Hungarian Basic Course 1732 Studios

Hungarian · Unit 22

Unit 22: Kultúrélet Budapesten

Volume 2

Cultural life in Budapest

363 lines

Basic Sentences I

  1. 1

    Hello, Tibor. I'm glad you came. Please come in.

    Szervusz,hello
    Tibor!Tibor (a man's name)
    Örülök,be glad, delighted, pleased
    hogyhow; that
    eljöttél.you came along
    Fáradjget tired, take the trouble
    beljebb.farther in
  2. 2

    Hello, Sándor! Forgive me for the delay but I had to wait a long time for the street car.

  3. 3

    Sit down, please. What would you like to drink? Some beer or shall I bring you something strong?

  4. 4

    Thank you, if you have apricot brandy, bring me some. I'm tired and it'll feel good to have a little brandy... How nice the music on the radio is!

Szervusz
hello
beljebb
farther in
ilyenkor
at such a time, this time
jólesik
it's pleasing, pleasant
  1. 5

    Do you know what they're playing? It's Kodály's "The Dances of Galánta".

  2. 6

    Of course, I know it. Kodály is my favorite composer. I prefer him to Bartók.

  3. 7

    That's a matter of taste. It's true that Kodály's music is closer to us. It was he who in his work made very extensive use of the Hungarian-Transylvanian folksongs.

  4. 8

    Are those the ones he assembled with Bartók?

össze
together
  1. 9

    Yes. Isn't it wonderful that in this century two Hungarians are considered to be among the world's great composers? Everywhere in the world they're playing Bartók's and Kodály's works.

  2. 10

    That's true. I hope that this season at the Margaret Island Outdoor Theater they'll perform Bartók's "Duke Bluebeard's Castle" again. I'd like to hear it.

  3. 11

    I've already heard it, but if you wish I'll be glad to go with you again.

  4. 12

    I'll take you up on that!

csodálatos
wonderful, surprising
újra
again, once more
a
beard
  1. 13

    You won't be disappointed in me.

csalódni
to be disappointed
bennem
in me
  1. 14

    I got an invitation. Tomorrow there'll be an 'Artist's night' performance in the Auditorium of the Academy of Dramatic Arts. Don't you want to come along? I can get you a ticket also.

  2. 15

    Tomorrow night? I've already promised my family that I would spend the evening with them.

számodra
for you
  1. 16

    Come along with your family and hear it. If you wish I'll call for you and take you all there.

  2. 17

    In your new car? Thank you, it's very kind of you. Who else is going from your family besides you?

  3. 18

    Nobody else.

  4. 19

    What's on the program?

családostul
with your, his, her entire family
kívül
besides you
Kívülem
besides me
a
program
  1. 20

    I don't know exactly but I think it'll be interesting. They're reciting the poems of Petőfi and Ady. Then they'll perform some excerpts from Ferenc Molnár's "Liliom".

  2. 21

    Is that the play that was made into the film "Carousel" in the U.S. and attained world-wide acclaim?

  3. 22

    Yes. We can be proud of Ferenc Molnár. But have you been at the theater lately?

szavalni
to recite
  1. 23

    Last week I was at the National Theater. They revived Madách's "The Tragedy of Man".

  2. 24

    I've seen it many times. And I've always enjoyed it very much. A classical play never grows old.

  3. 25

    I was also at the Opera the other day. The State Folk Dance Ensemble performed.

  4. 26

    I often go and see them also. Not only are the dances exquisite but the costumes are beautiful.

  1. 27

    Those are our various folk costumes, which our women embroidered and which are based on tradition that is centuries old. The most beautiful of them are perhaps the "Mezőkövesd", that is, the "Matyó".

  2. 28

    I like those the best too. But have you been to the Budapest Ethnographic Museum yet?

  3. 29

    Not yet. What can one see there?

évszázados
centuries-old
'matyó'
Hungarian peasants living in or near Mezőkövesd
  1. 30

    In one section you can see masterpieces of our country's folk costumes and folk craft: beautiful dresses, embroidery and carvings done by shepherds.

  2. 31

    I'll go and see it. But the Municipal Art Gallery interests me more. I'm very much interested in the exhibition of comtemporary artists.

  3. 32

    I'd rather keep on looking at the old masters - for instance, 'Picnic in May' by Pál Szinyei-Merse.

Ragyogó
bright, excellent, splendid
a
picture, art gallery
újra
again and again
  1. 33

    In the Hungarian National Gallery? The famous paintings by Mihály Munkácsy are there also.

  2. 34

    The collection there of Hungarian paintings from the beginning of the 19th century to the present is beautiful. Every great Hungarian artist is represented.

  3. 35

    It's beautiful indeed. Budapest is full of excellent museums and galleries.

  4. 36

    And it's full of beautiful buildings! For instance, look at the Parliament. In its time it was one of the most beautiful neo-Gothic buildings in Europe.

  1. 37

    Or St. Anne's church, the most beautiful example of the Baroque period.

  2. 38

    That reminds me! Are you going to mass tomorrow?

  3. 39

    We go every Sunday.

  4. 40

    Then I'll see you tomorrow, because we're also going.

  5. 41

    Hello, Tibor. I'm glad you came. Please come in.

