Wiktionary

Appendix:Hungarian pronunciation assimilation

Assimilation in pronunciation edit

This appendix describes the rules of phonetic assimilation in pronunciation of Hungarian.

Pronunciation of written Hungarian is, for the most part, easy once one learns to pronounce the consonants and vowels since words are pronounced as written. The main exceptions are due to voicing and devoicing of consonants causing the spelling and pronunciation to diverge.

Unfortunately, some of the IPA transcription produced even by native speakers do not accurately reflect the change in pronunciation caused by different assimilation mechanism. It is therefore necessary and useful to list the different cases of assimilation to assist both editors and readers to manage this tricky subject by providing sufficient examples of correct IPA transcriptions.

For a deeper explanation of the rules refer to the Wikipedia article [1]

Voicing and devoicing of consonants edit

Consonants can be classified as voiced and unvoiced. [2]

Unvoiced p t k f sz s c cs ty h
Voiced b d g v z zs dz dzs gy j ly m n ny l r
  • Unvoiced consonants (except h) become voiced when preceding voiced consonants (except j, ly, m, n, ny, l, r, v).
    népdal [ˈneːbdɒl] folk song - in pronunciation the unvoiced consonant p becomes its voiced pair [b]
  • Voiced consonants (except j, ly, m, n, ny, l, r) are devoiced when preceding unvoiced consonants.
    lábfej [ˈlaːpfɛj] foot - in pronunciation the voiced consonant b becomes its unvoiced pair [p]
  • If the cluster contains a pair of consonant which is the voiced/devoiced counterpart of the other then the result is a long consonant sound:
    adtam ['ɒtːɒm] I gave

It is a partial assimilation, meaning only one part of the consonant cluster is modified.

In a cluster of consonants ending in an obstruent, all obstruents change their voicing according to the last one of the sequence.

  • barackdzsem ['bɒrɒdzɡdʒɛm] ~ ['bɒrɒdzdʒːɛm] apricot jam

The assimilation rules are the following.

Devoicing of voiced consonants edit

Voiced consonants (except j, ly, m, n, ny, l, r) are devoiced when preceding unvoiced consonants.

p t k f sz s c cs ty h
b bp [pː] bt [pt] bk [pk] bf [pf] bsz [ps] bs [pʃ] bc [pt͡s] bcs [pt͡ʃ] bty [pc] bh [ph]
zsebpénz dobtam zsebkendő lábfej rabszolga rabság köbcenti habcsók lábtyű dobhártya
d dp [tp] dt [tː] dk [tk] df [tf] dsz [ts] ds [tʃ] dc [t͡sː] dcs [tt͡ʃ] dty [cː] dh [th]
zöldpaprika adta
fáradt		 vodka családfő földszint
tudsz		 szabadság családcentrikus szabadcsapat vadtyúk adhat
buddhista
g gp [kp] gt [kt] gk [kː] gf [kf] gsz [ks] gs [kʃ] gc [kt͡s] gcs [kt͡ʃ] gty [kc] gh [kh]
mégpedig rögtön megkap hangfal
megfelel		 fogsz
legszebb		 jogsértés újságcikk rágcsál rengeteg tyúk meghat
v vp [fp] vt [ft] vk [fk] vf [fː] vsz [fs] vs [fʃ] vc [ft͡s] vcs [ft͡ʃ] vty [fc] vh [fh]
könyvpiac szívtelen könyvklub évfolyam évszak
hívsz		 könyvsiker ? távcső ? tévhit
z zp [sp] zt [st] zk [sk] zf [sf] zsz [sː] zs [ʃː] zc [st͡s] zcs [st͡ʃ] zty [sc] zh [sh]
központ pénztár intézkedés szárazföld vízszintes házsor közcélú vízcsepp tíz tyúk házhoz
zs zsp [ʃp] zst [ʃt] zsk [ʃk] zsf [ʃf] zssz [ʃs] zss [ʃː] zsc [ʃt͡s] zscs [ʃt͡ʃ] zsty [ʃc] zsh [ʃh]
rizspehely rizst rozskenyér rizsföld törzsszám garázssor ánizscukorka darázscsípés ? törzshely
dz dzp [t͡sp] dzt [t͡st] dzk [t͡sk] dzf [t͡sf] dzsz [t͡ss] dzs [t͡sʃ] dzc [t͡sː] dzcs [t͡st͡ʃ] dzty [t͡sc] dzh [t͡sh]
? belopództak ódzkodik ? ? ? ? ? ? edzhet
dzs dzsp [t͡ʃp] dzst [t͡ʃt] dzsk [t͡ʃk] dzsf [t͡ʃf] dzssz [t͡ʃs] dzss [t͡ʃʃ] dzsc [t͡ʃt͡s] dzscs [t͡ʃː] dzsty [t͡ʃc] dzsh [t͡ʃh]
bridzsprogram bridzstől bridzskönyv a bridzs fő célja bridzsszövetség bridzssport a bridzs célja bridzscsapat ? bridzshez
gy gyp [cp] gyt [ct] gyk [ck] gyf [cf] gysz [cs] gys [cʃ] gyc [ct͡s] gycs [ct͡ʃ] gyty [cː] gyh [ch]
nagypapa ágytól
hegytető		 nagykövet
egykor		 egyféle
ügyfél		 egyszer egység Nagycenk hegycsúcs gyöngytyúk egyház
hagyhat

