Hungarian Basic Course 1732 Studios

Hungarian · Unit 20

Unit 20: Sportélet Magyarországon

Volume 2

Sports in Hungary

266 lines

Basic Sentences I

  1. 1

    Good morning, Mr. Galambos! Where are you going in such a hurry?

    JóGood morning!
    reggelt,Good morning!
    Galambospigeon
    úr!Mr., sir, gentleman
    Hovawhere to, in which direction
    megy(she) gets married
    ilyensuch, of this kind
    sietve?hurry (v)
  2. 2

    To the barber shop. I'd like to get a shave before I go to the office. I didn't have time to shave myself this morning.

Borotválkozni
to shave (oneself)
  1. 3

    I'm also looking for a barber shop that's open. The one where I usually go is closed this morning. I also want a haircut, not just a shave.

  2. 4

    I know a shop that's sure to be open. Come with me.

nyitott
open
zárva
closed
  1. 5

    Fine, I have more than an hour before my work begins at the office. I hope there aren't so many customers that I'll be late.

  2. 6

    I see they don't like lateness at your office either. However, I'd like to look at the morning paper and read the sports column anyway. I usually read it every morning.

Nagyszerű
fine, splendid
  1. 7

    I heard some of the sports news on the radio while I was dressing. The Austrian soccer team won the European championship.

labdarúgó
soccer player
a
team, troop
a
championship
  1. 8

    You don't say! Everyone thought that the Hungarian team would be first. It's a pity that we lost the match.

  2. 9

    The Austrians won, 4 to 2. After all, they're good soccer players. In the second half they shot three goals... But here we are.

futballozni
to play soccer
  1. 10

    We're lucky. Only four people are ahead of us. Our turn will come soon. There are a couple of chairs there.

  2. 11

    Right, let's sit down. I hope we don't have to wait long. It's boring.

a
line
sor
it's our turn
ülőhely
seat
várakozni
to wait
  1. 12

    You're right. But here's the Sport News. Let's see what happened in Bratislava. How did the Hungarian boxers make out in the championship tournament?

  1. 13

    They won the European championship. They were up against strong opponents, but they were in great form.

  2. 14

    Luck changes. If you remember a few years back, they had the better boxers. Now we're stronger.

  1. 15

    At that time they couldn't get enough training and conditioning. The lack of conditioning was obvious in all the sport activities.

gyakorolni
to practice
edzeni
to train, coach
  1. 16

    Even at that time I was satisfied with the Hungarian achievements. As you know, at the Olympic Games we won nine championships, five seconds and eight thirds.

Hiszen
but, surely, why, well
  1. 17

    That's nine gold, five silver and eight bronze medals. This is really a splendid accomplishment for a small nation.

Vagyis
namely
teljesítmény
accomplishment, achievement
  1. 18

    Sports certainly demand constant training and conditioning. But I imagine it's worth the effort as the number of fans is constantly growing.

állandó
permanent, constant
  1. 19

    Yes. Yesterday at the soccer game the 'Népstadion' was filled to capacity. There was only standing room left and I watched the game standing. Fortunately, I was by myself, my wife didn't come.

tele
filled to capacity
magam
myself
  1. 20

    Yes, soccer is the most popular sport throughout the nation. It always draws the crowds.

  2. 21

    Even the field sports are beginning to attract big crowds.

atlétika
athletics
fejlődni
to develop, advance
  1. 22

    That's true. I've heard that the Olympic team is in strict training. The athletes are also getting good results in the high jumps and in running.

  2. 23

    I hope they'll be among the first again. Hungarian athletes have won many victories in the Olympic Games.

válogatott
selected
  1. 24

    It's too bad that our water polo team lost the European championship to the Germans.

  2. 25

    They're very strong in that sport. On the other hand our swimmers are superior.

vízilabda
water polo
Viszont
on the other hand
  1. 26

    That's true. The other day I was at the swimming meet at the National Sport Pool. I noticed then what fine form they were in.

  2. 27

    Did you see the exhibition divers too?

  3. 28

    Yes. It was a pleasure to watch their performance.

  4. 29

    By the way, how did you get home after the meet?

napokban
recently, the other day
Élvezet
pleasure
Apropó
by the way, that reminds me
  1. 30

    It was difficult. After waiting for a half hour I finally succeeded in getting into a crowded streetcar.

zsúfolt
overcrowded, jam-packed
  1. 31

    Transportation is terrible, especially if there's a crowd. It was already getting dark when I got home yesterday, although the soccer game ended at four.

