Hungarian · Unit 21

Unit 21: Hol fekszik Magyarország?

Volume 2

Where Hungary lies

365 lines

Basic Sentences I

1
I'm not disturbing you, am I, Uncle Kovács?
Nemunless, except
zavarom,to disturb
Kovácssmith, blacksmith
bácsi?uncle
2
No, son, you're not. Please sit down. What can I do for you?
3
You know, in the evenings I go to school. Next week they're having us write a paper. We have to write about a country in southeast Europe.
4
So you're studying about Europe! Very interesting. What country are you planning to write about?

bácsi: uncle

5
About Hungary. I know you're from Hungary, Uncle Kovács. I'd like to ask you to tell me something about your homeland.
6
With pleasure. Just ask and I'll answer. What would you like to know?
7
Everything. What's the area of Hungary?

való: from Hungary
Mekkora: how large, what size

8
93,011 square kilometers. As you may know, Hungary is situated in the Carpathian Basin.
9
Yes, in southeast Europe.
10
According to us, not southeast, but central Europe. But here's a map. You can see the Carpathian Basin on it (very) well. Present-day Hungary occupies the central part of the basin.
11
Does this red line indicate the boundary?

Kárpátok: Carpathians
a: line
a: border, frontier, boundary

12
Yes. Austria on the west, Czechoslovakia on the north, the U.S.S.R. on the northeast, Rumania on the east, and Yugoslavia on the south.
13
Does the Danube flow through the country?
14
Yes. Other large rivers are the Tisza, the Dráva, and the Maros. However, from an economic point of view they're not as important as the Danube.
15
What are the mountains called?

16
The Börzsöny, the Cserhát, the Mátra and the Bükk mountains are in the north highlands. The central ranges of Dunántúl are Bakony, Vértes and Pilis. Besides these the foothills of the Alps and the Mecsek are also located there.
17
Which is the highest mountain range?
18
The Mátra. The Kékes and Galyatető are resorts located on its peaks. School children are sent there for rest and recreation.
19
I've read about that. But I've heard that many people go to the Balaton every summer.

nyaranta: every summer

20
Of course. The Balaton is central Europe's largest lake. Its bathing resorts are visited by hundreds of thousands yearly. My parents sent me there also for a vacation once.
21
I see that most of Hungary is a plain.
22
That's the Alföld. Its land is well-suited for agriculture. It's there that the best croplands are located.
23
Does the Dunántúl also have large areas of arable land?

alkalmas: suitable, fit
nagykiterjedésű: extensive, vast, wide

24
Yes, it has, but it has more fields, vineyards and orchards. Perhaps that's because its climate is more favorable than that of the Alföld.
25
When does it rain the most?
26
In the spring and fall. In the winter and summer there is relatively little rainfall.
27
What is the climate of Hungary like?

szőlő: grape, vineyard
a: climate
aránylag: relatively, comparatively

28
Temperate. Its weather is somewhat like that of most central European countries. In the winter the thermometer occasionally drops to minus 22-25 C.
29
And the summers?

Mérsékelt: temperate
hőmérő: thermometer

30
There are a few very hot weeks during the summer but it isn't as humid as here in Washington.
31
What are the most important farm products grown in the country?

kánikula: hot spell
nedves: humid, wet
levegő: air

32
Besides grain there are sugar beets, corn and potatoes. Rice farming has gone on only for the past few years. However, there isn't enough of this grown to satisfy the needs of the people.
33
Is there any truck farming in Hungary?

kívül: outside
cukorrépa: sugar beet
a: inhabitants, population

34
Yes. In the seventies of the past century the government brought truck farmers from Bulgaria in order to introduce truck farming into the country.
35
What kind of animals do they raise in the country?

36
Mostly cattle, horses and hogs. In my youth I lived on the Hortobágy, the largest plain in the Alföld. In those days that area was suitable only for the raising of animals. From time to time my father had me look after the horses. I often fed and watered them.

Akkoriban: in those days

37
Is the Hortobágy country used for anything else now?
38
They grow rice and cotton there. Through the Eastern Canal water can be brought there to irrigate the land.
39
According to what you say the country is agricultural isn't it?
40
No, Hungary has developed both agriculturally and industrially.

41
I hear there's bauxite in Hungary.
42
Some of Europe's richest bauxite mines are in the Bakony valley, near Ajka. The country's largest oil fields are near Lispe. The oil from the wells takes care of the whole country's oil and gasoline needs.
43
I'd like to hear something about the industry of Hungary too.
44
Unfortunately I don't know too much about it but I'll have my daughter look up some reading matter on it for you.