b /b/ → /p/ edit

  • bp [pː]
    lábpárna [ˈlaːpːaːrnɒ] footrest
    zsebpénz [ˈʒɛpːeːnz] allowance
  • bt [pt]
    dobtam [ˈdoptɒm] I threw (it)
    lábtörés [ˈlaːptøreːs] fracture of leg
  • bk [pk]
    zsebkendő [ˈʒɛpkɛndøː] handkerchief
  • bf [pf]
    lábfej [ˈlaːpfɛj] foot
  • bsz [ps]
    absztrakt [ˈɒpstrɒkt] abstract
    lábszár [ˈlaːpsaːr] leg, shin
    rabszolga [ˈrɒpsolɡɒ] slave
  • bs [pʃ]
    rabság [ˈrɒpʃaːg] captivity
  • bc [pt͡s]
    köbcenti [ˈkøpt͡sɛnti] cubic centimeter
  • bcs [pt͡ʃ]
    habcsók [ˈhɒpt͡ʃoːk] meringue
  • bty [pc]
    lábtyű [ˈlaːpcyː] socks with sleeves for the toes
  • bh [ph]
    dobhártya [ˈdophaːrcɒ] eardrum

d /d/ → [t] edit

  • dh [th]
    adhat [ˈɒthɒt] s/he can give
  • dt [tː]
    adtam [ˈɒtːɒm] I gave

g /g/ → [k] edit

  • gt [kt]
    fogtam [ˈfoktɒm] I held (it)
    rögtön [ˈrøktøn] immediately
  • gs [kʃ]
    jogsértés [ˈjokʃeːrteːʃ] violation of rights

v /v/ → [f] edit

  • vt [ft]
    szívtam [ˈsiːftɒm] I smoked/sucked (it)
    szívtelen [ˈsiːftɛlɛn] heartless
  • vcs [ft͡ʃ]
    távcső [ˈtaːft͡ʃøː] binoculars

z /z/ → [s] edit

zs /ʒ/ → [ʃ] edit

dz /d͡z/ → [t͡s] edit

  • dzh [t͡sh]
    edzhet [ˈɛt͡shɛt] s/he can train

dzs /d͡ʒ/ → [t͡ʃ] edit

  • dzst [t͡ʃt]
    bridzstől [ˈbrit͡ʃtøːl] from bridge <game of cards>

gy /ɟ/ → [c] edit

  • gyt [ct]
    ágytól [ˈaːctoːl] from (a) bed
  • gys [cʃ]
    egység [ˈɛcʃeːɡ] unity

Voicing of unvoiced consonants edit

Unvoiced consonants (except h) become voiced when preceding voiced consonants (except j, ly, m, n, ny, l, r, v).