Rettenetes
terrible, dreadful
pláne
particularly, especially
  1. 32

    We, the people of Budapest, should have gotten used to that.

  2. 33

    One never gets used to it. But I see the barber's through with his customer and I'm next.

  3. 34

    Splendid, then it'll be my turn soon and I can get a haircut too.

  4. 35

    Good morning, Mr. Galambos! Where are you going in such a hurry?

  5. 36

    To the barber shop. I'd like to get a shave before I go to the office. I didn't have time to shave myself this morning.

  6. 37

    I'm also looking for a barber shop that's open. The one where I usually go is closed this morning. I also want a haircut, not just a shave.

  7. 38

    I know a shop that's sure to be open. Come with me.

  8. 39

    Fine, I have more than an hour before my work begins at the office. I hope there aren't so many customers that I'll be late.

  9. 40

    I see they don't like lateness at your office either. However, I'd like to look at the morning paper and read the sports column anyway. I usually read it every morning.

  10. 41

    I heard some of the sports news on the radio while I was dressing. The Austrian soccer team won the European championship.

  11. 42

    You don't say! Everyone thought that the Hungarian team would be first. It's a pity that we lost the match.

  12. 43

    The Austrians won, 4 to 2. After all, they're good soccer players. In the second half they shot three goals... But here we are.

  13. 44

    We're lucky. Only four people are ahead of us. Our turn will come soon. There are a couple of chairs there.

  14. 45

    Right, let's sit down. I hope we don't have to wait long. It's boring.

  15. 46

    You're right. But here's the Sport News. Let's see what happened in Bratislava. How did the Hungarian boxers make out in the championship tournament?

  16. 47

    They won the European championship. They were up against strong opponents, but they were in great form.

  17. 48

    Luck changes. If you remember a few years back, they had the better boxers. Now we're stronger.

  18. 49

    At that time they couldn't get enough training and conditioning. The lack of conditioning was obvious in all the sport activities.

  19. 50

    Even at that time I was satisfied with the Hungarian achievements. As you know, at the Olympic Games we won nine championships, five seconds and eight thirds.

  20. 51

    That's nine gold, five silver and eight bronze medals. This is really a splendid accomplishment for a small nation.

  21. 52

    Sports certainly demand constant training and conditioning. But I imagine it's worth the effort as the number of fans is constantly growing.

  22. 53

    Yes. Yesterday at the soccer game the 'Népstadion' was filled to capacity. There was only standing room left and I watched the game standing. Fortunately, I was by myself, my wife didn't come.

  23. 54

    Yes, soccer is the most popular sport throughout the nation. It always draws the crowds.

  24. 55

    Even the field sports are beginning to attract big crowds.

  25. 56

    That's true. I've heard that the Olympic team is in strict training. The athletes are also getting good results in the high jumps and in running.

  26. 57

    I hope they'll be among the first again. Hungarian athletes have won many victories in the Olympic Games.

  27. 58

    It's too bad that our water polo team lost the European championship to the Germans.

  28. 59

    They're very strong in that sport. On the other hand our swimmers are superior.

  29. 60

    That's true. The other day I was at the swimming meet at the National Sport Pool. I noticed then what fine form they were in.

  30. 61

    Did you see the exhibition divers too?

  31. 62

    Yes. It was a pleasure to watch their performance.

  32. 63

    By the way, how did you get home after the meet?

  33. 64

    It was difficult. After waiting for a half hour I finally succeeded in getting into a crowded streetcar.

  34. 65

    Transportation is terrible, especially if there's a crowd. It was already getting dark when I got home yesterday, although the soccer game ended at four.

  35. 66

    We, the people of Budapest, should have gotten used to that.

  36. 67

    One never gets used to it. But I see the barber's through with his customer and I'm next.

  37. 68

    Splendid, then it'll be my turn soon and I can get a haircut too.

Közmondások - Proverbs

  1. 69

    There is strength in unity.

  2. 70

    Every beginning is hard.

  3. 71

    It is never too late to learn.

  4. 72

    A promise is a fine word, if it is kept.

  5. 73

    People answer your greeting in the same way you gave it.

  6. 74

    A glass or two of wine makes many good friends.

  7. 75

    Having nothing is a great misfortune.