45
Uncle Kovács, so far you've said nothing about the country's population.
46
Nearly ten million people live in the country, the majority of whom are 'magyars'. One third of the population lives in the urban and two thirds in the rural areas.
47
Do many Hungarians live outside the country?
48
There are about fifteen million Hungarians living throughout the world, of which nine and a half million live in Hungary, four million in countries bordering on Hungary and nearly one million here in North America.

49
Thank you very much, Uncle Kovács. This has really been a big help to me. Now I know enough so that they can't flunk me on my examination. I hope I haven't troubled you too much.
50
You haven't troubled me at all, my boy, as I had nothing much to do. Now, however, I have to buy something for supper. But there's one thing you forgot to ask me which I think is also of interest to you.
51
Really, what are you thinking about?
52
Where do they produce the best wine and where are the prettiest girls in Hungary?

53
I've already heard about the prettiest girls! They're in Budapest.
54
And the best wines are produced in Tokaj, Eger and the Balaton area.
55
I'm not disturbing you, am I, Uncle Kovács?
56
No, son, you're not. Please sit down. What can I do for you?
57
You know, in the evenings I go to school. Next week they're having us write a paper. We have to write about a country in southeast Europe.
58
So you're studying about Europe! Very interesting. What country are you planning to write about?
59
About Hungary. I know you're from Hungary, Uncle Kovács. I'd like to ask you to tell me something about your homeland.
60
With pleasure. Just ask and I'll answer. What would you like to know?
61
Everything. What's the area of Hungary?
62
93,011 square kilometers. As you may know, Hungary is situated in the Carpathian Basin.
63
Yes, in southeast Europe.
64
According to us, not southeast, but central Europe. But here's a map. You can see the Carpathian Basin on it (very) well. Present-day Hungary occupies the central part of the basin.
65
Does this red line indicate the boundary?
66
Yes. Austria on the west, Czechoslovakia on the north, the U.S.S.R. on the northeast, Rumania on the east, and Yugoslavia on the south.
67
Does the Danube flow through the country?
68
Yes. Other large rivers are the Tisza, the Dráva, and the Maros. However, from an economic point of view they're not as important as the Danube.
69
What are the mountains called?
70
The Börzsöny, the Cserhát, the Mátra and the Bükk mountains are in the north highlands. The central ranges of Dunántúl are Bakony, Vértes and Pilis. Besides these the foothills of the Alps and the Mecsek are also located there.
71
Which is the highest mountain range?
72
The Mátra. The Kékes and Galyatető are resorts located on its peaks. School children are sent there for rest and recreation.
73
I've read about that. But I've heard that many people go to the Balaton every summer.
74
Of course. The Balaton is central Europe's largest lake. Its bathing resorts are visited by hundreds of thousands yearly. My parents sent me there also for a vacation once.
75
I see that most of Hungary is a plain.
76
That's the Alföld. Its land is well-suited for agriculture. It's there that the best croplands are located.
77
Does the Dunántúl also have large areas of arable land?
78
Yes, it has, but it has more fields, vineyards and orchards. Perhaps that's because its climate is more favorable than that of the Alföld.
79
When does it rain the most?
80
In the spring and fall. In the winter and summer there is relatively little rainfall.
81
What is the climate of Hungary like?
82
Temperate. Its weather is somewhat like that of most central European countries. In the winter the thermometer occasionally drops to minus 22-25 C.
83
And the summers?
84
There are a few very hot weeks during the summer but it isn't as humid as here in Washington.
85
What are the most important farm products grown in the country?
86
Besides grain there are sugar beets, corn and potatoes. Rice farming has gone on only for the past few years. However, there isn't enough of this grown to satisfy the needs of the people.
87
Is there any truck farming in Hungary?
88
Yes. In the seventies of the past century the government brought truck farmers from Bulgaria in order to introduce truck farming into the country.
89
What kind of animals do they raise in the country?
90
Mostly cattle, horses and hogs. In my youth I lived on the Hortobágy, the largest plain in the Alföld. In those days that area was suitable only for the raising of animals. From time to time my father had me look after the horses. I often fed and watered them.
91
Is the Hortobágy country used for anything else now?
92
They grow rice and cotton there. Through the Eastern Canal water can be brought there to irrigate the land.
93
According to what you say the country is agricultural isn't it?
94
No, Hungary has developed both agriculturally and industrially.
95
I hear there's bauxite in Hungary.
96
Some of Europe's richest bauxite mines are in the Bakony valley, near Ajka. The country's largest oil fields are near Lispe. The oil from the wells takes care of the whole country's oil and gasoline needs.
97
I'd like to hear something about the industry of Hungary too.
98
Unfortunately I don't know too much about it but I'll have my daughter look up some reading matter on it for you.
99
Uncle Kovács, so far you've said nothing about the country's population.
100
Nearly ten million people live in the country, the majority of whom are 'magyars'. One third of the population lives in the urban and two thirds in the rural areas.
101
Do many Hungarians live outside the country?
102
There are about fifteen million Hungarians living throughout the world, of which nine and a half million live in Hungary, four million in countries bordering on Hungary and nearly one million here in North America.
103
Thank you very much, Uncle Kovács. This has really been a big help to me. Now I know enough so that they can't flunk me on my examination. I hope I haven't troubled you too much.
104
You haven't troubled me at all, my boy, as I had nothing much to do. Now, however, I have to buy something for supper. But there's one thing you forgot to ask me which I think is also of interest to you.
105
Really, what are you thinking about?
106
Where do they produce the best wine and where are the prettiest girls in Hungary?
107
I've already heard about the prettiest girls! They're in Budapest.
108
And the best wines are produced in Tokaj, Eger and the Balaton area.