  6. 42

    Hello, Sándor! Forgive me for the delay but I had to wait a long time for the street car.

  7. 43

    Sit down, please. What would you like to drink? Some beer or shall I bring you something strong?

  8. 44

    Thank you, if you have apricot brandy, bring me some. I'm tired and it'll feel good to have a little brandy... How nice the music on the radio is!

  9. 45

    Do you know what they're playing? It's Kodály's "The Dances of Galánta".

  10. 46

    Of course, I know it. Kodály is my favorite composer. I prefer him to Bartók.

  11. 47

    That's a matter of taste. It's true that Kodály's music is closer to us. It was he who in his work made very extensive use of the Hungarian-Transylvanian folksongs.

  12. 48

    Are those the ones he assembled with Bartók?

  13. 49

    Yes. Isn't it wonderful that in this century two Hungarians are considered to be among the world's great composers? Everywhere in the world they're playing Bartók's and Kodály's works.

  14. 50

    That's true. I hope that this season at the Margaret Island Outdoor Theater they'll perform Bartók's "Duke Bluebeard's Castle" again. I'd like to hear it.

  15. 51

    I've already heard it, but if you wish I'll be glad to go with you again.

  16. 52

    I'll take you up on that!

  17. 53

    You won't be disappointed in me.

  18. 54

    I got an invitation. Tomorrow there'll be an 'Artist's night' performance in the Auditorium of the Academy of Dramatic Arts. Don't you want to come along? I can get you a ticket also.

  19. 55

    Tomorrow night? I've already promised my family that I would spend the evening with them.

  20. 56

    Come along with your family and hear it. If you wish I'll call for you and take you all there.

  21. 57

    In your new car? Thank you, it's very kind of you. Who else is going from your family besides you?

  22. 58

    Nobody else.

  23. 59

    What's on the program?

  24. 60

    I don't know exactly but I think it'll be interesting. They're reciting the poems of Petőfi and Ady. Then they'll perform some excerpts from Ferenc Molnár's "Liliom".

  25. 61

    Is that the play that was made into the film "Carousel" in the U.S. and attained world-wide acclaim?

  26. 62

    Yes. We can be proud of Ferenc Molnár. But have you been at the theater lately?

  27. 63

    Last week I was at the National Theater. They revived Madách's "The Tragedy of Man".

  28. 64

    I've seen it many times. And I've always enjoyed it very much. A classical play never grows old.

  29. 65

    I was also at the Opera the other day. The State Folk Dance Ensemble performed.

  30. 66

    I often go and see them also. Not only are the dances exquisite but the costumes are beautiful.

  31. 67

    Those are our various folk costumes, which our women embroidered and which are based on tradition that is centuries old. The most beautiful of them are perhaps the "Mezőkövesd", that is, the "Matyó".

  32. 68

    I like those the best too. But have you been to the Budapest Ethnographic Museum yet?

  33. 69

    Not yet. What can one see there?

  34. 70

    In one section you can see masterpieces of our country's folk costumes and folk craft: beautiful dresses, embroidery and carvings done by shepherds.

  35. 71

    I'll go and see it. But the Municipal Art Gallery interests me more. I'm very much interested in the exhibition of comtemporary artists.

  36. 72

    I'd rather keep on looking at the old masters - for instance, 'Picnic in May' by Pál Szinyei-Merse.

  37. 73

    In the Hungarian National Gallery? The famous paintings by Mihály Munkácsy are there also.

  38. 74

    The collection there of Hungarian paintings from the beginning of the 19th century to the present is beautiful. Every great Hungarian artist is represented.

  39. 75

    It's beautiful indeed. Budapest is full of excellent museums and galleries.

  40. 76

    And it's full of beautiful buildings! For instance, look at the Parliament. In its time it was one of the most beautiful neo-Gothic buildings in Europe.

  41. 77

    Or St. Anne's church, the most beautiful example of the Baroque period.

  42. 78

    That reminds me! Are you going to mass tomorrow?

  43. 79

    We go every Sunday.

  44. 80

    Then I'll see you tomorrow, because we're also going.

barokk
baroque

Közmondások - Proverbs

Te and ti: the familiar you

Köszönöm, nagyon kedves tőled. Thank you, it's very kind of you.

Te is the familiar 'you' for one person, and ti for more than one. Tőled is the familiar 'from you'.

Every form of 'you' and 'your' has a familiar form: the pronouns, the case suffixes, the postpositions, the possessives and the verbs.

You as object, and after a suffix

Valami erőset hozzak neked? Shall I bring you something strong?

As the indirect object, te is neked and ti is nektek. As the direct object, te is téged and ti is titeket or benneteket. These take the indefinite form of the verb.

With case suffixes and postpositions there is a form for one person and one for more: tőled, tőletek. Veled, veletek. Szerinted, szerintetek.

Your, and the verb for you

Az új kocsiddal? In your new car?

The familiar 'your' for one person ends in -d: kocsid, házad. For more than one person: házatok, kefétek, cipőtök. Tied is 'yours'.

The verb has its own familiar forms in every tense and mood: vársz, vártál, várnál, várj. Mit szeretnél inni? What would you like to drink?

The tables give the pronouns first, then the possessives, then the verbs, singular and plural side by side.