  8. 76

    It is easy to take Kató to a dance.

Notes on Grammar: Mag- '-self, -selves'

Magam, maga, maguk: myself, himself, themselves

Én magam megyek. I'm going myself. Ők maguk sem hiszik. They themselves don't believe it.

The forms for '-self' and '-selves' are built on mag-. Magam is myself, and magunk is ourselves.

Maga is himself, herself or yourself. Maguk is themselves or yourselves.

Object and postposition

These forms are used much as in English. They can be the object of a verb: Védi magát. He's defending himself. Megégettem magamat. I burned myself.

They also go with postpositions: Magam előtt láttam Jánost. I saw John in front of me.

The table gives the six forms with their English.

Mag- '-self, -selves', 1 of 2

Mag- '-self, -selves', 2 of 2

  1. 77

    I'm going myself.

  2. 78

    They themselves don't believe it.

  3. 79

    We (ourselves) work too.

  4. 80

    He's defending himself.

  5. 81

    I burned myself.

  6. 82

    I saw John in front of me.

A. Mag(a)- '-self, -selves'

The forms for -self, -selves in Hungarian are:

 |  |  | 
magam | (myself) | magunk | (ourselves)
magad | (yourself) | magatok | (yourselves)
maga | (himself | maguk | (themselves
 | herself |  | yourselves)
 | yourself) |  | 

These are used much as in English. For example, they occur

1. in apposition, as 'I myself', etc.:

Én magam megyek.  I'm going myself.
Ők maguk sem hiszik.  They themselves don't believe it.
Mi magunk is dolgozunk.  We (ourselves) work too.

2. as the object of verbs:

Védi magát.  He's defending himself.
Megégettem magamat.  I burned myself.

3. with postpositions:

Magam előtt láttam Jánost.  I saw John in front of me.

Notes on Grammar: Reflexive Verbs, The Participial Form Ending in -ó, -ő and The Participial Form Ending in -t, -tt

Borotválkozik: to shave oneself

Borotválkozni szeretnék, mielőtt hivatalba megyek. I'd like to get a shave before I go to the office.

Borotválni is 'to shave'. Borotválkozni is 'to shave oneself'. Here the reflexive meaning is in a suffix on the verb, not in magát.

Mialatt öltözködtem, while I was dressing. Öltözködik has a suffix of the same kind.

Every one of these verbs is an intransitive ik verb.

Five groups of suffix

The suffixes fall into five groups. Törül, törülközik. Fésül, fésülködik. Csuk, csukódik. Nyújt, nyújtózik. Takar, takaródzik.

No rule tells which suffix a verb takes. The suffix is learned with each verb.

Many verbs are reflexive in Hungarian but not in English, and the subject need not be the object of the action. A szurkolók száma állandóan emelkedik. The number of fans is constantly growing.

The tables give the pairs group by group, then the present tense of three of these verbs. Only the personal ending changes.

Reflexive Verbs, 1 of 8

Reflexive Verbs, 2 of 8

Reflexive Verbs, 3 of 8

Reflexive Verbs, 4 of 8

Reflexive Verbs, 5 of 8

Reflexive Verbs, 6 of 8

Reflexive Verbs, 7 of 8

Reflexive Verbs, 8 of 8

Néző: one who watches

Az mindig vonzza a nézőket. It always draws the crowds.

The present participle ends in -ó, -ő: dolgozó, ülő, néző, író. It means one doing the action.

It can stand before a noun: dolgozó ember, working man. It can also stand alone as a noun: dolgozó, worker. Néző is a spectator, and labdarúgó a soccer player.

Csukott: closed

A csukott ajtó előtt álltam. I was standing before the closed door.

The suffix -t, -tt on a verb stem makes the past participle: foglalt, várt, nyitott, töltött. It has the same form as the third person singular of the indefinite past.

It is used as an adjective, as English uses 'closed' in 'the closed door'. Sült krumplit rendelt. He ordered baked potatoes.

  1. 83

    He ordered baked potatoes.

  2. 84

    I was standing before the closed door.

B. Reflexive Verbs

The examples in 2 above illustrate the use of mag(a)- in Hungarian where it parallels the English '-self' etc. used as the object of a transitive verb. There are also in Hungarian verbs with special suffixes which are 'reflexive', that is, the action is in some way related to the subject. (The subject may or may not be the object of the action.)