b d g z zs dz dzs gy
p pb [bː] pd [bd] pg [bg] pz [bz] pzs [bʒ] pdz [bd͡z] pdzs [bd͡ʒ] pgy [bɟ]
alapbér népdal népgazdaság képzés kapzsi ? terepdzseki gépgyár
t tb [db] td [dː] tg [dg] tz [dz] tzs [dʒ] tdz [d͡zː] tdzs [d͡ʒː] tgy [dɟ]
képzeletbeli kétdimenziós hátgerinc sötétzöld kabátzseb ? pamutdzsörzé iratgyűjtő
k kb [gb] kd [gd] kg [gː] kz [gz] kzs [gʒ] kdz [gd͡z] kdzs [gd͡ʒ] kgy [gɟ]
ajándékbolt ablakdeszka mákgubó alakzat homokzsák ? gyerekdzseki gyermekgyógyász
f fb [vb] fd [vd] fg [vg] fz [vz] fzs [vʒ] fdz [vd͡z] fdzs [fd͡ʒ] fgy [vɟ]
széfben csúfdal afgán ? ? ? golfdzseki széfgyártás
sz szb [zb] szd [zd] szg [zg] szz [zː] szzs [zʒ] szdz [zd͡z] szdzs [zd͡ʒ] szgy [zɟ]
horgászbot csúszda fűrészgép gyászzene horgászzsinór ? kamaszdzseki viaszgyertya
s sb [ʒb] sd [ʒd] sg [ʒg] sz [ʒz] szs [ʒː] sdz [ʒd͡z] sdzs [ʒd͡ʒ] sgy [ʒɟ]
kevésbé mosdik basszusgitár nyílászáró sertészsír ? városdzsungel vasgyár
c cb [d͡zb] cd [d͡zd] cg [d͡zg] cz [d͡zz] czs [d͡zʒ] cdz [d͡zː] cdzs [d͡zd͡ʒ] cgy [d͡zɟ]
párducbőr lécdarab piacgazdaság tánczene arczsába ? árbocdzsungel nyolcgyermekes
cs csb [d͡ʒb] csd [d͡ʒd] csg [d͡ʒg] csz [d͡ʒz] cszs [d͡ʒʒ] csdz [d͡ʒd͡z] csdzs [d͡ʒː] csgy [d͡ʒɟ]
barkácsbolt gubacsdarázs tolmácsgép kavicszátony csúcszsaru ? narancsdzsem abroncsgyártás
ty tyb [ɟb] tyd [ɟd] tyg [ɟg] tyz [ɟz] tyzs [ɟʒ] tydz [ɟd͡z] tydzs [ɟd͡ʒ] tygy [ɟː]
pontyból ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

p /p/ → [b] edit

  • pz [bz]
    alapzat [ˈɒlɒbzɒt] base(ment)
    képzés [ˈkeːbzeːʃ] formation
  • pdz [bd͡z]
    alapdzadzíki [ˈɒlɒbd͡zɒd͡ziːki] standard tzatziki
  • pd [bd]
    csapda [ˈt͡ʃɒbdɒ] trap
    népdal [ˈneːbdɒl] folk song
    kalapdoboz ['kɒlɒbdoboz] hatbox
  • pgy [bɟ]
    gépgyár [ˈɡeːbɟaːr] machine factory

t /t/ → [d] edit

  • tg [dg]
    állítgat [ˈaːlːiːdgɒt] s/he constantly adjusts
  • tb [db]
    futball [ˈfudbɒlː] soccer
    hétből [ˈheːdbøːl] from seven
    kertben [ˈkerdben] in (a) garden

k /k/ → [g] edit

  • kb [gb]
    zsákból [ˈʒaːɡboːl] out of (a) bag

s /ʃ/ → [ʒ] edit

c /t͡s/ → [d͡z] edit

  • cb [d͡zb]
    ketrecben ['kɛtrɛd͡zbɛn] in (a) cage

cs /t͡ʃ/ → [d͡ʒ] edit

  • csb [d͡ʒb]
    ácsból ['aːd͡ʒboːl] from (a) carpenter

sz /s/ → [z] edit

  • sz + b [zb]
    buszban [ˈbuzbɒn] in (a) bus
    mészből [ˈmeːzbøːl] out of lime
  • sz + z [zː]
    gyászzene [ˈɟaːzːɛnɛ] funeral music

f /f/ → [v] edit

  • fb [vb]
    széfben [ˈseːvbɛn] in (a) safe

ty /c/ → [ɟ] edit

  • tyb [ɟb]
    pintyből [ˈpiɲɟbøːl] from (a) finch
    pontyból [ˈpoɲɟboːl] from (a) carp

