LocationBudapest county, northern Hungary.
Dialling code36.
Population1,886,000 (city).
Time zoneGMT + 1 (GMT + 2 from last Sunday in March to Saturday before last Sunday in October).
Electricity220 volts AC, 50Hz; round two-pin plugs are standard.
Average January temperatures0°C (32°F).
Average July temperatures21.5°C (71°F).
Annual rainfall635mm (25 inches).
LanguageIntroductionHungarian belongs to the Finno-Ugric
language group. Pleasing to the ear, it bears small relationship to any other language, with the notable exception of Vogul (Mansi) and Ostyak (Hanti) spoken in some parts of Siberia.
Magyar was taken up in the nineteenth century as a revolutionary and literary language, uniting people as Hungarian instead of Hapsburg. Hungarian is reputedly hard to learn, although Budapest’s yellow pages are full of language schools promising instant results. Non-Hungarian speakers should try English or German. Many tourist-related services have English speakers and guides. Restaurants usually have menus in Hungarian and English although translations can be entertaining. The younger generation tend to speak foreign languages, so when in trouble ask young blood for help. However, it is best to be prepared for moments of complete incomprehension.
Phrases
Yes -
Igen
No -
Nem Hello -
Szerbusz
Goodbye -
Viszontlátásra
Please -
Kérem Thank you -
Köszönöm
My name is … -
A nevem …
How are you? -
Hogy van?
I am very well -
Jól vagyok
I feel ill -
Rosszul vagyok
How much does it cost? -
Mennyibe kerül?Do you speak -
Beszél
English? -
angolul?
I don’t understand -
Nem értem
Where is …? -
Hol van …?
Entrance -
Bejárat
Exit -
Kijárat
Danger -
Veszély
Open -
Nyitva
Closed -
ZárvaToilets -
WC
Doctor -
Orvos
Hotel -
Szálloda
Restaurant -
Étterem
Beer -
Sör
Wine -
Bor
Menu -
Étlap
Today -
Ma
Tomorrow -
Holnap
Monday -
Hétfö
Tuesday -
Kedd
Wednesday -
Szerda
Thursday -
Csütörtök
Friday -
Péntek
Saturday -
Szombat
Sunday -
Vasárnap
One -
Egy
Two -
Ketto / Két
Three -
Három
Four -
Négy
Five -
Öt
Six -
Hat
Seven -
Hét
Eight -
Nyolc
Nine -
Kilenc
Ten -
TízTwenty -
Húsz
Thirty -
Harminc
Forty -
NegyvenFifty -
Ötven
Sixty -
Hatvan
Seventy -
Hetven
Eighty -
Nyolcvan
Ninety -
Kilencven
One Hundred -
SzázOne Thousand -
Ezer
Cost of Living:100 Hungarian Forint (Ft100) = £0.27; US$0.54; C$0.62; A$0.66; €0.40Currency conversion rates as of April 2007Special Events:New Year’s Day Concert, 1 Jan, popular Hungarian classics, Vigado concert hall
Budapest Film Festival, long weekend in Feb or Mar, throughout the city (website:
www.titanicfilmfest.hu)
Carnival Sunday, last Sun before Lent Feb/Mar, masked procession, throughout the city
Spring Uprising, 15 Mar, commemorating the 1848 Revolution, including street theater, in front of the Hungarian National Theater
Budapest Spring Festival, last two weeks in Mar-mid-Apr, classical music festival with dance and folk music, throughout the city (website:
www.festivalcity.hu)
May Day, 1 May, craft markets, street theater, sausage and beer tents have replaced communist practices, throughout the city
Budapesti Búcsú, last weekend Jun, celebration of the 1991 withdrawal of Soviet troops, with music, dance and theater, various parks and public spaces (website:
www.festivalcity.hu)
Danube Carnival, Jun (website:
www.dunaart.hu)
Open-Air Summer Festival, Jun-Aug, music, dance and theater, Margaret Island, Hilton Hotel and the Buda Park Stage (website:
www.szabadter.hu)
BudaFest, early-mid Aug, opera and ballet festival, Opera House (website:
www.viparts.hu)
Jewish Summer Festival, late Aug or early Sep, throughout the city (website:
www.jewishfestival.hu)
Budapest International Fair (BNV), Sep, Budapest Fair Center (Budapesti Vásárközpont) (website:
www.bnv.hu)
Budapest Contemporary Music Weeks, late Sep-end of Oct, opening of concert season on the anniversary of Bartók’s death, various venues
Budapest Autumn Festival, late Sep-mid-Oct, contemporary Arts festival, many venues (website:
www.bmc.hu)
Remembrance Day, 23 Oct, national day of mourning of the Soviet crushing of the Hungarian rebellion, Kossuth tér
Szilveszter (New Year), 31 Dec, throughout the city
New Year’s Eve Masked Ball, 31 Dec, Opera House (website:
www.opera.hu)
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