SACE Stage 2 Hungarian (continuers) key terms

A spoken examination in which the candidate talks with an examiner, usually about personal topics, school, plans and a studied text or theme. It tests pronunciation, fluency, range of vocabulary and the ability to respond spontaneously in Hungarian.

A role-play task in the oral exam where the candidate acts out a realistic situation, such as buying a ticket or asking for directions, using appropriate register, set phrases and polite formulas within a short preparation time.

A speaking task in which the candidate describes and interprets a picture or series of pictures, naming people, actions, setting and mood, and often speculating about what happened before or after the scene.

The skill of stating a viewpoint and supporting it with reasons and examples, using linking words and hedging expressions. It is assessed in both oral discussion and extended writing tasks on social or personal issues.

Presenting a logical sequence of arguments to persuade a reader or listener, including counterarguments and conclusions. In Hungarian it relies on connectors such as 'először is', 'másrészt' and 'ezért' to signal structure clearly.

The listening comprehension component, in which candidates hear recorded passages such as announcements, interviews or conversations and answer questions in Hungarian or by selecting options, showing understanding of gist and detail.

The reading comprehension component, where candidates read authentic-style Hungarian texts such as articles, letters or notices and demonstrate understanding by answering questions, matching information or completing tables.

A written production task requiring a coherent text of a set length, for example a letter, article or report, organised into introduction, body and conclusion and adapted to a specified audience and purpose.

The conventional parts of a Hungarian letter, including the date and place heading, greeting such as 'Kedves Anna!', closing formulas like 'Üdvözlettel' and the signature. Formal and informal letters use different formulas that candidates must match to the task.

The level of formality in language, ranging from informal speech with friends to formal written Hungarian. Choosing the right register means matching pronouns, greetings, verb forms and vocabulary to the audience and situation.

The informal way of addressing someone in Hungarian, using the second-person singular forms such as 'te' and verbs like 'vagy' or 'tudsz'. It is used with friends, family and children, but not with strangers or officials.

The formal or polite way of addressing someone in Hungarian, using third-person verb forms such as 'Ön tudja' or 'tetszik' constructions. It is expected with strangers, older people, officials and in formal correspondence.

Fixed polite expressions used in everyday interaction, such as 'Kérem szépen', 'Legyen szíves', 'Elnézést kérek' and 'Köszönöm szépen'. Correct use shows social awareness and is rewarded in role-play and letter-writing tasks.

A verbal prefix such as 'meg-', 'el-', 'fel-' or 'ki-' that changes or completes the meaning of a verb, for example 'ír' versus 'megír'. Its position varies with tense, mood and focus, so accurate placement is essential for correct sentences.

The way Hungarian verbs express whether an action is completed, ongoing or repeated, often through prefixes and verb choice. Perfective forms with 'meg-' contrast with imperfective forms such as 'ír' versus 'megír'.

The ordering of sentence elements in Hungarian, which depends on information structure rather than fixed subject-verb-object order. The element before the verb carries focus, and the position of prefixes and negation changes meaning.

The emphasised element in a Hungarian sentence, placed immediately before the verb to signal new or contrasted information. For example, 'Péter olvasta el a könyvet' highlights Péter rather than the book.

Forming negative statements and questions in Hungarian using words such as 'nem', 'ne', 'sem' and 'soha'. Negation affects word order and prefix placement, for example 'Nem olvastam el a levelet'.

The case or preposition-like ending a Hungarian verb or adjective requires, such as '-ra' in 'gondol valamire' or '-val' in 'találkozik valakivel'. Learning verbs together with their governed endings prevents common errors.

A suffix marking the grammatical case of a noun, such as '-ban/-ben' for inessive 'in', '-nál/-nél' for adessive 'at', or '-hoz/-hez/-höz' for allative 'to'. Hungarian uses these endings where English often uses prepositions.

Any suffix or ending attached to a Hungarian word, including case endings, plural markers and possessive suffixes. Suffixes stack in a fixed order, so a stem may carry several endings such as 'házaimban'.

The rule that Hungarian suffixes harmonise with the vowels of the word, taking front-vowel or back-vowel forms, for example 'házban' but 'kertben'. Mixed-vowel words need extra attention when choosing endings.

The possessive suffix that shows the owner, such as '-m' in 'könyvem' (my book) or '-a/-e' in 'könyve' (his or her book). It changes form according to vowel harmony and the final sound of the noun.

Hungarian spelling conventions, including when to write words as one unit or separately, capitalisation of names and institutions, and the correct written forms of suffixes and dates. Accuracy is assessed in all written tasks.

The diacritic marks on Hungarian vowels and consonants, such as the acute accent in 'á, é, í, ó, ú' and the double acute in 'ő, ű', plus the umlaut. Missing accents can change meaning, as in 'kor' versus 'kór'.

A conjunction or linking word such as 'és', 'de', 'mert', 'bár' or 'ezért' that joins clauses and signals relationships like cause, contrast or consequence. Varied and accurate use raises marks for coherence in writing.

The way a text holds together through linking words, pronoun reference, repetition and logical paragraphing. Examiners reward cohesion because it makes a piece of writing easy to follow from start to finish.

A brief plan made before speaking or writing, listing main ideas and supporting points in order. A good plan saves time, prevents repetition and helps ensure the task's required content points are all covered.

The skill of writing short notes while listening or reading, capturing key words, numbers and names rather than full sentences. In listening tasks it helps candidates answer questions accurately after the recording is played.

Reading quickly through a text to locate specific information such as a date, price or name, without reading every word. It is a practical strategy for matching and true-or-false reading tasks under time pressure.

The surrounding words and situation that help a reader or listener infer the meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary. Candidates should use context clues rather than stopping at every unknown word during comprehension tasks.

The range of words and fixed expressions a candidate can understand and use. A broad vocabulary covering topics such as family, school, travel, health and environment supports both comprehension and production tasks.

A word with a similar meaning to another, such as 'nagy' and 'hatalmas'. Recognising synonyms helps candidates match information in comprehension tasks and avoid repetition in their own writing.

Restating information in different words while keeping the meaning, for example when summarising a text or answering a question without copying the original wording. It demonstrates genuine understanding rather than mechanical lifting.

A short account of the main points of a text or recording, leaving out detail and examples. It requires identifying key ideas and expressing them concisely and accurately in the candidate's own words.

The smooth, uninterrupted flow of speech with natural pace and few long pauses. It is one of the criteria for oral assessment, along with accuracy, range and pronunciation, and improves with practice in spontaneous talk.

The stress placed on a syllable or word in speech. Hungarian normally stresses the first syllable of each word, and sentence stress shifts to highlight focus, which affects meaning and intelligibility.

A key content word carrying the main meaning of a sentence, such as a noun, verb or adjective, as opposed to grammatical words like articles or endings. Identifying them helps in note-taking and summarising.

A criterion used by markers to judge performance, such as content coverage, accuracy, range of language, coherence or pronunciation. Knowing the criteria helps candidates allocate effort and check their own work.