Review of Familiar Forms, 1 of 2

With other case Suffixes

With Postpositions which occur in one form only

With Postpositions which occur in three forms, 1 of 2

With Postpositions which occur in three forms, 2 of 2

The Possessive "Your" in Hungarian: Your | Your, 1 of 4

The Possessive "Your" in Hungarian: Your | Your, 2 of 4

The Possessive "Your" in Hungarian: Your | Your, 3 of 4

The Possessive "Your" in Hungarian: Your | Your, 4 of 4

Verbs: Present tense: Indefinite | Definite, 1 of 4

Verbs: Present tense: Indefinite | Definite, 2 of 4

Verbs: Present tense: Indefinite | Definite, 3 of 4

Verbs: Present tense: Indefinite | Definite, 4 of 4

Past Tense: Indefinite | Definite, 1 of 4

Past Tense: Indefinite | Definite, 2 of 4

Past Tense: Indefinite | Definite, 3 of 4

Past Tense: Indefinite | Definite, 4 of 4

Conditional: Indefinite | Definite, 1 of 2

Conditional: Indefinite | Definite, 2 of 2

Subjunctive: Indefinite | Definite, 1 of 2

Subjunctive: Indefinite | Definite, 2 of 2

Review of Familiar Forms, 2 of 2

Látlak: I see you

Ha akarod értetek megyek és elviszlek benneteket. If you wish I'll call for you and take you all there.

The ending -lak, -lek stands for two persons at once: the subject 'I' and the familiar object 'you'. Látlak, I see you. Elviszlek, I'll take you.

Kérlek, foglalj helyet. Sit down, please. Kérlek is 'I ask you', said as 'please'.

In every tense

The ending follows the verb in every tense and mood: várlak, vártalak, várnálak, várjalak. Some stems take a linking vowel: tanítalak, értelek.

With vinni the future is vinni foglak. The causative is vitetlek, and the potential is vihetlek.

The first table gives eleven verbs in the present, past, conditional and subjunctive. The second gives the other forms of vinni.

The Subject-Object Suffix -lak, -lek, 1 of 3

The Subject-Object Suffix -lak, -lek, 2 of 3

The Subject-Object Suffix -lak, -lek, 3 of 3

  1. 81

    Knowledge is power.

  2. 82

    If you go slowly, you get farther.

  3. 83

    A poor man cooks with water.

  4. 84

    Practice is what makes a person skilled.

  5. 85

    Don't look for what isn't there.

  6. 86

    Learn while you have the time.

  7. 87

    Don't look at the teeth of a gift horse.

  8. 88

    Don't only know what is good, but do it too.

A. Review of Familiar Forms

 | 
Subject: | te, ti
Direct Object: | téged (tégedet), titeket, benneteket (Note: These forms require the Indefinite Conjunction.)
Indirect Object: | neked, nektek

With other case Suffixes:
Singular | Plural
hozzád | hozzátok
nálad | nálatok
tőled | tőletek
beléd | belétek
benned | bennetek
belőled | belőletek
rád, reád | rátok, reátok
rajtad | rajtatok
rólad | rólatok
veled | veletek
érted | értetek

With Postpositions which occur in one form only:
Singular | Plural
nélküled | nélkületek
miattad | miattatok
helyetted | helyettetek
kívüled | kívületek
szerinted | szerintetek
irántad | irántatok
számodra | számotokra
részedre | részetekre
utánad | utánatok

With Postpositions which occur in three forms:
 | Hova | Hol | Honnan
Singular | alád | alattad | alólad
Plural | alátok | alattatok | alólatok
Singular | eléd | előtted | előled
Plural | elétek | előttetek | előletek
Singular | föléd | fölötted | fölüled
Plural | fölétek | fölöttetek | fölületek
Singular | melléd | melletted | mellőled
Plural | mellétek | mellettetek | mellőletek
Singular | mögéd | mögötted | mögüled
Plural | mögétek | mögöttetek | mögületek
Plural | közétek | közöttetek | közületek

The Possessive "Your" in Hungarian: Your (Singular) | Your (Plural)
Singular | Plural | Singular | Plural
ceruzád | ceruzáid | ceruzátok | ceruzáitok
keféd | keféid | kefétek | keféitek
cipőd | cipőid | cipőtök | cipőitek
kocsid | kocsijaid | kocsitok | kocsijaitok
késed | késeid | késetek | késeitek
kerted | kertjeid | kertetek | kertjeitek
inged | ingeid | ingetek | ingeitek
kabátod | kabátjaid | kabátotok | kabátjaitok
asztalod | asztalaid | asztalotok | asztalaitok
házad | házaid | házatok | házaitok
hegyed | hegyeid | hegyetek | hegyeitek
tavad | tavaid | tavatok | tavaitok
műved | műveid | művetek | műveitek
kezed | kezeid | kezetek | kezeitek
tükröd | tükreid | tükrötök | tükreitek

