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Hungarian phrasebook

Hungarian (magyar) is a Uralic, non-Indo-European linguistic island spoken in Central Europe found mainly in Hungary but also in parts of Austria, Slovakia, Romania, Ukraine, Slovenia, Croatia and Serbia. It is surrounded by, but not related to, Germanic, Romance and Slavic languages, from which it borrows heavily (the ö, the ü and the knack for combining two-words-in-one from German, the soft sign from Slavs). Its closest relatives are Khanty and Mansi, both spoken in the Khanty–Mansi Autonomous Okrug of Russia. Two of Hungarian's distant relatives, both spoken in Europe, are Finnish and Estonian. It shares the following properties with them: Remember, one difference in pronunciation or vowel length can lead to misinterpretation.
 * There is no grammatical gender.
 * The first syllable is almost always stressed (including in borrowed words).
 * Vowel and consonant length are distinctive; i.e., the meanings of words change when they are altered.
 * Words are marked by case endings ("suffixes") which take on vowels similar to those in the words (e.g., a vonat Budára vagy Pestre közlekedik = the train goes to Buda or Pest). This feature makes Hungarian an agglutinative language.
 * The importance of the similarity of vowels is a common aspect among languages which share a feature known as vowel harmony. The rules of vowel harmony are quite complex, but the phenomenon basically consists of vowels produced in the front of the mouth being placed together and vowels produced in the back of the mouth being placed together, with front and back vowels not being used together.

Understand
English-speakers tend to find most everything about the written language tough going, including a number of unusual sounds like gy (often pronounced like the d in "during" in British English and ű (vaguely like a long English e as in me with rounded lips), as well as agglutinative grammar that leads to fearsome-looking words like eltéveszthetetlen (unmistakable) and viszontlátásra (goodbye).

Also, letters can be pronounced differently than in English: the "s" always has a "sh" sound, the "sz" has the "s" sound, and the "c" is pronounced like the English "ts", to name a few. On the upside, it is written with the familiar Roman alphabet (though one adorned with lots of accents), and — unlike English — it has almost totally phonetic spelling. This means that if you learn how to pronounce the 44 letters of the alphabet and the digraphs, you will be able to pronounce almost every Hungarian word properly.

The stress always falls on the first syllable of any word, so all the goodies on top of the vowels are pronunciation cues, and not indicators of stress. Diphthongs are almost nonexistent in Hungarian (except in adopted foreign words). Just one of many profound grammatical differences from most European languages is that Hungarian does not have or need the verb "to have" in the sense of possession - the indicator of possession is attached to the possessed noun and not the possessor, e.g. Kutya = dog, Kutyám = my dog, Van egy kutyám = I have a dog, or literally "Is one dog-my".

Hungarian has a very specific case system which encompasses the grammatical, locative, oblique, and the less productive; for example a noun used as the subject has no suffix, while when used as a direct object, the letter "t" is attached as a suffix, with a vowel if necessary. One simplifying aspect of Hungarian is that there is no grammatical gender, even with the pronouns "he" or "she", which are both "ő", so one does not have to worry about the random Der, Die, Das sort of thing that occurs in German; "the" is simply "a", or "az" if the following noun starts with a vowel. In Hungarian, family name precedes given name, as in some Asian languages. And the list of differences goes on and on, such as the definite and indefinite conjugational system, vowel harmony, etc. Attempting anything beyond the very basics will gain you a great deal of respect since so few non-native Hungarians ever attempt to learn any of this difficult but fascinating language.

Vowels
Vowel length is indicated by the acute accent. Words are often distinguished only by vowel length: e.g., kór "disease" vs. kor "age".

 * a : like 'o' in "oat" (a very deep "o") → [SYMBOL: å]
 * á : like 'a' in "father" → [SYMBOL: a]
 * e : like 'e' in "let" → [SYMBOL: e]
 * é : like 'a' in "say" → [SYMBOL: ey]
 * i : like i in "machine", but shorter → [SYMBOL: i]
 * í : like 'ee' in "seem" → [SYMBOL: ee]
 * o : like 'o' in "or" → [SYMBOL: o]
 * ó : like 'o' in "so" → [SYMBOL: oa]
 * ö : like 'ö' in German "schön" or English "shun" (with rounded lips) → [SYMBOL: ø]
 * ő : like 'ö' but longer → [SYMBOL: ø̱]
 * u : like 'u' in "Luke" → [SYMBOL: ou]
 * ú : like 'oo' in "moon" → [SYMBOL: oo]
 * ü : like 'ü' in German "über" (like "ee" with rounded lips) → [SYMBOL: ů]
 * ű : like "ü" but longer → [SYMBOL: ů̱]

Consonants
Only the consonants having sounds different from those in English are noted here. Consonant length is distinctive: tizenegyedik "eleventh" vs. tizennegyedik "fourteenth". Consonants written with two letters are doubled by doubling the first letter: asszony "woman". Exception: tizennyolc is tizen-nyolc. Think of pronouncing 'Ben Nevis' with the two n's pronounced separately, with a split-second pause between them.

 * c : like 'ts' in hats → [SYMBOL: ts]
 * cs : like 'ch' in chair → [SYMBOL: ch]
 * dzs : like 'dg' in badge → [SYMBOL: j]
 * gy : like 'd' in duty or 'de y' in made your → [SYMBOL: dj]
 * j : like 'y' in yes → [SYMBOL: y]
 * ly : same as j; except at the end of a word, where it is a palatised l
 * ny : as in canyon or 'ñ' in señor → [SYMBOL: ny]
 * r : always rolled like as in Spanish "María: less guttural than German
 * s : as in sugar → [SYMBOL: sh]. It is easy to confuse this with sz!
 * sz : like 's' in see → [SYMBOL: s]
 * ty : like the 't' in tube or 'ty' in at you [SYMBOL: ty]
 * zs : like 'g' in genre or 's' in pleasure → [SYMBOL: zh]

Grammar
Unless you are seriously considering mastering Hungarian, learning Hungarian grammar on your trip is not realistic. But it can help to at least recognize that the following verb conjugations and noun/adjective declensions are used. Perhaps the most difficult feature of Hungarian is the presence of 18 Grammatical Cases. Hungarian usually follows a Subject-Object-Verb word syntax, and like most Uralic languages, is an agglutinative language.

Case System

 * Nominative: The subject of the sentence, usually no ending.
 * Accusative: Showing possession of the direct object.
 * Illative: When the subject goes into something.
 * Inessive: When the subject goes in something.
 * Elative: When the subject goes out of or out from something.
 * Sublative: When the subject goes onto the object.
 * Suppressive: When the subject goes on or at a particular object.
 * Delative: When the subject goes off, from or about the object.
 * Allative: Towards the object.
 * Adessive: Near, at the object.
 * Ablative: (away) from an object.
 * Dative: to, for an object.
 * Instrumental: With/By an object.
 * Translative: (turning) into
 * Causal-Final: for the purpose of doing something
 * Essive-Formal: As
 * Terminative: Up to/Until
 * Distributive: Per, each.

Basics

 * Hello. : Szervusz. (SER-voos)
 * Hello. (informal) : Szia. (SEE-å) [like English "See ya!", (what a coincidence!)]
 * How are you? : Hogy vagy? (hodj vådj)
 * Fine, thank you. : Köszönöm, jól. (KØ-sø-nøm, yoal)
 * What is your name? : Hogy hívják? (hodj HEEV-yak?)
 * My name is ______ . : ______ vagyok. ( _____ VÅ-djok.)
 * Nice to meet you. : Örvendek. (ØR-ven-dek)
 * Please. : Kérem. (KEY-rem)
 * Thank you. : Köszönöm. (KØ-sø-nøm)
 * You're welcome. : Szívesen. (SEE-ve-shen)
 * Yes. : Igen. (EE-gen)
 * No. : Nem. (nem)
 * Excuse me. (getting attention) : Elnézést. (EL-ney-zeysht)
 * Excuse me. (begging pardon) : Bocsánatot kérek. (BO-cha-nå-tot KEY-rek)
 * I'm sorry. : Bocsánat. (BO-cha-nåt)
 * Goodbye : Viszontlátásra. (VEE-sont-la-tash-rå)
 * Goodbye (informal) : Viszlát/Szia. (VEES-lat/SEE-å)
 * I can't speak Hungarian [well]. : Nem tudok [jól] magyarul. (nem TOU-dok MÅ-djå-roul)
 * Do you speak English? : Beszél angolul? (BE-seyl ÅN-go-loul?)
 * Is there someone here who speaks English? : Beszél itt valaki angolul? (BE-seyl it VÅ-lå-ki ÅN-go-loul)
 * Help! : Segítség! (SHE-geet-sheyg!)
 * Look out! : Vigyázz! (VEE-djaz)
 * Good morning. (before around 9 AM) : Jó reggelt! (yoa REG-gelt)
 * Good morning. (after 9 AM) : Jó napot! (yoa NÅ-pot)
 * Good afternoon. : Jó napot! (yoa NÅ-pot)
 * Good evening. : Jó estét! (yoa ESH-teyt)
 * Good night. : Jó éjt! or Jó éjszakát! (yoa eyt / yoa EY-så-kat)
 * I don't understand. : Nem értem. (nem EYR-tem)
 * Where is the toilet? : Hol van a mosdó? (hol vån å MOSH-doa?)

Problems

 * Leave me alone. : Hagyj békén! (hådʸ BEY-keyn)
 * Don't touch me! : Ne érj hozzám! (ne eyrʸ)
 * I'll call the police. : Hívom a rendőrséget. (HEE-vom å REN-dø̱r-shey-get)
 * Police! : Rendőrség! (REN-dø̱r-sheyg)
 * Stop! Thief! : Megállj! Tolvaj! (ME-"guy" Thol-vay)
 * I need your help. : Segítened kell. (SHE-gee-te-ned kel)
 * It's an emergency. : Vészhelyzet van. (VEYS-hey-zet vån)
 * I'm lost. : Eltévedtem. (EL-tey-ved-tem)
 * I lost my bag. : Elveszett a táskám. (EL-ve-set å TASH-kam)
 * I lost my wallet. : Elveszett a tárcám. (EL-ve-set å TAR-tsam)
 * I'm sick. : Rosszul vagyok. (RO-soul VÅ-djok)
 * I've been injured. : Megsérültem. (MEG-shey-růl-tem)
 * I need a doctor. : Szükségem van egy orvosra. (SŮK-shey-gem vån edj Or-vosh-rå)
 * Can I use your phone? : Használhatom a telefonját? (HÅS-nal-hå-tom å TE-le-fon-yat)

