Hungarian Basic Course 1732 Studios

Hungarian · Unit 19

Unit 19: Bírósági tárgyaláson

Volume 2

At a court hearing

311 lines

Basic Sentences I

  1. 1

    This morning I was at the District Court (at a court proceeding).

    Matoday
    reggelmorning
    tárgyalásonconference, negotiations; trial
    voltamcame up (in discussion)
    athe
    kerületidistrict, region
    bíróságon.court of justice
  2. 2

    You don't say! What happened?

  3. 3

    Last week my apartment was broken into and robbed while I was away on summer vacation. But the culprits were caught soon afterwards.

a
court of justice
  1. 4

    How many were there and what did they take?

  2. 5

    There were three of them, an elderly man and two young boys. They forced the door without making any noise and took all the clothes.

  3. 6

    What an unpleasant situation! Didn't the neighbors hear anything?

Hányan
how many (people)
Zajtalanul
noiselessly
Kellemetlen
unpleasant
  1. 7

    No, because the burglars worked quietly and, anyway, it was a stormy night. There were muddy footprints all over the apartment.

is
besides, moreover
viharos
stormy
tele
full
sáros
muddy
a
footprint
  1. 8

    They were certainly able to work in peace. Did they spend a long time in the apartment?

  2. 9

    They must have spent a long time there. They ate and drank up everything that they could find in the kitchen. They left any number of empty beer bottles after them.

  3. 10

    How amusing! But how could they know that nobody would be at home?

Számtalan
innumerable, countless
Mulatságos
amusing
  1. 11

    They could see that all the windows were dark. My neighbor's little son said that a strange car was parked on the other side every night. There were always two people in it.

  2. 12

    I'm sure they watched the house. Did the child notice the license number?

  3. 13

    No, he didn't, but he said that the car was a bluish-green one. This was a help to the police in the investigation.

esténként
every evening
ismeretlen
unknown
a
license number
  1. 14

    Well, and how did they track down the culprits?

Na
well
  1. 15

    You can imagine that after so many drinks they weren't exactly sober. One of them forgot his coat on the chair. The police found a small piece of paper in the pocket with an address on it.

teljesen
entirely, totally
darabka
small piece
  1. 16

    They were really careless. Or they were drunk. What did the police do after that?

  2. 17

    They went to the address that was on the little piece of paper. A friend of one of the burglars lived there. He told them where they could find the owner of the coat.

  3. 18

    Where did they succeed in finally catching the culprits?

Valóban
indeed, really
  1. 19

    In their apartment, out in the suburbs. One rainy morning the police unexpectedly surrounded the house. All three were still sleeping. They couldn't get over their astonishment at being arrested.

váratlanul
unexpectedly
  1. 20

    Did they find the stolen things?

  2. 21

    They had sold about a third of the clothes but they had the remaining two thirds in their possession.

  3. 22

    You should be glad to be able to get two thirds of your things back. The police caught them just in time. Who were the burglars, anyway?

lopott
stolen
egyharmad
one third
  1. 23

    Two young unemployed boys and an older man. In my opinion the boys are not incorrigible. They're motherless and fatherless orphans and grew up without any home life.

fiatalkorú
juvenile, youthful
állástalan
unemployed
  1. 24

    Unfortunately there are many young people like them. I read recently that in the big cities twelve and a half percent of the children grow up under bad conditions.

  2. 25

    I've heard that too. These two boys couldn't have seen much good in life, either. They were young and uneducated and thus easily influenced.

  3. 26

    You mean to say that the third is the leader?

rendezetlen
disordered, unsettled
főbűnös
the person most guilty, ringleader
  1. 27

    Yes. The police have identified him as a criminal with a long record. He could earn an honest living if he wanted to, but he prefers to live without doing any work.

  2. 28

    I'm sure he has been in prison several times already. I have an idea that he'll get a few years now too.

Becsületes
honest
tétlenül
inactively
  1. 29

    The judge has already sentenced him to two and a half years in the penitentiary.

  2. 30

    Didn't the accused appeal the sentence?

bíró
judge
  1. 31

    He didn't but the defense did. The prosecutor, on the other hand, asked for a more severe punishment because the accused had a previous prison record.

védő
defense counsel
ügyész
prosecutor
előéletű
previously convicted
  1. 32

    Well, and when will the trial in the higher court be?

  2. 33

    Next month.