The Possessive "Yours" in Hungarian:
 |  |  | 
tied | tieid | tietek | tieitek

Verbs: Present tense: Indefinite | Definite
Singular | Plural | Singular | Plural
vársz | vártok | várod | várjátok
szeretsz | szerettek | szereted | szeretitek
kérsz | kértek | kéred | kéritek
mondasz | mondotok | mondod | mondjátok
tartasz | tartotok | tartod | tartjátok
küldesz | küldötök | küldöd | külditek
értesz | értetek | érted | értitek
olvasol | olvastok | olvasod | olvassátok
főzöl | főztök | főzöd | főzitek
kérdezel | kérdeztek | kérdezed | kérdezitek
iszol | isztok | iszod | isszátok
eszel | esztek | eszed | eszitek
hiszel | hisztek | hiszed | hiszitek
veszel | vesztek | veszed | veszitek
jössz | jöttök |  | 
mész, mégy | mentek |  | 
vagy | vagytok |  | 
leszel | lesztek |  | 

Past Tense: Indefinite | Definite
Singular | Plural | Singular | Plural
vártál | vártatok | vártad | vártátok
kértél | kértetek | kérted | kértétek
hívtál | hívtatok | hívtad | hívtátok
főztél | főztetek | főzted | főztétek
tartottál | tartottatok | tartottad | tartottátok
építettél | építettetek | építetted | építettétek
küldöttél | küldöttetek | küldötted | küldöttétek
ittál | ittatok | ittad | ittátok
ettél | ettetek | etted | ettétek
tettél | tettetek | tetted | tettétek
jöttél | jöttetek |  | 
mentél | mentetek |  | 
voltál | voltatok |  | 
lettél | lettetek |  | 

Conditional: Indefinite | Definite
Singular | Plural | Singular | Plural
várnál | várnátok | várnád | várnátok
kérnél | kérnétek | kérnéd | kérnétek
adnál | adnátok | adnád | adnátok
mondanál | mondanátok | mondanád | mondanátok
tartanál | tartanátok | tartanád | tartanátok
küldenél | küldenétek | küldenéd | küldenétek
értenél | értenétek | értenéd | értenétek
innál | innátok | innád | innátok
ennél | ennétek | ennéd | ennétek
vinnél | vinnétek | vinnéd | vinnétek
jönnél | jönnétek |  | 
mennél | mennétek |  | 
lennél | lennétek |  | 

Subjunctive: Indefinite | Definite
Singular | Plural | Singular | Plural
várj, várjál | várjatok | várd, várjad | várjátok
kérj, kérjél | kérjetek | kérd, kérjed | kérjétek
láss, lássál | lássatok | lásd, lássad | lássátok
fess, fessél | fessetek | fesd, fessed | fessétek
hozz, hozzál | hozzatok | hozd, hozzad | hozzátok
taníts, tanítsál | tanítsatok | tanítsd, tanítsad | tanítsátok
igyál | igyatok | idd, igyad | igyátok
egyél | egyetek | edd, egyed | egyétek
végy, vegyél | vegyetek | vedd, vegyed | vegyétek
higgy, higgyél | higgyetek | hidd, higgyed | higgyétek

Singular | Plural
jöjj, jöjjél (gyere) | jöjjetek (gyertek)
menj, menjél | menjetek
légy, legyél | legyetek
B. The Subject-Object Suffix -lak, -lek

Hungarian has a verbal ending, -lak, -lek, which equals the combination first person singular subject plus second person familiar direct object: látlak - "I see you". Note in the chart below how this suffix is added to the various verb stems:

Present | Past | Conditional | Subjunctive
várlak | vártalak | várnálak | várjalak
látlak | láttalak | látnálak | lássalak
hívlak | hívtalak | hívnálak | hívjalak
kérlek | kértelek | kérnélek | kérjelek
hallgatlak | hallgattalak | hallgatnálak | hallgassalak
tanítalak (tanítlak) | tanítottalak | tanítanálak | tanítsalak
értelek (értlek) | értettelek | értenélek | értselek
segítelek (segítlek) | segítettelek | segítenélek | segítselek
küldelek (küldlek) | küldöttelek | küldenélek | küldjelek
viszlek | vittelek | vinnélek | vigyelek
teszlek | tettelek | tennélek | tegyelek

 | 
Future: | vinni foglak
Past Conditional: | vittelek volna
Causative Form: | vitetlek
Potential Form: | vihetlek
Potential and Causative Form: | vitethetlek

Transformation Drill

  1. 89

    Kér valamit?

    Is he asking for something?

  2. 90

    Valakit keres?

    Is he looking for someone?

  1. 91

    Valakit keres?

    Is he looking for someone?

  2. 92

    Hol állnak meg?

    Where do they stop?

  3. 93

    Értenek magyarul?

    Do they understand Hungarian?

  1. 94

    Értenek magyarul?

    Do they understand Hungarian?

  2. 95

    Szereti a gyerekeket?

    Does he like children?

  1. 96

    Szereti a gyerekeket?

    Does he like children?

  2. 97

    Megeszik az ebédet?

    Are they eating up the lunch?

  3. 98

    Olvas vagy tanul?

    Is he reading or studying?

  1. 99

    Olvas vagy tanul?

    Is he reading or studying?

  2. 100

    Egykor ebédelt.

    He had lunch at one o'clock.

  1. 101

    Egykor ebédelt.

    He had lunch at one o'clock.

  2. 102

    Győzelmet arattak.

    They won a victory.

  1. 103

    Győzelmet arattak.

    They won a victory.

  2. 104

    Megelőzte a kocsit?

    Did he pass the car?