Numbers

 * 1 : egy (edj)
 * 2 : kettő (KET-tø̱)
 * 3 : három (HA-rom)
 * 4 : négy (neydj)
 * 5 : öt (øt)
 * 6 : hat (håt)
 * 7 : hét (heyt)
 * 8 : nyolc (nyolts)
 * 9 : kilenc (KEE-lents)
 * 10 : tíz (teez)
 * 11 : tizenegy (TEEZ-en-edj)
 * 12 : tizenkettő (TEEZ-en-ket-tø̱)
 * 13 : tizenhárom (TEEZ-en-ha-rom)
 * 14 : tizennégy (TEEZ-en-neyj)
 * 15 : tizenöt (TEEZ-en-øt)
 * 16 : tizenhat (TEEZ-en-håt)
 * 17 : tizenhét (TEEZ-en-heyt)
 * 18 : tizennyolc (TEEZ-en-nyolts)
 * 19 : tizenkilenc (TEEZ-en-ki-lents)
 * 20 : húsz (hoos)
 * 21 : huszonegy (HOOS-on-edj)
 * 22 : huszonkettő (HOOS-on-ket-tø̱)
 * 23 : huszonhárom (HOOS-on-ha-rom)
 * 30 : harminc (HÅR-mints)
 * 40 : negyven (NEDJ-ven)
 * 50 : ötven (ØT-ven)
 * 60 : hatvan (HÅT-vån)
 * 70 : hetven (HET-ven)
 * 80 : nyolcvan (NYOLTS-vån)
 * 90 : kilencven (KEE-lents-ven)
 * 100 : száz (saz)
 * 200 : kétszáz (KEYT-saz)
 * 300 : háromszáz (HA-rom-saz)
 * 400 : négyszáz (NEYDJ-saz)
 * 500 : ötszáz (ØT-saz)
 * 600 : hatszáz (HÅT-saz)
 * 700 : hétszáz (HET-szaz)
 * 800 : nyolcszáz (NYOLTS-saz)
 * 900 : kilencszáz (KEE-lent-saz)
 * 1000 : ezer (E-zer)
 * 2000 : kétezer (KEYT-e-zer)
 * 1,000,000 : millió (MIL-li-oa)
 * 1,000,000,000 : milliárd (MIL-li-ard)
 * 1,000,000,000,000 : billió (BI-li-oa)
 * number _____ (train, bus, etc.) : szám _____ (sam)
 * half : fél (feyl)
 * less : kevesebb (KE-ve-sheb)
 * more : több (tøb)

Time

 * now : most (mosht)
 * later : később (KEY-shø̱b)
 * before : előbb (E-lø̱b)
 * early morning (before sunrise) : hajnal (HÅY-nål)
 * early morning (after sunrise but before around 9 a.m.) : reggel (REG-gel)
 * morning : délelőtt (DEY-le-lø̱t)
 * afternoon : délután (DEY-lou-tan)
 * evening : este (ESH-te)
 * night : éjszaka/éjjel (EY-så-kå/EY-yel)

Clock time

 * one o'clock AM : hajnali egy óra (HÅY-nål-i edj OA-rå)
 * two o'clock AM : hajnali két óra (HÅY-nål-i keyt OA-rå)
 * nine o'clock AM : kilenc óra (KI-lents OA-rå)
 * noon : dél (deyl)
 * one o'clock PM : délután egy óra (DEY-lou-tan edj OA-rå)
 * two o'clock PM : délután két óra (DEY-lou-tan keyt OA-rå)
 * nine o'clock PM : este kilenc óra (ESH-te KI-lents OA-rå)
 * midnight : éjfél (EY-feyl)

Duration

 * _____ minute(s) : _____ perc (perts)
 * _____ hour(s) : _____ óra (OA-rå)
 * _____ day(s) : _____ nap (nåp)
 * _____ week(s) : _____ hét (heyt)
 * _____ month(s) : _____ hónap (HOA-nåp)
 * _____ year(s) : _____ év (eyv)

Days

 * today : ma (må)
 * yesterday : tegnap (TEG-nåp)
 * tomorrow : holnap (HOL-nåp)
 * this week : ezen a héten (E-zen å HEY-ten)
 * last week : múlt héten (moolt HEY-ten)
 * next week : jövő héten (YØ-vø̱ HEY-ten)

 * Sunday : vasárnap (VÅ-shar-nåp)
 * Monday : hétfő (HEYT-fø̱)
 * Tuesday : kedd (ked)
 * Wednesday : szerda (SER-da)
 * Thursday : csütörtök (CHŮT-ør-tøk)
 * Friday : péntek (PEYN-tek)
 * Saturday : szombat (SOM-båt)

Months

 * January : január (YÅ-nou-ar)
 * February : február (FEB-rou-ar)
 * March : március (MAR-tsi-oush)
 * April : április (A-pri-lish)
 * May : május (MAY-oush)
 * June : június (YOO-ni-oush)
 * July : július (YOO-li-oush)
 * August : augusztus (Å-ou-goust-oush)
 * September : szeptember (SEP-tem-ber)
 * October : október (OK-toa-ber)
 * November : november (NO-vem-ber)
 * December : december (DE-tsem-ber)

Writing time and date

 * 26/12/2005 : 2005. 12. 26.
 * 26th December 2005 : 2005. december 26.

Colors

 * black : fekete (FE-ke-te)
 * white : fehér (FE-heyr)
 * gray : szürke (SŮR-ke)
 * red : piros (PI-rosh), vörös (VØ-røsh)
 * blue : kék (keyk)
 * yellow : sárga (SHAR-gå)
 * green : zöld (zøld)
 * orange : narancssárga (NÅ-rånch-shar-gå)
 * purple : lila (LI-lå)
 * brown : barna (BÅR-nå)

Bus and train

 * How much is a ticket to _____? : Mennyibe kerül egy jegy _____-ba/-be? (MEN-nyi-be KE-růl edj yedj _____ -bå/-be)
 * One ticket to _____, please. : Kérek egy jegyet _____-ba/-be. (KEY-rek edj yedj _____ -bå/-be)
 * Where does this train/bus go? : Hová megy ez a vonat/busz? (HO-va medj ez å VO-nåt/bous)
 * Where is the train/bus to _____? : Hol van a _____-ba/-be induló vonat/busz? (hol vån å _____ -bå/-be)
 * Does this train/bus stop in _____? : Megáll ez a vonat/busz _____-ban/-ben? (MEG-al ez å VO-nåt/bous _____-bån/-ben)
 * When does the train/bus for _____ leave? : Mikor indul a vonat/busz _____-ba/-be/-ra/-re? (MI-kor IN-doul å VO-nåt/bous _____-bå/-be/-rå/-re)
 * When will this train/bus arrive in _____? : Mikor érkezik meg ez a vonat/busz _____-ba/-be? (MI-kor EYR-ke-zik meg ez å VO-nåt/bous _____-bå/-be)

Directions

 * How do I get to _____ ? : Hogy jutok el _____-ba/-be/-ra/-re/-hoz/-hez/-höz ? (hodj YOU-tok el _____-bå/-be/-rå/-re/-hoz/-hez/-høz)
 * ...the train station? : ...a pályaudvarra/vasútállomásra? (å PA-yå-oud-vår-rå/VÅ-shoot-al-lo-mash-rå)
 * ...the bus station? : ...a buszpályaudvarra? (å bous-PA-yå-oud-vår-rå)
 * ...the airport? : ...a repülőtérre? (å RE-pů-lø̱-teyr-re)
 * ...downtown? : ...a belvárosba? (å BEL-va-rosh-bå)
 * ...the youth hostel? : ...az ifjúsági szállóba? (åz IF-yoo-sha-gi SAL-lo-bå)
 * ...the _____ hotel? : ...a _____ szállodába? (å _____ SAL-lo-da-bå)
 * ...the American/Canadian/Australian/British consulate? : ...az amerikai/kanadai/ausztrál/brit nagykövetségre? (åz Å-me-ri-kå-i/KÅ-nå-då-i/Å-oust-ral/brit NÅDJ-køv-et-sheyg-re)
 * Where are there a lot of... : Merre van sok... (MER-re vån shok)
 * ...hotels? : ...hotel? (HO-tel)
 * ...restaurants? : ...étterem? (EYT-ter-em)
 * ...bars? : ...bár? (“bar”)
 * ...sites to see? : ...látnivaló? (LAT-ni-vå-loa)
 * Can you show me on the map? : Megmutatnád a térképen? (MEG-mou-tåt-nad å TEYR-key-pen)
 * street : utca (OUT-tså)
 * Turn left. : Fordulj balra. (FOR-doulʸ BÅL-rå)
 * Turn right. : Fordulj jobbra. (FOR-doulʸ YOB-brå)
 * left : bal (bål)
 * right : jobb (yob)
 * straight ahead : egyenesen (E-dje-ne-shen)
 * towards the _____ : _____ felé (FE-ley)
 * past the _____ : _____-on túl (on tool)
 * before the _____ : a(z) _____ előtt (å(z) _____ EL-ø̱t)
 * Watch for the _____. : Figyelj a _____-ra/-re. (FI-djelʸ å _____-rå/-re)
 * intersection : kereszteződés (KE-res-tez-ø̱-deysh)
 * north : észak (EY-såk)
 * south : dél (deyl)
 * east : kelet (KE-let)
 * west : nyugat (NYOU-gåt)
 * uphill : emelkedő (E-mel-ke-dø̱)
 * downhill : lejtő (LEY-tø̱)

Taxi

 * Taxi! : Taxi! (“taxi”)
 * Take me to _____, please. : Vigyen kérem a _____-ra/-re. (VI-djen KEY-rem å _____-rå/-re)
 * How much does it cost to get to _____? : Mennyibe kerül eljutni _____-ba/-be? (MEN-nyi-be KE-růl EL-yout-ni)
 * Take me there, please. : Vigyen oda, kérem. (VI-djen O-då, KEY-rem)

Lodging

 * Do you have any rooms available? : Van szabad szobájuk? (vån SÅ-båd SO-ba-youk)
 * How much is a room for one person/two people? : Mennyibe kerül egy szoba egy személyre/két személyre? (MEN-nyi-be KE-růl edj SO-bå edj SE-mey-re/keyt SE-mey-re)
 * Does the room come with... : Jár a szobához... (YAR å SO-ba-hoz)
 * ...bedsheets? : ...lepedő? (LE-pe-dø̱)
 * ...a bathroom? : ...fürdőszoba? (FŮR-dø̱-so-bå)
 * ...a telephone? : ...telefon? (TE-le-fon)
 * ...a TV? : ...TV? (TEY-vey)
 * May I see the room first? : Előbb megnézhetem a szobát? (E-lø̱b MEG-neyz-he-tem å SO-bat)
 * Do you have anything quieter? : Van valami csendesebb? (vån VÅ-lå-mi CHEN-de-sheb)
 * ...bigger? : ...nagyobb? (NÅDJ-ob)
 * ...cleaner? : ...tisztább? (TIS-tab)
 * ...cheaper? : ...olcsóbb? (OL-choab)
 * OK, I'll take it. : Rendben, kiveszem. (REND-ben, KI-ve-sem)
 * I will stay for _____ night(s). : _____ éjszakát maradok. (EY-så-kat MÅ-rå-dok)
 * Can you suggest another hotel? : Tudna javasolni egy másik hotelt? (TOUD-nå YÅ-vå-shol-ni edj MA-shik HO-telt)
 * Do you have a safe? : Van széfjük? (vån SEYF-yůk)
 * ...lockers? : ...zárható szekrényük? (ZAR-hå-toa SE-krey-nyůk)
 * Is breakfast/supper included? : Tartalmazza az ár a reggelit/vacsorát? (TÅR-tål-måz-zå åz ar å REG-ge-lit/VÅ-cho-rat)
 * What time is breakfast/supper? : Mikor van reggeli/vacsora? (MI-kor vån REG-ge-li/VÅ-cho-rå)
 * Please clean my room. : Takarítást kérek. (TÅ-kå-ree-tasht KEY-rek)
 * Can you wake me at _____? : Tudna _____-kor ébreszteni? (TOUD-nå _____-kor EY-bre-ste-ni)
 * I want to check out. : Kijelentkeznék. (KI-ye-lent-kez-neyk)