Közmondások - Proverbs

Szerintünk: according to us

Szerintünk nem Délkelet-, hanem Közép-Európában. According to us, not southeast, but central Europe.

Szerinte and véleménye szerint mean the same: 'according to him' or 'in his opinion'. Both take a personal ending for the person: szerintünk, véleményünk szerint.

The table sets the two forms side by side in three sentences. In each row the two sentences mean the same.

Szerinte - Véleménye Szerint

Ennekem: to me, with emphasis

Ez igazán nagy segítség ennekem. This has really been a big help to me. Ennekem is an emphatic nekem.

Many pronouns and postpositions with a personal ending become emphatic with the subject pronoun in front of them: énnekem, mimellettünk, őtőle.

The third person plural takes ő, not ők: őtőlük, őelőttük.

The table gives three of these words in all six persons. The first part of each form is the subject pronoun of that person.

The Emphatic Prefixes

Gyümölcsös: an orchard

Vannak, de ott több a rét, a szőlő és a gyümölcsös. Yes, it has, but it has more fields, vineyards and orchards.

Gyümölcs is fruit. With the suffix -s, gyümölcsös is an orchard.

Nouns come from nouns and from adjectives: kertész, gardener, from kert. Síkság, a plain, from sík, flat.

Verbs come from nouns and from adjectives: rajz, rajzol. Szép, szépít.

Nyaranta: every summer

De hallottam, hogy a Balatonra is sokan mennek nyaranta. But I've heard that many people go to the Balaton every summer.

The suffix -nta, -nte makes an adverb of time from a noun. It means 'per', 'each' or 'every': naponta, per day. Évente, every year.

The suffix -nként makes a distributive. A distributive form means 'each' or 'one by one': egyenként, one by one. Házanként, each home.

The tables list the noun and verb suffixes. Each row gives the base word, then the word made from it.

Nouns from Nouns, 1 of 2

Nouns from Nouns, 2 of 2

Nouns from adjectives

Verbs from Nouns

Verbs from Adjectives

109
One hand washes the other.
110
People tell the truth when they have been drinking.
111
Many small amounts add up to a lot.
112
He cuts the tree out from under himself.
113
Rest is sweet after work.
114
Even a black cow's milk is white.
115
A Hungarian can understand from a few words.
116
Sometimes one word can start a whole war.
117
Money grows on a tall tree.

D. Szerinte - Véleménye Szerint

These two forms are used synonymously and are the equivalent of English 'according to him' or 'in his opinion'. Note the personal endings:

 | 
Szerinte nem lesz háború. | Véleménye szerint nem lesz háború.
Szerintünk ez nem jó. | Véleményünk szerint ez nem jó.
Szerintük mit kell csinálni? | Véleményük szerint mit kell csinálni?

E. The Emphatic Prefixes

Many pronouns and postpositions with personal endings may be made emphatic by prefixing the appropriate simple subject pronoun. Examples: énnekem, mimellettünk, őtőle. Note, however, that the third person plural form is ő (not ők).

 |  | 
éntőlem | énelőttem | énnélkülem
tetőled | teelőtted | tenélküled
őtőle | őelőtte | őnélküle
mitőlünk | mielőttünk | minélkülünk
titőletek | tielőttetek | tinélkületek
őtőlük | őelőttük | őnélkülük

F. Word Formation

The following suffixes are some of those commonly used in word formation:

1. Nouns from Nouns

 |  | 
(a) -s (-os, -es, -ös) | munka | munkás
 | könyvtár | könyvtáros
 | üveg | üveges
 | gyümölcs | gyümölcsös
(b) -ság, -ség | munkás | munkásság
 | katona | katonaság
 | hegy | hegység
 | vezető | vezetőség
(c) -ász, -ész | hal | halász
 | kert | kertész
 | seb | sebész
 | bánya | bányász
(d) -at, -et | halász | halászat
 | kertész | kertészet
 | sebész | sebészet
 | bányász | bányászat
(e) -zat, -zet | csillag | csillagzat
 | személy | személyzet

