No comments about Hungarian: Learn to Speak and Understand Hungarian with Pimsleur Language Programs (Simon & Schuster's Pimsleur).

5 comments about Hungarian Verbs And Essentials of Grammar.

1. As someone who is taking formal Hungarian lessons, I've found Hungarian Verbs and Essentials of Grammar very useful. While it gives thorough coverage of Hungarian verbs and grammar, it should be used as a supplement to a language course. This excellent refernce books clearly describes the grammatical rules and notes the numerous exceptions. As a reference book Hungarian Essentials is well organized. This book has also been helpful in building my vocabulary.
   
   I would highly recommend as a complement to this book Practical Hungarian Grammar. It was written by the same author and published five years later in 2002



2. Torkenczy's the Man. I don't see how anybody could master Hungarian without this book. Torkenczy has simplified Hungarian grammar to its core essentials, and provided lots of lists of verb conjugation and the like that are invaluable for the serious student.
   
   But note that this should be used as a reference book and not as a textbook to learn Hungarian! My recommendation is to get this book only after about 8-12 months of studying Hungarian, depending on how serious of a student you are. Then read it cover-to-cover without stopping or re-reading. There will be much you won't understand, but don't worry about that now; just read it in its entirety to get an overview of all the forms and structures. Parallel to your normal studies, re-read it at least every 6-8 months, this time more in-depth, over and over until you feel confident that you know it all. It'll work!
   
   The only major flaw with this book is that its a little TOO concise. There are some places where a bit more explanation would have served the book better. There are also a few grammar points not covered, unfortunately, such as the "-e" (whether or not) ending. The only other negative comment I would have is that there are too many specialized linguistic terms for the non-linguist learner.
   
   But it gets 5 stars for its overall usefulness and indispensibility.



3. This is clearly advanced material and not for the faint of heart. It's also pretty dry - reminds me of old English grammar books that were quite rote and abstract. Not particularly helpful for beginning Hungarian students.



4. This book is good if you have studied hunagarian fo months. There are not to many examles and if you know and love grammer and thinks it is easy than you will understand it. But if you do not understand grammer you will be sitting with a dictionary the whole time and looking up what an indefinate verb and things like tha are. Over all it is good you just have to spend alot of time wih it to understand it



5. I have been learning Hungarian for about 2 months now, and I have just read this book cover-to-cover. I wish I had read it 1 month ago.
   
   It is an excellent book, designed as a reference rather than an ground-up book. Each section is self-contained and does not require previous section to have been read previously (so the reader could, for example, jump straight to chapter 10 or 20 for quick reference).
   
   There are lots of examples, all of which have English translations (something not all books have). My only complaint about the examples is that I wish there were a few more, especially in whole sentences. Many of the examples are sentence fragments, which does not always give as must help as an full sentence.
   
   I agree with the other reviewer that it would have been helpful to cover the various declined endings in more detail. Some are covered on depth, but others are simply listed with a very brief one-word explanation of the case.
   
   There are several sections on how verbs and nouns form their stems from the base form - the way that some drop a vowel, add a "d", or how some letters change.
   It is also careful to describe rules and to then list common exceptions to the rules. This is priceless.
   
   As has already been mentioned, there are lots of linguistic terms that I did not know, even in English. On one hand, it would be helpful to have a brief explanation of some of these terms; on the other it's not the place of a Hungarian book to each an Englishman terms in English.
   
   I thoroughly recommend this book for the beginner as well as for those who've been studying for a few months.

No comments about Kaplan GED en Espanol (Ged En Espanol).

5 comments about Hungarian-English/English-Hungarian Dictionary and Phrasebook (Hippocrene Dictionary & Phrasebooks).

1. All I can say is that when in provincial Hungary, an English-speaker is not necessarily found. This portable phrasebook and simple dictionary serves the purpose, and using it, I was able to communicate in a limited fashion, along with gestures and smiles. The price and size are right, and it'll help you navigate in a part of Europe that still may expect German or even Russian speakers more often than intrepid and often mono-lingual Anglophones.



2. I bought this book to help me translate messages and Hungarian ancestral documents for my genealogical research. This book is has very limited vocabulary. I am currently searching for a better more comprehensive Hungarian/English dictionary. Spend more money and buy a better book.



3. Because the Hungariqan alphabet and especially the pronunciation is different from English, it it a must to have next to each Hungarian word or phrase, its pronunciation - and this book it missing it!
   Yes, they have pronunciation of letters in separate page, but you have to look back each time you want to learn how to prononuce a word.
   If you're a beginner, stay away from this book.



4. Excellent! Perfect for the Hungarian speaker who wants to learn, or refresh their language skills, especially while using the Hungarian TV shows online. This book is great for easy quick reference.