  3. 34

    And the boys? What kind of punishment did they get?

  4. 35

    They're being sent to the reform school at Aszód. The reason they're sending them there is so that they can learn some trade.

  1. 36

    That'll undoubtedly help them. I hope they'll train them to be honest men.

  2. 37

    I hope so too.

  3. 38

    This morning I was at the District Court (at a court proceeding).

  4. 39

    You don't say! What happened?

  5. 40

    Last week my apartment was broken into and robbed while I was away on summer vacation. But the culprits were caught soon afterwards.

  6. 41

    How many were there and what did they take?

  7. 42

    There were three of them, an elderly man and two young boys. They forced the door without making any noise and took all the clothes.

  8. 43

    What an unpleasant situation! Didn't the neighbors hear anything?

  9. 44

    No, because the burglars worked quietly and, anyway, it was a stormy night. There were muddy footprints all over the apartment.

  10. 45

    They were certainly able to work in peace. Did they spend a long time in the apartment?

  11. 46

    They must have spent a long time there. They ate and drank up everything that they could find in the kitchen. They left any number of empty beer bottles after them.

  12. 47

    How amusing! But how could they know that nobody would be at home?

  13. 48

    They could see that all the windows were dark. My neighbor's little son said that a strange car was parked on the other side every night. There were always two people in it.

  14. 49

    I'm sure they watched the house. Did the child notice the license number?

  15. 50

    No, he didn't, but he said that the car was a bluish-green one. This was a help to the police in the investigation.

  16. 51

    Well, and how did they track down the culprits?

  17. 52

    You can imagine that after so many drinks they weren't exactly sober. One of them forgot his coat on the chair. The police found a small piece of paper in the pocket with an address on it.

  18. 53

    They were really careless. Or they were drunk. What did the police do after that?

  19. 54

    They went to the address that was on the little piece of paper. A friend of one of the burglars lived there. He told them where they could find the owner of the coat.

  20. 55

    Where did they succeed in finally catching the culprits?

  21. 56

    In their apartment, out in the suburbs. One rainy morning the police unexpectedly surrounded the house. All three were still sleeping. They couldn't get over their astonishment at being arrested.

  22. 57

    Did they find the stolen things?

  23. 58

    They had sold about a third of the clothes but they had the remaining two thirds in their possession.

  24. 59

    You should be glad to be able to get two thirds of your things back. The police caught them just in time. Who were the burglars, anyway?

  25. 60

    Two young unemployed boys and an older man. In my opinion the boys are not incorrigible. They're motherless and fatherless orphans and grew up without any home life.

  26. 61

    Unfortunately there are many young people like them. I read recently that in the big cities twelve and a half percent of the children grow up under bad conditions.

  27. 62

    I've heard that too. These two boys couldn't have seen much good in life, either. They were young and uneducated and thus easily influenced.

  28. 63

    You mean to say that the third is the leader?

  29. 64

    Yes. The police have identified him as a criminal with a long record. He could earn an honest living if he wanted to, but he prefers to live without doing any work.

  30. 65

    I'm sure he has been in prison several times already. I have an idea that he'll get a few years now too.

  31. 66

    The judge has already sentenced him to two and a half years in the penitentiary.

  32. 67

    Didn't the accused appeal the sentence?

  33. 68

    He didn't but the defense did. The prosecutor, on the other hand, asked for a more severe punishment because the accused had a previous prison record.

  34. 69

    Well, and when will the trial in the higher court be?

  35. 70

    Next month.

  36. 71

    And the boys? What kind of punishment did they get?

  37. 72

    They're being sent to the reform school at Aszód. The reason they're sending them there is so that they can learn some trade.

  38. 73

    That'll undoubtedly help them. I hope they'll train them to be honest men.

  39. 74

    I hope so too.

kétségtelenül
undoubtedly
belőlük
from them

Közmondások - Proverbs

Without: -talan, -telen

Zajtalanul feltörték az ajtót. They forced the door without making any noise. Zaj is noise, and zajtalan is noiseless.

The ending -talan, -telen makes an adjective that means a lack of something, like English -less.

A noun that ends in a consonant takes -talan, -telen or -atlan, -etlen: névtelen, fogatlan. No rule settles which. A noun that takes -a- before the plural -k often takes -atlan.

After a vowel, on verbs, on adjectives

Apátlan-anyátlan árvák. Motherless and fatherless orphans.