2. Nouns from adjectives

 |  | 
-ság, -ség (-aság, -eség) | szép | szépség
 | jó | jóság
 | gyors | gyorsaság
 | nagy | nagyság
 | fekete | feketeség

3. Verbs from Nouns

 |  | 
(a) -l (-ol, -el, -öl) | szám | számol
 | rajz | rajzol
 | ebéd | ebédel
 | borotva | borotvál
 | szó | szól
(b) -z | só | sóz
 | ruha | ruház
 | korona | koronáz
 | zongora | zongorázik
 | tenisz | teniszezik
(c) -ász-, -ész- | hal | halászik
 | vad | vadászik
 | rák | rákászik

4. Verbs from Adjectives

 |  | 
-ít | fiatal | fiatalít
 | szép | szépít
 | fekete | feketít
 | nagy | nagyít
 | nagyobb | nagyobbít
 | hosszabb | hosszabbít

5. Adverbs from Nouns

(a) -nta, -nte: naponta, évente, reggelente, nyaranta

(This suffix corresponds to the English adverbial time expression containing 'per', 'each', 'every' before a noun: 'per day' naponta, 'every year' évente 'each morning' reggelente.)

(b) -nként: naponként, évenként, egyenként

(This suffix is commonly added to a number or time expression and corresponds to the English distributive pattern, such as 'one by one', 'daily', 'day by day', 'every day'. It is sometimes also added to other nouns, e.g. házanként, városonként, fejenként, személyenként with the distributive meaning of 'each home' etc.)

Notes on Grammar: The Causative Form of Verbs and Agent with the Causative of Verbs

Csináltat: to have something made

János ruhát csináltat. John has a suit made.

A causative verb says that the subject causes something to be done. Csináltat is a causative. Its suffix is -tat.

The causative suffix is -tat, -tet or -at, -et. Ír, he writes. Írat, he has something written. Mos, mosat. Kér, kéret.

-at or -tat

Most verbs of one syllable take -at, -et: mos, mosat. So do longer verbs that end in a consonant plus t: ébreszt, ébresztet.

All other verbs take -tat, -tet: olvas, olvastat. Tanít, taníttat. So do some verbs of one syllable that end in a vowel plus t: üt, üttet. Fut, futtat.

Some verbs take both suffixes, with a difference in meaning. Nyom, press. Nyomat, have printed. Nyomtat, print.

Etet and itat: feed and water

Sokszor etettem és itattam őket. I often fed and watered them.

Some irregular verbs with a present stem in -sz drop the sz before -tat, -tet: etet, itat. The lőni and róni verbs use their stem in v: lövet, rovat.

The potential is the suffix -hat, -het: it says an action may be done. It comes after the causative: mosathat, főzethet.

The tables give both suffixes and verbs with both. Then come the present tense of the sz verbs, the v verbs, and causatives with the potential.

The Causative Form of Verbs, 1 of 14

The Causative Form of Verbs, 2 of 14

The Causative Form of Verbs, 3 of 14

The Causative Form of Verbs, 4 of 14

The Causative Form of Verbs, 5 of 14

The Causative Form of Verbs, 6 of 14

The Causative Form of Verbs, 7 of 14

The Causative Form of Verbs, 8 of 14

The Causative Form of Verbs, 9 of 14

The Causative Form of Verbs, 10 of 14

The Causative Form of Verbs, 11 of 14

The Causative Form of Verbs, 12 of 14

The Causative Form of Verbs, 13 of 14

The Causative Form of Verbs, 14 of 14

By someone: -val, -vel

Időnként az apám velem őriztette a lovakat. From time to time my father had me look after the horses.

English says 'have something done by someone'. Hungarian uses the causative verb and puts -val, -vel on the word for the person who does it.

Varratok egy ruhát a szabóval. I'm having a suit made by the tailor. A jövő héten dolgozatot íratnak velünk. Next week they're having us write a paper.

118
I'm having a suit sewn by the tailor.
119
I'm having the dinner cooked by my wife.
120
My wife has me bring fruit.

A. The Causative Form of Verbs

The verb suffix -tat, -tet or -at, -et generally indicates that the subject of the verb causes something to be done, as János ruhát csináltat 'John has a suit made'.

