[Zsófia Gebel Simó]

Dear Steven!

Ildikó speaks really-really good Hungarian, and when she speaks, no-one can tell that she wasn’t born and raised in Hungary or surroundings. Fluent and no accent. 😊 She is also modest – she makes only small mistakes, and that also, only rarely. (You can believe me, because she is an active member in my weekly online Hungarian Speaking Club 🙂)

Dear Ildikó, your presentation was so nice and personal, your story brought me tears into my eyes. Thank you so much for sharing it with us. 💚 Ölellek! 🤗

[Zsófia Gebel Simó]

Dear Lajos!

Yes, Duolingo is not ideal to learn any language – or at least, not as a sole-source tool. I used it to learn Italian, but had to realize quickly, it is just a waste of time until I don’t get the grip of the language first. So I enrolled to a course where I got all the necessary explanations and the chance to use it actively with fellow students. And like that it became a great and fun complementary way to learn the language. 🙂

Thank you very much for the great list of tools you shared here. It is good to use many good sources and get as much immersion as possible. Especially useful the hear it in spoken language – like that you can pick up right away expressions. Luckily we have internet and we can find limitless online sources for that, in case it is not around us (like for me Italian 😊).

ChatGPT is also a great tool, if you haven’t tried it yet, it is worth it. Just need to be careful with online translators, they are 99% right and 1% not – just the question is when not, hihi. In any case, I am using them myself sometimes to help me with my language deficiencies. 😁 They are made for that purpose.

TV shows are really good to learn from – Híradó can be somewhat disturbing with all the negative news, but luckily you focus more on the language, rather than the actual bad news in it, hihi. 😊 On the mediaklikk.hu you will find many more programs – and on youtube too, if you want subtitles.

Neked is jó tanulást és kitartást! 🙂

[Zsófia Gebel Simó]

Dear Anne!

Thank you very much for your honest feedback. 🙂

Hungarian grammar and logic is so different from English, Spanish or French. In fact, those are quite similar to each other, especially French and Spanish. Once you got the grip of one of them, the second one will be much easier – due to grammar similarities and sometimes similar vocabulary.

Hungarian has a complete different logic compared to them, therefore it is quite necessary for our adult brain that someone explains the logic behind the grammar. Otherwise our brain will just refuse it as non-sense information. That is why I put so much emphasize on explaining it to my students. And once you get the hang of it, it is just question if immersion. The language with its words and expressions is just information and will be learned and retained just like anything else: with plenty of practice. 🙂

Duolingo is a great tool to keep the language somewhat active in your life. But if you don’t have any other exposure to it, you don’t hear it and use it actively and regularly, it won’t get you too far, I am afraid. ☹️ Also, without the essential and structured foundations, it will not make too much sense. I tried to learn Italian like that and I had to realize, it is just not enough. After that I took several Italian courses, and in parallel with that, I was using Duolingo to keep me on a daily track and expanding my vocabulary. Once I understood the logic behind the grammar, Duolingo – and Italian became so much fun. 😊

But for me, that was also a long journey – just like any other language I learned. Takes years of learning. But with perseverance and time one can get there – with any language. 💪🏻

I wish you that joy and satisfaction with Hungarian that I could get out of learning Italian. 🤗 Don’t give up yet and you will get there. 🙂

[Zsófia Gebel Simó]

Dear Amy!

Thank you so much for your detailed feedback about my presentation and for sharing with me your struggle about the Hungarian language. I very much appreciate it. 🙏🏻

It is so necessary for our adult brain to understand deeply what we try to learn. It needs to make sense, otherwise it is just a struggle and no satisfaction in it. I am pleased that I could help you to finally make more sense of the Hungarian language. And equally pleased that you got exited to to learn this beautiful language. 🤗 It can be such a beautiful and rewarding journey, if we manage to let go expectations and the stress of reaching finally the destination. The journey is undoubtedly long and sometimes seems there is no end to it, but with time and perseverance, everyone can get there – you too. 💪🏻

I wish you joy and success on your learning journey. 🤍

[Zsófia Gebel Simó]

Thank you so much Raymond! This means a lot to me.🙏🏻 I am happy it was a great summary of your previously gathered knowledge of our beautiful Hungarian language.

Success and joy with your learning journey! 😊

[Zsófia Gebel Simó]

Thank you very much dear Marianne for your appreciate words.🙏🏻 I am very happy that you found my explanation useful.🙂

Many Hungarian learners say that they have been learning the language since a while but they still don’t get the logic of it. Our adult brain needs logical explanations to be able to make sense of things. And we need to understand the sense of the language, we need to feel that it makes sense now, otherwise our brain will reject the information and we will just suffer while learning, now enjoying it at all (have been there with many other languages myself so I feel the struggle of any Hungarian learner. 🤗)

Hang on there, don’t give up and you will reach your goal with time and perseverance, I am sure of it. 💪🏻

And you are very welcome to check around on my site – and while there, claim your free gift of the Hungarian Essentials mini course. I trust you will enjoy that too. 😊

And success with learning Hungarian! 💚

Warm regards,
Sofie

[Zsófia Gebel Simó]

Thank you so much dear Lajos for your appreciative words and for sharing your thoughts with me. 🙏🏻

It is a very natural stage in learning a new language that we feel stuck when it comes to thinking and speaking.
I have been there with several languages and I know, that is the point where it is worth pushing it through! If you have put enough time and effort already learning the essential grammar and vocabulary, from there on you just need to get more immersion – exactly as you said yourself. To spend enough time among Hungarians is indeed the fastest way to get there.