Assimilation of sibilants edit

Hissing sibilants (sz, z) when preceding hushing sibilants (s, zs) become hushing sibilants (the above voicing and devoicing rules also apply if applicable).

sz [s] → [ʃ] edit

sz [s] → [ʒ] edit

z → [ʃ] edit

  • z + s [ʃ] → [ʃː]
    igazság [ˈigɒʃːaːg] truth
    község [ˈkøʃːeːg] village, community
    nehézség [ˈnɛheːʃːeːg] difficulty

z → [ʒ] edit

  • z + zs [ʒ] → [ʒː]
    tíz zsák [ˈtiːʒːaːk] ten bags

Lengthening of consonants before j edit

Between two vowels the consonant clusters dj, gyj, tj, tyj, nj, nyj are pronounced long, but if they are between a consonant and a vowel, they are pronounced short.

d + j → [ɟː] edit

adja [ˈɒɟːɒ] - he/she gives it

d + j → [ɟ] edit

földje [ˈfølɟɛ] - his/her land

gy [ɟ] + j → [ɟː] edit

hagyjátok [ˈhɒɟːaːtok] - leave it

t + j → [cː] edit

látja [ˈlaːcːɒ] - he/she sees it
mutatja [ˈmutɒcːɒ] - he/she shows

t + j → [c] edit

kertje [ˈkɛrcɛ] - his/her garden

ty [c] + j → [cː] edit

atyja [ˈɒcːɒ] - his/her father
bátyja [ˈbaːcːɒ] - his/her older brother

n + j → [ɲː] edit

kívánjuk [ˈkiːvaːɲːuk] - we wish

n + j → [ɲ] edit

westernje [ˈvɛstɛrɲɛ] his/her western movie

ny [ɲ] + j → [ɲː] edit

anyja [ˈɒɲːɒ] - his/her mother
hányja [ˈhaːɲːɒ] - he/she throws it

Nasal place assimilation edit

n → [m] edit

n → [ŋ] edit

  • nk [ŋk]
    munka [ˈmuŋkɒ] work
  • ng [ŋg]
    angol [ˈɒŋɡol] English

n → [ɲ] edit

  • nty [ɲc]
    pinty [piɲc] finch
  • ntj [ɲc]
    bontja [ˈboɲcɒ] s/he takes it apart
  • nty [ɲɟ]
    angyal [ɒɲɟɒl] angel
  • ndj [ɲɟ]
    mondjuk [ˈmoɲɟuk] let's say
  • n + ny [ɲː]
    magánnyomozó [ˈmɒɡaːɲːomozoː] private detective
    japán nyelv [ˈjɒpaːɲːɛlv] Japanese language

Full assimilation edit

l + r → [rː] edit

álruha [ˈaːrːuhɒ] - disguise
balra [ˈbɒrːɒ] - to the left
félre [ˈfeːrːɛ] - to the side

l + j → [jː] edit

tanulj [ˈtɒnujː] - learn!

ll + j → [jː] edit

hallja [ˈhɒjːɒ] - he/she can hear it

t + sz [s] → [t͡sː] edit

játszik [ˈjaːt͡sːik] - he/she is playing
metsz [ˈmɛt͡sː]

t + sz [s] → [t͡s] edit

Bratszk [ˈbrɒt͡sk] - Bratsk

d + sz [s] → [t͡sː] edit

másodszor [ˈmaːʃot͡sːor] - the second time

t + s [ʃ] → [t͡ʃː] edit

barátság [ˈbɒraːt͡ʃːaːg] - friendship

t + s [ʃ] → [t͡ʃ] edit

mentség [ˈmɛnt͡ʃeːg] - excuse

d + s [ʃ] → [t͡ʃː] edit

szabadság [ˈsɒbɒt͡ʃːaːg] - freedom

Consonant clusters edit

If more than two consonants follow each other in a word, the middle consonant will not be pronounced.

  • ndt [nt]
    mondta [ˈmontɒ] s/he said
  • ndny [ɲː]
    mindnyájan [ˈmiɲːaːjɒn] all of us/you/them

References edit

  1. ^ Wikipedia Article on Hungarian Phonology at w:Hungarian_phonology#Assimilation
  2. ^ Rounds, Carol. Hungarian: an Essential Grammar. London / New York: Routledge. 2001. →ISBN. Preview at Google Books
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