Reflexive verbs are of the intransitive -ik type, with characteristic suffixes:

(1) -koz-, -kez-, -köz- (-akoz-, -ekez-)

 |  |  | 
törül | törülközik | véd | védekezik
mutat | mutatkozik | vár | várakozik
barát | barátkozik | sor | sorakozik
borotvál | borotválkozik |  | 

(2) -kod-, -ked-, -köd- (-akod-, -eked-)

 |  |  | 
fésül | fésülködik | mos | mosakodik
öltöz | öltözködik | köt | kötekedik
emel | emelkedik | ver | verekedik

(3) -ód-, -őd-

 | 
csuk | csukódik
köt | kötődik

(4) -óz-, -őz-

 | 
nyújt | nyújtózik
kerget | kergetőzik

(5) -ódz-, -ődz-

 | 
takar | takaródzik
fog | fogódzik

It is not possible to predict the reflexive suffix for a given verb, so the student will need to memorize these forms as he comes across them. The following table illustrates typical forms of reflexive verbs. (Note that many verbs are reflexive in Hungarian but not in English.)

 |  | 
borotválkozom | öltözködöm | takaródzom
borotválkozol | öltözködöl | takaródzol
borotválkozik | öltözködik | takaródzik
borotválkozunk | öltözködünk | takaródzunk
borotválkoztok | öltözködtök | takarództok
borotválkoznak | öltözködnek | takaródznak
C. The Participial Form Ending in -ó, -ő

We have had many examples of the present participial form ending in -ó, -ő; dolgozó, ülő, néző, kiadó, író. This form indicates (one) doing (such and such) and may modify a noun (dolgozó ember - working man) or be used independently (dolgozó - worker).
D. The Participial Form Ending in -t, -tt

The suffix -t, -tt added to the verb stem forms what is known as the past participle: foglalt, várt, nyitott, töltött. (It is identical in form to the third person singular of the indefinite past.) It corresponds in use to the English past participle employed as an adjective: 'The closed door'; 'the baked potatoes'.

Sült krumplit rendelt.  He ordered baked potatoes.
A csukott ajtó előtt álltam.  I was standing before the closed door.

Notes on Grammar: The Participial Form Ending in -va, -ve

Zárva van: it is closed

Ahova járok, az ma reggel zárva van. The one where I usually go is closed this morning.

The form in -va, -ve, with a form of lenni, matches English 'is closed' or 'are open'. In this pattern lenni is never left out.

Tudok egy üzletet, ami biztosan nyitva van. I know a shop that's sure to be open.

Sietve: in a hurry

Hova megy ilyen sietve? Where are you going so hurriedly?

The same form also works as an adverb. It matches English 'while' with an -ing form, or the -ing form alone, or sometimes a word in -ly.

Vonatot várva levelet ír. He writes a letter while waiting for the train. Az egész meccset állva néztem végig. I watched the game standing.

  1. 85

    He writes a letter while waiting for the train.

  2. 86

    Where are you going so hurriedly?

E. The Participial Form Ending in -va, -ve

The verbal form ending in -va, -ve is often used with some form of lenni (never omitted in this construction) or some other intransitive verb to correspond to the English past participle in the predicate: 'The door is closed' 'The books are open', 'The store remained closed'. It may also be used adverbially to correspond to the English 'while' plus present participle or simply to the form ending in -ing. Sometimes it may be translated into English by a form ending in '-ly'.

Vonatot várva levelet ír.  He writes a letter while waiting for the train.
Hova megy ilyen sietve?  Where are you going so hurriedly?

Notes on Grammar: Formation of Nouns from Verbs

Nouns made from verbs

Egy fél órai várakozás után sikerült csak feljutnom egy zsúfolt villamosra. After waiting for a half hour I finally succeeded in getting into a crowded streetcar.

Many suffixes added to a verb root make a noun. Eight are common. One is -ás, -és: várakozás, waiting, from várakozik. Mosás, wash. Kezdés, start.

Győzelem, victory, has -alom, -elem. Vereség, defeat, has -ság, -ség. Teljesítmény, accomplishment, has -mány, -mény.

