Hungarian pronunciation is a minefield for learners. Between the vowel harmony, consonant clusters, and stress patterns, it’s easy to butcher even simple words. Here’s a no-nonsense guide to the most common mispronunciations and how to avoid them.
1. The 'sz' vs. 's' disaster
This one trips up everyone. In Hungarian, 'sz' is pronounced like the English 's', while 's' is pronounced like 'sh'. Mess this up, and you’ll accidentally say 'shit' instead of 'bridge' (híd vs. sétál).
szia
[ˈsijɒ]“hi”
2. The cursed 'gy' sound
Hungarian 'gy' is a soft 'd' sound, similar to the 'd' in 'during'. English speakers often default to a hard 'g', turning gyerek (child) into something that sounds like 'gherkin'.
gyümölcs
[ˈɟymølt͡ʃ]“fruit”
3. Vowel length matters (a lot)
Hungarian distinguishes between short and long vowels. Get it wrong, and you’ll confuse örül (rejoice) with őrül (go crazy).
- Short 'a' as in alma (apple) – like 'aw' in 'law'
- Long 'á' as in álom (dream) – hold it longer, like 'aaah'
4. The 'ly' illusion
Despite looking like the English 'ly', this is just a 'y' sound. Saying 'l-y' separately will make lyuk (hole) sound like 'luke' instead of 'yook'.
5. Stress always on the first syllable
Hungarian words are always stressed on the first syllable. Misplace the stress, and you’ll sound like a confused foreigner. For example, BUDapest (correct) vs. buDApest (incorrect).
Final thoughts
Hungarian pronunciation isn’t easy, but nailing these basics will stop you from accidentally insulting someone’s mother or declaring war on a sandwich. For more laughs (and lessons), see the funniest Hungarian mispronunciations.