  3. 105

    Megették a fagylaltot?

    Did they eat up the ice cream?

  1. 106

    Megették a fagylaltot?

    Did they eat up the ice cream?

  2. 107

    Nem fáztak?

    Didn't they feel cold?

  1. 108

    Nem fáztak?

    Didn't they feel cold?

  2. 109

    Enne gyümölcsöt?

    Would he eat fruit?

  3. 110

    Megvenné a kabátot?

    Would he buy the coat?

  1. 111

    Megvenné a kabátot?

    Would he buy the coat?

  2. 112

    Mikor indulnának?

    When would they leave?

  1. 113

    Mikor indulnának?

    When would they leave?

  2. 114

    Megvennék a vasúti jegyeket?

    Would they buy the train tickets?

  3. 115

    Ha szép idő lenne, kirándulna.

    If the weather were nice, he would go on an excursion.

  1. 116

    Ha szép idő lett volna, kirándult volna?

    If the weather had been nice, would he have gone on an excursion?

  2. 117

    Igyon egy kis bort.

    Have a little wine.

  1. 118

    Igyon egy kis bort.

    Have a little wine.

  2. 119

    Korán feküdjön le.

    Go to bed early.

  3. 120

    Várja meg a gyereket.

    Wait for the child.

  1. 121

    Várja meg a gyereket.

    Wait for the child.

  2. 122

    Eddze magát!

    Train yourself!

  1. 123

    Beszéljenek magyarul!

    Speak Hungarian, you two!

  2. 124

    Nyissák ki az ablakokat!

    Open the windows, you two!

  1. 125

    Nyissák ki az ablakokat!

    Open the windows, you two!

  2. 126

    Gyújtson lámpát!

    Light a lamp!

  3. 127

    Megveheti a házat?

    Can he buy the house?

  1. 128

    Megveheti a házat?

    Can he buy the house?

  2. 129

    Megoperáltatja magát?

    Is he having himself operated on?

  1. 130

    Elvitetheti a csomagokat.

    He can have the packages taken away.

  2. 131

    Magát látja a gyerek.

    The child sees you.

  1. 132

    Magát látja a gyerek.

    The child sees you.

  2. 133

    Magát szeretem.

    I love you.

  3. 134

    Egy hétig magát ápoltam.

    I nursed you for a week.

  1. 135

    Egy hétig magát ápoltam.

    I nursed you for a week.

  2. 136

    Elvigyem magát is?

    Shall I take you along too?

  3. 137

    Most elaltatom magát.

    I'm putting you to sleep now.

  1. 138

    Most elaltatom magát.

    I'm putting you to sleep now.

  2. 139

    Elvihetem magát is.

    I can take you along too.

  3. 140

    Magának adom a könyvet.

    I'm giving the book to you.

  1. 141

    Magának adom a könyvet.

    I'm giving the book to you.

  2. 142

    Magukért megyek.

    I'm going for you.

  3. 143

    Magánál van a ceruzám?

    Do you have my pencil?

  1. 144

    Magánál van a ceruzám?

    Do you have my pencil?

  2. 145

    Maga előtt mennek.

    They are walking in front of you.

  1. 146

    Maga előtt mennek.

    They are walking in front of you.

  2. 147

    Szabad leülnöm maga mellé?

    May I sit down next to you?

  3. 148

    Elmegyek maguk közül.

    I'm leaving from among you.

  1. 149

    Elmegyek maguk közül.

    I'm leaving from among you.

  2. 150

    A kedvenc írom amerikai.

    My favorite writer is American.

  3. 151

    Fehér kocsim van.

    I have a white car.

  1. 152

    Fehér kocsim van.

    I have a white car.

  2. 153

    Az apámnak nagy könyvtára van.

    My father has a big library.

  3. 154

    Itt vannak a lányaim.

    Here are my daughters.

  1. 155

    Itt vannak a lányaim.

    Here are my daughters.

  2. 156

    Megmérem a lázát.

    I'm taking his temperature.

  3. 157

    Láttam a fényképeiket.

    I saw their photographs.

  1. 158

    Láttam a fényképeiket.

    I saw their photographs.

  2. 159

    Kinek a könyve ez? A magáé?

    Whose book is this? Is it yours?

Vocabulary Drill, part II

  1. 160

    A lány szép.

    The girl is pretty.

Vocabulary Drill

  1. 161

    The girls in Budapest are pretty. I like them.

  2. 162

    I'd like to get into the State Department. I talked to the personnel chief. I think he liked me.

  3. 163

    Kovács' children are well brought up. I like them very much.

  4. 164

    How have you liked the houses which you have seen up to the present?

  5. 165

    I think this woman likes me. She's always looking at me.

  6. 166

    The girl's not only pretty but she's good too. Not only does everybody like her but they really love her.

  7. 167

    We got a good dinner. We liked it.

  8. 168

    Many people don't like spicy food.

  9. 169

    They liked the stuffed cabbage a lot.

  1. 170

    This light wine is good. I like it.

  2. 171

    Cold beer is pleasant on a warm day.

  3. 172

    It's pleasant to rest after work.

  4. 173

    It's pleasant to sleep late Sundays.

  5. 174

    It's pleasant for me to sit in the sun.

  6. 175

    It was pleasant for us to sit in a warm room in the winter.