Money

 * Do you accept American/Australian/Canadian dollars? : Elfogadnak amerikai/ausztrál/kanadai dollárt? (EL-fo-gåd-nåk Å-me-ri-kå-i/Å-oust-ral/KÅ-nå-då-i DOL-lart)
 * Do you accept British pounds? : Elfogadnak angol fontot? (EL-fo-gåd-nåk ÅN-gol FONT-ot)
 * Do you accept euros? : Elfogadnak eurót? (EL-fo-gåd-nåk YOU-rot)
 * Do you accept credit cards? : Elfogadnak hitelkártyát? (EL-fo-gåd-nåk HI-tel-kart-yat)
 * Can you change money for me? : Válthatok Önnél pénzt? (VALT-hå-tok ØN-neyl peynzt)
 * Where can I get money changed? : Hol válthatok pénzt? (hol VALT-hå-tok peynzt)
 * Can you change a traveler's check for me? : Be tudna váltani utazási csekket a számomra? (be TOUD-nå VALT-å-ni OU-tå-za-shi CHEK-ket å SA-mom-rå)
 * Where can I get a traveler's check changed? : Hol tudok beváltani utazási csekket? (hol TOU-dok BE-valt-å-ni OU-tå-za-shi CHEK-ket)
 * What is the exchange rate? : Mi az árfolyam? (mi åz AR-fo-yåm)
 * Where is an automatic teller machine (ATM)? : Hol van bankautomata (ATM)? (hol vån BÅNK-å-ou-to-må-tå (AAH-teeh-em))

Eating

 * A table for one person/two people, please. : Egy ember/két ember számára kérek asztalt. (edj EM-ber/keyt EM-ber SA-ma-rå KEY-rek ÅS-tålt)
 * May I see the menu, please? : Megnézhetném a menüt, kérem? (MEG-neyz-het-neym å ME-nůt, KEY-rem)
 * Can I look in the kitchen? : Benézhetek a konyhába? (BE-neyz-he-tek å KONʸ-ha-bå)
 * Is there a house specialty? : Van házi specialitásuk? (vån HA-zi SPE-tsi-al-i-ta-shouk)
 * Is there a local specialty? : Van helyi specialitásuk? (vån HEY-i SPE-tsi-al-i-ta-shouk)
 * I'm a vegetarian. : Vegetárius/vegetáriánus vagyok. (VE-ge-tar-i-oush/VE-ge-tar-i-a-noush)
 * I don't eat pork. : Nem eszem disznóhúst. (nem E-sem DIS-noa-hoosht)
 * I don't eat beef. : Nem eszem marhahúst. (nem E-sem MÅR-hå-hoosht)
 * I only eat kosher food. : Csak kóser ételt eszem. (chåk KO-sher EY-telt E-sem)
 * Can you make it "lite", please? (less oil/butter/lard) : El tudja készíteni "könnyűnek"? (kevesebb olajjal/vajjal/zsírral) (el TOUD-yå KEY-see-te-ni KØN-nyů̱-nek (KE-ve-sheb- O-låy-yål/VÅY-yål/ZHEER-rål))
 * fixed-price meal : kötöttáras/fix áras fogás (KØ-tøt-ta-råsh/fiks A-rås FO-gash)
 * à la carte : à la carte (a la kart)
 * breakfast : reggeli (REG-ge-li)
 * lunch : ebéd (E-beyd)
 * tea (meal) : uzsonna (OU-zhon-nå)
 * supper : vacsora (VÅ-cho-rå)
 * I want _____. : Kérek _____-t. (KEY-rek _____ -t)
 * I want a dish containing _____. : Egy olyan fogást kérek, amiben van _____. (edj O-yån FO-gasht KEY-rek, Å-mi-ben vån _____)
 * chicken : csirkehús (CHIR-ke-hoosh)
 * beef : marhahús (MÅR-hå-hoosh)
 * fish : hal (hål)
 * ham : sonka (SHON-kå)
 * sausage : virsli/kolbász (VIRSH-li/KOL-bas)
 * cheese : sajt (shåyt)
 * eggs : tojás (TO-yash)
 * salad : saláta (SHÅ-la-tå)
 * (fresh) vegetables : (friss) zöldség (frish ZØLD-sheyg)
 * (fresh) fruit : (friss) gyümölcs (frish DJŮ-mølch)
 * bread : kenyér (KEN-yeyr)
 * toast : pirítós (PI-ree-toash)
 * noodles : galuska/nudli (GÅ-loush-kå/NOUD-li)
 * rice : rizs (reezh)
 * beans : bab (båb)
 * May I have a glass of _____? : Kaphatok egy pohár _____-t? (KÅP-hå-tok edj PO-har)
 * May I have a cup of _____? : Kaphatok egy csésze _____-t? (KÅP-hå-tok edj CHEY-se)
 * May I have a bottle of _____? : Kaphatok egy üveg _____-t? (KÅP-hå-tok edj Ů-veg)
 * coffee : kávé (KA-vey)
 * tea (drink) : tea (TE-å)
 * juice : gyümölcslé (DJŮ-mølch-ley)
 * (bubbly) water : (szénsavas/buborékos) víz ((SEYN-shå-våsh/BOU-bo-rey-kosh) veez)
 * water : víz (veez)
 * beer : sör (shør)
 * red/white wine : vörös/fehér bor (VØ-røsh/FE-heyr bor)
 * May I have some _____? : Kaphatok egy kevés _____-t? (KÅP-hå-tok edj KE-veysh _____ -t)
 * salt : só (shoa)
 * black pepper : feketebors (FE-ke-te-borsh)
 * butter : vaj (våy)
 * Excuse me, waiter? (getting attention of server): Pincér, kérem! (PIN-tseyr, KEY-rem)
 * I'm finished. : Végeztem. (VEY-gez-tem)
 * It was delicious. : Nagyon finom volt. (NÅ-djon FI-nom volt)
 * Please clear the plates. : Kérem, törölje el a tányérokat. (KEY-rem TØR-øl-ye el å TA-nyeyr-o-kåt)
 * The check, please. : A számlát kérem. (å SAM-lat, KEY-rem)

Bars

 * Do you serve alcohol? : Felszolgálnak alkoholt? (FEL-sol-gal-nåk ÅL-ko-holt)
 * Is there table service? : Biztosítanak evőeszközöket? (BIZ-to-shee-tå-nåk EV-ø̱-es-kø-zø-ket)
 * A beer/two beers, please. : Egy sört/két sört kérek. (edj shørt/keyt shørt, KEY-rek)
 * A glass of red/white wine, please. : Egy pohár vörös/fehér bort kérek. (edj PO-har VØ-røsh/FE-heyr bort, KEY-rek)
 * A pint, please. : Egy korsóval kérek. (edj KOR-shoa-vål, KEY-rek)
 * A bottle, please. : Egy üveggel kérek. (edj Ů-veg-gel, KEY-rek)
 * _____ (hard liquor) and _____ (mixer) kérek. : ((MIK-sør), KEY-rek)
 * whiskey : whiskey (VI-skee)
 * vodka : vodka (VOD-kå)
 * rum : rum (rom)
 * water : víz (veez)
 * soda : szóda (SOA-då)
 * tonic water : tonik (TO-nik)
 * orange juice : narancslé (NÅ-rånch-ley)
 * Coke : kóla (KO-la)
 * Do you have any bar snacks? : Van valami ropogtatnivalójuk? (vån VÅ-lå-mi RO-pog-tåt-ni-vål-oa-youk)
 * One more, please. : Még egyet kérek. (meyg E-djet, KEY-rek)
 * Another round, please. : Még egy kört kérek. (meyg edj kørt, KEY-rek)
 * When is closing time? : Mikor zárnak? (MI-kor ZAR-nåk)

Shopping

 * Do you have this in my size? : Van ez az én méretemben? (vån ez åz eyn MEY-re-tem-ben)
 * How much is this? : Mennyibe kerül (ez)? (MEN-nyi-be KE-růl (ez))
 * That's too expensive. : Az túl drága. (åz tool DRA-gå)

 * expensive : drága (DRA-gå)
 * cheap : olcsó (OL-choa)
 * I can't afford it. : Ezt nem engedhetem meg magamnak. (ezt nem EN-ged-he-tem meg MÅ-gåm-nåk)
 * I'm not interested. : Nem érdekel.
 * I don't want it. : Ez nem tetszik. (ez nem TET-sik)
 * You're cheating me. : Maga átver engem. (MÅ-gå AT-ver EN-gem)
 * I'm just looking/browsing. : Csak nézelődöm. (chåk NE-ze-lø̱-døm)
 * OK, I'll take it. : Rendben, elviszem. (REND-ben, EL-vis-em)
 * Can I have a bag? : Kaphatok egy zacskót? (KÅP-hå-tok edj ZÅCH-koat)
 * Do you ship (overseas)? : Vállalnak házhozszállítást (a tengerentúlra)? (VAL-lål-nåk HAZ-hozh-zal-lee-tasht (å TEN-ge-ren-tool-rå))
 * I need ___ : ___ van szükségem. (___ vån SŮK-shey-gem)
 * ...toothpaste. : Fogkrémre... (FOG-kreym-re)
 * ...a toothbrush. : Fogkefére... (FOG-ke-fey-re)
 * ...tampons. : Tamponra... (TÅM-pon-rå)
 * ...soap. : Szappanra... (SÅP-pån-rå)
 * ...shampoo. : Samponra... (SHAM-pon-rå)
 * ...pain reliever. (e.g., aspirin or ibuprofen) : Fájdalomcsillapítóra (például aszpirinre vagy ibuprofenre)... (FAY-då-lom-chil-lå-pee-toa-rå (PEL-da-oul ÅS-pi-rin-re vådj I-bou-pro-fen-re))
 * ...cold medicine. : Meghűlés/megfázás elleni gyógyszerre... (MEG-hů̱-leys/MEG-fa-zash EL-le-ni DJOADJ-ser-re)
 * ...stomach medicine. : Hasfogóra... (HÅSH-fo-goa-rå)
 * ...a razor. : Borotvára... (BO-rot-va-rå)
 * ...an umbrella. : Esernyőre... (E-sher-nyø̱-re)
 * ...sunblock lotion. : Erős naptejre... (E-rø̱sh NÅP-tey-re)
 * ...a postcard. : Képeslapra... (KEY-pesh-låp-rå)
 * ...postage stamps. : Bélyegre... (BEY-⁽ʸ⁾eg-re)
 * ...batteries. : Elemre... (E-lem-re)
 * ...writing paper. : Üres papírra... (Ů-resh PÅ-peer-rå)
 * ...a pen. : Tollra... (TOL-rå)
 * ...English-language books. : Angol nyelvű könyvre... (ÅN-gol NYELV-ů̱ KØNʸ-vre)
 * ...English-language magazines. : Angol nyelvű lapra/magazinra... (ÅN-gol NYELV-ů̱ LÅP-rå/MÅ-gå-zin-rå)
 * ...an English-language newspaper. : Angol nyelvű újságra... (ÅN-gol NYELV-ů̱ OOY-shag-rå)
 * ...an English-Hungarian dictionary. : Angol-magyar szótárra. (ÅN-gol/MÅ-djår SO-tar-rå)

