Ha utazok, jegyet veszek.

    If I travel, I buy a ticket.

  1. 119

    Ha utazok, jegyet veszek.

    If I travel, I buy a ticket.

  2. 120

    Melyik ház fölött szállnak a madarak?

    Above which house are the birds flying?

  1. 121

    Melyik ház fölött szállnak a madarak?

    Above which house are the birds flying?

Lexical Drill

  1. 122

    Hova megy?

    Where are you going?

  2. 123

    Most hol van?

    Where are you now?

  3. 124

    Honnan megy el?

    Where are you going away from?

  4. 125

    Hova megy a kocsi?

    Where is the car going?

  5. 126

    Hol áll a kocsi?

    Where is the car standing?

  6. 127

    Honnan megy el a kocsi?

    Where is the car going away from?

  7. 128

    Hova akasztják a képet?

    Where are they hanging the picture?

  8. 129

    Most hol van a kép?

    Where is the picture now?

  9. 130

    Honnan veszik le a képet?

    Where are they taking the picture down from?

  10. 131

    Hova megy a macska?

    Where is the cat going?

  11. 132

    Hol van a macska?

    Where is the cat?

  12. 133

    Honnan jön ki a macska?

    Where is the cat coming out from?

  1. 134

    Hova megy?

    Where are you going?

  2. 135

    Most hol van?

    Where are you now?

  3. 136

    Honnan megy el?

    Where are you going away from?

  4. 137

    Hova teszi a magyar újságot?

    Where are you putting the Hungarian newspaper?

  5. 138

    Hol van a magyar újság?

    Where is the Hungarian newspaper?

  6. 139

    Honnan veszi el a magyar újságot?

    Where are you taking the Hungarian newspaper from?

  7. 140

    Hova ülnek le a férfiak?

    Where are the men sitting down?

  8. 141

    Hol ülnek a férfiak?

    Where are the men sitting?

  9. 142

    Hova megy a repülőgép?

    Where is the airplane going?

  10. 143

    Honnan jön a kocsi?

    Where is the car coming from?

  11. 144

    Hova megy a férfi?

    Where is the man going?

  12. 145

    Hol van az asszony?

    Where is the woman?

  1. 146

    Honnan megy el a lány?

    Where is the girl going away from?

  2. 147

    Hova teszi a pokrócot?

    Where are you putting the blanket?

  3. 148

    Hol van a vánkos?

    Where is the pillow?

  4. 149

    Honnan veszi el a takarót?

    Where are you taking the blanket from?

  5. 150

    Kovácsék hova költöznek?

    Where are the Kovácses moving to?

  6. 151

    Kovácsék hol laknak?

    Where do the Kovácses live?

  7. 152

    Honnan költöznek el Kovácsék?

    Where are the Kovácses moving out from?

  8. 153

    Hova ült le a gyerek?

    Where did the child sit down?

  9. 154

    Hol ül a gyerek?

    Where is the child sitting?

  10. 155

    Honnan megy el a gyerek?

    Where is the child going away from?

  11. 156

    Hova ment a kutya?

    Where did the dog go?

  12. 157

    Hol van a kutya?

    Where is the dog?

  1. 158

    Honnan megy el a kutya?

    Where is the dog going away from?

  2. 159

    Hova mennek a gyerekek?

    Where are the children going?

  3. 160

    Hol vannak a gyerekek?

    Where are the children?

  4. 161

    Hova megy János?

    Where is John going?

  5. 162

    Hol van János?

    Where is John?

  6. 163

    Honnan megy el János?

    Where is John going away from?

Translation Drill

  1. 164

    My friend moved into a new apartment.

  2. 165

    John and I helped him move.

  3. 166

    First we put the dishes and the bedclothes into a crate.

  4. 167

    The workers from the moving company took the furniture down from the third floor.

  5. 168

    They put the carpets in the truck among the furniture.

  6. 169

    They put blankets above and under the boxes.

  7. 170

    They took the furniture on the elevator to the second floor.

  8. 171

    First they put the furniture next to the wall in the living room.

  9. 172

    Then we began to put the furniture in its proper place.

  10. 173

    We placed two armchairs in front of the window.

  11. 174

    Between the two armchairs John put a small table, and under the table, a small rug.

  12. 175

    We placed another armchair next to the wall.

  13. 176

    Next to that chair we put the floor lamp.

  1. 177

    Three workmen are just bringing a big crate into the room.

  2. 178

    The paintings and the silver are in the crate.

  3. 179

    John hangs a large picture on the wall over the cabinet.

  4. 180

    Next to that cabinet is a Herend vase.

  5. 181

    We put a large carpet on the floor in the middle of the room.

  6. 182

    I place the radio next to the wall in the corner and hang a lamp above it.