(1) -at, -et is used with most monosyllabic verbs, and with polysyllabic verbs ending in a consonant plus t:

 | 
mos | mosat
kér | kéret
ír | írat
tart | tartat
gyújt | gyújtat
ébreszt | ébresztet
akaszt | akasztat

(2) -tat, -tet is used with all other roots including certain monosyllabic verbs which end in a vowel plus -t:

 |  |  | 
olvas | olvastat | üt | üttet
kérdez | kérdeztet | fűt | fűttet
tisztít | tisztíttat | süt | süttet
takarít | takaríttat | fut | futtat
épít | építtet | jut | juttat
tanít | taníttat | köt | köttet

Some verbs take both suffixes, with a difference in meaning:

 | 
nyom | press
nyomat | have printed
nyomtat | print

 | 
vág | cut
vágat | have cut
vágtat | gallop, ride at full speed

 | 
folyik | flows, runs
folyat | let flow, cause to flow
folytat | continue, keep on doing something

Irregular verbs whose stem in the present tense ends in -sz drop the sibilant before the suffix -tat, -tet:

 |  |  |  | 
itatok | etetek | vetetek | hitetek | altatok
itatsz | etetsz | vetetsz | hitetsz | altatsz
itat | etet | vetet | hitet | altat
itatunk | etetünk | vetetünk | hitetünk | altatunk
itattok | etettek | vetettek | hitettek | altattok
itatnak | etetnek | vetetnek | hitetnek | altatnak

 |  |  |  | 
itatom | etetem | vitetem | fektetem | nyugtatom
itatod | eteted | viteted | fekteted | nyugtatod
itatja | eteti | viteti | fekteti | nyugtatja
itatjuk | etetjük | vitetjük | fektetjük | nyugtatjuk
itatjátok | etetitek | vitetitek | fektetitek | nyugtatjátok
itatják | etetik | vitetik | fektetik | nyugtatják

The róni, lőni class uses the stem in -v- before -at, -et:

 |  |  | 
lövetek | rovatok | lövetem | rovatom
lövetsz | rovatsz | löveted | rovatod
lövet | rovat | löveti | rovatja
lövetünk | rovatunk | lövetjük | rovatjuk
lövettek | rovattok | lövetitek | rovatjátok
lövetnek | rovatnak | lövetik | rovatják

When the potential suffix -hat, -het is used in the same verb form with the causative, the potential comes after the causative:

 |  |  | 
főzethetek | mosathatok | vetethetem | etethetem
főzethetsz | mosathatsz | vetetheted | etetheted
főzethet | mosathat | vetetheti | etetheti
főzethetünk | mosathatunk | vetethetjük | etethetjük
főzethettek | mosathattok | vetethetitek | etethetitek
főzethetnek | mosathatnak | vetethetik | etethetik

B. Agent with the Causative of Verbs

The English pattern 'to have something done by someone' is expressed in Hungarian by the causative form of the verb plus the suffix -val, -vel added to the word indicating agent:

Varratok egy ruhát a szabóval.
Megfőzetem az ebédet a feleségemmel.
A feleségem gyümölcsöt hozat velem.

Notes on Grammar: Való and Levő

Levő: being, with van

Az ottlevő kutak látják el az egész országot benzinnel és olajjal. The wells there supply the whole country with gasoline and oil.

Levő and való are participles. They match English 'being', and sometimes 'becoming'.

Levő takes the place of a clause with van. Látom a könyvet, ami a széken van. I see the book which is on the chair. Látom a széken levő könyvet. I see the book on the chair. The words before levő describe the noun.

Való: where from, what for

Tudom, hogy Kovács bácsi Magyarországról való. I know you're from Hungary, Uncle Kovács.

With the words before it, való forms a phrase that describes. Hova való Kovács bácsi? Where are you from, Uncle Kovács? Here való says where someone is from.

Mire való ez a doboz? What's this box for? Here it says what a thing is for. Ez a munka nem nekem való. This work doesn't suit me.

It also forms compound nouns: Nincs itthon ennivaló. There's no food at home.

121
Where are you from, Uncle Kovács?
122
What's this box for?
123
I'll leave a tip on the table.
124
There's no food at home.
125
This work doesn't suit me.

C. Való and Levő

These participial forms correspond to the word 'being' (sometimes 'becoming') in English. However, levő is always the form used in a participial phrase which corresponds in meaning to an adjectival clause containing some form of van. (Example: I see the book which is on the chair - I see the book ('being') on the chair: Látom a könyvet, ami a széken van - Látom a széken levő könyvet.)

Való may correspond to English 'true' 'for the purpose of', 'consisting of', 'pertaining to', etc. With a preceding word or group of words, it forms a modifying phrase which may express origin (place or time), purpose, something (to do, eat, make, etc.) suitableness, or fitness. It is also sometimes used in combination with another word to form a compound noun.

Hova való Kovács bácsi?  Where are you from, Uncle Kovács?
Mire való ez a doboz?  What's this box for?
Hagyok borravalót az asztalon.  I'll leave a tip on the table.
Nincs itthon ennivaló.  There's no food at home.
Ez a munka nem nekem való.  This work doesn't suit me.

