Language/Hungarian/Vocabulary/Introducing-Yourself

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Hungarian → Vocabulary → 0 to A1 Course → Greetings and Introductions → Introducing Yourself

Introduction

Welcome to the lesson on introducing yourself in Hungarian! In this lesson, we will learn how to introduce yourself and ask for someone's name in Hungarian. We will also practice using polite forms and expressions for formal and informal situations. Introducing yourself is an essential skill in any language, as it allows you to make connections with others and start conversations. By the end of this lesson, you will be able to confidently introduce yourself in Hungarian and have basic conversations with native speakers.

Part 1: Basic Greetings

Before we dive into introducing ourselves, let's first learn some basic greetings in Hungarian. Greetings are the foundation of any conversation, and knowing how to greet someone properly is crucial for building rapport. Here are a few common greetings in Hungarian:

1. "Hello" - "Szia"

The most common way to say "hello" in Hungarian is "Szia." This greeting can be used in both formal and informal situations. It is equivalent to the English "hi" or "hello."

Examples:

Hungarian	Pronunciation	English
Szia	[sia]	Hello
Sziasztok	[siasztok]	Hello (informal, plural)

2. "Good morning" - "Jó reggelt"

To greet someone in the morning, you can say "Jó reggelt." This is the Hungarian equivalent of "good morning" in English. It is used until around midday.

Examples:

Hungarian	Pronunciation	English
Jó reggelt	[jo reggelt]	Good morning

3. "Good afternoon" - "Jó napot"

In the afternoon, you can greet someone by saying "Jó napot." This is the Hungarian equivalent of "good afternoon" in English.

Examples:

Hungarian	Pronunciation	English
Jó napot	[jo napot]	Good afternoon

4. "Good evening" - "Jó estét"

To greet someone in the evening, you can say "Jó estét." This is the Hungarian equivalent of "good evening" in English.

Examples:

Hungarian	Pronunciation	English
Jó estét	[jo estet]	Good evening

5. "Goodbye" - "Viszlát"

When it's time to say goodbye, you can use the word "Viszlát" in Hungarian. This is the equivalent of "goodbye" in English.

Examples:

Hungarian	Pronunciation	English
Viszlát	[viszlat]	Goodbye

Now that we have learned some basic greetings, let's move on to the main topic of this lesson - introducing yourself!

Part 2: Introducing Yourself

Introducing yourself is an important skill when learning a new language. It allows you to make a good first impression and start conversations with native speakers. In this section, we will learn how to introduce yourself in Hungarian and ask for someone's name. Let's get started!

1. "My name is..." - "A nevem..."

To introduce yourself in Hungarian, you can say "A nevem..." followed by your name. This phrase literally translates to "My name is..." in English.

Examples:

Hungarian	Pronunciation	English
A nevem Péter.	[a nevem pe-ter]	My name is Peter.
A nevem Anna.	[a nevem anna]	My name is Anna.

2. "What is your name?" - "Mi a neved?"

To ask someone's name in Hungarian, you can use the phrase "Mi a neved?" This is the equivalent of "What is your name?" in English.

Examples:

Hungarian	Pronunciation	English
Mi a neved?	[mi a neved]	What is your name?
Mi a neve? (formal)	[mi a neve]	What is your name? (formal)

3. "Nice to meet you" - "Örülök, hogy megismertelek"

After introducing yourself or learning someone's name, it's polite to say "Örülök, hogy megismertelek" in Hungarian, which means "Nice to meet you" in English.

Examples:

Hungarian	Pronunciation	English
Örülök, hogy megismertelek.	[orulok hogh megismertelek]	Nice to meet you.
Örülök, hogy megismertem. (formal)	[orulok hogh megismertem]	Nice to meet you. (formal)

4. "Where are you from?" - "Honnan jöttél?"

To ask someone where they are from, you can use the phrase "Honnan jöttél?" in Hungarian. This is the equivalent of "Where are you from?" in English.

Examples:

Hungarian	Pronunciation	English
Honnan jöttél?	[honnan jottel]	Where are you from?
Honnan jött? (formal)	[honnan jott]	Where are you from? (formal)

5. "I am from..." - "Én ...-ból/ből származom"

To answer the question "Where are you from?" in Hungarian, you can say "Én ...-ból/ből származom," followed by the name of your country or city. The word "ból" is used when the name ends in a vowel, while "ből" is used when the name ends in a consonant.

Examples:

Hungarian	Pronunciation	English
Én Magyarországról származom.	[en magyarorszagrol szarmazom]	I am from Hungary.
Én Budapestről származom.	[en budapestről származom]	I am from Budapest.

