Do They Speak English in Hungary? (2024)

Are you wondering “Do they speak English in Hungary” or “Do they speak English in Budapest”?

Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered! I was born and raised in Budapest and although I have been living abroad for about 15 years, I try to go home at least once a year.

So the question is “do they speak English in Hungary”? The short answer is that yes, they speak English in Hungary! People in bigger cities (such as Budapest) and the younger population speak English well.

Usually in big cities and tourist areas in Hungary, you will have no problem getting by speaking English. People in hotels, restaurants, bars and at tourist attractions have good English and are used to speaking English with foreigners.

So, here is everything you need to know about people speaking English in Hungary and some useful Hungarian phrases in case you feel like learning some Hungarian!

Do They Speak English in Hungary?

Yes, people speak English in Hungary! In big cities and touristy places, you will find that people can speak English – especially the younger population.

Hungary used to be part of the Soviet Union until 1990 and until then people were taught Russian in school. Thus, after the Soviet rule ended in Hungary in 1990, that’s when teaching English in schools became popular. That’s the reason behind why it is mostly the younger generation that can speak English in Hungary.

In case you need to ask for information, your best bet is to ask someone who is in the younger generation, maximum ages up to 40-45.

If you go to visit villages in the countryside of Hungary, people will have limited or no English, so you might have some difficulties communicating English.

In case you find yourself in a situation where it is difficult to communicate in English, sometimes it is best to be patient, speak slowly and talk using simple words in English.

Do They Speak English in Budapest?

Yes, people can speak English in Budapest – especially the younger generation. If you are travelling to Budapest, you will not have to worry about getting by in English.

People in hotels, restaurants, bars and at the tourist attractions have good English and are used to speaking English with foreigners. Most people would have a basic knowledge of English, maybe not perfect English, but good enough to have a conversation.

It is only the older generation in Hungary who have limited or no knowledge of English. Due to this, if you have to ask for information or guidance, it is best to ask someone who is younger (up to 40-45 aged).

So, if you wonder, “do they speak english in Budapest”, you do not have to worry as you will be able to communicate in English in Budapest fairly easily.

Do They Speak English in the Countryside in Hungary?

No, in the countryside in small villages (non-touristy places), most people cannot speak English or have very limited knowledge.

One reason for this is that the younger generation moves to big cities and it is the elderly population in the villages. Also in the countryside, that are non-touristy places, people are not exposed to foreigners or speaking English, so then it is more difficult to speak English.

If you find yourself in a situation where it is difficult to communicate in English, just stay patient and remember that body language also helps a lot in communicating!

Do Older People Speak English in Hungary?

No, older people generally cannot speak English in Hungary.

The reason behind that is that Hungary used to be part of the Soviet Union until 1990 and until then people were taught Russian in school.

It was only after the Soviet rule ended in Hungary in 1990, that English became a popular subject to teach as a foreign language. This is why it is mostly the younger generation that can speak English in Hungary.

Of course, there are exceptions and there are many older people who can speak English but as a general rule, if you need to ask for information or help, your best bet is to ask someone from the younger generation.

Do I Need to Be Able to Speak Hungarian to Travel in Hungary?

No, you do not need to be able to speak Hungarian to travel in Hungary.

Most of the people in big cities and touristy places can speak English and are used to foreigners.

Staff in hotels, restaurants, bars and at tourist attractions can speak good English and are used to speaking English with foreigners.

It is especially true if you are travelling to Budapest, where you will find most people can speak English. It is only the older population that have no or limited English. Thus, if you need to ask for information or help, it is better to approach someone who is from the younger generation.

If you are visiting other towns like Szeged, Pecs or Debrecen, you will also be able to get by speaking English. Szeged, Pecs, Debrecen and Eger are some of the biggest student towns in Hungary with a big number of university students, so you will be able to speak English easily.

What Language Do They Speak in Hungary?

The official language in Hungary is the Hungarian language. The Hungarian language belongs to the Uralic languages and is spoken by about 13,000,000 people.

Hungarian is mainly spoken by the people in Hungary (approximately 10,000,000 people), Hungarians who moved abroad to various countries, and by Hungarian communities living in neighbouring countries such as Romania, Ukraine, Slovakia and Serbia.

Hungarian is not a major language like English, French or Spanish and mostly you will not find people from other nationalities speaking Hungarian.

It is not similar to any other language, so even if you can speak other languages than English, they won’t be helpful in Hungary. The Finnish language also belongs to the Uralic languages but in the present day, the two languages are totally different and you can only see some similarities if you are a linguist.

Basic Hungarian Phrases to Know for a Trip to Hungary

If you are coming to Hungary to visit the most popular touristy places, you will easily get by speaking English. However, sometimes, being able to speak a little bit of the local language can always go a long way in any country.