A noun that ends in a vowel takes -tlan, -tlen, and its last vowel is always long: apa, apátlan. Béke, békétlen.

A verb takes -atlan, -etlen on its third person singular: tanul, tanulatlan, uneducated. An adjective takes the suffix on its basic form: boldog, boldogtalan.

The first four tables list the pairs by kind: nouns after a consonant, nouns after a vowel, verbs, then adjectives.

Cannot be done: -hat with -atlan

A fiúk, a véleményem szerint, nem javíthatatlanok. In my opinion the boys are not incorrigible.

With -hat, -het before it, -atlan, -etlen means the action cannot be done. Lát, he sees. Láthat, he can see. Láthatatlan, that cannot be seen, invisible.

The last table gives six such words with their English: ehetetlen, inedible. Használhatatlan, unusable.

The Adjectival Ending -talan, -telen, -tlan, -tlen, -atlan, -etlen indicating 'lack of', '-less', 1 of 10

The Adjectival Ending -talan, -telen, -tlan, -tlen, -atlan, -etlen indicating 'lack of', '-less', 2 of 10

The Adjectival Ending -talan, -telen, -tlan, -tlen, -atlan, -etlen indicating 'lack of', '-less', 3 of 10

The Adjectival Ending -talan, -telen, -tlan, -tlen, -atlan, -etlen indicating 'lack of', '-less', 4 of 10

The Adjectival Ending -talan, -telen, -tlan, -tlen, -atlan, -etlen indicating 'lack of', '-less', 5 of 10

The Adjectival Ending -talan, -telen, -tlan, -tlen, -atlan, -etlen indicating 'lack of', '-less', 6 of 10

The Adjectival Ending -talan, -telen, -tlan, -tlen, -atlan, -etlen indicating 'lack of', '-less', 7 of 10

The Adjectival Ending -talan, -telen, -tlan, -tlen, -atlan, -etlen indicating 'lack of', '-less', 8 of 10

The Adjectival Ending -talan, -telen, -tlan, -tlen, -atlan, -etlen indicating 'lack of', '-less', 9 of 10

The Adjectival Ending -talan, -telen, -tlan, -tlen, -atlan, -etlen indicating 'lack of', '-less', 10 of 10

  1. 75

    Everyone judges others by the way he himself lives.

  2. 76

    The wise person learns from another person's misfortune.

  3. 77

    After gloom comes brightness, and after brightness comes gloom.

  4. 78

    Do not leave a well-traveled road for an untraveled one.

  5. 79

    Not everything that is unusual is bad.

  6. 80

    Whoever begins his work with God finishes it well.

  7. 81

    Enough is better than too much.

G. The Adjectival Ending -talan, -telen, -tlan, -tlen, -atlan, -etlen indicating 'lack of', '-less'

(1)

Nouns ending in a consonant: the adjective is formed by adding -talan, -telen or -atlan, -etlen to the noun. There is no sure way of determining which of these suffixes a given noun requires, but often a noun that takes the auxiliary vowel -a- before the plural -k will require the suffix -atlan for the corresponding adjective form.

 |  |  |  |  | 
név | névtelen | jog | jogtalan | fej | fejetlen
szív | szívtelen | föld | földtelen | fül | fületlen
hús | hústalan | ember | embertelen | fog | fogatlan
zsír | zsírtalan | család | családtalan | ház | házatlan
pénz | pénztelen | igazság | igazságtalan | láb | lábatlan

(2)

Nouns ending in a vowel: the adjective is formed by adding -tlan or -tlen to the noun. The final vowel of the stem is always long:

 |  |  | 
nő | nőtlen | fa | fátlan
só | sótlan | idő | időtlen
szó | szótlan | haza | hazátlan
apa | apátlan | béke | békétlen
anya | anyátlan | ajtó | ajtótlan

(3)

Verbs: the adjective is formed by adding -atlan, -etlen to the third person singular of the verb:

 |  |  | 
ír | íratlan | fűt | fűtetlen
vár | váratlan | jár | járatlan
hív | hívatlan | mos | mosatlan
akar | akaratlan | tölt | töltetlen
fest | festetlen | tanul | tanulatlan

(4)

The suffix may also be added to the basic form of an adjective:

 |  |  | 
elég | elégtelen | művészi | művészietlen
tiszta | tisztátlan | nemzeti | nemzetietlen
boldog | boldogtalan | népszerű | népszerűtlen
komoly | komolytalan |  | 

