Customer Reviews

Hungarian, Basic: Learn to Speak and Understand Hungarian with Pimsleur Language Programs (Simon & Schuster's Pimsleur)

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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.

This is a good cd for someone who knows no Hungarian or very little Hungarian. I listen to it in the car.

I just returned from 2 weeks in Budapest. What I was looking for with Pimsleur's Basic Hungarian was "survival" Hungarian, and I did, in fact, survive. What Hungarian phrases I learned (excuse me, thank you, I'm sorry, good afternoon, do you speak English?, ordering a glass of wine, etc.) were easily understood by Hungarians, and I understood some of what was said to me. (Of course, understanding native speakers of a foreign language is always much more difficult than speaking a few phrases, because the native speakers don't limit themselves to the small survival vocabulary I've learned.)

I found the learning process to be extremely effective. At the beginning of a lesson, you'd listen to a conversation in Hungarian, and by the end of the lesson you could actually understand it. You'd be reminded of phrases at just the right interval to reinforce them. So, what phrases I learned, I learned well. The next time I travel, I will definitely use Pimsleur's for whatever language I need.

My only reason for rating it a 4 instead of a 5 was that I wished it had a few more survival phrases. Would have liked phrases like, where is the restroom?, may I have the check?, and how to order red wine (as opposed to just wine). Thankfully, I was able to learn those phrases from the relatives we were visiting. Given that it was only 5 hours of lessons, I think the coverage was reasonable. Next time, I might try a longer Pimsleur program.

This unit covers a very limited amount of vocabulary and grammar, but what's there is useful and presented very effectively so that you learn it and can use it. And the audio quality is excellent, so that if you have any ear for a language's sounds at all, you are going to get it right, which is a critical basis for any subsequent learning. If there is a downside to this, it's that Hungarians will think that you speak better or more than you do, but frankly, this entirely accomplishes the purpose of breaking the ice and creating a good first impression, from which cooperation makes getting things done possible. At the price, it would be hard to find a better first exposure to Hungarian.

these are great but if you do research you can find the entire set online for cheaper, hence the 4 stars. This part is good for some basic vocab, but not everyday conversation. If you want to learn Hungarian, and trust me it's a rather difficult language, get the whole set Pimsleur produces a great product.

First, you will not learn to read and write Hungarian; but you will understand enough of the language to be a 'casual traveller' and maybe - if you are brave - engage a local.

Sometimes it is called "survival French/Italian/Hungarian...". But it is more than that - not a lot more - but more. You will be able to be polite, ask for food and drink, understand directions... that kind of thing.

The method teaches the sounds made by the letters - stringing the sounds together to form words - and stringing words together to make phrases and sentences. There is a cadence to it and it is very easy to grasp and follow.

The lessons start with people having a conversation. It will all be gibberish to you! I guarantee it. But by the end of the lesson you will understand every part of the conversation. And as the lessons progress, the previous topics and language is re-introduced so you have to recall previous lessons and apply them to the new situation. It is a good method.

This is the best method for learning Hungarian, but the initial product contains only rudimentary lessons, and the full version is pricey.

Dear Friends <> For many and many years I was looking for a Dicitionary of Hungarian in order to learn a bit of this language for I'm stamps collector (philatelist) and also I do love to learn other languages/idioms, so I decided to buy this book after an indication of a friend of mine about your library Amazon and them the things happened very very well. I'm ver satisfyed for this purchase. Now I can read and learn what the hungarian stamps meaning and that's very good for me.
Thanks a lot.
Vittorio Esposito since Brazil/Ubá(MG)