Basic Nouns

1. Víz

   Water

   Usage

   The basic word for drinking water; works with pointing

   Grammar Note

   Hungarian has no grammatical gender. Nouns take suffixes for some eighteen cases: vizet, vízben, vízzel.

2. Étel

   Food

   Usage

   The general word when you are looking for something to eat

3. Pénz

   Money

   Usage

   Comes up when paying or changing currency

4. Mosdó

   Toilet

   Usage

   The word alone is enough to ask for directions

5. Papír zsebkendő

   Tissue

   Usage

   For asking at a shop or a diner

   Grammar Note

   "Papír zsebkendő" literally means paper handkerchief; colloquially "zsepi".

6. Gyógyszer

   Medicine

   Usage

   The core word at a pharmacy, paired with your symptom

7. Csomag

   Luggage

   Usage

   For checking in, picking up, or storing bags

8. Kulcs

   Key

   Usage

   For collecting or returning it at hotel reception

9. Jegy

   Ticket

   Usage

   The base word for transport and admission tickets

10. Útlevél

    Passport

    Usage

    Comes up at every check-in and border control

11. Telefon

    Phone

    Usage

    Refers to the device and to making a call

12. Töltő

    Charger

    Usage

    When you want to borrow one at a hotel or café

13. Állomás

    Station

    Usage

    The easiest landmark to name when asking directions

14. Kórház

    Hospital

    Usage

    The first word you need if you fall ill

15. Rendőrség

    Police

    Usage

    For theft or accidents; the word alone gets help

16. Bolt

    Shop

    Usage

    The general word when hunting for somewhere to buy things

17. Szoba

    Room

    Usage

    For negotiating a stay or confirming a room number

18. Út

    Road

    Usage

    Used when asking directions, often over a map

19. Család

    Family

    Usage

    Comes up in small talk about who you are travelling with

20. Név

    Name

    Usage

    For confirming a booking or introducing yourself

21. Fej

    Head

    Usage

    Body-part word for pointing at where it hurts

22. Szem

    Eye

    Usage

    The body part. The same word also means a single "grain" or "piece" of fruit or cereal ("két szem szőlő" = two grapes), so point at your own eye when showing this card

23. Fog

    Tooth

    Usage

    The body part. The same spelling is also the verb "to hold/catch" and the future auxiliary ("will"), so point at your mouth when showing this card. Dentist is "fogorvos", toothache is "fogfájás"

24. Torok

    Throat

    Usage

    The part to point at for a sore throat; "torokfájás" is the word for throat pain

25. Has

    Belly / Stomach

    Usage

    The abdomen; stomachache is "hasfájás" and diarrhoea "hasmenés". The organ (stomach) is a separate word, "gyomor"

26. Hát

    Back

    Usage

    The body part. The same word is also a filler interjection ("well…") at the start of a sentence, so touch your back when showing this card

27. Derék

    Lower back / Waist

    Usage

    The waist and lower back; lower-back pain is "derékfájás". As an adjective the same word means "decent / upstanding", so put a hand on your lower back when showing this card

28. Láb

    Leg / Foot

    Usage

    Hungarian "láb" covers both the whole leg and the foot. Say "lábfej" for the foot specifically and "lábujj" for a toe; point at the actual spot on your own body

29. Kéz

    Hand

    Usage

    The hand from the wrist down; the arm is a separate word, "kar"

30. Mellkas

    Chest

    Usage

    The chest as the ribcage; chest pain is "mellkasi fájdalom". "mell" on its own means "breast", so use "mellkas" in a medical setting

31. Szálloda

    Hotel

    Usage

    Point at this as a destination in a taxi or on the street; "hotel" is understood too and is what most signs use

32. Repülőtér

    Airport

    Usage

    Point at this as a destination; the Budapest airport is "Liszt Ferenc repülőtér" (still called Ferihegy by locals)

33. Buszmegálló

    Bus stop

    Usage

    Point at this when asking where the bus stop is; a long-distance bus terminal is "buszpályaudvar"

34. Metró

    Metro / Subway

    Usage

    The Budapest underground; entrances are marked with an "M" and the word "metró". A tram is "villamos" and a trolleybus "trolibusz"

35. Nagykövetség

    Embassy

    Usage

    Point at this as a destination if you lose your passport; a consulate is "konzulátus"

36. Bankautomata

    ATM

    Usage

    Point at this when looking for a cash machine; signage usually just reads "ATM"

37. Pénzváltó

    Currency exchange

    Usage

    Point at this when looking for an exchange office; signs read "PÉNZVÁLTÓ" or "VALUTAVÁLTÓ"

38. Önkiszolgáló mosoda

    Laundromat

    Usage

    A self-service laundry; these are uncommon in Hungary and mostly limited to Budapest. "mosoda" on its own usually means a drop-off laundry service

39. Konzulátus

    Consulate

    Usage

    For finding your country's consulate after losing a passport; the embassy is "Nagykövetség"

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