Variation Drill

126
I'm having the window closed by the student.
127
Fehér is having his house painted by a painter.
128
The teacher makes the students sit down.
129
Have the door opened.

130
Have the door opened.
131
Shall I have a fire made in the room?
132
There are some fishermen sitting on the shore.
133
Peter's working in the city truck garden.

134
Which is the highest mountain range?
135
This child is health itself.
136
How much did you pay the shopkeeper?
137
In the evening I go to school.

138
In the evening I go to school.
139
I visited my grandmother daily.
140
In my opinion that isn't quite certain.

Transformation Drill

141
A szabó új ruhát csinál.
The tailor is making a new suit.
142
A lány kávét főz.
The girl is cooking coffee.

143
A lány kávét főz.
The girl is cooking coffee.
144
Mária kenyeret vesz.
Mária is buying bread.
145
A tanuló vizsgázik.
The student is taking an examination.

146
A tanuló vizsgázik.
The student is taking an examination.
147
A lakást kifestjük. (egy ember)
We're painting the apartment. (one person)
148
A lány ruhát varr. (varrónő)
The girl is sewing a dress. (seamstress)

149
A lány ruhát varr. (varrónő)
The girl is sewing a dress. (seamstress)
150
Az emberek megoldást keresnek.
The people are looking for a solution.
151
Felhívja a barátját. (felesége)
He calls up his friend. (his wife)

152
Felhívja a barátját. (felesége)
He calls up his friend. (his wife)
153
A kislány alszik. (anya)
The little girl is sleeping. (mother)

154
Gabonát termelt.
He grew grain.
155
Vizsgálja meg a beteget.
Examine the patient.

156
Vizsgálja meg a beteget.
Examine the patient.
157
Írnék egy levelet.
I would write a letter.
158
Főzhetek egy kávét.
I can cook a coffee.

159
Főzhetek egy kávét.
I can cook a coffee.
160
Bárcsak megírtam volna a levelet.
If only I had written the letter.
161
Mindennap kávéházba megyek.
Every day I go to a café.

162
Mindennap kávéházba megyek.
Every day I go to a café.
163
Minden reggel iskolába megyek.
Every morning I go to school.
164
Minden ország két képviselőt küldött.
Each country sent two representatives.

165
Minden ország két képviselőt küldött.
Each country sent two representatives.
166
Az a kabát, amely az ágyon van, Jánosé.
The coat that is on the bed is János's.

Vocabulary Drill

167
Where are you from?
168
The man is from Hungary.
169
My wife is from California.
170
This statue is from Egypt.
171
The dress is from Paris.
172
Those vases are from Italy.
173
This painting is from the Middle Ages.
174
The girl is from my village.
175
The manuscript is from the tenth century.

176
Give me something to read.
177
I have nothing more to say.
178
The man is asking for something to drink.
179
In this restaurant the food is not good.
180
We still have very much to learn.
181
There's a lot to see in Washington.
182
The teacher gave us a lot to write.
183
The woman had a lot to sew.
184
What's the pencil for?

185
The teacher's mission is to teach.
186
A chair is for sitting on.
187
A house is for living in.
188
A school is for learning.
189
This man is good for nothing.
190
This work doesn't suit him. It's too difficult.
191
The Hungarian language is not for this student. He can't learn it.
192
Getting up early is not for me. If I do get up early, I'm tired all day.
193
Knife, fork and scissors shouldn't be in the hands of a child.

194
He has a bad heart; he shouldn't drink much.
195
Flying is not for me; I get sick.
196
It isn't proper to talk loud in the church.
197
It isn't proper to put your feet on the table.
198
It isn't proper to throw your cigarette butt on the floor.
199
This table doesn't look right in this room.
200
This girl doesn't belong to this school.
201
A red necktie doesn't go with this suit.
202
The oil wells located there supply the country with oil and gasoline.

203
Give me that book (that's) on the chair.
204
The money in my pocket isn't enough.
205
The pen (that's) on the table is not mine.
206
The bauxite mines located on the Dunántúl are among the richest in Europe.
207
The coat on the bed belongs to John.
208
All the passengers on the airplane died.
209
The wine (that was) in the bottle is gone.
210
All the lamps in the house were burning.

Translation Drill

211
Hungary is situated in central Europe, in the Carpathian Basin.
212
Its area is 93,011 square kilometers.
213
There are 9,800,000 people living in the country.
214
The greatest part of the population, exactly nine and a half million, are 'magyars'.
215
There are about 15 million Hungarians in the whole world.
216
Four million Hungarians are in those countries which surround Hungary.
217
About 700,000 Hungarians live in the United States.
218
Besides Hungarians a small number of Germans, Slovaks, Rumanians and Serbs live in Hungary.
219
36.8 percent of the population live in the cities and 63.2 in the villages.
220
60 percent of the country's territory is arable land, 17 percent is fields, 12 percent forest, 2 percent vineyards and nearly one and a half percent truck gardens.
221
The greatest part of the country's territory is a plain.
222
The large plain situated east of the Danube is called the Great Hungarian Plain.
223
Dunántúl is the name of the area lying between the Duna, Dráva and the Alps.

