This sheet is taking a closer look at the pronunciation difference between the Hungarian “e” and “é”.
While they may look similar, their sound and meaning can be very different. The short e is quick and neutral, while the long é is clearer, sharper—and often carries more emphasis. And just like with “a” vs. “á,” these little differences can lead to big misunderstandings.
For example, would you rather watch a „teve” (camel) or ride a „tévé„ TV „(TV)?
How to pronounce the Hungarian “e”:
TThis is a short, open-mid front vowel—similar to the “e” in bed or set.
To pronounce it:
- Keep your tongue near the front of your mouth, moderately low.
- Your lips stay relaxed and unrounded.
- Keep the sound short and clean.
This sound appears in very common words like fel, kert, teve, and meg.
How to pronounce the Hungarian “é”:
This is a long, close-mid front vowel. It sounds a bit like the “a” in fate or café, but it’s a pure vowel, not a diphthong (no glide).
To pronounce it:
- Raise your tongue slightly higher than for e.
- Keep your lips unrounded.
- Hold the sound a bit longer than e, but keep it steady.
You’ll hear this sound in words like fél, szél, tévé, and még.
💡 Note: Some Hungarian speakers—especially in regional dialects—may use a more open e ([æ]) in certain positions, but this is not standard in Budapest-style pronunciation.
Listen to the examples below and see how much you can hear—and say!
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fel (up)
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fél (half)
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kel (he/she wakes up)
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kél (it rises – old form)
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kert (garden)
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kért (he/she asked for sg)
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lep (he/she surprises)
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lép (spleen)
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meg (plus, and)
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még (even, still)
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szel (he/she is slicing)
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szél (wind)
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teve (camel)
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tévé (TV)
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Tongue twister time!
Try to read the sentences — or listen to the audio sample first, then read them out loud.
Repeat as many times as you like and make some Hungarians turn green with envy!
What a difference a tiny comma can make!
Here are four words with different versions of „e” and „é”.
Listen to each word, one by one, pronounced by the speaker, and choose the word you hear.
Let's hear how you say it!
Read the words and click the microphone to test your pronounciation. If you are uncertain, you can listen to the word by clicking the speaker above it.
🎧 Say this word in Hungarian:
Recognized: –
✅ Correct: 0 ❌ Incorrect: 0