(5)

Note the meaning where the suffix -hat, -het is used along with -atlan, -etlen: lát 'he sees'; láthat 'he can (is able to) see'; láthatatlan '(that) cannot be seen', 'invisible'. Other examples are:

 |  |  | 
ihatatlan | undrinkable | lakhatatlan | uninhabitable
ehetetlen | inedible | leírhatatlan | indescribable
járhatatlan | impassable | használhatatlan | unusable

Notes on Grammar: Verbs with Infinitive Stems in -ó, -ő and Stem Extension -hat, -het

Two stems: löv- and lő-

Lövök, lősz, lő are three forms of the verb lőni. Róni works the same way: rovok, rósz, ró.

Each of these verbs has two stems: löv- and lő-, rov- and ró-.

The stem in v comes before an ending that begins with a vowel: lövök, rovunk. The other stem comes before a consonant, or stands with no ending: lősz, rónak, ró.

The table gives the present tense of both verbs, indefinite and definite. The first letter of each ending decides the stem.

Verbs with Infinitive Stems in -ó, -ő, 1 of 2

Verbs with Infinitive Stems in -ó, -ő, 2 of 2

May and can: -hat, -het

Láthatták, hogy sötét volt minden ablak. They could see that all the windows were dark.

Lát, he sees. Láthat, he can see. The suffix -hat, -het on a verb stem says that the action may be done. It marks permission or possibility.

By vowel harmony, -hat follows a stem with back vowels and -het a stem with front vowels: dolgozhattak, megvehetem.

The personal endings come after it

Becsületes munkával megkereshetné a kenyerét. He could earn an honest living.

The personal endings follow -hat, -het: megvehetem, I may buy. Dolgozhattak, they were able to work. Megnézhetné, he could look at. Fehér elviheti az írógépet. Fehér may take the typewriter away.

Three other words carry narrower meanings. Lehet is 'it is possible'. Szabad is 'it is permitted'. Tudni is 'to be able'.

  1. 82

    I can buy the car.

  2. 83

    He could go and see the museum.

  3. 84

    We could ask the children.

  4. 85

    Fehér can take the typewriter.

A. Verbs with Infinitive Stems in -ó, -ő

A few verbs with an infinitive stem ending in -ó or -ő (róni, lőni) follow a pattern different from that of most other verbs. These forms show two stems for each of these verbs: rov- and ró-, löv- and lő-. The stem in v occurs when the ending begins with a vowel (-ok, -unk, etc.), the other when the ending begins with a consonant, or is zero, as in the third person singular indefinite. Note the alternation of stem which appears in the underlined forms of the present tense of these verbs:

Indefinite |  | Definite | 
rovok | lövök | rovom | lövöm
rósz | lősz | rovod | lövöd
ró | lő | rója | lövi
rovunk | lövünk | rójuk | lőjük
rótok | lőtök | rójátok | lövitek
rónak | lőnek | róják | lövik
B. Stem Extension -hat, -het

The suffix -hat, -het added to a verb stem indicates that the action of the verb 'may' be done. This is a general indication of permissiveness or possibility. The personal endings follow this suffix:

Megvehetem a kocsit.
Megnézhetné a múzeumot.
Megkérdezhetnénk a gyerekeket.
Fehér elviheti az írógépet.

There are several other words which give the narrower meanings of '(it is) possible' (as opposed to 'impossible') - lehet; '(it is) permissible' (as opposed to 'forbidden') - szabad; 'to be able' (as opposed to 'to be unable') - tudni.

Notes on Grammar: Fractions

A third: harmad

Körülbelül egyharmad részét már eladták. They had sold about a third of the clothes.

The numerator of a fraction is the cardinal number, as in English: egy, két. The denominator adds -ad, -od, -ed or -öd to the cardinal: harmad, negyed, ötöd, hatod.

The same word comes from the ordinal without its -ik: a harmadik, the third, gives harmad. Egyharmad is one third, kétharmad two thirds.

Half: fél

A tárgyaláson a bíró két és fél évi fegyházra ítélte. The judge has already sentenced him to two and a half years in the penitentiary.

Ketted is the term for one half in mathematics. In everyday speech the word is fél.