224
The region east of the Tisza is called 'Tiszántúl'.
225
The region between the Duna and the Tisza is called 'Duna-Tisza köze'.
226
The best arable lands are on the 'Alföld'.
227
Mostly grain, corn, tobacco, vegetables and fruit are produced there. Nowadays rice and cotton are also grown on the Hortobágy.
228
Cegléd and Kecskemét are fruit growing centers in the heart of the Alföld. Kecskemét is world famous for its apricot brandy.
229
Truck farming is also developed in the country. Besides fruit, a lot of paprika, tomatoes and cucumbers are exported.
230
In the vicinity of Szeged there are large paprika fields. The famous 'Szegedi paprika' grows here.
231
Animal husbandry is also of great significance in Hungary.
232
Among the smaller animals they export a great many hens, ducks, geese and turkeys.
233
A large part of the Dunántúl is hilly. The largest plain situated there is called 'Kisalföld'.
234
Central Europe's largest lake, the Balaton, is also located in the Dunántúl. Its area is 592 square kilometers.
235
There are beautiful resorts located on the shore of the Balaton where hundreds of thousands go for their summer vacation each year.
236
The richest bauxite mines in Europe are in the Bakony valleys.

237
There are excellent vineyards on the south side of Bakony.
238
Eger and Tokaj are famous wine-growing areas also.
239
Hungary is rich in mineral waters and curative baths. Most of the thermal baths are in Budapest, the capital.
240
There are 1,800,000 people in Budapest. The second largest city in the country is Miskolc, with a population of about 150,000 people.
241
The country's oldest cities are in the Dunántúl. Veszprém, Székesfehérvár, Szombathely and Sopron are each more than a thousand years old.

Response Drill

242
Where is Hungary situated?
243
What's the area of Hungary?
244
What are the borders of Hungary?
245
What large rivers are there in the country?
246
Which river is the most important from an economic point of view?
247
What are the mountains called?
248
Which is the highest mountain range in Hungary?
249
What is on its peaks?
250
Where is the Balaton situated?

251
What's the area of the Balaton?
252
What is the name of the country's largest plain?
253
Where are the best croplands?
254
Where are there more fields, on the Alföld or in the Dunántúl?
255
What is the climate of Hungary like?
256
What are the winters like in Hungary?
257
What are the summers like?
258
When does it rain the most?
259
What are the most important farm products grown in the country?

260
Since when have they grown rice in the country, and is enough grown?
261
When did truck farming begin in Hungary?
262
Whom did the Hungarian government bring in to introduce truck farming into the country?
263
What kind of animals do they raise?
264
How can they bring water to the Hortobágy?
265
Where are there bauxite mines?
266
Where is the largest oil field in Hungary?
267
How many people live in the country?
268
How many Hungarians live in the whole world?

269
How many Hungarians are there in the United States?
270
How many Hungarians are there in the countries bordering on Hungary?
271
How many people live in the United States?
272
What's the area of the United States?
273
What are the borders of the United States?
274
Which are the rivers in the United States that are of great economic importance?
275
What are the mountains called in the United States?
276
Which is the highest mountain range, and how high is it?
277
What is the climate of the United States like?

278
What are the most important crops of the United States?
279
Where are the best croplands?
280
Where are the oil fields?
281
Are there bauxite mines in the United States?

Conversation Practice 1

282
Tell me a little about Hungary.
283
With pleasure! What would you like to know?
284
What is the climate of Hungary like?
285
Temperate. In the winter there are hard cold spells, and in the summer there is a very hot spell for a few weeks.
286
When is there the most rainfall?
287
In the spring and fall. In the winter and summer there is relatively little rain.
288
Where are there more fields, vineyards and orchards? On the Alföld or in the Dunántúl?
289
In the Dunántúl. The climate of the Alföld isn't as good as that of the Dunántúl.
290
Where are the best wines produced in Hungary?
291
In the Balaton area, and around Tokaj and Eger.

Conversation Practice 2

292
What are the most important crops of Hungary?
293
Wheat, rye, barley, corn, sugar beets and potatoes.
294
I've heard that they also grow rice and cotton in the country.
295
Yes, they grow them in the Hortobágy area. But there isn't enough of it grown yet.
296
How can they irrigate the rice fields?
297
Through the Eastern Canal they can bring water to the Hortobágy, and that's how they can irrigate the land.
298
When was truck farming introduced into the country?
299
In the seventies of the last century.
300
How did the government introduce truck farming?
301
They brought Bulgarian truck gardeners from Bulgaria.

