Language/Hungarian/Grammar/Pronunciation-and-accentuation
As a Hungarian language teacher with 20 years of experience, I believe that pronunciation and accentuation are the backbone of any language learning journey. When it comes to Hungarian, mastering the correct pronunciation and accentuation is crucial for effective communication. In this lesson, we will learn about the Hungarian alphabet and how to pronounce words with correct accentuation.
Consider broadening your understanding by checking out these related lessons: Descriptive Adjectives & How to form the feminine.
Hungarian Alphabet
The Hungarian alphabet has 44 letters including both vowels and consonants. Here is the alphabet in Hungarian:
| Hungarian | Pronunciation | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| A a | /ɒ/ | a |
| Á á | /aː/ | long a |
| B b | /beː/ | b |
| C c | /t͡s/ | c |
| Cs cs | /t͡ʃ/ | ch |
| D d | /deː/ | d |
| E e | /ɛ/ | e |
| É é | /eː/ | long e |
| F f | /ɛf/ | f |
| G g | /ɡeː/ | g |
| Gy gy | /ɟ/ | j |
| H h | /hɒ/ | h |
| I i | /i/ | i |
| Í í | /iː/ | long i |
| J j | /jɒ/ | y |
| K k | /kɒ/ | k |
| L l | /ɛl/ | l |
| Ly ly | /j/ | ly |
| M m | /ɛm/ | m |
| N n | /ɛn/ | n |
| Ny ny | /ɲ/ | ny |
| O o | /ɔ/ | o |
| Ó ó | /oː/ | long o |
| Ö ö | /ø/ | eu |
| Ő ő | /øː/ | long eu |
| P p | /peː/ | p |
| Q q | /ku/ | q |
| R r | /ɛr/ | r |
| S s | /ɛʃ/ | s |
| Sz sz | /s/ | s |
| T t | /teː/ | t |
| Ty ty | /c/ | ty |
| U u | /u/ | u |
| Ú ú | /uː/ | long u |
| Ü ü | /y/ | ü |
| Ű ű | /yː/ | long ü |
| V v | /veː/ | v |
| W w | /dupla vé/ | w |
| X x | /iks/ | x |
| Y y | /iɡrɛk/ | igrek |
| Z z | /zɛt/ | z |
| Zs zs | /ʒ/ | zh |
Pronunciation and Accentuation
Hungarian words are pronounced phonetically, which means they are pronounced as they are spelled. There are a few rules that govern the pronunciation of Hungarian words:
1. Every letter is pronounced. 2. Every syllable has only one vowel. 3. Words are stressed on the first syllable.
To master the accentuation of Hungarian words, it is important to understand the concept of vowel harmony. This is the idea that the vowels in each word must belong to the same group of front or back vowels. The front vowels are /i/, /e/, and /ɛ/ while the back vowels are /u/, /o/, and /ɒ/.
To better understand this concept, let's take a look at some examples:
| Hungarian | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| konyha | /ˈkonjhɒ/ | kitchen |
| cica | /ˈt͡sit͡sɒ/ | kitten |
| tej | /tɛj/ | milk |
| tél | /teːl/ | winter |
As you can see, the vowels in each word belong to the same vowel group.
Now, let's take a look at some examples of accentuated words in Hungarian:
| Hungarian | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| magyar | /ˈmɒɟɒr/ | Hungarian |
| mérgező | /ˈmeːrgɛzøː/ | poisonous |
| bomba | /ˈbombɒ/ | bomb |
| futás | /fun / taːʃ/ | running |
As you can see, the accentuation is always on the first syllable.
Tips for Practicing Pronunciation and Accentuation
1. Listen to Hungarian music and watch Hungarian movies with subtitles. 2. Practice speaking Hungarian with native speakers or language partners. 3. Use language learning apps that offer voice recognition technology. 4. Record yourself speaking and compare it to recordings of native speakers.
By following these tips and mastering the correct pronunciation and accentuation of Hungarian words, you will be well on your way to effective communication in Hungarian.
Sources
- "Hungarian alphabet." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 15 Aug. 2021. Web. 5 Sep. 2021.
- "Hungarian phonology." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 29 Jul. 2021. Web. 5 Sep. 2021.
Other Lessons
- Questions
- Passive voice and indirect speech
- Negation
- Aspect and mood combinations
- Adjectives and adverbs
- Give your Opinion
- Conditional and subjunctive moods
- Gender
- Verbs and tenses
- 0 to A1 Course
Sources
- The Hungarian alphabet [HungarianReference.com > Alphabet ...
- The Only Hungarian Pronunciation Guide You'll Ever Need
- Hungarian accents