Driving

 * I want to rent a car. : Autót szeretnék bérelni. (Å-ou-toat SE-ret-neyk BEY-rel-ni)
 * Can I get insurance? : Köthetek biztosítást? (KØT-he-tek BIZ-to-shee-tasht)
 * STOP (on a street sign) : STOP
 * one way : egyirányú (E-dji-ra-nyoo)
 * yield : elsőbbségadás kötelező (EL-shø̱b-shey-gå-dash KØ-te-le-zø̱)
 * no parking : megállni tilos (ME-gal-ni TI-losh)
 * speed limit : sebességkorlátozás (SHE-besh-sheyg-kor-la-to-zash)
 * gas (petrol) station : benzinkút (BEN-zin-koot)
 * petrol : benzin (BEN-zin)
 * diesel : gázolaj/dízel (GAZ-o-lay/DEE-zel)

Authority

 * I haven't done anything wrong. : Nem csináltam semmi rosszat. (nem CHIN-al-tåm SHEM-mi RO-såt)
 * It was a misunderstanding. : Félreértés volt. (FEYL-re-eyr-teysh volt)
 * Where are you taking me? : Hova visz engem? (HO-vå vis EN-gem)
 * Am I under arrest? : Le vagyok tartóztatva? (le VÅ-djok TÅR-toaz-tåt-vå)
 * I am an American/Australian/British/Canadian citizen. : Amerikai/ausztrál/brit/kanadai állampolgár vagyok. (Å-me-ri-kå-i/Å-oust-ral/brit/KÅ-nå-då-i AL-låm-pol-gar VÅ-djok)
 * I want to talk to the American/Australian/British/Canadian embassy/consulate. : Az amerikai/ausztrál/brit/kanadai követséggel akarok beszélni. (åz Å-me-ri-kå-i/Å-oust-ral/brit/KÅ-nå-då-i KØ-vet-shey-gel Å-kå-rok BE-seyl-ni)
 * I want to talk to a lawyer. : Ügyvéddel akarok beszélni. (ŮDJ-veyd-del Å-kå-rok BE-seyl-ni)
 * Can I just pay a fine now? : Nem lehetne csak büntetést fizetni? (nem LE-het-ne chåk BŮN-te-teysht FI-zet-ni)

Learning more

 * How do you say (in Hungarian) _____ ? : Hogy mondják (magyarul) _____ ? (hodj MOND-yak (MÅ-djår-oul) _____)
 * What is this/that called? : Hogy hívják ezt/azt? (hodj HEEV-yak ezt/åzt)

title: Hungarian phrasebook


text:
Hungary

Hungary (Hungarian: Magyarország) is a small landlocked country in the south-eastern region of Central Europe. It features a gorgeous capital city, Budapest, and the largest lake in Central Europe, Balaton. Hungary offers many diverse destinations: relatively low mountains in the north-west, the Great Plain in the east, lakes and rivers of all sorts, and many beautiful small villages and hidden gems of cities. Top this off with Hungary's great accessibility in the middle of Europe, a vivid culture and economy, and you get a destination absolutely worth visiting if you're in the region.

Cities

 * — with green filled parks, interesting museums, and a pulsating nightlife, Budapest is one of Europe's most delightful and enjoyable cities
 * — the second largest city in the country
 * — there are many cafés, restaurants, boutiques, and night clubs in its lovely baroque city center
 * — a town famous for its vibrant music scene, plum brandy, and Art Nouveau architecture
 * — with the unique cave bath in Miskolc-Tapolca, the third largest city in the country, located near the Bükk hills
 * — a medium-sized city with a busy water resort, museum village, and annual autumn festival
 * — a pleasant cultural centre and university town
 * — the sunniest city in Hungary
 * — former royal seat, famous for its baroque architecture and museums

Other destinations

 * — the major lake of Hungary and the biggest lake in Central Europe
 * — Hungary's largest protected area and the largest semi-natural grassland in Europe

Understand
Hungary is one of the 15 most popular tourist destinations in the world, with a capital regarded as one of the most beautiful in the world. Despite its relatively small size, Hungary is home to numerous World Heritage Sites, UNESCO Biosphere reserves, the second largest thermal lake in the world (Lake Hévíz), the largest lake in Central Europe (Lake Balaton), and the largest natural grassland in Europe (Hortobágy). In terms of buildings, Hungary is home to the largest synagogue in Europe (the Great Synagogue of Budapest), the largest medicinal bath in Europe (Széchenyi Medicinal Bath), the third largest church in Europe (Esztergom Basilica), the second largest territorial abbey in the world (Pannonhalma Archabbey), the second largest Baroque castle in the world (Gödöllő), and the largest Early Christian Necropolis outside Italy (Pécs).

You can expect to find safe food and water, good safety and a generally stable political climate.

Hungary has been ethnically diverse since its inception, and while today over 90% of the population are ethnically Hungarian, pockets of ethnic and cultural Slovaks, Romanians, Germans, Romani/Sinti people (Gypsies), and others dot the country. Due to the border changes of Hungary after World War I, over 2 million ethnic and cultural Hungarians live in bordering countries, as well. The Hungarians, otherwise known as Magyars, are the descendants of several tribes from Central Asia, who were believed to be fierce, nomadic horsemen and came to Central Europe in the 9th century.

Politics
Hungary is governed by a right-wing conservative party that is accused of authoritarian behaviour, and the country's status was declared to be no longer a full democracy but an electoral autocracy by resolution of the EU parliament in Sep 2022. This is unlikely to affect travellers who refrain from political activity and do not run afoul of the law. There are also reports of general anti-foreigner sentiment and racism against people who look ethnically non-European, however, Hungary seems to lie within the average of the former Eastern Bloc in that regard.

Climate
Temperatures in Hungary vary from -20°C to 39°C through the year. Distribution and frequency of rainfall are unpredictable due to the continental climate of the country. Heavy storms are frequent after hot summer days, and so do more days long still rainfalls in the autumn. The western part of the country usually receives more rain than the eastern part, and severe droughts may occur in summertime. Weather conditions in the Great Plain can be especially harsh, with hot summers, cold winters, and scant rainfall.

Holidays

 * 1 January - New Year's Day
 * 15 March - National Day (commemorating the 1848 Hungarian revolution and independence war against the Austrian Empire)
 * moveable - Good Friday
 * moveable - Easter
 * 1 May - International Worker's Day
 * moveable - Pentecost
 * 20 August - State Foundation Day (also known as St. Stephen's Day)
 * 23 October - National Day (also known as Republic Day)
 * 1 November - All Saints Day
 * 25-26 December - Christmas

Visitor information

 * Visit Hungary

Talk
Hungarians are rightly proud of their unique, complex, sophisticated, richly expressive language, Hungarian (Magyar pronounced "mohdyohr"). It is a Uralic language most closely related to Mansi and Khanty of western Siberia. It is further sub-classified into the Finno-Ugric languages which include Finnish and Estonian; it is not at all related to any of its neighbours: the Slavic, Germanic, and Romance languages belonging to the Indo-European language family.

Although Hungarian is related to Finnish and Estonian, it is not mutually intelligible with either of them. While there are some similarities in the vocabulary, the complicated grammar and pronunciation make it one of the most challenging languages for English speakers to learn. However, modern Hungarian is written in the Latin alphabet, which eliminates the need for English speakers to learn a new script.

English is a mandatory subject in schools in Hungary. However, most Hungarians are not fluent in the language, and their level of proficiency is lower than that of many other European countries. Younger generations and people living in Budapest may be able to hold a decent conversation in English but don't expect the same from people in rural areas. It's best not to expect people to speak English at all in rural parts of the country.

German is spoken almost as widely as English and is almost universally spoken near the Austrian border, especially in Sopron, which is officially bilingual and has significant contacts with Vienna due to its accessibility by Vienna suburban trains.

Russian, which was compulsory in the Communist era, is spoken by a minority of Hungarians. Speaking Russian to Hungarians is a sensitive issue due to the history of unwanted Soviet domination, so be sure to begin the conversation in Hungarian and ask if the person speaks Russian before proceeding, and only use Russian as a last resort.

Get in
Recognised refugees and stateless persons in possession of a valid travel document issued by the government of any one of the above countries/territories are exempt from obtaining a visa for Hungary (but no other Schengen country, except Germany and, for refugees, Slovakia) for a maximum stay of 90 days in a 180-day period.

Citizens of Antigua and Barbuda are permitted to work in Hungary without the need to obtain a visa for the period of their 90-day visa-free stay. However, this ability to work visa-free does not necessarily extend to other Schengen countries.

Citizens of Croatia can also enter the country by showing their identity card, but may not stay longer than 90 days in a 180-day period or work in Hungary without a work permit.

By plane
Hungary's international airports are Liszt Ferenc Airport in Budapest, Airport Debrecen  in Debrecen and Hévíz–Balaton Airport  in Sármellék. The Hungarian national carrier, Malév (Hungarian Airlines) was closed down in early 2012. There are also several low cost carriers operating to Budapest: for example Ryanair, Wizzair, Easyjet and Eurowings.

By train
Budapest is an important railway hub for the whole Hungary and large part of eastern Europe, with frequent trains from Austria, Germany, Czechia and Slovakia. There are at least one train daily from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Italy, Romania, Russia, Slovenia, Serbia, Switzerland and Ukraine, as well as through cars from Poland and seasonal through sleepers from Bulgaria and Montenegro.

For detailed info see Budapest.

You can search for international train connections at official schedule site of MÁV, national train company, or at German Railways website covering almost whole Europe.

By car
To enter the country, ensure that your International Motor Insurance Card is valid for Hungary (H) along with the Vehicle Registration and a Power of Attorney from the owner if the car is not yours. The border guards are very strict about allowing cars through without these documents (see excepts below).

The Hungarian border control is very strict and thorough. They will not hesitate to conduct a full vehicle search if necessary. Entry from Schengen countries (Austria, Slovenia, Slovakia, Croatia) is out of such border control since the abolition of physical borders. All those remain show light control and due to a bilateral agreement Serbian citizens are also no more undergo a strict border control. However you have to take into consideration that from Schengen area you might undergo a so-called inside-customs control wherever moving/driving in the country. Non-Schengen passengers must take into account facing a strict control upon customs prescriptions from Ukraine and Serbia. Coming from Serbia you are allowed to bring 2 packets of cigarettes into Hungary. If you bring more they will take it and fine for €102. Weapons for hunting are allowed to bring in from any EU member state if you have a European Licence. However with possessing that you may not buy or sell your or a new weapon here. The same is the situation with illicit drugs as well. Infringement of these rules may definitely lead to your immediate arrest!

Entry from non-Schengen countries can take quite a long time, in particular in the summer months on the weekends when EU-Nationals are returning north along the E75 corridor from Belgrade, Serbia. The wait lines to get through the border have been as long as 7 km with a wait time of up to 6 hours. Alternative border points in Hungary or Croatia can be used to by-pass. If you are driving in from an EU country e.g. Austria, you are required to pull over to check with authorities at the border, otherwise, the borders are open and usually the immigration control kiosk are empty.

When driving into Hungary, ensure that the border crossing on the route you choose allows the passage of foreigners. Also some smaller crossings close in the afternoon for the night. It is also required to buy a vignette for driving on highways. 20€ for 10 days, 30€ for a month as of 2024.