  7. 176

    It was very pleasant for them to chat with you.

  8. 177

    It was really nice of you to think of us ('that you thought of us').

  9. 178

    Kovács' feelings will be hurt if they don't invite him.

  1. 179

    Eve will be hurt if you don't go to them.

  2. 180

    They were hurt that I didn't write.

  3. 181

    I was hurt that they were joking.

  4. 182

    The secretary was hurt that he wasn't transferred to Budapest.

Translation Drill

  1. 183

    One evening Johnson went home with one of his Hungarian friends, Somogyi, and turned the radio on.

  2. 184

    On Radio Budapest they were just playing Kodály's 'Dances of Marosszék'.

  3. 185

    Somogyi's favorite composer is Kodály.

  4. 186

    Johnson likes Kodály also. He has already seen his two operas, "Hári János" and "Székelyfonó".

  5. 187

    In these operas Kodály made use of Hungarian folksongs.

  6. 188

    Somogyi told Johnson that at the beginning of the century two Hungarian composers, Bartók and Kodály, went from village to village collecting Hungarian folksongs.

  7. 189

    These songs had been handed down by word of mouth from generation to generation.

  8. 190

    This music is the basis of Bartók's modern music also.

  9. 191

    Béla Bartók's name is known everywhere and his music is played all over the world.

  10. 192

    His most famous works are the "Duke Bluebeard's Castle" and "Miraculous Mandarin".

  11. 193

    One of the greatest composers and pianists of the 19th century was also a Hungarian: Franz Liszt.

  12. 194

    His Hungarian rhapsodies are well known everywhere.

  13. 195

    Before him, many famous foreign composers had already used Hungarian musical themes in their compositions.

  1. 196

    Afterwards Johnson inquired about the radio programs.

  2. 197

    Somogyi told him that Radio Budapest often broadcasts scientific and cultural lectures.

  3. 198

    They often have lectures concerning the development of Hungarian literature and poetry.

  4. 199

    The "golden age" of Hungarian literature was in the 19th century.

  5. 200

    Unfortunately because of language difficulties not many Hungarian writers and poets are known abroad.

  6. 201

    Somogyi told him afterwards that in 1825 the Hungarian Academy of Sciences was established.

  7. 202

    The Academy was of significant influence in the development of the Hungarian language and literature.

  8. 203

    According to the Academy it's main task is to keep the Hungarian language pure.

  9. 204

    Afterwards they talked about the buildings in Budapest. One evening there was also a lecture about it on the radio.

  10. 205

    The University Church in Pest and St. Anne's church in Buda are the most beautiful examples of the Baroque period.

  11. 206

    An architectural masterpiece in renaissance style is the Hungarian State Opera House in Budapest.

  12. 207

    The Parliament in its time was one of the most beautiful neo-Gothic buildings in Europe.

  13. 208

    The Museum of Fine Arts is built in classical Greek style.

  1. 209

    In the Museum of Fine Arts there is a rich collection of paintings by foreign painters.

  2. 210

    Every great renaissance artist is represented there.

  3. 211

    The collection of Hungarian paintings is in the National Gallery.

  4. 212

    Only a few people know that a Hungarian painter, Paul Szinyei-Merse, preceded the French impressionists with his painting "Picnic in May".

  5. 213

    There are several million books in the libraries of Budapest.

  6. 214

    In the Hungarian Opera House they perform foreign and Hungarian operas. Hungarian opera singers have always been famous.

  7. 215

    The Hungarian State Folk Ensemble is always very successful. Whenever they perform it's very difficult to get tickets.

  8. 216

    At the Margaret Island outdoor theater they perform operas and classical Hungarian and foreign plays every summer.

  9. 217

    There is an open air theater in Szeged also. Madách's "The Tragedy of Man" is performed there every year.

  10. 218

    Afterwards Johnson and Somogyi started to talk about Hungarian folk craft.

  11. 219

    Johnson has already seen the folk craft and folk costumes of different regions. He likes the one in Mezőkövesd best, that is, "matyó".

  12. 220

    Village women and girls everywhere embroider beautiful blouses, skirts and head scarves.

  13. 221

    Somogyi said that he had been in Kalocsa. There women paint without any training.

  1. 222

    All of Kalocsa looks like a flowery, multi-colored box. There are flowers and birds painted everywhere on gates, doors, windows and walls.

  2. 223

    Then they talked about the cultural life of the country people.

  3. 224

    Since there are television sets even in the smallest villages they can see and hear the opera and theater performances from Budapest.

  4. 225

    They specially enjoy the operettas of Imre Kálmán and Lehár.

  5. 226

    They often perform Shakespeare's plays and the works of modern western authors at the National Theater.

  6. 227

    The Hungarians want to preserve at any price their thousand-year-old Western culture.

Response Drill

  1. 228

    When did the Magyars go to the territory of Hungary?

  2. 229

    What did they bring with them from their long journey?

  3. 230

    What did two Hungarian composers do at the beginning of the 20th century?

  4. 231

    How did the Hungarian folk songs survive until the 20th century?

  5. 232

    Who used these songs in their works?

  6. 233

    Do you know the works of Bartók and Kodály?

  7. 234

    Do you know a composer from the 19th century who was Hungarian?