There are also a lot of free online materials where you can get immersion to the language (and culture) instantly, whenever you want. For example on the mediaklikk.hu you can check all official Hungarian TV and radio channels, with 100+ Hungarian TV programs, even films. You can choose topics you like the most and start watching them , even if you don’t understand everything at this moment. This will help your brain to accustom more to the language and will teach you expressions, instead just words – straight way to start thinking in Hungarian, instead of translating. 😊

I have an online Hungarian Speaking Club for those who are already at that level that they just need to get confident and practice in speaking. If you think it is something that it would help you, you can sign up for a free session on my site. 🙂 You are welcome to join, if you feel you could benefit from it. 🙂

All the best and kitartást a tanuláshoz!
Sofie

[Zsófia Gebel Simó]

Thank you so much dear Marianna! Kind and appreciative words and feedbacks like yours are the fuel for my enthusiasm. 😇 I am truly grateful for it and happy you could learn from my presentation. 🙏🏻 I am also super glad to hear that you want to learn Hungarian! It is absolutely possible for everyone with the right motivation and tools. You are so welcome to check out my website and get started right away with the free Hungarian Essentials mini course. 🤗 I trust you will enjoy that too. 😊

Warm greetings,

Sofie

[Zsófia Gebel Simó]

Thank you so much dear Klaudia! I appreciate very much your feedback. 🙏🏻 I am very happy that you enjoyed it and was useful. 😊

[Zsófia Gebel Simó]

Sziasztok! Hello everyone!

My name is Zsófia Gebel Simó and I am living in Székelysárd, a small village in Transylvania. My whole family is from Transylvania, my home town is Marosvásárhely. I have lived several years in several other countries, including Hungary, Germany and The Netherlands. My husband is Italian and we lived together in The Netherlands for 5 years.

In 2021 we decided to move back to my homeland, Transylvania, where my family is, where my roots are. I was missing my Hungarian mother tongue, our traditions and spending time together with my family.

Since 2023 January, motivated by my husband (who, in the meantime learned almost perfect and fluent Hungarian), I started to teach Hungarian language and culture online. I love to talk about these topics to everyone, and I am passionate about spreading the word about how beautiful the Hungarian language is, and how rich the Hungarian culture is. My dream is to inspire many people to dare to learn our uniquely beautiful and descriptive Hungarian mother tongue! ❤️🤍💚

Since spring 2025 I launched the one and only Online Hungarian Campus™, with online language and culture group courses and a motivated, and supportive community, learning Hungarian together. Having students from so many different countries, warms my heart and gives me the reinforcement that there are eager people out there who would love to learn the Hungarian language and get to know more about the culture.

I am truly grateful to Liz for inviting me to participate as a presenter in the Hungarian Heritage Expo. 🙏🏻 This is a fantastic event, serving all of us who want to reconnect with our roots, with our language, cultural heritage, and all-in-all, with fellow Hungarian hearts.

I feel blessed being here and looking forward meeting many of you tonight, in the kick-off live call. 🤗

[Zsófia Gebel Simó]

Sziasztok! Hello everyone!

My name is Zsófia Gebel Simó and I am living in Székelysárd, a small village in Transylvania. My whole family is from Transylvania, my home town is Marosvásárhely. I have lived several years in several other countries, including Hungary, Germany and The Netherlands. My husband is Italian and we lived together in The Netherlands for 5 years.

In 2021 we decided to move back to my homeland, Transylvania, where my family is, where my roots are. I was missing my Hungarian mother tongue, our traditions and spending time together with my family.

Since 2023 January, motivated by my husband (who, in the meantime learned almost perfect and fluent Hungarian), I started to teach Hungarian language and culture online. I love to talk about these topics to everyone, and I am passionate about spreading the word about how beautiful the Hungarian language is, and how rich the Hungarian culture is. My dream is to inspire many people to dare to learn our uniquely beautiful and descriptive Hungarian mother tongue! ❤️🤍💚

Since spring 2025 I launched the one and only Online Hungarian Campus™, with online language and culture group courses and a motivated, and supportive community, learning Hungarian together. Having students from so many different countries, warms my heart and gives me the reinforcement that there are eager people out there who would love to learn the Hungarian language and get to know more about the culture.

I am truly grateful to Liz for inviting me to participate as a presenter in the Hungarian Heritage Expo. 🙏🏻 This is a fantastic event, serving all of us who want to reconnect with our roots, with our language, cultural heritage, and all-in-all, with fellow Hungarian hearts.

I feel blessed being here and looking forward meeting many of you tonight, in the kick-off live call. 🤗

[Author]

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