5. Hungarian is so different from romance languages and English that one finds oneself literally out in the cold when listening to even the most basic conversation in Magyar. But on my next Hungarian sojourn, I will definitely bring it along.
   
   An uneducated English speaker might think the commonly used Magyar word "jo," for example, to mean "I," or yes. It's neither. Yes is "igen," and "jo" means "good." So when you hear someone saying "Jo, jo, jo, jo," which is also very common in Hungarian exchanges, you'll at least understand that the people approve of whatever it is they are talking about.
   
   This slim 148-page book contains a pronunciation guide and a short discussion of complex Magyar grammar, as well as a 40-page dictionary containing the most commonly used Hungarian words and a 70-page phrasebook, divided according to topics, i.e. transportation, personal data, hotels, restaurants, and the like.
   
   I believe this neat little volume (less wide than Zagat's), could have been a lifesaver on my last trip to Hungary's gorgeous countryside. To be sure, next time I will not "leave home without it."
   
   Highly recommended, especially at the amazingly low "used" prices.

5 comments about Hungarian-English/English-Hungarian Concise Dictionary (Hippocrene Concise Dictionary).

1. This dictionary is great for everyday use. Most other English-Hungarian/Hungarian-English dictionaries are big and hardcover, making them too bulky to carry around for quick reference. I would highly recommend this dictionary for tourists or students who want a handy reference to carry around.



2. If you're traveling as a tourist, this dictionary should be adequate for your needs. The dictionary is what it is: concise. However, as a student studying Hungarian, I feel that a volume that encompasses more would better serve the purpose of a reference book. As the book has only 10,000 words, I found many gaps when I went to look up a word in Hungarian or to try to find the Hungarian translation of an English word. A handy quick reference, but be sure that that's all you need it for.



3. This dictionary is the perfect size for traveling. It offers a wide array of words in both English and Hungarian, plus helpful information on pronunciation, basic grammar and conversions. Highly recommend it for beginners.



4. They could have put the text in 2 columns, and included 1/3 again as many words. There were so many words we looked up that were not there, it was very frustrating.
   
   It's a handy size, and did a nice job of concisely explaining the structure of the Hungarian Language.
   
   Plus it really needed a few pages of basic phrases.



5. Here's another pocket guide I will definitely pack on the next trip to Budapest. I'll have on hand something to quickly check the meanings of the strange, Finnish-like language I doubt I can ever learn.
   
   I highly recommend this guide, particularly at the low used prices. My copy, supposedly used, came in clean, bright and new-looking condition.
   
   I couldn't be happier.

1 comments about Hungarian-English Dictionary.

1. This book comes with an undersized CD, including correct pronunciations of Hungarian words.
   
   But alas, it lacks the Hungarian-English side of the dictionary, which apparently is available only under a separate cover. I wish I'd known that before buying it.
   
   Instead, I recommend Hungarian-English/English-Hungarian Concise Dictionary (Hippocrene) and Hungarian-English/English-Hungarian Dictionary and Phrasebook (Hippocrene), both of which can be consulted for Hungarian words, on the fly in Budapest, or the countryside, where very few people speak a word of English.

4 comments about Hungarian Practical Dictionary: Hungarian-English English-Hungarian (Hippocrene Practical Dictionaries).

1. We purchased this book as a gift for my Mother. She had taken Hungarian lessons as a young girl growing up in Pennsylvania and had friends and relatives to speak Hungarian to until about 20 years ago. This book was purchased for her to use on an upcoming trip we are making this summer to Hungary. She is so pleased with the book's content that she read it cover to cover reacquainting herself with words she hasn't used in years. She would rate this book five stars.



2. This is a good dictionary for someone like me who knows some hungarian because you can look up words either way.



3. Excellent! Perfect for the Hungarian speaker who wants to learn, or refresh their language skills, especially while using the Hungarian TV shows online. This book is great for easy,quick,complete,reference.



4. Now, normally Hippocrene publishes these concise (less than 10,000 translations) and commercial (New Times Font, no idiom markings) dictionaries, surprisingly about many of the world's less-commonly-studied languages. This dictionary has to be one of the better reference books published by Hippocrene which I have ever come across.
   
   A good, handy dictionary and very recommended!

1 comments about Basic Hungarian: Learn to Speak and Understand Hungarian with Pimsleur Language Programs (Basic).

1. Because I studied Latin, Romance languages pose no problem for me. I have tried to learn Turkish and Czech for trips to those countries but did not progress very well with the programs I tried. I decided to give Pimsleur a shot at Hungarian because of a recommendation in a book. I had tried another program and got nowhere. I'm over half way through the basic program and am very pleased. The only criticism I have is that it is aurally based. They claim that this is do prevent one from speaking with an American accent. However, I also want to know how to read the language. Still, I feel further along in Hungarian than I ever did in Czech or Turkish. I'll be ordering the next level soon. For non Romance languages in the future, I'll go with Pimsleur.