It is very rare for a foreigner to speak any Hungarian so if you can just say 1-2 words in Hungarian, people will already be impressed.

Here is a list of the 10 most useful Hungarian phrases to know while travelling in Hungary:

English	Hungarian
Hi/Hello	Szia (informal) Jó napot! (formal/respectful version)
Thank you	Köszi (informal) Köszönöm (formal)
Good/fine	Ok (you can just say ‘ok’ like in English)
Yes	Igen
No	Nem
How are you?	Hogy vagy?
I am fine.	Jól vagyok.
My name is ______.	______ a nevem.
Cheers!	Egészségedre!
How much is it?	Mennyibe kerül?

Hungarian Language Apps

Simply Learn Hungarian

• Simply Learn Hungarian on Google Play
• Simply Learn Hungarian on the Apple Store

Simply Learn has online resources to learn for just about all the languages in the world. This app can help you to pick up some basic vocabulary and phrases for while you are travelling in Hungary.

Although, Hungarian language is pretty difficult, it can go a long way even if you can speak just 1-2 phrases.

The younger generation in Hungary speaks pretty good English though, you might have some difficulties getting by with people who are in the older generation.

FAQ: Do They Speak English in Hungary?

What language do they speak in Budapest?

The official language in Budapest, and Hungary as a whole, is Hungarian. However, the younger generation speaks very good English in Budapest and you will be able to easily get by speaking English in Budapest.

Is it okay to speak English in Hungary?

Yes, it is okay to speak English in Hungary. The official language in Hungary is the Hungarian language but most of the younger people can speak English in Hungary.

If you are visiting big cities or touristy areas, you will find most people are able to speak some level of English. It is only if you are visiting less touristy, rural areas that you may not be able to communicate in English so easily.

Do they teach English in Hungary?

Yes, they teach English in Hungary and the younger generation has very good knowledge of English.

English has become popular as a foreign language in schools after the Soviet rule ended in 1990 and since then English is the most popular subject to study as a foreign language. This is the reason that mostly the younger people will be able to speak English and the older generation (50 years+) have less or limited knowledge if English.

Which language is spoken in Hungary?

The official language in Hungary is the Hungarian language. It belongs to the Uralic languages and is spoken by about 13,000,000 people.

The Hungarian language is not similar to any other languages and is only spoken by the Hungarian population in Hungary, neighbouring countries and Hungarians living abroad in various countries.

Is English widely spoken in Hungary?

English is widely spoken in Hungary in big cities and touristy areas. Mostly it is the younger generation that speaks English well, while the older population has no or limited level of English.

People in hotels, restaurants, bars and at tourist attractions have good English and are used to speaking English with foreigners. So, you will not have a problem getting by speaking English.

In case you need to ask for information or help, your best bet is to ask someone who is in the younger generation, maximum ages up to 40-45.

Do taxi drivers speak English in Budapest?

Most of the taxi drivers will have some level of English and be able to make basic conversations in English. Taxi drivers are used to driving foreigners in Budapest so they will be able to make recommendations on places to visit or converse in basic English.

Younger people in Budapest have better English so if your driver is younger, he/she is most likely to have a better English.

Booking taxis is Budapest can be done through your hotel or you can use one of the taxi apps in Hungary. The Bolt taxi app is the only taxi app similar to Uber in Hungary and you can use it to easily book taxis in Budapest.

How to say ‘thank you’ in Hungarian?

‘Thank you’ in Hungarian is ‘köszönöm’ (which is a formal way to say thank you). Among friends, family and young people, an informal way to say ‘thank you’ is ‘köszi’.

Do Hungarians speak English?

Are you wondering “Do Hungarians speak English?”, the short answer is that yes, Hungarians can speak English! Especially people in big cities, touristy places and the younger generation can speak English well.

If you are in the countryside in Hungary or try to communicate with older people, you may have difficulties. Usually, older people in Hungary have no or limited knowledge of English.

Thus, if you need to ask for information or help, your best option is to ask someone from the younger generation in Hungary.

Conclusion

In conclusion to the question, “do they speak English in Hungary”? The short answer is that yes, people speak English in Hungary! Mostly the people in bigger cities (such as Budapest) and the younger population speak English.

Usually in big cities and tourist areas in Hungary, you will have no problem getting by speaking English. People in hotels, restaurants, bars and at tourist attractions have good English and are used to speaking English with foreigners.

In case you need to ask for information, your best bet is to ask someone who is in the younger generation, maximum ages up to 40-45.

If you go to visit villages in the countryside Hungary, people will have limited or no English, so you might have some difficulties communicating English.

In case you find yourself in a situation where it is difficult to communicate in English, sometimes it is best to be patient, speak slowly and talk using simple words in English.