  1. 86

    half

  2. 87

    one third

  3. 88

    one fourth

  4. 89

    one fifth

  5. 90

    one sixth

C. Fractions

The numerator of fractions in Hungarian is the cardinal number as in English. The denominator is formed by adding the suffix -ad, -od, -ed, -öd to the cardinal (or by dropping the -ik of the ordinal in all cases except for 1/2):

ketted
harmad
negyed
ötöd
hatod

Ketted is the mathematical term for 1/2. The popular term is fél.

Notes on Grammar: The Endings -an, -en

Hárman: three people

Hárman voltak. There were three of them. Mindig ketten ültek benne. There were always two people in it.

A numeral or another word of quantity takes -an, -en when it stands for a noun. It then always means people: hárman, three people.

The verb with it is always plural. Hányan voltak? How many were there? Sokan vannak ilyen fiatalok. There are many young people like them.

Hárman voltunk a szobában. There were three of us in the room.

  1. 91

    How many were there?

  2. 92

    There are many in the school.

  3. 93

    The three of us were in the room.

  4. 94

    Four of them studied Hungarian.

D. The Endings -an, -en

Numerals and other words indicating quantity take the suffix -an, -en when used as substantives. As substantives these numerals always refer to persons and are accompanied by the plural form of the verb:

Hányan voltak ott?
Sokan vannak az iskolában.
Hárman voltunk a szobában.
Négyen magyarul tanultak.

Notes on Grammar: Diminutive Suffixes and The Suffix -s

Darabka: a small piece

A rendőrök egy darabka papírt találtak a zsebében. The police found a small piece of paper in the pocket.

Darabka is a diminutive. A diminutive is a word with a suffix that marks the thing as small.

The commonest diminutive suffixes are -ka, -ke and -cska, -cske: városka, levélke, ágyacska, házacska. A szomszédom fiacskája is my neighbor's little son.

They go on adjectives as well as nouns: kicsike, nagyocska, fiatalka, vékonyka.

Smallness and affection

Besides smallness, a diminutive often shows affection.

Names take it: Máriácska, Évácska, Péterke, Jánoska. So do words said to someone dear: kedveském, édeském, húgocskám, galambocskám.

Sáros: muddy

Az egész lakás tele volt sáros lábnyomokkal. There were muddy footprints all over the apartment.

Sár is mud, and sáros is muddy. The ending -s, or -os, -as, -es, -ös, makes an adjective from a noun or an adjective. It means having the quality of a thing, or having the thing.

Különben is az éjszaka viharos volt. Anyway, it was a stormy night.

The table pairs six words with their -s forms. Each -s form stands before a noun: por, poros út.

Numbers with -s

Hányas autóbuszra szálljak fel? What number bus should I get on?

On a numeral, -s names a thing by its number: kettes villamos, the number two streetcar. A négy ötvenes vonattal utazom. I'm taking the 4:50 train.

The -s form also stands alone as a noun: Itt van egy százas. Here's a hundred dollar bill. Írjon egy ötöst és egy hatost. Write a five and a six.

A húszas években történt. It happened in the twenties. Kettesben sétálunk. We're walking two-by-two.

The Suffix -s

  1. 95

    the number one room

  2. 96

    the number two streetcar

  3. 97

    It happened in the twenties.

  4. 98

    I'm taking the 4:50 train.

  5. 99

    What number bus should I get on?

  6. 100

    Here's a hundred dollar bill.

  7. 101

    Write a five and a six.

  8. 102

    We're walking two-by-two.

E. Diminutive Suffixes

The most common diminutive suffixes in Hungarian are -ka, -ke, and -cska, -cske: madárka, városka, szekérke, levélke; cipőcske, ágyacska, kezecske, házacska. These may be added to nouns or adjectives: kicsike, nagyocska, fiatalka, vékonyka.

In addition to indicating smallness, they are often used to express affection also: Máriácska, Évácska, Péterke, Jánoska; kedveském, édeském, húgocskám, galambocskám.
F. The Suffix -s, (-os, -as, -es, -ös)

The adjectival ending -s (-os, -as, -es, -ös) is added to nouns and adjectives and denotes 'having the quality of or possessing':

 | 
por | poros út
sör | sörös-üveg
víz | vizes-pohár
kicsiny | kicsinyes ember
beteg | beteges asszony
tavaszi | tavaszias idő

When the suffix is added to numerals the resulting combination is used as in the following examples:

egyes számú szoba  the number one room
kettes villamos  the number two streetcar
A húszas (1920-as) években történt.  It happened in the twenties.
A négy ötvenes vonattal utazom.  I'm taking the 4:50 train.
Hányas autóbuszra szálljak fel?  What number bus should I get on?
Itt van egy százas. (money)  Here's a hundred dollar bill.
Írjon egy ötöst és egy hatost.  Write a five and a six.
Kettesben sétálunk.  We're walking two-by-two.