1 comments about Conversational Hungarian: Learn to Speak and Understand Hungarian with Pimsleur Language Programs (Simon & Schuster's Conversational).

1. If you are new to hungarian this is an excellent way to start and keep going , pimsleurs method is absolutely genius you hear it and remember it better than almost any other products i have tried buy this if you wanna learn another language you won't regret it. it was easier for me since i already knew quite a bit of hungarian beforehand from my gfs family but anyone can do good with this program. tanulak magyarul nagyon jol, en egy kicsit beszelek magyarul de nem beszelek nagyon jol :-0

5 comments about Hungarian: Lonely Planet Phrasebook.

1. Well, I am a native speaker of Hungarian myself, so I was quite curious to see this book.
   For the most part, I found it very good.
   The main part of the book, the phrases are quite good and natural - it really shows that they had native speakers check it.
   The phrases cover all sorts of issues from shopping to visiting a doctor or even dating and having sex!
   The boxed texts on culture are also quite good and often amusing.
   It has only 12 pages on grammar, but that's quite spot on.
   It does include a box on present tense verb conjugation (taking vowel harmony into account!), and has even devoted a whole page to conjugating four common, but irregular verbs (come, go, eat, drink). Another box conjugates "to be" and yet another shows the suffixes for possessions. I guess it's quite OK for the space.
   The 2000 word dictionary at the back is quite comprehensive.
   A weaker point is the "phonetical transliteration" system used - Hungarian is written fully phonetically in its original form (thankfully also presented here), but the phonetical transliteration provided here for English-speakers may result in blank looks in many cases - you could always choose to ignore it.
   The intro contains useful facts about the history and roots of the language, though the map showing where Hungarian is supposedly spoken might raise some eyebrows in neighbouring countries! ;-)
   The layout is attractive, with color illustrations.
   I even like the cover (different from what is shown on Amazon)- certainly better than a kitshy horseman or traditionally clad dancer could have been! ;-)
   Overall: RECOMMENDED.
   If you are planning to spend any time away from the major cities and tourist areas, you will find it VERY useful!



2. I took one term of Hungarian in college, and I've been to Hungary a few times (but only for a few days each time). So I tried getting this book to relearn some of the language before going back to Hungary this year. It helped me do just that, and I was able to converse with plenty of non-English speaking Hungarians. This is a well-written book.
   
   But how much will this book help you if you don't know Hungarian at all? I'm not so sure. To communicate in a language, I think you really need to hear it spoken and painstakingly learn a bunch of vocabulary words (I like using flashcards to do this). I think it will be more of a help to those who already know something about the language, or at least have access to someone who can help them practice it.
   
   I'm glad I got this book. I recommend it.



3. This pocket book is a must-have for anyone who, like me, has an interest in learning Hungarian or who plans to visit Hungary. Concise & comprehensive, it's a winner. The only drawback is that the 'pronunciation' provided seems to be geared to travelers from the UK &, as such, can cause difficulties for No. Americans. This ancient, beautifully soft, & richly vocalic language is certainly complicated for an English speaker. Along with a Törkenczy grammar any traveler should be speedily humming along in party town Budapest. These people are warm, friendly, & openly admire most anyone willing to tackle their tongue, not to mention the cuisine & the wines!



4. With help from this guidebook I was able to pronounce words off of menus well enough to where servers were pleased with me and eager to help me out. My last phrasebook left people in Poland laughing at me as the phonetic guides led me astray. The problem with this guide is that it was not correct with some of the basic words a traveller would want. Our hotel staff told us that we were using antiquated, formal versions for certain greetings and interactive words, and gave a lesson on what to say (and when) instead. We also found that we got blank stares when we asked about dinner at a resturant. We pointed out the word in the book and the server looked very confused. I guess this book fails to even provide a correct translation for "dinner"...and who knows what else? I was glad to have this book along -- it is basically useful -- but I've got to assume other guides do a better job with getting some of the basics right. If you book at a big hotel you can save a few dollars by getting a free, accurate lesson from the staffers, and forgetting this guide.



5. I love this book. It's small enough to just throw in your bag and go when you are exploring a new city. Since moving to Budapest, it has come in handy several times over - and the pronunciation is superb! It has every helpful phrase you need when traveling abroad!
   
   I think this book could be used for travelers of any age - though the "romance" section may be limited to the younger population.
   
   One thing I would like to see in future publications though is maybe a map of the city - or at least a map of the metro.
   
   I would buy this book - and others from the series - without hesitation in the future. I am a huge fan of Lonely Planet products so having this book in my library is just the icing on the cake!