13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent course book, well-explained, communication focus, 28 Jan 2002
I found this book very easy to learn from. Despite the vocabulary being difficult to say the least, the book makes the grammar of the language very simple, and the user can quickly learn how to handle simple situations in Hungary. The 2nd part of the book goes into more complex issues for the more ambitious learner. I thoroughly recommend the book - it certainly has helped me communicate on my visits to the country.
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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Good, but keep your expectations realistic, 1 Nov 1998
By A Customer
This is definitely one of the better books in this series. It is usefully divided into two parts, the first for the casual visitor and the second for the more serious learner. The recordings are excellent and the grammar explanations are clear and approachable. The dialogues are realistic and cover useful vocabulary. Shortcomings are inherent in the nature of the Teach Yourself series. It covers a lot in a short space of time and there is not much chance to practise. You shouldn't expect to be fluent after doing this course but you will never learn a language from one source alone. However, I think that this is an excellent way to make a start in the language and an even better way to learn more communicative language for those who have previously learned from a more grammar based course. I originally learned from a traditional thorough course but when in Hungary found myself using more language that I'd picked up from the dialogues in Teach Yourself Hungarian!
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Not bad, could be better, 28 May 2006
Positives:
The language in this book is everyday Hungarian - within the first few chapters, you have basic introductions, eating out, directions and shopping, all the really essential stuff - you won't starve on holiday with this book.
Useful (and interesting) sections on Hungarian culture, customs and manners. Invaluable.
The grammar is fairly well explained, although I have seen better.
Negatives:
No listening comprehensions. Reading comprehensions far too easy.
Grammar points explained one after the other, sonetimes as many as 10 in a chapter, with inadequate practice tasks.
Vocabulary thrown at the learner with little in the way of practice. To learn the vocabulary effectively, the student needs to devise his or her own activities, such as flashcards or memory games.
This isn't a bad language learning book, but it could be improved by adding a workbook for grammar and vocabulary practice. With little in the way of competition, TY Hungarian should be the first port of call for any learner of Hungarian. However, if you can afford it, Hallo, Itt Magyaroszag! by Erdos and Prileszky, used in conjunction with Hungarian Verbs and Essentials of Grammar by Torkenczy would be a much better option.
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