ORIGÓ Hungarian B1 cheat sheet

Two playings are typical: on the first pass note only the gist and speaker roles; on the second pass confirm numbers, names and negations.

Task types recur: true/false, multiple choice, matching speakers to statements, and short answer in Hungarian.

Numbers are the most common trap: tizen- vs. -tizen (tizenhárom = 13, harminc = 30), and the distinction between ezer and száz.

Listen for discourse markers that signal the answer: először, aztán, végül, viszont, tehát, egyébként, sajnos.

Negation is often carried by a suffix or particle, not a separate word: nem, ne, sem, se, soha, semmi, senki.

Dates and times: január elsején, fél három = 2:30, háromnegyed három = 2:45, negyed három = 2:15.

Formal vs. informal address (ön/maga vs. te) signals the relationship and often the correct matching option.

If an item is missed, abandon it immediately and re-anchor on the next question number; do not carry the gap forward.

Skim headings, titles and the first sentence of each paragraph before reading in detail; Hungarian places the topic at the front of the sentence.

Scan for the exact information type asked: date, price, opening hours, condition, contact - do not read the whole text for each item.

Watch word order: the focus position immediately before the verb carries the new information, so 'Péter ment el' differs from 'Péter elment'.

Recognise the verbal prefix split: in questions and negation the prefix moves after the verb (Megveszed? - Nem veszem meg).

Distinguish public-text genres: hirdetmény (notice), hirdetés (ad), menetrend (timetable), használati utasítás (instructions), hivatalos levél.

Cohesion clues: pronouns (az, ez, ő, azok), and connectors (azonban, ráadásul, ezért, míg) mark contrast and consequence.

Do not infer beyond the text; a plausible real-world fact that is not stated is a wrong answer.

Match answer options to the text's exact wording; paraphrases that change quantity or modality (kell, lehet, tilos) are distractors.

Typical tasks: informal email to a friend, short formal letter or complaint, and a guided composition of about 100–150 words.

Formal letter frame: Kedves …! / Tisztelt …! opening; Kérem, … request; Válaszát előre is köszönöm; Üdvözlettel: + name.

Informal frame: Szia …! / Kedves …!; Szeretnék mesélni…; Írj, ha…; Puszi / Üdv: + first name.

Keep to the required register throughout: never mix te and ön forms within one letter.

Cover every bullet point in the prompt; each unchecked point is a lost content mark regardless of grammar quality.

Use connectors to build complex sentences: mivel, ezért, bár, viszont, ráadásul, végül is.

Past tense needs both the person ending and the tense marker: -t/-tt + indefinite or definite conjugation (írtam, írtam meg, megírtam).

Address and date placement: date top right in Hungarian order (2024. május 3.), greeting below, signature at the end.

The exam has three parts: a short self-introduction, a guided monologue on a given topic, and a dialogue with the examiner on a situation.

Self-introduction should cover name, residence, work or study, family, hobbies and language learning in 6–8 sentences.

Monologue structure: state the topic, give two or three reasons or examples, then a concluding sentence (Összefoglalva…).

Situation dialogue requires functional language: asking for information (Meg tudná mondani…?), requesting (Szeretnék…), refusing politely (Sajnos nem tudom…).

Use fillers in Hungarian rather than silence: Hát, nos, izé, tehát, hadd gondoljam meg.

Formal address to the examiner uses ön/maga with 3rd-person verb forms; keep it consistent.

Conditional and subjunctive forms appear in polite requests: szeretnék, tudna, lenne, menjünk, nézzük meg.

If a word is missing, paraphrase: describe the object or use a general verb instead of stopping.

Vowel harmony decides suffixes: back-vowel words take -ban/-nak/-hoz, front rounded take -ben/-nek/-hez, front unrounded take -ban-type after -i/-e/-é.

Definite vs. indefinite conjugation depends on the object: látok egy filmet (indefinite) vs. látom a filmet (definite).

Definite forms are also triggered by 1st/2nd-person objects, possessives, demonstratives and proper names: látom Pétert, látom őt.

Verbal prefixes separate in negation, question and imperative: nem megyek el, Elmész?, Menj el!

Past tense marker is -t/-tt plus person: dolgoztam, mentem, ettem; the conditional is -na/-ne/-ná/-né: mennék, ennék.

Plural is not used after numerals or quantifiers: három könyv, sok ember, néhány diák.

Possessive suffixes attach to the noun and the article stays: a könyvem, a házad, a barátja; -é marks possession instead of repetition (a Péteré).

Cases to know: -t (object), -nak/-nek (dative), -ban/-ben (in), -on/-en/-ön (on), -hoz/-hez/-höz (to), -ból/-ből (from), -val/-vel (with, assimilating to -val).

Prefixes change meaning systematically: meg- (perfective), el- (away), be- (in), ki- (out), fel- (up), le- (down), vissza- (back).