By bus
Several international bus lines go in or through Hungary. You can find timetables and book tickets on the homepage of Volánbusz, which is the national bus company and also the local Eurolines representation. Alternatively, Orangeways bus company offer services on routes between Budapest and Austria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Germany, Poland, Romania and Slovakia. Timetables and online booking are available on their website. On the southern border with Serbia you shouldn't be surprised when there in the bus a collection is being held for a donation to the border-guards, to let the bus pass faster.

By ship
It is possible to enter Hungary by international shipping lines on Danube (Duna) or Tisza rivers. There is a scheduled hydrofoil service on the Danube to and from Vienna and Bratislava between May and September operated by Mahart.

From Slovakia

 * You can use the bus no. 91 of the urban traffic company of Bratislava (DPB) going to Čunovo in order to cross between Rajka (Hungary) and Bratislava (Slovakia). In Bratislava, the bus has Nový most as its terminus, and near the Hungarian border you get on/off at the stop Čunovské jazerá (you need to signal to the driver if you plan to get off at this stop). From Čunovské jazerá it's a four-kilometer-long straight walk through a flat terrain to the town of Rajka, two kilometers on each side of the border. You may detour to visit a monument at the Austrian-Hungarian-Slovakian three country border.

By plane
Hungary has no regular domestic flights. As Budapest lies in the centre of the country and pretty much any point can be reached within three hours by train or bus, there isn't much need for scheduled domestic flights.

However there are many opportunities for people with a valid pilot's license to rent a plane and explore by air.

 * A Pilot's Academy of Malev Flying Club  T:+36 20 565-6467, Dunakeszi. Lightweight gliders and other stuff.

By public transport
There are multiple trip planning websites for Hungarian public transport, for example: utas.hu, menetrendek.hu or uj.utvonalterv.hu (this seems to be available only in Hungarian but the first two are available in English). They provide real-time position information about your buses, as well as the planned schedule of the trains and allow you to plan your journey between any two points in the country.

Some important words in Hungarian that may be helpful are:
 * “honnan” - from
 * “hová” - to
 * “Autóbusz állomás” - bus station
 * “naponta” - daily
 * “munkanapokon” - on workdays

By train
The Hungarian National Railway is MÁV and GYSEV (some lines in the west of the country). MÁV has online schedule and pricing site. You can purchase domestic and some international train tickets on the web in English. Read and follow the instruction here.

The train network is star-shaped (hub-and-spoke), fanning out from the centre at Budapest. This is caused by history because half of the once complete train system went to the neighbor countries after World War I. If neither the starting or ending point is Budapest, expect to travel for a long time often with change in Budapest.

Intercity (IC) trains are the fastest, and they're up-to-date, well maintained and clean. They link the major cities with Budapest. Expect to pay about 550 Ft (= €2) extra fee independently from the distance for the mandatory seat reservation (not in international ICs, ECs). In some cases the extra charge can be lower. Compared to the majority of Western European ticket prices, Hungary's IC trains are among the cheapest, with an excellent record of speed and comfort. At the weekends many students use these IC trains to commute between Budapest and other cities, so an early advance booking is recommended on Friday afternoons for the trains leaving Budapest and on Sunday evenings for trains towards Budapest. Working with a notebook is generally safe, unless it's heavy overcrowded.

Other train lines usually are not that fast, and not always cleaned up to the high standards (even in the 1st class), and are often vandalised (mostly in Budapest region); however, quality standards are improving. During summer trains linking Balaton to Budapest are sometimes overcrowded with the IC usually being sold out. The next choice is the gyorsvonat, or the old fast train. Pricing depends only on the distance and on the car class. Cash desks assume 2nd class by default for non-IC trains (at least in Budapest for English speakers), so if you didn't catch your IC, consider asking 1st class, paying small extra for much more comfort. Smoking is prohibited on all trains, as well as on the station platforms.

Since March 2024, '''people aged 65 and older and people under 14 generally travel free of charge. People under 26 receive a 50% discount.''' There is also a nationwide 24-hour pass. It's called Hungary24 and costs.

It is possible to buy Inter Rail pass for Hungary. Check whether buying tickets for each journey is cheaper.

Check the MAV site for a station list where you can buy a train ticket with a debit or credit card. A gépi menetjegykiadás is a staffed cashier desk; jegykiadó automata is a vending machine.

You can buy tickets with euro. It is possible to purchase an international ticket and supplement at every Hungarian railway station which has an international cash desk. Cash desks do not accept euro bank notes of values above €50, and you will get the change in forints.

A station list with ticket vending machine usually to destinations which are not enlisted by the vending machines, tickets will be issued without extra charge by the conductor on board. These ar working with a short midnight break.

International bike transport on the train also possible on selected trains cost €4-10 (vary), first price to Vienna, the highest to Hamburg (via Berlin).

List of e-ticket acceptance points like a vending machine. Buy the ticket on the Net and find at the station the pre-purchased ticket issuing machine to validate and print your ticket.

There are luggage rooms or lockers (Hu: csomagmegörző) in train stations. Lockers cost (since 2010): small 400 Ft, or bigger 600 Ft per 24hours. More than one day cost 600 Ft per each started day. An incomplete list of stations with Luggage rooms or/and lockers: Budapest-Déli, Kelenföld (Budapest), Budapest-Keleti, Budapest-Nyugati, Debrecen, Győr, Miskolc-Tiszai, Nyíregyháza, Siófok, Sopron, Szolnok, Szombathely.

By bus
Hungary’s national bus network is operated by 28 state run companies, united in Volán Association. Connections are frequent, and prices are identical to those on non-Intercity trains. Bus lines often are more complete than train lines, but the speed is quite similar. Long-distance buses are clean and safe, but often subject to delays. Buy your ticket at the station ticket desk before boarding; if you do not take your bus at a main station, purchase a ticket from the driver. Make sure that you validate tickets even when buying from the bus driver. The small orange boxes are used for validating tickets and are seen at several points throughout the bus. Ticket inspectors operate on the airport bus and if you have not validated your ticket, you are liable for a 7000 Ft on the spot fine. It is a good idea to reserve your tickets for national holidays, Friday and Sunday evenings beforehand. Online booking is available in English. You can plan your trip with any of the trip planning services mentioned at the beginning of the chapter.

People aged 65 and older and people under 14 generally travel free of charge. Persons between 14 and 25 get 50% discounts.

By boat
There are several scheduled riverboat and hydrofoil lines operated by MAHART PassNave Ltd. from the capital city Budapest to towns in the Danubebend, like Szentendre, Visegrád and Esztergom, and also a good hydrofoil boat connection operated by the same company between Vienna and Budapest from May to September.

In the capital city there are several sightseeing and night cruises operated by MAHART PassNave Ltd. and other shipping companies, like Legenda Ltd.

There are some ferries on Danube and Tisza but their working hours are undependable. You can trust the ferry on Lake Balaton, though, for a modest price.

By car
Aggressive and unpredictable driving and speeds significantly higher than in northern Europe are a constant source of traffic incidents. Traffic lights are not always obeyed.

Most roads in Hungary are two-lane, apart from modern motorways. Roads and motorways leading to Budapest are mostly in good shape; however, cracks, potholes and bumpy roads are common on minor roads and in major cities, though they are constantly being repaired. It is usually not difficult to travel by using a map and following road signs.

Expressways are not free, but there are no other toll roads or tunnels. A vignette system is used, similar to that in neighboring Austria and Slovakia, but as of 2013 the vignette is stored electronically and checked for using gantries that read license plate numbers. You can purchase them in intervals of 10 days (called "Weekly vignette"), 1 month, or 1 year. The vignette is very important and it is a good idea to buy it even if you don't plan to use the highway. Control is automatic with video cameras and you will get a high ticket (20,000 Ft) automatically without any warning.

If you travel by normal roads the speed limit is 90 km/h between cities and 50 km/h inside, which slows you to the average around 60 km/h. Roads often have high traffic (especially main roads like #8 to the west, #6 to the south and #4 to the east). On highways the speed limit is 130 km/h, travel is the same as in Germany, and on the inside lane it is very common to have someone speed by you.

Expect the Police to use speed traps of all kinds: fixed ones on all motorways which are signed, and mobile ones from bridges, cars standing on the shoulder or behind bushes and trees. Beware that some policemen hide around speed limit signs, especially when the sign visibly useless or if it's extremely slow for the given road type. Police corruption is widespread especially around Budapest (generally 10,000 Ft solves usual problems if you don't get arrested for it).

When you cross the country from the west to the east (or vice versa), take into account that there are only a few bridges crossing the Danube outside Budapest. There are some ferries available though.

Outside urban areas, it is a legal requirement to drive with headlights on, even during the day—a requirement that is becoming more common across the EU.

Hungary has a policy of zero tolerance for driving under the influence of alcohol. If you are caught driving even after only having a couple of units of alcohol you are most likely to be arrested.

Highways
There is a fast growing highway network in Hungary (1,480 km in total). Each highway starts in Budapest.

 * M0 - Motorway ring around Budapest. The north-east and south sections are ready.
 * M1 - connection to Győr, Austria and Slovakia (west)
 * M2 - connection to Vác, planned to reach the border to Slovakia by 2015 (north)
 * M3/M30/M35 - connection to Miskolc, Debrecen and Nyíregyháza (east)
 * M5 - connection to Serbia, via Kecskemét and Szeged (south-east)
 * M6/M60 - Connection to Dunaújváros and Pécs(south)
 * M7/M70 - connection to Lake Balaton, Croatia and Slovenia (south-west)

 * M4 - connection to Romania via Szolnok (east)
 * M44 - connection between the M5 at Kecskemét and the Romanian border via Békéscsaba (east)
 * M8/M9 - will cross the country (east-west)

A single vignette is required to use all highways, except for M0 and short sections around major cities, which are free. Vignettes can be purchased online with bankcard on the official web (and several private online companies, e.g. Hungary-vignette ), at filling stations and at ÁAK (State Motorway Management Co.) offices. A 10-day vignette for a passenger car costs 2975 Ft during summertime, the 4-day ticket for car has been cancelled. Vignettes are controlled automatically through a camera system.

By car pool
The Hungarian oszkar.com social car pool network/website will allow you to find cheap transport around the country and from (and to) many European cities (especially Vienna, but many German cities are also well "serviced").

In case you're not familiar with the idea: people who travel by car and willing to take passengers post their itinerary. You can hitch a ride by booking it on the website and then contacting the driver, whose contact information the website furnishes you with. People wishing to travel by car pool can also post and hope to be found by a prospective driver. Passengers are expected to contribute to the cost of the trip, but "fares" are typically much lower than bus/coach or rail fares (e.g. as of 2013, a trip from Vienna to Budapest may cost 2,500–6,500 Ft). A significant downside is that the site is in Hungarian (although you might be able to navigate it with a service Google Translate) and that booking (but not searching) requires registration, which is free. Drivers as well as passengers can rate each other after trips, much like at auction sites.

Drivers are typically young adults (young enough to be familiar with the Internet and old enough to own their own cars); this also means they're slightly more likely to speak a foreign language than the average Hungarian, but you still shouldn't depend on it.

Some commercial "shuttle operators" use oszkar.com to offer rides too; their postings are visually distinguishable from "amateur" ones.

Oszkar.com is a buyer's market: there are generally many more passenger seats available than passengers.

By taxi
Inspect the change that taxi drivers give you. Cabbies commonly rip off tourists by giving them change in outdated Romanian currency, which looks similar to Hungarian currency, but is worthless and cannot be redeemed.

