Register  Login  Active Topics  Maps  

0 to conversational Hungarian in 3 months

 Language Learning Forum : Language Learning Log Post Reply
52 messages over 7 pages: 1 2 35 6 7  Next >>
irishpolyglot
Nonaglot
Senior Member
Ireland
fluentin3months
Joined 5414 days ago

285 posts - 892 votes 
Speaks: Irish, English*, French, Esperanto, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Sign Language
Studies: Mandarin

 
 Message 25 of 52
19 August 2010 at 12:58pm | IP Logged 
The latest is that I am finally speaking! What was holding me back was too much focus on grammar in the first weeks that gave me a sense of obligation to get through the rest of it and not work so much on phrases and vocab - a silly mistake! As well as this, just generally moving to a new country always slows me down on everything I'm doing as I look for new routines.

But last night I had my first 5 minute long basic (and spontaneous) conversation in Hungarian :) I still have a long road ahead of me, but it's definitely a good start!!

The grammar studies helped me to argue away all the discouragement that Hungarian is the hardest language (as you would have seen from the tone of my latest blog post), along the lines of my previous update, so I have the confidence I needed for Hungarian and can get through text with a dictionary no problem. So my focus will be learning vocabulary and as much practise as possible. I am still confident that I can reach my target of conversational by October!

I'll likely write a detailed update on the blog next week and I'll come back here again when I have reached another milestone or have something interesting to say in terms of my progress. Basically, so far so good :D
1 person has voted this message useful



liddytime
Pentaglot
Senior Member
United States
mainlymagyar.wordpre
Joined 6010 days ago

693 posts - 1328 votes 
Speaks: English*, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Galician
Studies: Hungarian, Vietnamese, Modern Hebrew, Norwegian, Persian, Arabic (Written)

 
 Message 26 of 52
19 August 2010 at 3:03pm | IP Logged 
Ez jó!

Holnap megyek próbálni beszélni egy magyar orvos. Nem tudok várni!
1 person has voted this message useful



David_hu
Diglot
Newbie
Hungary
Joined 5128 days ago

6 posts - 11 votes
Speaks: Hungarian*, EnglishB2
Studies: German, Russian

 
 Message 27 of 52
19 August 2010 at 10:38pm | IP Logged 
liddytime wrote:
Nem tudok várni!


I just thought, you might be interested: the hungarian phrase for "I can't wait" is
"Alig várom"!
If you analyze the phrase itself, it might be confusing though, as it sounds like "I
barely wait it", but the meaning of the word "alig" depends on context, especially in
this case, so the actual translation is "I can hardly wait".

(In your first sentence, you should add the -val/-vel ending, (means "with", so
"orvossal" - with a doctor, as in 'talk with a doctor' - beszélni egy orvossal)

Cheers
3 persons have voted this message useful



irishpolyglot
Nonaglot
Senior Member
Ireland
fluentin3months
Joined 5414 days ago

285 posts - 892 votes 
Speaks: Irish, English*, French, Esperanto, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Sign Language
Studies: Mandarin

 
 Message 28 of 52
21 August 2010 at 11:45am | IP Logged 
@Liddy Thanks!! :)
@David Appreciate the mini lesson ;)

I've reached the next milestone!!
Last night I was with some Hungarians for two hours and made it through that time having basic conversations in the language. There was usually a word every sentence or two I didn't understand and my friend would translate it for me, but I was definitely in the flow and am used to the sound of the language.

Sometimes I would not understand particular parts of sentences, but I have a lot of experience in extrapolation based on the context and on word roots / prefixes hinting what it may mean, so I would be pretty confident I understood and the translation would confirm this.

The conversation was about many topics - technology, travel, parties and we were in a bar with some loud music for some extra challenges. Even though my level is still quite basic with essential vocabulary missing and lots of mistakes, I am indeed communicating and the Hungarians were all impressed with what I've achieved despite only living in Budapest for two weeks so far.

What is really missing is vocabulary. The core of my studies over the next month will be based on vocabulary, and of course making sure that I practise often.

I will likely make no significant progress in the next week as I'm writing another e-book; this time about how to hack German specifically. But I am meeting up with several people who speak no English (or other languages I speak), so I will be under even more pressure without having a translation to rely on when I'm stuck.

The pressure and vast amount of mistakes and misunderstandings are frustrating, but I am trying to get through this stage as swiftly as possible. I still have a lot of work ahead of me, but a positive attitude and resistance to feeling embarrassed are making all the difference!
1 person has voted this message useful



doviende
Diglot
Senior Member
Canada
languagefixatio
Joined 5767 days ago

533 posts - 1245 votes 
Speaks: English*, German
Studies: Spanish, Dutch, Mandarin, Esperanto, Hindi, Swedish, Portuguese

 
 Message 29 of 52
21 August 2010 at 1:02pm | IP Logged 
When you say "the core of my studies will be based on vocabulary", what are you referring to, exactly? Are you working through phrasebooks, doing Iverson lists, or do you just mean that you'll be purely speaking to people and noting down new words you hear?
1 person has voted this message useful



irishpolyglot
Nonaglot
Senior Member
Ireland
fluentin3months
Joined 5414 days ago

285 posts - 892 votes 
Speaks: Irish, English*, French, Esperanto, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Sign Language
Studies: Mandarin

 
 Message 30 of 52
21 August 2010 at 1:45pm | IP Logged 
* SRS (I've just created my own deck, but am still going through the one I got from the Anki download list)
* Reviewing several course books for teaching the language (like Teach Yourself, Colloquial Hungarian and even my Lonely Planet phrasebooks) but focusing on the vocabulary now that I am confident with the grammar
* Speaking often and learning vocabulary on the go. I don't note down any words, I try to come up with an association on the spot.
1 person has voted this message useful



irishpolyglot
Nonaglot
Senior Member
Ireland
fluentin3months
Joined 5414 days ago

285 posts - 892 votes 
Speaks: Irish, English*, French, Esperanto, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Sign Language
Studies: Mandarin

 
 Message 31 of 52
24 August 2010 at 10:53pm | IP Logged 
I've just written an update on the mission on the blog:
http://www.fluentin3months.com/budapest-mission-update/
This summarises my feeling of how well I've done so far!
1 person has voted this message useful



liddytime
Pentaglot
Senior Member
United States
mainlymagyar.wordpre
Joined 6010 days ago

693 posts - 1328 votes 
Speaks: English*, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Galician
Studies: Hungarian, Vietnamese, Modern Hebrew, Norwegian, Persian, Arabic (Written)

 
 Message 32 of 52
30 August 2010 at 7:22pm | IP Logged 
Benny, not sure if you'd be interested but I just wanted to let you know that I have made my first Hungarian Anki
deck available publicly.

It consists of all the vocabulary from the first 5 units of DLI and FSI.

Search on Anki downloads under Hungarian and it should be pretty obvious which is the FSI / DLI one.

I’ll plan to add the others after each five units or so.

Enjoy!


2 persons have voted this message useful



This discussion contains 52 messages over 7 pages: << Prev 1 2 35 6 7  Next >>


Post ReplyPost New Topic Printable version Printable version

You cannot post new topics in this forum - You cannot reply to topics in this forum - You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum - You cannot create polls in this forum - You cannot vote in polls in this forum


This page was generated in 0.4844 seconds.


DHTML Menu By Milonic JavaScript
Copyright 2024 FX Micheloud - All rights reserved
No part of this website may be copied by any means without my written authorization.