Now that you know how to introduce yourself and ask for someone's name in Hungarian, let's move on to the next section where we'll explore the cultural aspects of greetings and introductions in Hungary.

Cultural Insight: Greetings and Introductions in Hungary

In Hungarian culture, greetings and introductions play an important role in social interactions. Hungarians are generally warm and friendly people, and it is customary to greet others with a smile and a handshake. When meeting someone for the first time, it is polite to make eye contact and use their last name with the appropriate title (e.g., Mr., Mrs., or Miss) until given permission to use their first name.

Hungarians often use both formal and informal greetings, depending on the context and the level of familiarity with the person. In formal situations, such as business meetings or when meeting someone older or in a higher position, it is common to use the formal greetings "Jó napot" (good afternoon) or "Jó estét" (good evening). In informal situations, such as meeting friends or family members, the informal greeting "Szia" (hello) is more commonly used.

When introducing yourself, it is important to be polite and use the appropriate level of formality. If you are unsure of the level of formality to use, it is safer to err on the side of formality until the other person indicates otherwise. Hungarians appreciate when foreigners make an effort to learn their language, so don't be afraid to practice your Hungarian greetings and introductions with native speakers.

Practice Exercises

Now it's time to put your knowledge into practice! Try the following exercises to reinforce what you have learned:

Exercise 1: Introducing Yourself - Imagine you are meeting a new Hungarian friend. Introduce yourself using the phrases and greetings you have learned in this lesson. Practice saying your name, asking for their name, and using the phrase "Nice to meet you."

Exercise 2: Role Play - Pair up with a classmate or language partner. Take turns pretending to be strangers meeting for the first time. Use the phrases and greetings from this lesson to introduce yourselves and have a short conversation. Be sure to use both formal and informal greetings, depending on the context.

Exercise 3: Cultural Comparison - Research greetings and introductions in another culture. Compare and contrast the customs and practices with those in Hungary. Share your findings with your class or language exchange partner.

Solutions

Exercise 1: Introducing Yourself - Practice introducing yourself using the phrases and greetings provided in this lesson. Use the following structure as a guide: "My name is [your name]. Nice to meet you. Where are you from?"

Example: "A nevem Anna. Örülök, hogy megismertelek. Honnan jöttél?"

Exercise 2: Role Play - Practice the role play exercise with your classmate or language partner. Take turns introducing yourselves and having a short conversation using the phrases and greetings from this lesson.

Example: Person A: Szia! A nevem Péter. Örülök, hogy megismertelek. Person B: Szia Péter! Én Anna vagyok. Örülök, hogy megismertelek. Budapestről jöttem.

Exercise 3: Cultural Comparison - Research greetings and introductions in another culture, such as Japan or Brazil. Compare and contrast the customs and practices with those in Hungary. Discuss the similarities and differences with your class or language exchange partner.

Conclusion

Congratulations! You have completed the lesson on introducing yourself in Hungarian. In this lesson, we learned how to greet others and introduce ourselves using basic Hungarian phrases. We also explored the cultural aspects of greetings and introductions in Hungary. Remember to practice your new language skills regularly to reinforce what you have learned. In the next lesson, we will continue building our vocabulary and language skills. Jó munkát! (Good job!)

Table of Contents - Hungarian Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

  ---

Greetings and Introductions

• Basic Greetings
• Introducing Yourself

  ---

Pronouns and Verb Conjugation

• Personal Pronouns
• Present Tense Verb Conjugation

  ---

Numbers and Time

• Numbers 1-100
• Telling Time

  ---

Questions and Negation

• Asking Questions
• Negation

  ---

Family and Relationships

• Family Members
• Relationships

  ---

Adjectives and Adverbs

• Descriptive Adjectives
• Adverbs of Time and Frequency

  ---

Food and Dining

• Common Foods and Drinks
• Ordering at a Restaurant

  ---

Prepositions and Location

• Common Prepositions
• Expressing Location

  ---

Travel and Transportation

• Modes of Transportation
• Asking for Directions

  ---

Hungarian Customs and Traditions

• Holidays and Celebrations
• Traditional Foods

  ---

Possessive Pronouns and Plurals

• Possessive Pronouns
• Forming Plurals

  ---

Hobbies and Leisure Activities

• Common Hobbies
• Discussing Interests

  ---

Hungarian History and Geography

• Important Historical Events
• Geography of Hungary

Sources

• How to introduce yourself in Hungarian - A good place to start ...
• Hungarian language lesson: How to introduce yourself – How to ...
• Self Introductions - HungarianPod101

Other Lessons

• Farewell
• Greetings
• Countries
• Hotel Restaurant
• Relationships
• Basic Greetings
• Body
• Modes of Transportation
• Question words
• Business and work

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