Language/Hungarian/Vocabulary/Numbers-1-100
As a beginner in Hungarian, one of the first things you need to learn is how to count from 1 to 100. In this lesson, I'm going to teach you the Hungarian numbers from 1 to 100 and how to use them in various contexts.
Basic Numbers
Let's start with the basic numbers from 1 to 10:
Hungarian | Pronunciation | English |
---|---|---|
egy | [ɛɟ] | one |
kettő | [ˈkɛt.tøː] | two |
három | [ˈhaːrom] | three |
négy | [ˈneːɟ] | four |
öt | [øt] | five |
hat | [hɒt] | six |
hét | [heːt] | seven |
nyolc | [ɲolt͡s] | eight |
kilenc | [ˈki.lɛnt͡s] | nine |
tíz | [tiːz] | ten |
These words might look difficult to pronounce, but don't worry too much about that. Focus on listening to the audio that accompanies these words (you can find these audios in the online course material). Say the words out loud, and try to imitate the pronunciation as much as you can.
Once you feel comfortable with these basic numbers, let's move on to the next set:
Numbers 11-20
The numbers from 11 to 20 are formed differently in Hungarian than in English. Instead of saying "eleven," "twelve," etc., Hungarian speakers say "ten-one," "ten-two," etc. Here are the numbers from 11 to 20:
Hungarian | Pronunciation | English |
---|---|---|
tizenegy | [ˈtit͡sɛnɛɟ] | eleven |
tizenkettő | [ˈtit͡sɛnkɛt.tøː] | twelve |
tizenhárom | [ˈtit͡sɛnhaːrom] | thirteen |
tizennégy | [ˈtit͡sɛnneːɟ] | fourteen |
tizenöt | [ˈtit͡sɛnøt] | fifteen |
tizenhat | [ˈtit͡sɛnhɒt] | sixteen |
tizenhét | [ˈtit͡sɛnheːt] | seventeen |
tizennyolc | [ˈtit͡sɛɲːolt͡s] | eighteen |
tizenkilenc | [ˈtit͡sɛnkilɛnt͡s] | nineteen |
húsz | [huːs] | twenty |
Notice that in Hungarian, the number "ten" is "tíz," and the numbers from 11 to 19 are formed by combining "tíz" with the appropriate digit (for example, "tizenhét" means "ten-seven"). The number 20 is "húsz."
Now, let's move on to the next set of numbers:
Multiples of 10
The multiples of 10 are easy to form in Hungarian. To form numbers such as 30, 40, 50, and so on, simply take the appropriate digit (3, 4, 5, etc.) and add "-ven" to the end of it. For example:
Hungarian | Pronunciation | English |
---|---|---|
harminc | [ˈhɒr.mint͡s] | thirty |
negyven | [ˈnɛɟ.vɛn] | forty |
ötven | [ˈøt.vɛn] | fifty |
hatvan | [ˈhɒt.vɒn] | sixty |
hetven | [ˈhɛt.vɛn] | seventy |
nyolcvan | [ˈɲolt͡s.vɒn] | eighty |
kilencven | [ˈki.lɛnt͡s.vɛn] | ninety |
Notice that in the multiples of 10, the "ven" ending is pronounced like the English word "when."
Finally, let's look at the last set of numbers:
Numbers 21-99
To form numbers between 21 and 99, you'll need to use a combination of the numbers we learned above. For example, to say "21," you would say "húsz-egy" (twenty-one). To say "32," you would say "harminc-kettő" (thirty-two). Here are a few examples:
Hungarian | Pronunciation | English |
---|---|---|
huszonegy | [ˈhu.so.nɛ.ɟ] | twenty-one |
harminchat | [ˈhɒr.min.tʰɒt] | thirty-eight |
negyvenöt | [ˈnɛɟ.vɛ.ˌnøt] | forty-five |
hatvanhét | [ˈhɒt.vɒn.heːt͡s] | sixty-seven |
nyolcvanegy | [ˈɲol.t͡s.vɒn.ɛɟ] | eighty-one |
kilencvenöt | [ˈki.lɛn.t͡s.vɛ.nøt] | ninety-five |
Again, don't worry too much about the pronunciation if you're struggling with it. Focus on listening to the audio that accompanies these words, and try to imitate the sounds as much as you can. With practice, you'll improve your pronunciation over time.
Counting and Cardinal Numbers
In Hungarian, we use cardinal numbers (egy, kettő, három, etc.) to count objects. For example, "egy alma" means "one apple." When we count, we use "egy, kettő, három, négy," and so on. However, when we say the telephone numbers and prices, we use "egy, két, három, négy," and so on.
Let's see some examples:
- "Egy alma" - One apple
- "Két alma" - Two apples
- "Három alma" - Three apples
- "Négy alma" - Four apples
- "Öt alma" - Five apples
Other Uses of Numbers
Apart from counting, Hungarian numbers are used in other contexts as well. For example:
- Telling time (covered in the next lesson)
- Telling one's age (for example, "Harmincöt éves vagyok," which means "I am thirty-five years old")
- Identifying house numbers, floor numbers, apartment numbers, hotel room numbers, etc.
- Prices (in some cases, the price of an item is often quoted using the plural form of the number)
It's important to be familiar with numbers up to 100, as they are used constantly in everyday conversation.
Conclusion
Learning numbers in Hungarian is not hard, but it requires some practice. Focus on listening to the audio that accompanies these words, and try to read and pronounce them as much as you can. With enough practice, you'll be able to count from 1 to 100 in Hungarian like a pro!
I hope this lesson has been helpful in teaching you the Hungarian numbers from 1 to 100. In the next lesson, we'll learn how to tell time in Hungarian.