The most satisfying first step of learning any language is the basics such as hello, thanks, how are you, etc. This page teaches them without any grammar, but it is the only time I will give Hungarian phonetic pronounciation. The grammar is contained in the rest of the site!

• szia hi, hello, bye see-ah This is a little like the Italian "ciao".
• jó napot/reggelt/estét/éjszákat Good day/morning/evening/night yo na-pot / reh-gelt / esh-tet / ay-sa-kat
• jó napot/reggelt/estét/éjszákat kívánok Good day/morning/evening/night (more polite) kiv-a-nok
• viszontlátásra goodbye vee-sont-laa-taash-ra
• hogy vagy? how are you (informal)? hodge vodge
  This was the very first phrase I learnt, in a café in Budapest in December 2006.

• igen yes ee-gen (hard G like in gate)
• nem no
• köszönöm thank you kur-sur-nurm
• kérek please care-ek (in the sense of "a beer, please")
• legyen szíves please ledge-en see-vesh (in the sense of "be so kind as")
• szívesen; nincs mit you're welcome; it's nothing, don't mention it see-vesh-en / ninch mit

• szeretlek I love you seh-ret-lek
• szép vagy you are pretty sairp vodge This is easier to pronounce than the next phrase, that's why I included both
• gyönyörű vagy you are beautiful djer-nyer-oo vodge
• boldog születésnapot (kívánok) (I wish you a) happy birthday bol-dog soo-let-esh-na-pot (key-va-nok)

• boldog születésnapot (kívánok) (I wish you a) happy birthday bol-dog soo-let-esh-na-pot (key-va-nok)
• boldog karácsonyt (kívánok) (I wish you a) happy Christmas bol-dog kar-ah-chonyt (key-va-nok)
• boldog új évet (kívánok) (I wish you a) happy New Year bol-dog ooi air-vet (key-va-nok)

There are several ways of giving your name. These are listed here with their listeral meanings; all are acceptable.

• Daniel vagyok my name is Daniel vodge-ok Literally, "I am Daniel".
• a nevem Daniel my name is Daniel Literally, "my name is Daniel".
• Danielnek hívnak my name is Daniel heave-nek Literally, "they call me Daniel".
• mi a neved? what is your name? me ah nev-ed
• hogy hívnak? what is your name? hodge heave-nak Literally, "how do they call you?"

• angol vagyok I am English an-gol vodge-ok
• te magyar vagy? are you Hungarian? tea modge-or?
• ő amerikai he is American eugh a-mer-i-kar-ee
• Atlantából vagyok I am from Atlanta Atlanta-bol vodge-ok

• beszélsz angolul? do you speak English (informal)? bes-ells an-go-lul
• nem beszélek magyarul I don't speak Hungarian nem bes-el-ek modge-or-ul
• csak kicsit beszélek magyarul I only speak a little Hungarian chok kitch-it modge-or-ul bes-el-ek

See the main page about country names introductions in Hungarian.