  8. 235

    Do you know anything about Hungarian folk art?

  9. 236

    What do you know about Hungarian folk costume?

  1. 237

    In which museum can one see the masterpieces of Hungarian folk art and folk costume?

  2. 238

    When was the "golden age" of Hungarian literature?

  3. 239

    Why aren't Hungarian writers and poets known abroad?

  4. 240

    Do you know a few Hungarian writers and poets, and have you read anything by them?

  5. 241

    Who wrote Carousel, and what was the play's Hungarian title?

  6. 242

    When was the Hungarian Academy of Sciences founded?

  7. 243

    What did the founding of the Academy have a great influence on?

  8. 244

    Who offered a year's income from his estates for the founding of the Academy?

  9. 245

    Who was István Széchenyi?

  1. 246

    Who was Lajos Kossuth? What do you know about him?

  2. 247

    Who is the Hungarian painter who is considered abroad the greatest Hungarian painter?

  3. 248

    What do they usually perform at the Margaret Island Open-Air Theater?

  4. 249

    Where does the State Folk Dance Ensemble usually appear?

  5. 250

    How can country people see and hear the performances of the Budapest theaters and opera?

  6. 251

    What kind of culture do the Hungarians have?

  7. 252

    What kind of culture do the Americans have?

  8. 253

    What scientific institutes do you know in America?

  9. 254

    Which is the most famous open-air theater in America?

  1. 255

    Who is the most famous living composer?

  2. 256

    What do you know about American folk art?

  3. 257

    Do you know the abstract American painters?

Conversation Practice 1

  1. 258

    Hello, János!

  2. 259

    Welcome, Péter! I've been waiting for you for a long time.

  3. 260

    Excuse me for coming so late, but I had to work overtime at the office.

  4. 261

    It doesn't matter. Sit down. What would you like to drink? A little plum brandy?

  5. 262

    Thanks, if you had beer I'd rather ask for that. It's very warm and at such a time a little beer is pleasant.

  6. 263

    Of course I have. I'll bring it right away.

  7. 264

    Do you feel like going somewhere for supper?

  8. 265

    With pleasure. Where do you want to go?

  9. 266

    Perhaps to the Margaret Island Grand Hotel. They have music and dancing there in the garden.

  10. 267

    Good idea. It will be pleasant to have supper in the garden.

Conversation Practice 2

  1. 268

    Have you been to the Opera lately?

  2. 269

    I was there last week.

  3. 270

    What did you see?

  4. 271

    The State Folk Dance Ensemble. I enjoyed them very much.

  5. 272

    I haven't been to the Opera for a long time. The last thing I saw was Bartók's "Miraculous Mandarin".

  6. 273

    I saw that too. Perhaps this year they will perform it at the Margaret Island Open-Air Theater too. Then I'll see it once more.

  7. 274

    I'd rather like to see Madách's "Tragedy of Man". They usually put that on at the Open-Air Theater too.

Conversation Practice 3

  1. 275

    Yesterday I heard a good lecture on the radio.

  2. 276

    What did they talk about?

  3. 277

    About the political and cultural life of the last century.

  4. 278

    Lately there are good scientific and cultural lectures on the radio.

  5. 279

    Yes. This is a great stroke of luck for the people in the country. They too can enjoy the fruits of science and culture, even if they live far from the city.

  6. 280

    I, on the other hand, tuned in the Voice of America this evening.

  7. 281

    You don't say! Was it interesting?

  8. 282

    Interesting enough. I listened to the world news.

  9. 283

    Weren't you afraid that the janitor would hear?

  10. 284

    Why should I be afraid? These days everybody listens to it!

Narrative

  1. 285

    According to today's historians, thousands of years ago the Magyars lived in the northeastern corner of Europe.

  2. 286

    From there they went east across the Ural Mountains.

  3. 287

    After several thousand years they arrived in 896 in the territory of present-day Hungary.

  4. 288

    From their long journey they brought with them various traditions.

  5. 289

    One of the most important of these is Hungarian folk music.

  6. 290

    In the 20th

  7. 291

    century, at the beginning, two Hungarian composers, Béla Bartók and Zoltán Kodály, going from village to village, collected the folk songs which the Hungarian peasantry had kept pure through the centuries.

  8. 292

    These songs had been handed down by word of mouth from generation to generation.

  9. 293

    This music became the basis of the new Hungarian music, which has since gone around the whole world and been a success everywhere.

  10. 294

    Béla Bartók, of the 20th

  11. 295

    century, is one of its greatest composers.

  12. 296

    His works are known in all parts of the world.

  13. 297

    The other composer (still living today) is Zoltán Kodály.

  14. 298

    His music is also played everywhere.

  15. 299

    He devoted his life and art to Hungarian music.

  16. 300

    Of the 19th

  17. 301

    century, one of the greatest composers was Hungarian too: Ferenc Liszt.

  18. 302

    His Hungarian rhapsodies are well known all over the world.

  1. 303

    Hungarian folk art is also based on traditions centuries old.

  2. 304

    Different regions have different folk costumes and folk arts.

  3. 305

    The fame of the folk art of Kalocsa, the "pingálás" (painting), has reached the whole world.

  4. 306

    The whole town is like a beautiful, many-colored box of flowers.