Ride-hailing is available in Hungary and the following are the most anticipated providers:

See
Hungary has several World Heritage sites. These are:
 * Budapest, including the Banks of the Danube, the Buda Castle Quarter and Andrássy Avenue
 * Old Village of Hollókő and its Surroundings
 * Caves of Aggtelek National Park — beautiful caves with dripstones and stalagmites
 * Millenary Benedictine Abbey of Pannonhalma and its Natural Environment
 * Hortobágy National Park - the Puszta
 * Early Christian Necropolis of Pécs (Sopianae)
 * Fertő Lake Cultural Landscape common place with Austria more see there.
 * Tokaj and Villány Wine Regions and Historic Cultural Landscapes

Other major tourist destination is Lake Balaton, with winehills, thermal spa in Hévíz, Hajdúszoboszló and Harkány around. Sopron is one of the most popular place for a sightseeing in the region.

There are also some amazing things to see.

 * Tiszavirágzás. In mid-June the Tisza produces swarms of mayflies which are likened to flowers. Once decimated by pollution, the population is rebounding. (They're famous for living only for 1–2 days.)
 * Busójárás. In February the people chase away bad ghosts by loud clamping on streets of Mohács.

Do

 * Birdwatching: Hungary has wooded hills, vast fish-pond systems and grasslands, the puszta. Particularly good areas are the Kiskunsag and Hortobagy National Parks and the Aggtelek, Bukk and Zemplen Hills.
 * Horse riding: Vast areas of open countryside coupled with the long traditions of horsemanship make Hungary an ideal country for riding. Wide open plains in the south and forested hills in the north offer varied riding terrain.
 * Baths: Thermal waters abound in Hungary, with over 1000 thermal springs many of which have been turned into baths and spas. The most famous are the Szechenyi baths in Budapest, but there are hundreds more. The cave baths at Miskolc-Tapolca and the spa at Egerszalók are good examples. See also Budapest, Nyíregyháza, and a selected list of authorized medicinal waters.
 * Football: 12 teams play soccer in the country's top tier, Nemzeti Bajnokság I or NB1; four of them are based in Budapest. The national team play home games at Puskás Aréna in Budapest, completed in 2019.
 * Cycling: the premier race is the Tour de Hongrie held over four days in May.

Money
The Hungarian currency is the forint, denoted by the symbol "Ft" (ISO code: HUF). Notes come in denominations of 500, 1,000, 2,000, 5,000, 10,000 and 20,000 forint; coins are available in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 two-coloured, similar to €2) and 200 (two-coloured, similar to €1) forint.

Euros are now accepted at most hotels and some of the restaurants and shops. Make sure you check the exchange rate, sometimes even well known places (like McDonald's) will exchange at unrealistic rates. Forints are to disappear in the coming years in favour of the euro, but no date has been fixed.

You can use major credit cards (EuroCard, Visa) in major shops and larger restaurants, but never expect that without checking first. Small places cannot afford to handle cards. ATMs are available even in small cities, the coverage is good. In Budapest, almost all businesses and services relevant to tourists support card payments.

While completing any monetary transactions, it is best to pay in forint when you can. Some restaurants and hotels charge a steep rate for exchanging euros and often due to the fluctuation in forint, cost and services stated may vary drastically.

Money exchange
Shopping in Hungary is extremely cheap for people from the euro zone and the US. An exception to this rule is that luxury goods are often at higher prices than would be encountered in Western Europe or the US.

Exchange rates for euros and US dollars are roughly the same within central (at least in Budapest and Eger). Rates will likely be much worse in airports and large train stations, so only change what you need to reach the city centre. A good habit is to compare the buy and sell rates: if they are drastically different, you're best going somewhere else. Official exchange offices always give a receipt and normally have a large glass between client and a cashier making all steps transparent for clients.

Euros are very widely accepted, in hotels, in some splurge restaurants or bars, in some shop (like all SPAR super/hypermarkets, usually at the cashdesk area is a board with the actual rate), or international cash desk of course the rates five even ten percent worse than in the banks and be prepare the change they will get back in forint. Try using small notes (max. 50), at international cash desk even can pay also with coins and the rate is ok. Traded currencies at the two biggest Hungarian bank K&H Bank: AUD, CAD, CHF, CZK, DKK, EUR, GBP, JPY, NOK, PLN, SEK, USD; OTP Bank: same as K&H plus BGN, RUB and accepted Euro or Amex travellers cheques (comission). Smaller banks like Raiffeisen Bank (for CZK), Oberbank (for CHF) or Sberbank (for RUB) giving better rates, but not change so many currencies (need to check as it is variable). For your remained forints buying euros, US dollars and Swiss francs always available, but others only when in stock. More unusual currencies, such as Israeli shekels, Hong Kong dollars, or Ukrainian hryvnia, can only be exchanged at money changers.

If you arrive in Hungary at weekends, holidays or evening banks are closed only ATMs or money changer shops or some hotels (mostly the biggers). ATMs and banks can be found in hypermarkets.

If you arrive at Budapest Ferihegy Airport late at night or on state holidays changing money is possible as there are five interchange money changer offices. Opening times vary: from morning to around midnight, and one is open 24 hours a day. There is an ATM in the arrival hall at Budapest Ferihegy, and the rates for using ATMs with a card are often better than the bureau de change. Also Interchange has booths at Déli (one), Keleti (three), Nyugati (one) Railway stations. These are open daily from 07:00 or earlier to 20:50-23:30. Locations and opening time here. In the city centre of Budapest at #2 Vörösmarty square (:Vörösmarty tér) branch is open 24 hours a day.

There are many ATMs in Budapest which will accept European and North American debit or credit cards. Be aware that "Euronet" ATMs have high charges in addition to any charges your own bank may apply, whereas ATMs operated by banks (e.g. OTP Bank, Raiffeisenbank) don't add extra charges.

Visitors report that unofficial money changers operating nearby an official money changing booth offer unfavourable rates, and recommend using the official exchange offices. Such exchangers are illegal and there is the possibility that you will receive other than Hungarian currency or nothing at all.

Tipping
Tips (borravaló) are given in Hungary for some services: in restaurants, in bars, to taxi drivers, to hairdressers, and often to people that fix things around the house, like plumbers and electricians.

Although not legally required, social norms encourage that tips are given. 10% is usually enough. Check your receipt before you pay, because some bars and restaurants charge a 10% service fee (szervizdíj), in this case tipping is not expected.

Shopping
Apart from classic tourist souvenirs such as postcards and trinkets, here are some things unique to Hungary or just hard to find elsewhere.

Hungarian foods

 * Duck and goose liver
 * Salamis - products of Hertz, Picks are the best, try Winter salami (Hu: Téliszalámi)
 * Sweets Chocolates with fruit Brandy, Szamos Marzipan dessert, Praline with Truffle, szaloncukor, literally: "parlour candy", is a popular sweet at Christmas.
 * Cold-smoked sausages - Mangalica and grey beef specials
 * Herbal Teas
 * Truffle Products - Honeys, Jams
 * Spices: Paprika and Hungarian Saffron
 * Gundel set of cheese: aged in Gundel wines or with walnut pieces or seasonings. Most easily found in 350 g sets of three kinds in duty-free of Ferihegy Airport in Budapest (at least in Terminal 2), but is likely available in Gundel 1894 Food & Wine Cellar (see Pest#Eat). Keep in mind that shelf life for this cheese is only 2 months.

Hungarian beverages

 * Champagnes
 * Wines: the vineries of Badacsony, Tokaj, Villány have the best products, but when purchasing wine beyond the right kind and vintage is also important the wine rack. The wrought iron with wine leaves is very showy, but if you are traveling by plane difficult to transport, so maybe a wood is more practical and you can buy a wide range of it. Other good names are: Somlói Juhfark, Egri Bikavér (see Liquor), Kadarka, red wine from Villány area etc.
 * Pálinka: very famous and strong brandy made from fruits.
 * Unicum: a herbal digestif liqueur.

Others

 * Black pottery - part of the Transdanubian folk art
 * Porcelain - look for high quality handmade Herend and Zsolnay products, usually sell them in set, simple candle holders are much cheaper and also popular
 * Herend majolica at more affordable prices than the classic Herend.
 * Hungarian Cuisine book (English, German, French, Spanish, Italian)
 * 'matyó' patterned wooden spoons, ceramic of Sárospatak spoon holder
 * Embroideries such as patterned of Kalocsa or Matyó.
 * Blueprinted textiles mostly linen or cotton materials
 * Diamonds in handmade white gold, platinum inlaid jewellery, try your luck at Szentendre the Europe’s largest diamond & jewellery centre
 * Handicrafts and decorative arts works decorated with traditional, Hungarian folk motifs (letter-paper envelope sets, greeting cards, handkerchiefs, napkins, tablecloths, pillows, towels)
 * The Rubik's cube originated in Hungary and was invented in 1974 by Erno Rubik and is one example of its longstanding gaming tradition.

Eat
Main courses in menu are normally 3000–5000 Ft in touristy places in Budapest, 2000–3000 Ft outside it, or in towns like Eger and Szentendre. A two-course lunch with a soft drink in Budapest typically costs 3000–10000 Ft per person, and half or third of that outside Budapest. A Chinese fast food menu is around 1500 Ft. (updated Jan 2023)

In restaurants, a service charge is frequently included into bill, 10% or even 12%, but this has to be clearly pointed out on the menu. If it's not mentioned, the place has no right to include a service charge in the bill.

Even if there's no service charge, unless the service was preposterous most Hungarians tend to leave a tip of 10% minimum. Unlike in most western countries, tip is usually not left on the table but rather the amount is specified to the waiting staff when you pay.

There were some places, mainly in the centre of Pest, that try to rip off drunk tourists at night by charging ridiculously high prices for drinks. Most of these places are closed now, but it's still a good idea to always check the prices before ordering.

Common in major cities and next to the highways are branches of major international chains such as KFC, McDonald's, Burger King, Subway,  Pizza Hutand TGI Friday's last two just in Budapest.

Cuisine

Hungarians are quite proud of their cuisine (Magyar konyha), and most of the time not without reason. Food is usually spicy, but not hot by general standards, and it's tasty rather than healthy: many dishes are prepared with lard or deep-fried. The national spice is paprika, made from ground sweet bell peppers.

Meat is popular, especially pork (sertés), beef (marha) and venison (őz). Less common are lamb and mutton. Chicken (csirke) and turkey (pulyka) are common, and you will also find game birds excellent in smarter restaurants and country areas: pheasant (fácán), partridge (fogoly) and duck (kacsa). Goose is also quite popular in Hungary. While tourists gorge on goose liver (libamáj), still cheap by Western standards, probably the most common dish is sült libacomb, roast goose leg. The best fish in Hungary are river fish: carp (ponty), zander (fogas/süllő) and catfish (harcsa), though many restaurants will serve fish from far away. Another typical Hungarian fish meal is roasted hake (sült hekk). Less well known in the rest of the world are csirke paprikás, chicken stew in paprika sauce, and halászlé, paprika fish soup often made from carp.

Stuffed (töltött) vegetables of all kinds are also popular, and Hungarian pancakes (palacsinta), both savoury and sweet, are a treat. Common snacks include kolbász, a Hungarianised version of the Polish kielbasa sausage, and lángos, deep-fried dough with a variety of toppings (mostly sour cream, cheese, or garlic).

