How My Most Successful Hungarian Learners Achieve Fast Progress and How You Can Too

Tips for Beginners and Advanced Hungarian Learners

When someone starts learning Hungarian, they often think the most important thing is to find the best textbook or app, and the “perfect” teacher. But through my own students, I discovered that the real difference isn’t made by the tools you use, but by your attitude, habits, and mindset. Even if you can’t afford private lessons, you can still be a successful language learner! And you don’t have to wait for years before you can start speaking Hungarian. Let me show you what you actually need in order to succeed and in a realistic time frame.

1. They Seize Every Opportunity to Learn Hungarian

My students don’t just learn during lessons. They grab every chance they get to immerse themselves in the language. If we’re chatting on Telegram and they come across a useful new word, they learn it and start using it right away. If they’re in Hungary, they speak only Hungarian, even if it’s difficult, slow, or uncomfortable.

2. They Overcome the Fear of Making Mistakes

Hungarian grammar can seem intimidating, and many beginners don’t speak because they’re afraid of saying something “wrong.” Instead, they stick to filling in worksheets and never actually use the language. My most successful students, however, have learned to see mistakes as opportunities for growth. A mistake is simply a signal showing what needs more practice. Children also learn this way, by making mistakes and having their parents correct them.

3. They Act Like Native Speakers

Many learners attend Hungarian class once a week, do their homework, and that’s it. This means only a few hours of contact with the language. In contrast, native speakers live in it every single day. My successful students surround themselves with Hungarian: they follow Hungarian content creators on social media, listen to Hungarian music, and convince their partner to watch Netflix with Hungarian subtitles. If you get some Hungarian input every day, it adds up to far more exposure than just relying on your weekly class and that means faster progress.

4. They Learn in Unconventional Ways

My students are curious and open to trying new methods. For example, we often send each other voice messages between lessons, even when a student is traveling and can’t attend class. This way, there’s never a week without practice, and they use the language in a way they would in real life.

5. They Find What Works for Them

My students usually learn using several methods (either simultaneously or consecutively). They boldly combine private lessons with group courses, podcasts, language meetups, and subscription-based clubs. They might feel hesitant to try something new (just like you might), but they do it anyway. For example, I had students who came to Hungary for two weeks to attend the Pécs Summer University. They had a great time and learned a lot in the process.

6. They Don’t Wait for Motivation

You probably know the feeling: you decide you’ll study Hungarian today, but then you don’t feel like it… so you do nothing. Days or even weeks can pass like this. 🫣 My successful students don’t wait for motivation. They show up even when they don’t feel like it. Of course, it’s fine to be flexible: in summer or during a difficult life situation, you can slow down or even take a complete break. But these students have a learning plan, and they also learn in a fun way, finding out what interests them. This makes it much easier to stick to their routine. I’ve had group course students who woke up at 3 a.m. because of the time difference, just to attend a session. I’m not saying you have to do the same, but we can all learn something about discipline from them.

7. They Learn What They Actually Need

Textbooks are designed for a broad audience, so they tend to be general. My students aren’t afraid to personalize their learning, breaking away from the order and topics suggested by books or apps. They don’t try to learn everything at once, for example, they might focus only on the “én” form of verbs for a while, or learn just a few plural possessives they use often, such as ““a szüleim”, “a barátaim”, “a kollégáim”. This makes their Hungarian much more practical and makes them sound more advanced, without wasting time perfecting the entire system before they actually need it.

8. They Don’t Drift Aimlessly

If an event is in your calendar with the time, place, and who it’s with, you’ll go. You don’t have to think about it. The same applies to language learning! Having a proper study plan takes a huge mental load off your shoulders. That way, when you have 15 minutes to study, you don’t waste it deciding what to do. Plan in advance what you’ll study, when, and for how long. I have created a downloadable template for this, which you can download here.

9. They Have Specific Goals

Many people tell me, “I want to learn Hungarian.” Or, “I want to speak Hungarian better.” That’s a little better, but still vague. A real goal is measurable, time-bound, and achievable. My successful students say things like: “I want to have a 15-minute conversation in Hungarian with my colleagues,” or “I want to be able to talk to my father-in-law about his job in two weeks.” With a goal like that, the steps you need to take become much clearer and you’ll have smaller milestones along the way. It’s much faster to reach “I can talk to my father-in-law about his job” than to reach the undefined point of “I’ve learned Hungarian.”

10. They Take Full Responsibility

The best Hungarian teacher can’t learn the language for you. My successful students take responsibility for their progress. They don’t expect me to tell them every single step. They study on their own, look for resources, ask questions, think, make suggestions, and reflect. They don’t rush through their homework in the last 30 minutes before class. They work on it in parts, carefully, and then review my corrections and explanations, because they know the homework isn’t for me, it’s for them.

11. They’re Open to Different Teachers and Styles

Yes, my students try lessons with different teachers, and I fully support them in this. They don’t have to hide it from me. This way, they’re exposed to a variety of teaching styles and accents.

In summary: My most successful students see learning as a loveable and enjoyable project in which consistency and regularity are important. They have goals and a plan for achieving them, and they have a mindset that sees mistakes as opportunities for growth. This is exactly what I recommend for you, too. The most expensive course or the best app won’t get you to your goal, your mindset will. If you need help creating your learning plan, setting your goals, or choosing resources, send me a message.