• Coronavirus in Hungary
  • Budapest
  • Hungary border control
  • HelloMagyar
EnglishFrenchGermanSpanish
EnglishFrenchGermanSpanish
This is why Hungarians do not really speak foreign languagesThis is why Hungarians do not really speak foreign languagesThis is why Hungarians do not really speak foreign languagesThis is why Hungarians do not really speak foreign languages
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Society
  • Sport
  • Culture
  • Special Hungary
  • News To Go
  • World
  • Contact Us
  • About us
  • About us
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
✕
Breaking News
  • No help from Brussels: here is Orbán’s extraordinary announcement!

Support us
John Woods John Woods · 24/01/2021
· Society

This is why Hungarians do not really speak foreign languages

economy education Hungarian economy Hungary language travel
budapest buildings

Photo: www.facebook.com/Rizsavi Tamás

Not only because of the coronavirus epidemic but also due to some government measures, there are fewer external factors that would encourage Hungarians to learn a foreign language. As a result, the number of those taking a language exam fell significantly between 2019 and 2020, with the drop reaching 34 pc. 

According to index.hu, there are four important reasons why the number of people trying to get a language exam decreased in 2020 compared to 2019:

  • the number of students continuing their studies in higher education is falling;
  • language exams are not obligatory to start university studies;
  • the epidemic;
  • the government’s regulation allowing all those to get their degree who did not meet the language exam requirements.

In 2020, 91.4 thousand people wanted to continue their studies in Hungarian higher education, which is a 20 pc fall compared to the 2019 data. This number also means a

negative record in the issue: the last time this number was so small was in 2001.

This fact, of course, had a significant impact on the number of those trying to take a language exam. Furthermore, those who would like to go to a foreign university need an exam accredited in the target country or accepted by the target institution.

  • No. of language exams halved thanks to coronavirus and the abolition of language requirements for receiving diplomas
  • Hungarian government spent 6 million Euros on language exams
  • Government scraps foreign language exam requirement for tertiary education admission

Until 2019, the government said that only those could start their higher education studies from 2020 who have a language exam. However, they modified this in November 2019.

Between 2011 and 2020, 1,273,228 people did a language exam.

English is the most popular while German is in second place.

Then comes Esperanto, French, and Lovari, a dialect of the Romani language. In 2018, 120,566 Hungarians tried to pass a language exam. This number increased by almost four thousand in 2019 but fell to slightly more than 82 thousand by 2020.

Interestingly,

the number of those taking an online exam has not increased significantly since spring 2020,

even though that form is much safer in the current situation. Therefore, 85 pc of the candidates still try to pass a paper-based exam.

Source: index.hu

economy education Hungarian economy Hungary language travel
Share
John Woods
John Woods

5 Comments

  1. Ahmed says:
    24/01/2021 at 10:13

    From my experience in Hungary, the ones who don’t speak English doing you a favor when not interacting with you, so many idiots it’s unbelievable m no wonder the VAT IS 27%, IDIOTSSS

  2. Hungarian abroad says:
    24/01/2021 at 12:18

    I agree with you @Ahmed on what you say, as a Hungarian who has lived abroad since I was 6 years old (now 40), I could never see myself living back home, because of people’s attitudes. Hungarians can be very condescending and smug about things.

  3. Kidal D. says:
    24/01/2021 at 21:35

    Unwelcoming country. Period.

  4. SuzyQ says:
    24/01/2021 at 23:28

    As a retired American living in Hungary, I have found Hungarians to be very warm and welcoming.

  5. NM says:
    09/09/2021 at 09:01

    I agree with Susie. At first I had Hungarian students at schools and summer camps. Then became friends with their parents and other teachers. I’ve lived here, retired, for over four years. I have no issues with learning their language, and they with mine, and I am still learning.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

SUPPORT US

Subscribe to our newsletter

Sign up to receive daily updates, news & stories about Hungary!

Select your location below or enter your country so we can deliver our morning newsletters to you in time.


Thank you!

You have successfully joined our subscriber list.


.

Latest news
  • What happened today in Hungary? – 1 February, 2023
  • Sensational discovery: 3,000 years old Hungarian sword found in a US museum
  • Fidesz: George Soros behind Hungarian opposition’s foreign campaign financing
  • Analysing Orbán’s possible Huxit: geopolitical expert weighs in
  • Battery plant construction to be banned in Budapest forever?
  • No help from Brussels: here is Orbán’s extraordinary announcement!
  • Budapest university’s architecture faculty in the world’s top 30!
  • 650 employees fired, Swedish appliances maker ceases production

About us

Contact us

Copyright rules

© 2023 DailyNewsHungary. All rights reserved! | Server and development by Svigelj Levente E.V