  1. 87

    (1) -ás, -és: washing, harvest, request, beginning, listening

  2. 88

    (2) -alom, -elem: victory, meaning, content, food

  3. 89

    (3) -dalom, -delem (-odalom, -adalom, edelem): revolution, empire, literature, income

  4. 90

    (4) -ság, -ség (-aság, -eség): expense, help, defeat, loss, tiredness

  5. 91

    (5) -at, -et: offer, paper, life, greeting, clothing, thought

  6. 92

    (6) -mány, -mény (-omány, -emény): concession, invention, collection, shipment, science, poem

  7. 93

    (7) -vány, -vény (-ovány, -evény): sight, epidemic, scaffold, certificate

  8. 94

    (8) -ék: product, paint, apparatus, remainder, proof

F. Formation of Nouns from Verbs

Many suffixes added to the verb root form corresponding nouns in Hungarian. The following are the most common:

(1) -ás, -és: mosás, aratás, kérés, kezdés, hallgatás
(2) -alom, -elem: győzelem, értelem, tartalom, élelem
(3) -dalom, -delem (-odalom, -adalom, edelem): forradalom, birodalom, irodalom, jövedelem
(4) -ság, -ség (-aság, -eség): költség, segítség, vereség, veszteség, fáradtság
(5) -at, -et: ajánlat, dolgozat, élet, üdvözlet, öltözet, gondolat
(6) -mány, -mény (-omány, -emény): engedmény, találmány, gyűjtemény, küldemény, tudomány, költemény
(7) -vány, -vény (-ovány, -evény): látvány, járvány, állvány, bizonyítvány
(8) -ék: termék, festék, készülék, maradék, bizonyíték

Notes on Grammar: Szokott

Szoktam: I usually

Minden reggel el szoktam olvasni. I usually read it every morning.

The past tense of szokni with an infinitive says that an action is done often or as a habit. The time is the present, though the verb is past.

Színházba szoktam menni. I usually go to the theater.

  1. 95

    I usually go to the theater.

G. Szokott

We have had many examples of the past tense of szokni plus the infinitive of the verb indicating habitual or frequent action with reference to the present situation:

Színházba szoktam menni.  I usually go to the theater.

Variation Drill

  1. 96

    I shave myself every morning.

  2. 97

    The little girl behaves well.

  3. 98

    In the winter it gets dark early.

  4. 99

    The singing bird flew away.

  1. 100

    The singing bird flew away.

  2. 101

    I didn't get a suitable house.

  3. 102

    He sleeps by an open window.

  4. 103

    I see tired people.

  1. 104

    I see tired people.

  2. 105

    I bought a used car.

  3. 106

    The barber shop was closed.

  4. 107

    The door's open.

  1. 108

    The door's open.

  2. 109

    The coat isn't sewed yet.

  3. 110

    They talked while standing in the corridor.

  1. 111

    They talked while standing in the corridor.

  2. 112

    The production must be raised.

  3. 113

    The director has a good salary.

  4. 114

    You can see the effect of the training on the boy.

  5. 115

    It was a pleasure to watch them.

  1. 116

    It was a pleasure to watch them.

  2. 117

    This is really a splendid accomplishment.

  3. 118

    A good soldier doesn't know fear.

  4. 119

    Help didn't come from anywhere.

  1. 120

    Help didn't come from anywhere.

  2. 121

    I'm using blue paint.

  3. 122

    I'm going myself (alone).

  4. 123

    Mrs. Szabó is sewing her dresses herself.

  1. 124

    Mrs. Szabó is sewing her dresses herself.

  2. 125

    I burned myself.

  3. 126

    Eve doesn't believe it herself.

  4. 127

    He's buying himself a car.

  1. 128

    I'm feeling bad.

  2. 129

    I'm looking straight ahead.

  3. 130

    I usually read every evening.

  1. 131

    This man habitually eats a lot.

  2. 132

    As a rule, we know the lesson by heart.

  3. 133

    They punish gangsters.

Transformation Drill

  1. 134

    János unatkozik.

    John is bored.

  2. 135

    Maga borotválkozik.

    You shave yourself.

  3. 136

    Télen gyorsan sötét lesz.

    In winter it gets dark quickly.

  1. 137

    A madár énekelt, azután elrepült.

    The bird sang, and then flew away.

  2. 138

    Látja azt a vonatot, amelyik indul?

    Do you see that train that is leaving?

  1. 139

    Látja azt a vonatot, amelyik indul?

    Do you see that train that is leaving?

  2. 140

    Lehet az úton járni?

    Is it possible to walk on the road?

  3. 141

    Az ablakot kinyitották.

    They opened the window.

  1. 142

    Az ablakot kinyitották.