  7. 183

    John places the book case next to the radio.

  8. 184

    The keys of the cabinets are in my pocket. The padlock keys are in John's.

  9. 185

    John, instead of one of the workers, goes down to the main floor to bring up the curtain rods.

  10. 186

    We put the curtain rods up over the windows.

  11. 187

    Afterwards we hang the curtains up also.

  12. 188

    The radiator is warm. They have turned on the heat because of the cold.

  13. 189

    Fekete, the engineer, is going to move to the main floor right below my friend's apartment.

  1. 190

    A German legation secretary is coming to live on the third floor right above him.

  2. 191

    The kitchen is well equipped. The stove and the refrigerator are brand new.

  3. 192

    We want to make some coffee. We're looking for the percolator.

  4. 193

    The percolator is among the dishes (that are) in the small crate.

  5. 194

    We drink the coffee on the balcony.

  6. 195

    One can see the city and the Danube from the balcony.

  7. 196

    We see John's wife as she comes from the direction of the park.

  8. 197

    A truck is coming towards the house; it's bringing the last pieces of furniture.

  9. 198

    By tomorrow the whole apartment will be furnished and then we'll clean it.

Response Drill

  1. 199

    Where are the Keménys moving?

  2. 200

    Is anyone helping them move?

  3. 201

    Who is moving the furniture from one apartment to the other?

  4. 202

    What do they put in place first in the apartment?

  5. 203

    Where does Fehér put the two armchairs?

  6. 204

    What do they put between the armchairs?

  7. 205

    Where do they put the small rug?

  8. 206

    Where do they take the rug out from?

  9. 207

    Where does Kemény put the floor lamp?

  1. 208

    Where do they hang the curtains?

  2. 209

    How do the men bring the crates up to the upper floor?

  3. 210

    Why don't they use the elevator?

  4. 211

    What is in the crates?

  5. 212

    Why does someone have to telephone?

  6. 213

    Instead of whom does Fehér go to telephone?

  7. 214

    Whose coat is Kemény's coat hanging next to?

  8. 215

    Why is it warm in the apartment?

  9. 216

    Because of whom did the manager turn on the heat?

  1. 217

    Do other tenants already live in the house?

  2. 218

    Is the house new or old?

  3. 219

    Where is the Austrian consul moving?

  4. 220

    Who is coming to live on the third floor?

  5. 221

    Why didn't Szabó, the lawyer, get the apartment above them?

  6. 222

    Where did the French consul move out from?

  7. 223

    Because of whom do the Fehérs live in Pest?

  8. 224

    Is Mrs. Kemény cleaning the apartment?

  9. 225

    What is the kitchen like?

  1. 226

    Where's the percolator?

  2. 227

    In whose pocket is the padlock key?

  3. 228

    Where do the Keménys drink the coffee?

  4. 229

    What can be seen from the balcony?

  5. 230

    Where is an airplane coming from, and where is it flying?

  6. 231

    What would Fehér like?

  7. 232

    Why doesn't Fehér fly?

  8. 233

    When did you move into the apartment where you live now?

Conversation Practice 1

  1. 234

    I hear that you're moving. Where are you going to live?

  2. 235

    To Buda, to Rózsadomb.

  3. 236

    In an old house?

  4. 237

    No, in an entirely new apartment building.

  5. 238

    Do you know who your neighbors will be?

  6. 239

    The manager said that a Swiss diplomat is moving in above us, a department head from the Foreign Ministry below us, and a doctor will come next to us.

  7. 240

    When are you moving?

  8. 241

    Tomorrow. The moving company telephoned that the crates have arrived.

  9. 242

    Did you bring a lot of furniture from America?

  10. 243

    We didn't bring furniture. But we brought the kitchen utensils, china, silver and our pictures. And naturally my books too.

Conversation Practice 2

  1. 244

    Where are you putting this little square table?

  2. 245

    In front of the sofa bed.

  3. 246

    And this big red armchair?

  4. 247

    Next to the window.

  5. 248

    And that floor lamp?

  6. 249

    Behind the red armchair. And the rug under the little table.

  7. 250

    The room looks cozy this way! Don't you think?

  8. 251

    Yes, it looks very nice furnished this way.

Conversation Practice 3

  1. 252

    What a beautiful picture! Is it American?

  2. 253

    No, it's an old Dutch painting.

  3. 254

    Where do you want to hang it?

  4. 255

    Above the couch. That will be the best place for it. Don't you think?

  5. 256

    Yes, I think so too.

  6. 257

    Do you like modern paintings?

  7. 258

    No, I only like the old ones. I don't understand modern pictures.

  8. 259

    I don't understand them either. They don't say anything to me.

Conversation Practice 4

  1. 260

    Tomorrow I'm starting to paint the house.

  2. 261

    That will be a big job.