Conversation Practice 3

302
What kind of animals do they raise in the country?
303
Mostly cattle, horses and hogs. Besides that, they also raise a lot of poultry.
304
Is Hungary an agricultural country?
305
The country has a developed industry too. So it is not only an agricultural but also an industrial country.
306
Where are the bauxite mines in the country?
307
They are in the valleys of the Bakony, near Ajka.
308
Does the country have enough oil too?
309
Yes, the oil wells at Lispe supply the whole country with gasoline and oil.

Conversation Practice 4

310
Passports, please!
311
please
312
I see that you came from America. Which state are you from?
313
I'm from California, and my friend is from Virginia.
314
Do you have anything to declare?
315
I don't think so, sir. We brought only a few things with us.
316
How much cash do you have with you?
317
Five hundred dollars.
318
Don't forget that dollars may be exchanged only at the National Bank.
319
We won't forget.
320
Open your suitcases! Do you have anything to drink, tobacco, coffee or anything else to declare in them?
321
We brought only clothes and food.
322
I see you also have something to read. Are those American picture postcards?
323
Tell me, what are all these questions for? Perhaps one has to pay duty even on picture postcards?
324
You don't have to pay duty, but I'd like to read them too, if they are American papers.

Narrative

325
Hungary is situated in central Europe, in the Carpathian Basin.
326
The Carpathian Basin is surrounded on all sides by high, wooded mountains (in the north, east and southeast the mountains of the Carpathians, in the south the mountains of the Balkans, and in the west the mountains of the Alps), and its rivers all flow toward the middle of the basin.
327
That is why they say that the Carpathian Basin is the most perfect geographical unit in the world.
328
Since the beginning of history very many peoples have lived in the Carpathian Basin.
329
Its oldest known inhabitants were the Celts.
330
At the beginning of our era it belonged to the Roman Empire.
331
After the Romans the Huns, Avars, Germans and various Slavic tribes settled there.
332
But none of the peoples succeeded for long in organizing a state that extended over the whole Carpathian Basin.
333
In 896 A.D. the Magyars, under the leadership of Prince Árpád, occupied the whole basin and founded the Hungarian state, whose borders were the Carpathians for a thousand years.
334
At first the Magyars fished, hunted and continued their old pagan way of life.
335
On their swift horses they roamed all over Europe, reaching the ocean in the west and Byzantium in the south.
336
At the end of the 10th century Prince Géza saw that the Magyars would lose in the end in their struggle against all of Europe.
337
Therefore he made peace with the German emperor and had Christian priests brought into the country.
338
The pope sent a crown to his son, István, with which he had himself crowned in 1000.
339
He organized the kingdom on the model of Charlemagne's empire.
340
He guaranteed equal rights to peoples of various races and languages.
341
With this he founded Hungary with a western culture.

342
Hungary until the 15th
343
century's end was a great power.
344
In the 16th
345
century the Turks occupied the middle of the Carpathian Basin and held it under occupation for 150 years.
346
After the Turkish devastation very few Magyars remained in the country, so Germans, Rumanians, Serbs and Croats were settled in.
347
On this basis, after the First World War, in 1920, the Carpathian Basin was divided into five parts.
348
Only the middle of the basin remained to Hungary.
349
Prince Árpád settled with his tribe in the neighbourhood of present-day Óbuda, because they found a good crossing place on the Danube nearby.
350
On that spot the Romans had built a town two thousand years ago.
351
The flourishing town's name was Aquincum.
352
Its ruins can still be seen, and the excavations keep bringing the walls of more and more buildings to the surface.
353
South of Aquincum three towns grew up in the Middle Ages: Óbuda and Buda on the right bank of the Danube, and Pest on the left bank.
354
Out of these three towns the country's present capital, Budapest, was born.
355
The three towns were officially united only in 1872.

356
Budapest is the administrative, industrial and cultural center of the country.
357
Its population is 1,850,000. Near Budapest, at Csepel, is the country's largest machine factory.
358
Miskolc is the second largest city, the center of the country's heavy industry.
359
Debrecen is the largest city of the Tiszántúl.
360
After Budapest, it has the most schools.
361
In the famous two-towered Reformed church the National Assembly met twice, in 1848 and in 1945.
362
Debrecen is also called the 'Calvinist Rome'.
363
Pécs and Szeged are fine old university towns.
364
Of the cities of the Dunántúl, Székesfehérvár, Veszprém, Szombathely and Sopron are more than a thousand years old.
365
Many cities in the country are famous for their historical monuments: Esztergom, Visegrád, Eger, Szigetvár and Kőszeg.

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