  5. 307

    Brightly painted walls, gates, doors and windows are everywhere.

  6. 308

    The women of Kalocsa "do art" without any training.

  7. 309

    They just step up and, without any planning or drawing beforehand, "paint something," as they say.

  8. 310

    Their art is very rich: various flowers and birds.

  9. 311

    Their chief characteristic is the many colors, which characterize their embroidery too.

  10. 312

    They embroider beautiful blouses, handkerchiefs, bed linen, curtains, tablecloths, head scarves and dolls.

  11. 313

    The "Matyó" folk costume of Mezőkövesd is also beautiful.

  12. 314

    Their embroidery too, like the embroidery of the other regions, is characterized by the fact that they do not learn it and do not plan it beforehand.

  13. 315

    They just embroider.

  14. 316

    They have wonderfully rich colors.

  15. 317

    Another masterpiece of Hungarian folk art is lace.

  16. 318

    According to experts it rivals Brussels lace.

  1. 319

    Although the first written record of the Hungarians is from the 13th

  2. 320

    century, the golden age of Hungarian literature was only in the 19th

  3. 321

    century.

  4. 322

    This age gave the Hungarian nation three great poets: Sándor Petőfi, János Arany and Mihály Vörösmarty.

  5. 323

    Petőfi's "National Song" lit the fire of the war of independence in 1848.

  6. 324

    Vörösmarty is one of the grand masters of lyric poetry.

  7. 325

    His famous work "Csongor and Tünde" can be compared with Shakespeare's "Midsummer Night's Dream".

  8. 326

    János Arany's epic poems "The Death of Buda" and "Toldi" are even today the most valuable classical reading of the Hungarians.

  9. 327

    Among the novelists of that time, Baron Miklós Jósika is the "Hungarian Sir Walter Scott" and Baron Zsigmond Kemény the "Hungarian Balzac".

  10. 328

    The books of Mór Jókai, the great Hungarian storyteller, are still widely read.

  11. 329

    The Hungarians compare Imre Madách's "Tragedy of Man" to the works of Dante:

  12. 330

    In this age they began to translate the classics of world literature into Hungarian, chiefly the western writers, first of all Shakespeare.

  13. 331

    Lajos Kossuth, the great leader of the war of independence of 1848, translated Macbeth in prison.

  14. 332

    In prison he learned English so well that, during his trip to America, with his English speeches and his knowledge he won the admiration of Emerson and Longfellow.

  1. 333

    In the 20th

  2. 334

    In the first half of the century Endre Ady was the founder of modern Hungarian poetry.

  3. 335

    Mihály Babits's "History of European Literature" has been translated into all the western languages.

  4. 336

    Attila József was one of the most talented poets.

  5. 337

    He died young and in great poverty.

  6. 338

    The present regime proclaimed him the poet of the proletarians.

  7. 339

    Zsigmond Móricz and Dezső Szabó wrote timelessly beautiful books about the life and calling of the peasants.

  8. 340

    The novels of Sándor Márai and Lajos Zilahy have been translated into German and English and are well known in Europe.

  9. 341

    Although the Hungarians have had and have many talented poets and writers, because of the language difficulties they are hardly known abroad.

  10. 342

    The works of many Hungarian writers and poets have indeed been translated into foreign languages, but in translation the work often loses its beauty and its true meaning.

  11. 343

    Among the Hungarian painters who lived in the last century, Mihály Munkácsy is the best known and most popular abroad.

  12. 344

    Pál Szinyei Merse preceded the French impressionists with his painting "Picnic in May".

  13. 345

    In Budapest, in the Art Gallery, there are permanent exhibitions by the new painters, many of whom have won prizes abroad too.

  14. 346

    The collection of the old Hungarian painters has found a permanent home in the Hungarian National Gallery.

  15. 347

    In the Museum of Fine Arts there is a splendid collection by foreign painters.

  1. 348

    Budapest is the center of Hungarian scientific and cultural life.

  2. 349

    The collections of the Budapest museums are famous and rich.

  3. 350

    In the libraries there are several million books.

  4. 351

    Industrious scientific work goes on in the research institutes of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences.

  5. 352

    (The Hungarian Academy of Sciences was founded in 1825.

  6. 353

    István Széchenyi, the great Hungarian statesman, offered a year's income from his estates for the founding of the Academy.

  7. 354

    The Academy has had and still has a great influence on Hungarian cultural life.) The Academy is entrusted with keeping the Hungarian language pure.

  8. 355

    Although the cultural center is in Budapest, there is a lively cultural life in the provincial cities too.

  9. 356

    Almost every larger city has a permanent theater and theater company.

  10. 357

    The theaters of Debrecen and Szeged were famous in the old days too.

  11. 358

    Since there has been television, even in the smallest village people can see the performances of the theater and the opera, and listen to concerts and scientific lectures.

  12. 359

    The Hungarian opera and ballet company is first-rate and famous in Europe.

  13. 360

    The operettas of Imre Kálmán and Lehár are still popular.

  14. 361

    In the theaters, besides old and new Hungarian plays, they perform a great many foreign plays.

  15. 362

    Shakespeare's plays are on the program every year.

  16. 363

    Even under the present regime the Hungarians cling to their western culture, which they acquired over a thousand years.

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.