Customer Reviews

Berlitz Hungarian Cassette Pack

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I found "Berlitz Hungarian" to be the best introduction to the Hungarian language of several audio casette courses that I tried. It consists of a series of English vocabulary words, each followed first by its Hungarian equivalent, then by a short sentence using that word, first in English and then in Hungarian. The cassette covers vocabulary and phrases needed for a series of real-life situations, such as purchasing tickets, shopping, reserving a room in a hotel, etc.

This single Berlitz audio cassette is less comprehensive than the similar two-tape series from Language/30, which I also found very useful, but the Berlitz cassette is easier to start with. Each Hungarian sentence is read through slowly and clearly and then repeated at normal speed after a short pause. That gives you an opportunity to test yourself and make corrections before moving on to the next vocabulary word and sentence. Several bodies of material are followed by brief dialogues. The dialogue is read through in two voices and then repeated with just one person's voice alternating with short silences for you take the part of the other dialog partner using the words and phrases you have just learned.

I found that I could easily use this cassette while commuting and on the easier stretches of long trips. After working my way (and frequently rewinding) through it three times, I felt I knew most of the material and could move on to a more advanced course. The Berlitz audio cassette only explains a few points of grammar. Other points of grammar gradually become clear from usage as you go along, but the finer points would require a more advanced level of instruction. This is only a "getting to know you" kind of introduction.

This is a useful book and cassette. The lessons on the tape are helpful for commonly used phrases in Hungarian. Appears to be the best tape for beginners.