Substitution Drill

  1. 103

    What a lovely little boy this is!

  1. 104

    Here is the little girl.

  2. 105

    Two thirds of the land has already been sold.

  1. 106

    Two thirds of the land has already been sold.

  2. 107

    One third of it is still left.

  3. 108

    How many were there?

  1. 109

    How many were there?

Variation Drill

  1. 110

    I can't stay long.

  2. 111

    I can't use the car because it's out of order.

  3. 112

    I couldn't pay the bill because I didn't have money with me.

  1. 113

    I couldn't pay the bill because I didn't have money with me.

  2. 114

    May I talk to the doctor?

  3. 115

    You may sing but you may not play the piano.

  4. 116

    You can read this book.

  1. 117

    You can read this book.

  2. 118

    It's late; we can go.

  3. 119

    We can learn our lesson.

  4. 120

    You can bring your friends too.

  1. 121

    You can bring your friends too.

  2. 122

    They couldn't drink all day long.

  3. 123

    This water is undrinkable.

  1. 124

    The child is fatherless and motherless.

  2. 125

    We eat a meatless lunch.

  3. 126

    I'm not permitted to eat rich food.

  1. 127

    The children drink coffee with milk.

  2. 128

    Did you ever eat apple strudel?

  3. 129

    This little boy is very smart.

  4. 130

    A little bird was sitting in the tree.

  1. 131

    A little bird was sitting in the tree.

  2. 132

    How many were there in the class?

  3. 133

    There were three birds in the tree. Two were yellow.

  4. 134

    The woman bought the two dresses.

  1. 135

    The woman bought the two dresses.

Transformation Drill

  1. 136

    Ki lehet nyítni az ablakot?

    Is it possible to open the window?

  2. 137

    A gyereknek nem szabad bort innia.

    The child is not allowed to drink wine.

  1. 138

    Nem tudtunk elmenni, mert rossz volt a kocsink.

    We couldn't go, because our car was bad.

  2. 139

    Megvenné a házat, ha volna pénze.

    He would buy the house if he had money.

  1. 140

    Könyvet veszek tanulni.

    I'm buying a book to study.

  2. 141

    Az ebédet nem lehetett megenni.

    The lunch couldn't be eaten.

  3. 142

    A gyereknek nincs apja és anyja.

    The child has no father and no mother.

  1. 143

    A gyereknek nincs apja és anyja.

    The child has no father and no mother.

  2. 144

    A házban senki sem lakott.

    Nobody lived in the house.

  3. 145

    A gyereknek nincsen étvágya.

    The child has no appetite.

  1. 146

    A gyereknek nincsen étvágya.

    The child has no appetite.

  2. 147

    A vidéken sokan laknak.

    Many people live in the countryside.

  1. 148

    A vidéken sokan laknak.

    Many people live in the countryside.

  2. 149

    Két fiú ment.

    Two boys went.

  3. 150

    A két fiú ment.

    The two boys went.

  1. 151

    A két fiú ment.

    The two boys went.

  2. 152

    Hány tanárt lát?

    How many teachers do you see?

Translation Drill

  1. 153

    Yesterday a bank was robbed downtown.

  2. 154

    The robbers, five of them, came in a big black car.

  3. 155

    Two of them remained in the car, three went into the bank.

  4. 156

    It was possible that they knew that in the morning only a few people come to the bank.

  5. 157

    The people on the street couldn't see anything.

  6. 158

    They locked the door unexpectedly and went to the cashier.

  7. 159

    They gave a small piece of paper to one of the women clerks.

  8. 160

    On the paper was written 'Your money or your life.'

  9. 161

    The clerks couldn't do anything because they were afraid.

  10. 162

    They just sat speechless at their desks.

  11. 163

    The burglars put all the paper money in a suitcase.

  12. 164

    They were able to work in peace because nobody could come in the door.

  13. 165

    Then all three went quickly out of the building.

  1. 166

    They got into the car quickly and all five drove away.

  2. 167

    One of the clerks from the bank called the police immediately.

