learn hungarian in 1 year

Dear eager language students!

Maybe I have more than average language skills, I speak 6 languages and understand 10 languages. But it's not impossible.

I started Hungarian in evening classes, 2 hours a week. After 3 year I was able to ask a question in Hungarian, but I didn't understand the answer. Lack of grammar, vocabulary, slang, ... lack of practice.So you get very frustrated.
After my studies, I went to hungary and looked for a good language school, and I've found it. Have a look at www.bbi.hu They have groups at different levels. I started there as a near-beginner. The real beginners reached the level I had after 3 year already after 2 months. After 1 year the complete beginners were all able to express themselves in everyday conversations in shops, restaurants, train stations, etc. and were able to talk in an interesting way about their home countries, hobbies etc. Maybe with an accent, but Hungarians do appreciate it, when you try to speak their language.
After 10 months of intensive Hungarian (not only the lessons are important, you also have to try yourself to use all the words you learn, all the grammar you learn) I passed the C-type ORIGO language test, even Hungarians think this is a realy difficult test. I also passes the entrance exam (and 10 months later the final exam) for the interpretor training at the Budapest Technical University.
This school has different programmes, for different types of students. Evening classes, for people who are working and don't have time for full time training, private classes, if you want to study at your own pace, university preparation for foreign students who want to start university in Hungarian (after 1 year these guys are perfectly able to attend all classes and can produce papers and presentations in Hungarian). They have special full-time programmes for foreigners, offering language classes, history, literature, culture, and special language and history classes for foreigners with hungarian roots, in this case classes will remediate "false friends" in Hungarian, special training for translators of hungarian literature, summer schools ...

I've spent a wonderfull year in that school, I have many new friends from all over the world, we are still in touch and we always speak Hungarian, not English.

I can only recommend it to everybody else.
There are other possibilities as well to learn the language, but I can only tell you about my experiences.
so check out:
Ministry of education: www.okm.gov.hu
Hungarian scholarship board: www.scholarship.hu
My favourite school: Balassi Balint institute: www.bbi.hu
if you want to become a pro: http://www.traduc-inter.bme.hu/index.php

success !

Katja 07 Aug 2007, 10:03 - Report