A typical Hungarian meal will involve soup, often like a consommé (erőleves), meat with potatoes (burgonya) and a side salad, and a dessert such as pancakes (palacsinta). A meal is almost always, even at breakfast, accompanied by Hungarian pickles called savanyúság, literally "sourness". These are often dubbed saláta on menus, so order a vitamin saláta if you want fresh vegetables. Starch is most often served as potatoes, rice or dumplings (galuska or nokedli). The primary Hungarian contribution in this field is an unusual type of small couscous-like pasta called tarhonya.

It is worth visiting a "cukrászda" if you are in Hungary. These are very popular with delicious cakes and coffee. Try the traditional krémes (with vanilla cream), eszterházy (lots of nuts) or somlói galuska.

Another favourite is lángos, which is deep-fried bread served served with various fillings. The most common is plain, with salt, garlic (fokhagyma) and soured cream (tejföl). If you do come across a lángos stand, there are usually a large number of options from pizza lángos, or eggs with mayonnaise or Nutella and bananas.

Vegetarian food
Vegetarians and Vegans will have about as much ease eating out as in any other western country. Budapest is not a problem, as there is a wide variety of restaurants to choose from, but in an ordinary Hungarian restaurant the non-meat mains on the menu are pretty much limited to rántott sajt (fried cheese) and gombafejek rántva (fried mushrooms).

Italian food is popular, so as long as you don't mind a pasta heavy diet as a vegetarian you will find a wider choice.

For self-catering, the selection of fruits and vegetables from supermarkets or local shops and market is quite good, especially in summer.

There are plenty of vegetarian and vegan restaurants, and a lot of health food stores that offer all sorts of vegetarian/vegan products, including cosmetics.

Wine

 * Egri Bikavér (Bull's Blood of Eger) (1000 Ft for a good one) is a strong red Hungarian wine which supposedly saved a clever Hungarian girl from her fate with a Turkish sultan. During the time of the Turkish occupation, it is said a young girl was summoned to become a member of the local sultan's harem. Not wanting this fate for his daughter, her father gave her a bottle of Egri Bikavér to take to the sultan. He told her to tell the ruler it was bull's blood, and would make him invincible. The sultan, being Muslim, was unaccustomed to alcohol, and proceeded to pass out, leaving the daughter unharmed. There is another story connected to why Bull's Blood is called so, and it also comes from the Turkish era. According to that one, the defenders of the different castles used to drink this red wine. When they saw the color on the mouths of the Hungarians, they thought that it must have been from a bull, thus the name.
 * Tokaj is known for its sweet dessert wines (Tokaji aszú), (2000–6000 Ft) which acquire their distinctive taste from grapes infected by the "noble rot" Botrytis cinerea. The favorite tipple of aristocracy, past fans of Tokaji include Louis XIV (who called Tokaj as "The king of the wines, the wine of the kings"), Beethoven, Napoleon III and Peter the Great — which is still reflected in the steep pricing of the best varieties. Almost uniquely among white wines, Tokaj keeps well for a long time.

If new to Hungarian wine, be aware that both champagne ("pezsgő") and wine, red or white, are quite likely to be sweet ("Édes" or "félédes"). If dry wine is your preference, look for the word "Száraz" on the label. When buying bottled wine, don't bother with types cheaper than 600–700 Ft, as these are usually very low quality (maybe not even produced from grapes). In wine cellars high quality may be available at surprisingly low prices.

Liquor
In Hungarian, pálinka denotes strong brandy-like liquor distilled from fruit. Pálinka is a very social drink: just as the English drink tea, the Hungarians, especially in rural areas, will offer pálinka to guests upon arrival. The best-known varieties are barackpálinka, made from apricots, körtepálinka from pears, and szilvapálinka made from plums. Factory-made pálinka is widely available, but keep an eye out for homemade házipálinka. Pálinkas usually contain around or above 50% of alcohol, often more for the homemade ones. Pálinka bottles marked mézes will be heavily sweetened with honey. (3000 Ft for something good)

Unicum is a strong digestif made from a secret mix of over 40 herbs. It comes in striking black bottles emblazoned with a red and white cross, and has a very strong and unusual taste. Unicum Next has a lighter, citrusy flavor, and is rather more palatable. Definitely worth trying, the spherical bottle (affectionately called "the Holy Hand Grenade") itself may also be used for decoration, and keeps very well for a long time. It is available in every bar in Hungary but it is rare to see someone drinking it.

Beer
Hungarian beer is quite average compared to other Central European countries like Germany and the Czech Republic as it has long been a wine culture. The most common beers are Dreher, Szalon, Borsodi, Soproni and Arany Ászok, available in the styles világos (lager) and barna (brown). All of Hungarian breweries are owned and managed by international brands such as: Dreher Sörgyár (Budapest); Heineken Hungaria (Sopron and Martfű); Heineken; Borsodi Sörgyár (Bőcs); Pécsi Sörfőzde (Pécs); Ottakinger. They cost 200–300 Ft at a store and 400–600 Ft at a bar. Some expensive club can charge up to 900 in Budapest.

Imported beers like Pilsner Urquell, Staropramen and Budweiser-Budvar (the original Czech variety) are widely available in bars and markets for not much more than the ubiquitous Hungarian brands.

When offering a toast with beer, be warned that most Hungarians will politely refuse. This is due to an old tradition due to remembering soldiers executed by the Habsburgs of Austria in the 1848 revolution, whereby it was decreed no Hungarian would toast with beer for 150 years. It's been so long, however, that most Hungarians no longer know the origins of this tradition or that they've been free to make toasts over beer for the past ten years.

Coffee
Cafe culture is widespread in Hungary, although it may never recover the romance of its turn-of-the-century intellectual heyday. Unless asked, it's a good idea to specify what kind of coffee you prefer. The word kávé means the strong, espresso-like coffee, although American-style coffee, known as hosszú kávé in Hungarian, usually translated as "long coffee", is also available at most places.

Tea
Tea houses are becoming popular in cities, especially among the young. There is a growing number of tea houses, mainly in Budapest and some bigger cities where people can buy several types of loose tea. The best teas are herbal and fruit varieties. In restaurants and cafes, lemon juice is frequently served in a small bottle. However, in traditional restaurants or cafes good teas are hard to find as coffee are preferred.

Hostels
Very good rated hostels cost about €9–22 per night. The lower prices you usually get during week-days and in low season. (updated July 2022)

Farmhouses
Village Tourism is popular and very well developed in Hungary, and can be a remarkable experience. Start your research with 1Hungary, National Federation of Rural and Agrotourism and Centre of Rural Tourism. Near Budapest it is also possible to find rural houses to rent, for instance the Wild Grape Guesthouse, what makes a good combination to explore the capital and a National Park while staying at the same accommodation.

Camping
There are campgrounds available. See the city guides, including the Budapest guide.

Learn
Hungary is a country known for its rich academic tradition and cultural diversity, where education is highly valued. It boasts 13 Nobel laureates, numerous inventors, artists, and scientists, and is home to some of the oldest and most prestigious universities in Europe. Despite facing many historical challenges and transformations, Hungarians strongly believe in the power of knowledge to preserve their identity and sovereignty. This unwavering commitment to education and innovation has made Hungary a member of the European Union and a leader in several fields of science and technology.

Hungarian universities are open to all foreign students. Many European exchange students come through the EU's Erasmus program. There are quite a lot students from Asia and the Middle East as well, particularly because despite the high standard of education, fees are still considerably lower than in the more developed Western European countries. Those interested should visit Study in Hungary or University of Debrecen  websites. Map of Hungarian universities and colleges.

Work
It could be very difficult for an individual to seek legal employment in Hungary because of the complexity, cost and time involved. Most foreign workers in Hungary have received their visas and other necessary documents through the company they are employed by. It is hoped, however, that since the joining of Hungary to the EU a reduction will follow in the amount of red tape involved.

Citizens of Antigua and Barbuda are permitted to work in Hungary without the need to obtain a visa for the period of their 90 day visa-free stay. However, this ability to work visa-free does not necessarily extend to other Schengen countries.

Many students, usually on a gap year, work as second language teachers at one of Budapest's many language schools. A qualification is required (ESL/TEFL/TESOL) and experience is preferred.

One option is to teach through the Central European Teaching Program. For a placement fee they will take care of paperwork and set you up in a school in Hungary teaching English on a local salary. Contracts are for one semester or a whole school year. Qualified ESL/EFL teachers can find employment in Hungary at private language schools which offer better rates of pay and without having to pay a placement fee.

See also Work section in Budapest article.

Stay safe
Hungary in general is a very safe country. However, petty crime in particular remains a concern, just like in any other country.

Watch your bags and pockets on public transport. There is a danger of pickpockets. Passports, cash and credit cards are common targets of thieves. Keep items that you do not store in your hotel safe or residence in a safe place, but be aware that pockets, purses and backpacks are especially vulnerable, even if closed. There are also reported cases of people who got their baggage stolen while sleeping on the train.

Generally, Hungary is rather quiet during the night compared to other European countries, and crime to tourists is limited to pickpocketing, and cheating on prices and bills and taxi fares.

Everyone is required to carry their passport and ID card. Not doing so lead to trouble with the police. The police generally accept a colour copy of your passport.

The police force is professional and well trained, but most hardly speak any English.

See the Budapest travel guide for more specific and valuable information about common street scams and tourist traps in Hungary.

Despite the government's controversial rhetoric regarding immigration, most Hungarians are not racist or xenophobic, and Budapest does have a small yet vibrant immigrant community. With that said, you might to to avoid living in rural areas if you are not white.

Driving conditions
The majority of Hungarians drive dangerously and had 739 deaths on the roads in 2010. This is largely due to careless driving habits. Many drivers do not observe the speed limits and you should be extra careful on two-way roads where local drivers pass each other frequently and allow for less space than you may be used to.

Car seats are required for infants. Children under age 12 may not sit in the front seat. Seat belts are mandatory for everyone in the car. You may not turn right on a red light. The police issues tickets for traffic violations and issue on the spot fines. In practice the laws are widely ignored.

Also, Hungarian laws have zero tolerance to drink and drive, and the penalty is a severe fine. It means no alcoholic beverage is allowed to be consumed if driving, no blood alcohol of any level is acceptable. Failure to pay fines may result in your passport getting confiscated, or even a jail term until or unless you pay the fine.

More importantly, the police stops vehicles regularly for document checks. You shouldn't worry when you are stopped because by law, everyone needs to have their identification papers checked.

Hungary has some of the harshest penalties for those involved in a car accident. Involvement in a car accident results in a fine, and maybe a prison sentence from 1 year to 5 years (depending on the aggravating circumstances).

Stay healthy
Food and water is generally safe, even in remote villages. It is safe to drink tap water anywhere, even in remote areas, however, due to the cleaning process the taste of the water can be really unpleasant. Best idea is to try before changing to the bottled water. Bottled waters has a large selection, both the fizzy (blue bottle cap) and still (red/pink bottle cap) water and it is cheap (starts from less than 100 Ft for 1.5 litre). The only notable exception of the drinking water are trains where the tap water is not drinkable and other places where tap water is labeled as such.

It is widely available and good practice to have with you a bottle during hot summer.