  3. 168

    The police arrived in two cars within a few minutes.

  4. 169

    They closed the doors; nobody was able to enter the building.

  5. 170

    There were many muddy footprints all over the building.

  6. 171

    The culprits took four fifths of the money.

  7. 172

    People on the street could see that something was happening in the bank.

  8. 173

    Many police cars went after the bank robbers' car.

  9. 174

    The culprits could not drive fast in the city.

  10. 175

    The police knew that they couldn't be far from the city yet.

  11. 176

    They spotted them when they were driving on a dusty road.

  12. 177

    Three fourths of the policemen went after the robbers.

  13. 178

    The robbers' car got a flat tire on the bad road.

  1. 179

    The police saw all five jump out of the car and run into the forest.

  2. 180

    The policemen, of whom there were 24 - surrounded the forest and captured the culprits.

  3. 181

    The trial was held at the courthouse on Thursday.

  4. 182

    Three of them got severe sentences because they had previous prison records.

  5. 183

    The judge sentenced them to three and a half years in the penitentiary.

  6. 184

    The defense appealed, but the prosecutor asked for a more severe punishment.

  7. 185

    There will be another trial in a higher court in two months.

  8. 186

    Two of them, those who remained in the car, were juveniles.

  9. 187

    The judge thought that they were not incorrigible.

  10. 188

    They grew up without any home life because they were motherless and fatherless orphans.

  11. 189

    They were uneducated, therefore easily influenced.

  12. 190

    The boys didn't get a severe punishment.

  13. 191

    They're being sent to the reform school where they can learn a trade.

  14. 192

    They hope they'll be honest men.

Response Drill

  1. 193

    Where was Kecskeméti this morning?

  2. 194

    Why was he there?

  3. 195

    Where was he while his apartment was being robbed?

  4. 196

    How many burglars were there?

  5. 197

    What did they take?

  6. 198

    How did the burglars get into the house?

  7. 199

    Why didn't the neighbors hear anything?

  8. 200

    What was the whole apartment full of?

  9. 201

    Were the burglars in the apartment for long?

  1. 202

    Why do you think they were in the apartment for a long time?

  2. 203

    How did they know that nobody was in the apartment?

  3. 204

    What did the neighbor's little son see in the evenings?

  4. 205

    How many people were sitting in the car?

  5. 206

    What did the people sitting in the car do?

  6. 207

    What color was the car?

  7. 208

    Did the child see the car's license number?

  8. 209

    What did the police find in the apartment?

  9. 210

    What was in the coat pocket?

  1. 211

    What was on the paper?

  2. 212

    Where did the police go?

  3. 213

    Who lived at that address?

  4. 214

    What did the burglar's friend tell them?

  5. 215

    Where did they catch the culprits?

  6. 216

    How did the police catch them?

  7. 217

    What did the police do with the burglars?

  8. 218

    Did they find the stolen things?

  9. 219

    Who were the burglars?

  1. 220

    In Kecskeméti's opinion, are the boys incorrigible?

  2. 221

    How did the two young men grow up?

  3. 222

    How do many children grow up in the big cities?

  4. 223

    Why was it easy to lead the boys astray?

  5. 224

    Who was the older man?

  6. 225

    Who was the ringleader of the three?

  7. 226

    To how many years in the penitentiary did the judge sentence him?

  8. 227

    Did the accused appeal?

  9. 228

    Why did the prosecutor ask for a more severe punishment?

  1. 229

    When will the trial be in the intermediate court?

  2. 230

    What kind of punishment did the boys get?

  3. 231

    Why were they sent to the reform school at Aszód?

  4. 232

    What kind of people do they want to bring them up to be?

  5. 233

    Have you ever been at a court trial?

  6. 234

    Why were you there?

  7. 235

    What kinds of courts are there in the United States?

  8. 236

    Whom do the police keep records on?

  9. 237

    What punishments are given in America for speeding?

Conversation Practice 1

  1. 238

    What's new?

  2. 239

    My apartment was broken into.

  3. 240

    How could they have broken into your apartment?

  4. 241

    We were away on summer vacation and nobody was at home.

  5. 242

    What did they take from the apartment?

  6. 243

    They took almost all our clothes.

  7. 244

    How did they know that nobody was in the house?

  8. 245

    They could see that the windows were dark in the evenings.

  9. 246

    How did they get into the apartment?

  10. 247

    They forced the door.