    They opened the window.

  2. 143

    A férfiak állnak és úgy dohányoznak.

    The men are standing while they smoke.

  1. 144

    A férfiak állnak és úgy dohányoznak.

    The men are standing while they smoke.

  2. 145

    A kapu nyitva volt; behajtottam rajta.

    The gate was open; I drove in through it.

  3. 146

    Járt úton hajtottam.

    I drove on a well-traveled road.

  1. 147

    Járt úton hajtottam.

    I drove on a well-traveled road.

Translation Drill

  1. 148

    John and Gábor arrived in the Italian capital yesterday.

  2. 149

    They came to see the Olympic Games.

  3. 150

    Both are Americans and like sports.

  4. 151

    The competitors from every country had already arrived in Rome.

  5. 152

    With great difficulty they found a room in a small hotel.

  6. 153

    The competitions were to begin the following morning in the sport stadium.

  7. 154

    John and Gabor had never been in Rome. They didn't know the city yet.

  8. 155

    They decided to look around (in) the city first.

  9. 156

    Both of them got up early in the morning.

  10. 157

    Gabor gave himself a quick shave in the bathroom.

  11. 158

    Afterwards he washed (himself), dried himself and combed his hair.

  12. 159

    John wanted to get a shave at the barber shop and a haircut also.

  13. 160

    After they washed and got dressed, they went down to the street.

  1. 161

    They found a barber shop where they didn't have to wait.

  2. 162

    Afterwards they had breakfast in a small café.

  3. 163

    After breakfast they went to see the city.

  4. 164

    They walked all day long in the city.

  5. 165

    They looked at the beautiful old buildings and the lovely churches.

  6. 166

    Night was falling when they returned to the hotel tired.

  7. 167

    Next morning they went to the stadium.

  8. 168

    They had seats from which they could see the games well.

  9. 169

    A Swedish athlete became the world champion in the high jump.

  10. 170

    The American runners performed well and won in every entry.

  11. 171

    Afterwards they watched the basketball game.

  12. 172

    The Russian team lost the game to the English team.

  13. 173

    On the third day they watched the swimming meets.

  1. 174

    The Hungarian swimmers were in great form and won many victories.

  2. 175

    The trainer of the team said that the competitors had been training a lot.

  3. 176

    At the water polo game many people didn't get seats.

  4. 177

    The Yugoslav water polo players won 5 to 3 against the Germans.

  5. 178

    The French fencing team was beaten by the Italians.

  6. 179

    The Hungarian fencers won the world championship.

  7. 180

    The Hungarian boxers also got many high points.

  8. 181

    Every night it was already getting dark when they started for home from the games.

  9. 182

    John and Gabor returned to America when the Olympic Games were over.

Response Drill

  1. 183

    Where is Galambos hurrying so early in the morning?

  2. 184

    What does he want to do before work begins at the office?

  3. 185

    Why is he going to the barber?

  4. 186

    Is every barber shop open on Monday morning?

  5. 187

    Does Kárpáti only want a shave?

  6. 188

    What does Kárpáti hope?

  7. 189

    Do they like it at the office when someone is late?

  8. 190

    What does Galambos want to read in the morning paper?

  9. 191

    When and where did Kárpáti hear the sports news?

  1. 192

    Which soccer team won the European championship?

  2. 193

    How many goals did the Austrians shoot in the second half?

  3. 194

    Whom did everyone think would win the match?

  4. 195

    What kind of match was there in Bratislava?

  5. 196

    Who won the boxing European championship?

  6. 197

    Who were in good form a few years ago?

  7. 198

    Why weren't the Hungarians in good form then?

  8. 199

    What was evident in every branch of sport then?

  9. 200

    Why was Galambos satisfied with the Hungarians' results even then?

  1. 201

    How many gold, silver and bronze medals did the Hungarians win at the Olympic Games?

  2. 202

    Which is the most popular sport in Hungary?

  3. 203

    Why did Kárpáti get only standing room at the soccer game?

  4. 204

    Which sport is beginning to develop into a mass sport?

  5. 205

    In what do the athletes achieve fine results?

  6. 206

    Where did the Hungarian athletes win many victories?

  7. 207

    Which is the most popular sport in the United States?

  8. 208

    In which sport are the Americans best?

  9. 209

    What results did the Americans achieve at the most recent Olympic Games?

