Learning resources

Let’s Learn Hungarian! is a free podcast, but it’s pretty much a given that if you’re serious about learning a new language, you need to purchase some good materials. Here are some of our favorite print resources, which you can purchase by clicking on the links below:

Dictionaries

Having a good dictionary is obviously quite essential for most learners! Have a look at these:

Hungarian-English Dictionary and English-Hungarian Dictionary by Akadémiai Kiadó.

Akadémiai Kiadó is the name in Hungarian bilingual dictionaries, and I don’t go with anybody else. Plus, at $15 each, they’re a steal. However, the fact that each is over 700 pages long is perhaps overkill for the casual learner or tourist. But the serious learner should definitely get both of these.

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Hungarian-English/English-Hungarian Concise Dictionary by Géza Takács.

I’ve had a look at this and think it’s pretty good for the casual learner or as your first dictionary. It’s only 281 pages, so it can easily be thrown into a backpack if you’re traveling to Hungary on vacation.

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Hungarian Practical Dictionary: Hungarian-English English-Hungarian by Éva Szabó.

This is relatively new and honestly I haven’t had a chance to check it out yet, but I thought I’d include it since it got such good reviews on Amazon.

Grammar books

Hungarian grammar is notorious for its complexity. If there’s any book that can make sense of this, it’s:

Hungarian Verbs & Essentials of Grammar 2nd ed. by Miklós Törkenczy.

I’ve gone through a few Hungarian grammar books in my time, and this is the only one I would wholeheartedly recommend. Törkenczy has reduced the grammar to its bare essentials in just 136 pages, and just the conjugation tables and charts make it worth the money. Seriously, I don’t see how anyone can master Hungarian grammar without this book!

Self-study books

Here are two self-study books that I have used myself and can recommend highly:

Teach Yourself Hungarian Complete Course Audiopack by Zsuzsa Pontifex.

My very first Hungarian textbook! It comes with two 60-minute CDs. She structures her lessons in an interesting, clever way. This is an excellent, accessible resource, particularly for those who think they aren’t “good” at learning foreign languages.

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Colloquial Hungarian: The Complete Course for Beginners by Carol H. Rounds.

Although a bit more expensive than Teach Yourself Hungarian, I think that this includes more material. This book is probably better for those who feel more comfortable with their general ability to learn foreign languages and don’t need to go at a slow pace as in Teach Yourself Hungarian. Also includes two CDs.

More language resources coming soon!