  3. 262

    It certainly is.

  4. 263

    Are you going to paint the windows and the doors too?

  5. 264

    Yes, but first I want to paint the ceiling and the walls. The doors and the windows only after that.

  6. 265

    Who is helping you?

  7. 266

    Nobody is helping. I'm doing it alone.

Narrative

  1. 267

    The Feketes had lived in Pest for 12 years, downtown, in a very old apartment building.

  2. 268

    They had long wished to move into a bigger and more modern apartment, but they never managed to get another apartment.

  3. 269

    In Budapest it is very hard to get an apartment, because few new houses are built.

  4. 270

    Five years ago they had submitted their application to the housing office.

  5. 271

    After long years, when they had already completely given up hope of having a new apartment, the housing office assigned them one in Buda.

  6. 272

    When they went to look at it, they couldn't believe that the apartment would really be theirs.

  7. 273

    In a large garden stood a beautiful two-story villa, newly renovated.

  8. 274

    Around the villa were tall trees, and behind it a tennis court.

  9. 275

    The house had new plumbing, gas and central heating.

  10. 276

    Every apartment had its own little cellar, attic and a little balcony.

  11. 277

    They moved at the beginning of June, on a weekend, when Mrs. Fekete didn't have to work.

  12. 278

    Mrs. Fekete had already packed the better dishes, the paintings and the curtains at the end of May.

  13. 279

    Her daughter helped her with the packing.

  14. 280

    On Saturday morning, when the workers of the moving company arrived, everything was ready and the crates were sealed.

  15. 281

    The workers first carried the furniture down from the dining room and the bedroom and put it on the truck.

  16. 282

    They put rugs among the furniture.

  17. 283

    They put the lighter chairs and lamps on top of the cabinets.

  18. 284

    The Feketes had a lot of furniture, so Kemény, a friend of Fekete's son, came to help too.

  19. 285

    When they had carried everything down from the apartment, Fekete closed the door of the apartment and gave the key to the manager.

  1. 286

    In the new house they carried the crates into the stairwell.

  2. 287

    The Feketes' apartment was on the second floor.

  3. 288

    Furniture and crates could not be carried in the elevator, so the workers carried them up the stairs to the upper floor.

  4. 289

    Fekete helped the workers with the heavy pieces.

  5. 290

    When everything was in the apartment, they began to furnish the rooms.

  6. 291

    In the living room they hung the curtains.

  7. 292

    They placed two armchairs in front of the window.

  8. 293

    They put a little table between the armchairs, and under the table, on the floor, a Persian rug.

  9. 294

    They placed the floor lamp next to one of the armchairs, just as it had been in their old apartment.

  10. 295

    They put the bookcase against the wall, close to the lamp.

  11. 296

    The books were in one of the crates.

  12. 297

    Fekete wanted to unpack the books, but he couldn't find the padlock key.

  13. 298

    Finally Mrs. Fekete remembered that she had put it among the other keys in the pocket of one of her coats.

  14. 299

    She took out the keys, they unpacked the books and put them in the bookcase.

  15. 300

    They also placed the radio and the television against the wall on the other side, facing the two armchairs.

  1. 301

    No one lived in the house yet; the Feketes were the first tenants to move in.

  2. 302

    The walls and the doors had been painted only yesterday.

  3. 303

    The manager said that in two days an Italian diplomat would move onto the main floor, below the Feketes' apartment.

  4. 304

    And in a week a French commercial attaché would move onto the third floor, right above them.

  5. 305

    Next to them, however, Kovács the doctor was not coming to live, as they had hoped, but a journalist.

  6. 306

    Because of this they were a little sad.

  7. 307

    Kovács had been asking for a new apartment for a long time, and the housing office had even promised it to him.

  8. 308

    At the last minute, however, a journalist got the apartment instead of Kovács.

  9. 309

    The Kovácses would have liked to come to Buda because of their son, because there is a very good school nearby and they would have liked the child to go to school there.

  10. 310

    The equipment of the kitchen was completely modern.

  11. 311

    The gas stove and the refrigerator were brand new.

  12. 312

    After the furniture had been put in its place, Mrs. Fekete wanted to make tea, but she couldn't find the teapot anywhere.

  13. 313

    Fekete remembered that he had packed it among the dishes that are in the biggest crate.

  14. 314

    He took out the teapot and the cups, and Mrs. Fekete made the tea.

  15. 315

    They sat out on the balcony.

  16. 316

    It was already late; it was beginning to get dark.

  17. 317

    From the balcony they could see Budapest lit up.

  18. 318

    Cars were coming and going on the bridges.

  19. 319

    A lit-up boat had just set off on the Danube toward Vienna.

  20. 320

    Many people would give a lot to be on it, thought Fekete.

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.