Directions

1. Hol van a metróállomás?

   Where is the metro station?

   Usage

   Asking for the location of a metro station in Budapest

   Grammar Note

   Budapest's metro (metró) has 4 lines (M1–M4). Line M1 is the 2nd oldest underground railway in the world, opened in 1896

2. Hogyan jutok el a Parlamenthez?

   How do I get to the Parliament?

   Usage

   Asking for directions to Budapest's Parliament, one of the city's iconic landmarks

   Grammar Note

   Hungarian direction suffix -hoz/-hez/-höz means "to/toward". The Parliament is a neo-Gothic building on the Danube

3. Forduljon balra a sarkon

   Turn left at the corner

   Usage

   Giving or receiving directions, specifically to turn left at a corner

   Grammar Note

   Basic direction words: "balra" (left), "jobbra" (right), "egyenesen" (straight ahead). The -ra/-re suffix marks direction

4. Messze van?

   Is it far?

   Usage

   Asking whether a destination is far away

   Grammar Note

   The opposite of "messze" (far) is "közel" (near/close). "Közel van?" (Is it near?) is the complementary phrase

5. Menjen át a Duna-hídon

   Cross the bridge over the Danube

   Usage

   Directing someone to cross one of the bridges over the Danube connecting Buda and Pest

   Grammar Note

   Budapest straddles the Danube with Buda on the west and Pest on the east. The Széchenyi Chain Bridge (Lánchíd) is the most iconic

6. Melyik megálló a legjobb?

   Which stop is the best one?

   Usage

   Asking which bus or tram stop is best to reach your destination

   Grammar Note

   "Legjobb" = "leg-" (superlative prefix) + "jó" (good) + "-bb" (comparative suffix). Budapest has excellent metro, tram, and bus networks

7. El tudna kísérni a…-ig?

   Could you accompany me to…?

   Usage

   Asking someone to guide or accompany you to an unfamiliar destination

   Grammar Note

   "-ig" is the terminative case meaning "up to/until". E.g. "az állomásig" (to the station), "a szállodáig" (to the hotel)

8. Eltévedtem

   I am lost

   Usage

   Saying you are lost when asking passersby for help

   Grammar Note

   "Eltévedtem" is the 1st person singular past of "eltéved" (to get lost). "-tem" is the 1st person singular past suffix

9. Mutassa meg a térképen

   Please show me on the map

   Usage

   Asking someone to point out a location on a map

   Grammar Note

   The superessive suffix -n/-on/-en/-ön means "on (a surface)". Showing your phone map and asking "itt" (here) is practical

10. Mennyit kell gyalogolni?

    How long is the walk?

    Usage

    Asking how long it takes to walk to a destination

    Grammar Note

    "Kell + infinitive" is an impersonal construction meaning "it is necessary to". Budapest is compact and very walkable

11. Jobbra

    Right (to the right)

    Usage

    A one-word direction for a taxi or on the street. The bare form "jobb" also means "better", so use this adverbial form "jobbra" (to the right)

12. Balra

    Left (to the left)

    Usage

    A one-word direction for a taxi or on the street; "turn left" is "forduljon balra"

13. Egyenesen

    Straight ahead

    Usage

    Show this to mean "keep going straight"; "go straight on" is "menjen egyenesen"

14. Vissza

    Back (go back)

    Usage

    Show this to ask someone to turn around and go back; "go back" is "menjen vissza"

15. Álljon meg

    Please stop

    Usage

    Show this in a taxi or on a bus when you have reached the point where you want to get out; polite imperative

16. Észak

    North

    Usage

    For reading a map or a compass; "northwards" is "északra"

17. Dél

    South

    Usage

    This card means the compass direction. The very same word also means "noon" ("délben" = at midday, "délután" = afternoon). Show it alongside a map or compass to remove the ambiguity; "southwards" is "délre"

18. Kelet

    East

    Usage

    For reading a map or a compass; "eastwards" is "keletre". Budapest's eastern railway station is "Keleti pályaudvar"

19. Nyugat

    West

    Usage

    For reading a map or a compass; "westwards" is "nyugatra". Budapest's western railway station is "Nyugati pályaudvar"

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