Study Abroad Student Handbook
Hungary Hungary
Center for Global Education

Why Learn a Language?

Hungarian is an almost unique language, completely isolated from all the major languages. Hungarian is a Finno-Ugric language and is distantly related to Finnish and Estonian. It is the largest member of the Finno-Ugric family of languages, spoken by about 10 million people in Hungary and 4.5 million people in neighboring countries and around the world. Additionally, Hungarian is one of the official languages of the European Union. As a member of the EU, Hungary has been taking part in the shaping of the cultural, political and economic life of Europe.

Among the many benefits of acquiring fluency in the Hungarian language, one advantage of total immersion is that you not only become immersed in the language, but also in Hungarian culture. Endowed with lots of natural beauty and fascinating cities with hundreds of years of history, Hungary is a country whose culture and language are well worth studying. Initial language learning opens up more opportunities to explore the literature, music, art, dance, sports, etc. of Hungary.

In Hungary, you will be able to use and practice Hungarian every day; you will interact with native speakers at every turn. Even a simple task like going to the market becomes a learning experience. You pick-up subtleties, authentic accents and pronunciation, jokes, stories, and local phrases you never would have learned from simply being in a classroom. Most of the time, you find you are learning new things without even trying; simply being surrounded by Hungarian all day and night helps you absorb more than you think.

Total immersion also makes you more marketable in the job world, even on an international level. After learning Hungarian, you have an advantage—an edge—above other job candidates, since you have broadened your communication skills beyond just the English-speaking world.

Aside from the job world, you may also use the Hungarian class credits you earned while abroad to add a major or minor back at your home campus. Each program has its own specific language level requirements. Language requirements range from no prior language instruction in Hungarian, to the highest language level, which is nearly bilingual. Check to see what prior level of Hungarian your program requires, so that you can start or continue learning Hungarian in the U.S.

Read on AllAbroad.us – Why Study Abroad and find answers how study abroad can affect your personal growth and career path.

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