Private health care providers are high quality, but limited in scope once outside Budapest. Dentistry is cheaper here than in Western Europe (8000–10,000 Ft for an appointment and x-ray), and physiotherapy also (3000 Ft for a half-hour treatment), but check the price with the provider before you confirm the appointment. Outside Budapest you will likely have to speak basic Hungarian to communicate your needs as few doctors will have any English or German skills.

Public health care is free for qualifying (insured) people, and is of adequate quality in urban areas.

The country has joined the EU, so basic coverage is present for EU citizens, but check before entering the country how far are you insured and what you have to pay for. Do not expect at this time that the local doctor will know the EU rules, prepare to provide info.

The European Health Insurance Card is required from EU citizens applying for free treatment under this regulation.

Pharmacies are everywhere, you may expect high prices, but good pharmaceutical coverage. Sadly the situation clearly has worsened a lot since early 2010, as many pharmacies can not maintain an adequate reserve of medicines. Another problem might be communicating with the pharmacist as most of them speak only Hungarian. Quite unexpectedly some rusty Latin might come handy. Due to reduced trade between Hungary and andania (as of Dec 2006), some of familiar medications are unavailable—so be prepared to find a substitute in advance.

General etiquette
Hungarians are generally straightforward communicators. They are quite comfortable with expressing their innermost thoughts and feelings openly, and you can expect them to tell you exactly what they think. Although their directness may come across as blunt, assertive, or even rude to some, it's important to understand that they are not trying to offend or hurt anyone's feelings. They simply believe in being truthful and straightforward in their interactions with others.

Hungarians believe in strong familial values and often live with extended family members who provide both financial and emotional support. Therefore, it is important to show respect for the elderly. Don't use first names unless you've been told to, and compose yourself in a mature fashion around someone older than you. On public transportation, it is obligatory to offer your seat to older people.

Talking loudly is generally considered rude. You will notice how most Hungarians tend to keep their voices down in public places.

When entering a home, shoes should generally be taken off.

Sensitive issues

 * The 1956 Revolution continues to be a sensitive subject with many of the Hungarians, and anti-Russian sentiment is high due to the violent suppression of the uprising by the Soviet army. Even if you are the most ardent Russophile in the world, you should avoid saying anything positive about Russia as it could evoke strong feelings among locals.
 * You are well advised not to discuss the Treaty of Trianon (1920) at all — the Hungarians can take it surprisingly sensitively.
 * Open display of the Communist red star and hammer and sickle symbol, the Nazi swastika and SS symbols, and the Hungarian fascist Arrow Cross, is prohibited by law. Make sure your clothing does not have these symbols on it, even if it's just a joke. You can be fined for it.
 * Members of the Roma community may find "Gypsy", or the traditional Hungarian label 'Cigány' (pronounced tzigan) to be offensive.
 * As a rural tradition, Hungarians affectionately refer to themselves as "dancing with tears in our eyes" ("sírva vígad a magyar"), as in a bittersweet resignation to the perceived bad luck in their long history. Avoid mocking Hungarian history and Hungarian patriotism.

National issues
Given Hungary's history of enduring turbulent events, the Hungarians exhibit sensitivity towards various historical occurrences. You should avoid discussing or bringing up the following topics as they can quickly unsettle people:
 * Hungarian Revolution of 1956 — the Soviets arrested and killed thousands of Hungarians for revolting against the Hungarian People's Republic, leading to the exodus of nearly a quarter of a million Hungarians.
 * Anything regarding the Hungarian People's Republic — thousands of Hungarians were arrested, imprisoned, tortured, exiled, and mistreated by the pro-Soviet communist government.
 * Hungary's relationship with Russia — although relations have improved since the early 1990s, there is some antipathy and distrust towards Russia in some circles.

Uncommon customs

 * It's an old tradition that Hungarians do not clink beer glasses or beer bottles. This is due to the legend that Austrians celebrated the execution of the 13 Hungarian Martyrs in 1849 by clinking their beer glasses, so Hungarians vowed not to clink with beer for 150 years. Obviously this time period has expired, but old habits die hard although less so by younger generations.

Connect

 * Broadband Internet access is now widespread in Hungary. It's quite usual to find free Internet access (wifi) in Shopping centers; in Budapest, most cafes and pubs. You'll have wifi access even in small towns. Look for the "wifi" signs, you may have to ask for the access password, however, if you consume, it will be freely given.

Go next
The land border can be crossed to Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Romania, Ukraine and Slovakia.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Hungary


text:
Hungerford (Queensland)

Hungerford is a town in southwestern Queensland. It is very much on the trail of Henry Lawson, who wrote about the town. Only one pub remains, the Royal Mail, which also is a bit of a general store, as long as you are not too fussy about what produce you may wish to buy on a particular day.

Get in
There is no commercial air service to Hungerford. There is an airstrip available for charter landings.

It is around 250 km of gravel road from Bourke, or 130 km of gravel road from Eulo, or 170 km of quality gravel road from Thargomindah. All roads are generally suitable for 2-wheel drive vehicles. Hungerford can be easily cut off from the north when the Paroo River floods. This happens when it rains further north, even if it is dry in Hungerford.

Get around
If you made it to Hungerford you have some form of motorised transport. You can walk around town, but you will need the car to get out to the Paroo River, or the surrounding area.

Connect
The hotel offers Internet access in exchange for a donation to the Royal Flying Doctor Service. There is a payphone and mobile reception on the Telstra 4G network.

Go next
The Currawinya National Park is just up the road. Further afield to Bourke, Eulo or Thargomindah.

title: Hungerford (Queensland)


text:
Hunsrück

Hunsrück is a low mountain range in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is surrounded by the river valleys of the Moselle (north), Rhine (east), Nahe (south) and Saar (west). The landscape is mostly affected by farming and forestry.

Cities
The Hunsrück area is only populated sparsely. Notable cities are Simmern, Kirchberg (the oldest city of the region, with a historical market place), Kastellaun (with a beautiful castle ruin in its center and host of one of Europes biggest electronic music events (Nature One)), Idar-Oberstein (capital of the German jewelry industry) and Morbach and the small town of Hahn the location of Frankfurt-Hahn airport.

Understand
The Hunsrück is a low mountain range in Rhineland-Palatinate. It is bounded by the river valleys of the Moselle (north), the Nahe (south), and the Rhine (east). The Hunsrück is continued by the Taunus mountains on the eastern side of the Middle Rhine Valley. In the north behind the Moselle it is continued by the Eifel. To the south of the Nahe, the Palatinate is to be found. Characteristic for the region are its small villages with their mostly lovely inhabitants. The Hunsrigger, as locals refer to themselves, are defined by an old dictionary as thieving and sneaking people. This definition might originate from the talent people showed when selling their cattle on the local markets, but doesn't reflects today's self-understanding. Actually most people don't work anymore in agriculture. People are open, friendly and hostile. Villages show a great sense of togetherness, what also might show in local rivalry with neighboring villages or regions (e.g. the Eifel).

Talk
The German dialect spoken in the area is a Moselle-Franconian dialect. This dialect is mainly spoken by older locals. Younger generations speak mostly standard German, with only slightly influence of Hunsrigger Platt. Most people today are also able to speak English, otherwise they still have "Hänn un Feeß" (hands and feet) to express themselves.

Get in
The Hunsrück area is home of the low fare airport Frankfurt-Hahn (HHN). There are also regular bus connections from the airport to bigger cities in the greater area, such as Mainz, Koblenz and Frankfurt.

Get around
Public transport itself exists only rudimental. For getting around in the area a car is recommended. Cars e.g. can be hired at the Frankfurt-Hahn airport. Low traffic, however, makes bike rides attractive. Visitors should consider though the hilly landscape.

See

 * Nationalpark Hunsrück-Hochwald
 * German mineral museum in Idar-Oberstein

Do
There are a lot of outdoor activities that can and should be done in this area. Whether riding your bike on one of the many bicycle routes or extended hikes through the beautiful landscape of the region.

There are also many local festivities that might be worth a visit and give a beautiful idea of the village life.

The near by rivers also give many opportunities, whether doing boat cruises on Moselle or Rhine, visiting one of many castles in the Middle Rhine Valley area, or enjoy a traditional wine festival.

Visitors interested in electronic music should visit the Nature One festival on the former missile base Pydna near Kastellaun on the first weekend of August.

Another Open Air festival is hosted at the same time in Raversbeuren, the Lott-Festival. It offers a broad set of different music and is also known as the "Woodstock" of the Hunsrück.

Eat
Food in the Hunsrück is considered as a poor man's food. If you have the opportunity you nevertheless should try it. Examples of typical Hunsrücker specialties are: - "Dibbekooche" (pott cake), a dish mostly made of grated potatoes baked in a big pot with different kind of meat; - "Kappes un Erwes" (cabbage and peas), actually sauerkraut with a mashed pea-topping; - "Arme Ritter" (poor knight), a Hunsrücker version of french toast. Restaurants offering this kind of food are hard to find. But on the different festivities in the area these foods still get served.

Drink
There is no special drink in this area. People enjoy a good glass of wine from the near by wine regions, as well as a chilled local beer.

Stay safe
There are almost no safety concerns in this area. Crime rates are low, the weather is modest. Knowledge of how to react, if standing in front of a wild boar might be helpful but is not mandatory.

title: Hunsrück


text:
Hunsur

Hunsur is a town of 51,000 people (2011) in Mysore district. Hunsur is well known for the timber trade, especially teak. Another important trade activity is tobacco growing and tobacco auctions. There is a tobacco board in Kattemalalavadi which is 5 km from the city. Consolidated Coffee Curing Works employs many people in coffee bean processing. This location is also a growing market for sheep farming. Farmland surrounds the town.

Get in
Buses are the only available mode of public transportation in Hunsur. Taxis can be hired at reasonable rates. The road within Nagarhole National Park until 15 km outside Hunsur is in bad shape. Avoid travelling on a two- or three-wheeler. The Hunsur to Mysore road is better, with multiple lanes allowing traffic up to 100 km/h.

Do

 * Bannikuppe village
 * Kadnakoppalave
 * Kallali village
 * Panchavalli
 * Kokkare Hosalli
 * Muddena Halli
 * Kokkare Hosalli
 * Muddena Halli

Go next

 * Bangalore
 * Kasaragod
 * Kushalnagar
 * Madikeri
 * Mananthavady
 * Mysore
 * Krishnarajanagara
 * Nagarhole National Park 45 km from Hunsur.

title: Hunsur


text:
Hunterdon County

Hunterdon County is in Skylands, New Jersey.

Cities

 * , the county seat
 * (borough)
 * (borough)
 * (borough)
 * (borough)
 * (borough)
 * (borough)
 * (borough)

Go next

 * Mercer County
 * Morris County
 * Somerset County
 * Sussex County
 * Warren County

title: Hunterdon County


text:
Huntersville

Huntersville is a northern suburb of Charlotte, North Carolina. It has historically been a very small town, but due to suburban growth it has begun to develop its own small sphere of influence in the northern end of Mecklenburg County.

By car
From Interstate 77, take exit 23 or 25.

By air

 * Charlotte Douglas International Airport
 * Concord Regional Airport

By bus
Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) operates transit services throughout the Charlotte area.

Do

 * Frankies FunPark 10621 Bryton Corporate Center Dr
 * Frankies FunPark 10621 Bryton Corporate Center Dr
 * Frankies FunPark 10621 Bryton Corporate Center Dr

title: Huntersville