  1. 210

    Where will the next Olympics be?

  2. 211

    When will it be?

  3. 212

    Which sport do you like?

  4. 213

    Have you taken part in school competitions?

  5. 214

    Did you win or lose the competition?

  6. 215

    Which is the best swimming team in the United States?

  7. 216

    Which nation won the tennis world championship?

  8. 217

    Which sport is the Americans' national sport?

Conversation Practice 1

  1. 218

    Where are you going so hurriedly?

  2. 219

    To the Népstadion. The track meet begins at three o'clock.

  3. 220

    Athletics doesn't attract me. I like soccer.

  4. 221

    After the track meet there will also be a soccer match. Aren't you going to watch it?

  5. 222

    Which team is playing today?

  6. 223

    The Ferencváros soccer team is playing against the Kispest team.

  7. 224

    Who do you think will win the match?

  8. 225

    In my opinion Ferencváros is going to win. They're in very good form.

Conversation Practice 2

  1. 226

    Do you like to go to soccer games?

  2. 227

    I go almost every Sunday. Soccer is my favorite sport.

  3. 228

    Have you ever seen the national team play?

  4. 229

    Yes, I saw them play against the Italians.

  5. 230

    What was the result of the match?

  6. 231

    The Italian team was defeated by the Hungarian team.

  7. 232

    Were there many fans at the match?

  8. 233

    The Népstadion was filled to capacity. I only got standing room too.

Conversation Practice 3

  1. 234

    Did you read the article in the Sport News about the Olympic teams?

  2. 235

    Yes. They're training a lot, especially the athletes.

  3. 236

    Do you think our fencers and swimmers will be first again?

  4. 237

    Both teams are in good form. I hope they'll win a few gold medals.

  5. 238

    Did you see the swimming meet at the Margaret Island sport pool?

  6. 239

    I did. The swimmers were in splendid form.

  7. 240

    Do you know the swimming team's coach?

  8. 241

    Yes, I do. The coach is an older swimmer who has competed a lot.

  9. 242

    Then he knows exactly how much the competitors have to practice.

Narrative

  1. 243

    Sports life in Hungary is very well developed.

  2. 244

    Young people first get to know the various sports in the schools, where gym teachers teach them proper athletics in the gym classes.

  3. 245

    In the elementary schools and secondary schools athletics, basketball and soccer are especially popular.

  4. 246

    The gym teacher organizes a team from the best athletes, and the school teams, as in America, hold contests and matches among themselves.

  5. 247

    At the universities and colleges, sports are practiced in a more serious form.

  6. 248

    Coaches prepare the selected individual athletes and teams for the competitions.

  7. 249

    The university teams often take part in international matches, where they meet the teams of foreign universities.

  8. 250

    In such matches the Hungarian athletes have won many first places, mainly in swimming, water polo, athletics, fencing and wrestling.

  9. 251

    The employees of enterprises, ministries and other agencies may take part in sports in sports clubs, which are under the control of the trade unions.

  10. 252

    The sports equipment is the property of the trade unions, and the athletes may use it.

  11. 253

    Many sports clubs have a boathouse on the Danube or on the Balaton, where in summer the clubs hold national competitions among themselves.

  12. 254

    The best teams and individual competitors may then enter international matches.

  13. 255

    For the Olympic Games the competitors are prepared in state sports camps under the direction of the best coaches.

  14. 256

    Months before the Olympics begin, the coaches train the selected athletes with great care, and many world champions have come out of their ranks.

  15. 257

    The women's and men's swimming teams, the divers and the water polo team usually hold their training sessions before the matches at the National Sport Pool on Margaret Island.

  16. 258

    The most popular mass sport in the country is soccer.

  17. 259

    Almost every village and town, and larger enterprises too, have a soccer team.

  18. 260

    In summer these teams meet every Sunday on the soccer fields, where many thousands of fans watch the matches to the end.

  19. 261

    The referees often have a hard job at the matches, especially when the fans join in the game too.

  20. 262

    In many cases the referee sends off players who play against the rules.

  1. 263

    In recent years the national soccer team has won many championships in Europe.

  2. 264

    When a foreign national team comes to play in Hungary, the matches are held in Budapest in the Népstadion, which is the country's largest stadium.

  3. 265

    Ninety thousand people can watch the games to the end.

  4. 266

    Naturally every fan would like to see such matches, and so it is often very hard to get a ticket.

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.