Conversation Practice 2

  1. 248

    When was the apartment robbed?

  2. 249

    On a stormy night, so the neighbors didn't hear anything.

  3. 250

    How many burglars were there?

  4. 251

    Four. Two older men and two younger ones.

  5. 252

    Did they find any traces in the apartment?

  6. 253

    Yes. The whole apartment was full of muddy footprints and empty beer bottles.

  7. 254

    Were the burglars in the apartment for long?

  8. 255

    In the opinion of the police they must have spent about two hours there. They ate and drank everything they could find.

Conversation Practice 3

  1. 256

    How did the police find the culprits?

  2. 257

    One of them forgot his coat. In it there was an address on a small piece of paper.

  3. 258

    They must have been drunk after so much beer.

  4. 259

    I think so too.

  5. 260

    Did the police find the stolen things too?

  6. 261

    Only two thirds of them. One third had already been sold.

  7. 262

    Did they get a severe punishment?

  8. 263

    The judge sentenced the two older burglars to three years in the penitentiary.

  9. 264

    Why did they get such a severe punishment?

  10. 265

    Because both of them already had previous convictions.

Conversation Practice 4

  1. 266

    What kind of punishment did the young men get?

  2. 267

    They're being sent to a reform school for two years.

  3. 268

    Didn't they have previous convictions?

  4. 269

    Not yet. But they grew up without a home, in very unsettled conditions.

  5. 270

    In the reform school they'll try to bring them up to be honest men.

  6. 271

    I'm sure they will. They can learn some trade there too.

  7. 272

    Didn't the culprits appeal the sentence?

  8. 273

    The defense counsel of the two older ones appealed. That of the young ones didn't.

  9. 274

    When will the trial in the intermediate court be?

  10. 275

    In two months. Until then both of them are sitting in prison.

  11. 276

    I hope they won't get a lighter punishment in the intermediate court either.

  12. 277

    I don't think they'll get less.

Narrative

  1. 278

    In Hungary the courts, the penitentiaries and the prisons come under the Ministry of Justice.

  2. 279

    District courts operate in Budapest and throughout the country.

  3. 280

    The head of the court is the judge, who passes sentence at the trials.

  4. 281

    Whoever does something against the law has to go before the judge.

  5. 282

    At the court trial the prosecutor asks for a punishment for the accused.

  6. 283

    In serious cases, when the police arrested the offender before the trial, the police escort him to the trial.

  7. 284

    There he sits on the defendants' bench while the trial goes on.

  8. 285

    At the trial the accused may defend himself, or he may hire a lawyer for this.

  9. 286

    Before the trial the lawyer discusses the case with the accused.

  10. 287

    Then the prosecutor and the defense lawyer question the offender and the witnesses.

  11. 288

    The witnesses testify either against the accused or on his side.

  12. 289

    Sometimes the judge asks questions too.

  13. 290

    Other people may listen to the trial too.

  14. 291

    After the trial the judge and the members of the court discuss the case.

  15. 292

    Among the members of the court there is also a representative of the Communist Party.

  16. 293

    He looks at the case from the political point of view.

  17. 294

    Then the judge announces the sentence.

  18. 295

    The accused may appeal if he wants to.

  1. 296

    Afterwards the guards take the accused away.

  2. 297

    If the judge wants to give a severe punishment, he sentences the accused to many years in the penitentiary or in prison.

  3. 298

    The most severe punishment is the death penalty.

  4. 299

    Usually murderers or political offenders receive the death penalty.

  5. 300

    Whoever is sentenced to death is hanged.

  6. 301

    In Hungary there is no electric chair or gas chamber.

  7. 302

    There is also a life sentence, when the court sentences someone to spend his whole life in the penitentiary.

  8. 303

    Later, however, he may receive a pardon (amnesty) if he behaves well in prison, or if the political situation changes.

  9. 304

    In the penitentiaries guards watch over the prisoners.

  10. 305

    Prisoners sentenced for a long time go from the penitentiaries to work in workshops and fields.

  11. 306

    When they go to work, the guards go with them.

  12. 307

    Prisoners also work in the offices and the kitchens of the penitentiaries.

  13. 308

    They also clean the buildings.

  14. 309

    Juvenile offenders are usually sent to a reform school for a few years.

  15. 310

    In the reform school they can move about almost freely.

  16. 311

    There they learn some trade that they can use later in life.

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.