Hungarian and community: where you learn and with whom
Hungarian is hard, but a hundred words go a long way in the shop, at the doctor and with your landlord. And the people are not on a notice board; they are in the university's international club and the groups.
- What it costs
- The university Hungarian course is often free or cheap; private language schools charge tens of thousands of forints a month.
- How long it takes
- One semester at two hours a week is enough for the shop-and-office basics.
Learning Hungarian
Most universities offer Hungarian as a foreign language for international students, often for credit and free; the international offices at ELTE, BME, Corvinus, Semmelweis, SZTE, the University of Debrecen and PTE know where to sign up. Private language schools (several in Budapest cater to foreigners, and the other university cities have some too) are more intensive but paid. For a hundred everyday words, an app and the courage to start in Hungarian at the shop are enough.
Where the people are
The Erasmus Student Network (ESN) runs at every big university and organises the first week of the semester, where most friendships start, even if you did not come on Erasmus. The university's international club, the faculty orientation days and the sports clubs are the other. On Facebook the international student groups and the "Expats in Budapest" type groups, of which Szeged, Debrecen and Pécs each have their own, on Meetup the language exchange evenings.
Flatmates and the flat
A flatmate is the fastest community. On the board, the "we live together and are looking for a flatmate" listings are students already sharing a flat looking for one more, and you apply with an introduction; that is the setting where you do not move into a foreign city alone. Listings show who says "English OK".
Step by step
- Sign up for the university's Hungarian course in the first week; places run out.
- Find the ESN section and the first-week programme.
- Start in a shared flat, not alone.
- Learn ten sentences: greeting, introducing yourself, asking, thanking, numbers.
Traps
- Staying in the English bubble: comfortable, but at the offices and with a landlord you are on your own.
- Skipping the first week: the ESN programme and the courses start then.
- A studio alone in the first semester: a room is cheaper and you have someone to talk to.
Common questions
Can I get by in English?
At the university and downtown, yes; young people speak it, in Budapest and in the other university cities alike. At offices, at the doctor and with an older landlord not always; that is where the hundred words or a Hungarian flatmate help.
Do I need Hungarian for the address registration?
The form is in Hungarian, but the international office helps fill it in, and you can do it together with your landlord.
Where do I find Hungarian friends, not only foreigners?
Sports clubs, faculty events, flatmates and the language exchange evenings; the Hungarians there have come to talk to foreigners.
Last checked: 2026. 09. 06. Prices and official rules change; always check the official sites before you act.
The board lists private landlords and students looking for flatmates, with no agency and no fee.
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