Digraphs: cs, dz, gy, ly, ny, sz, ty, zs
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Hungarian uses special two-letter pairs called digraphs that function as single, unique letters in the alphabet.
- Treat digraphs like 'cs' or 'sz' as one single letter, not two separate sounds.
- Never split a digraph when breaking a word into syllables (e.g., 'ma-gyar' is wrong, 'ma-gyar' is correct).
- When alphabetizing, 'cs' comes after 'c', not between 'cr' and 'ct'.
Hungarian Digraphs Reference
| Digraph | Pronunciation (Approx) | Example Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
|
cs
|
ch as in church
|
csoki
|
chocolate
|
|
gy
|
d+y as in dew
|
gyerek
|
child
|
|
ly
|
y as in yes
|
lyuk
|
hole
|
|
ny
|
ny as in canyon
|
nyár
|
summer
|
|
sz
|
s as in sun
|
szép
|
beautiful
|
|
ty
|
t+y as in tune
|
tyúk
|
hen
|
|
zs
|
s as in pleasure
|
zsák
|
sack
|
|
dz
|
ds as in kids
|
edzés
|
training
|
Meanings
Digraphs are pairs of letters that represent a single phoneme (sound) in Hungarian. They are treated as distinct units in the alphabet.
Phonetic Unit
The pair creates a sound that doesn't exist as a single letter.
“Csak egy csésze kávét kérek.”
“A szél fúj.”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
Word with digraph
|
A csoki finom.
|
|
Negative
|
Nem + word
|
Nem csoki.
|
|
Question
|
Word + -e?
|
Csoki-e?
|
|
Plural
|
Word + -k
|
Csokik.
|
|
Possessive
|
Word + -m
|
Csokim.
|
|
Case
|
Word + -ban
|
Csokiban.
|
Formalitätsspektrum
A csokoládé kiváló. (Food)
A csoki jó. (Food)
A csoki király! (Food)
A csoki adja! (Food)
Digraphs Overview
Common
- cs ch
- sz s
Unique
- gy dy
- ny ny
Beispiele nach Niveau
A csoki finom.
The chocolate is delicious.
Ez egy nagy ház.
This is a big house.
Szia!
Hi!
A nyár meleg.
Summer is hot.
A gyerekek játszanak.
The children are playing.
Szeretem a zenét.
I like music.
A zsák tele van.
The sack is full.
Tudsz magyarul?
Do you speak Hungarian?
A könyv nagyon érdekes.
The book is very interesting.
A tyúk a kertben van.
The hen is in the garden.
A lányok énekelnek.
The girls are singing.
Ez a csésze törött.
This cup is broken.
A gyógyszer segít a fájdalmon.
The medicine helps with the pain.
A szomszédunk nagyon kedves.
Our neighbor is very kind.
A zsiráf magas állat.
The giraffe is a tall animal.
A nyelvtani szabályok fontosak.
Grammar rules are important.
A gyümölcsök frissek.
The fruits are fresh.
A nyüzsgő városban élek.
I live in the bustling city.
A szívverése gyors.
His heartbeat is fast.
A csillagok ragyognak.
The stars are shining.
A gyönyörű táj lenyűgöző.
The beautiful landscape is stunning.
A nyersanyagok ára emelkedett.
The price of raw materials has risen.
A zsúfolt teremben várakoztunk.
We waited in the crowded room.
Atyai tanácsot adott.
He gave paternal advice.
Leicht verwechselbar
Learners often confuse the 's' sound in English with 's' in Hungarian (which is 'sh').
Both involve 'sh' sounds.
Both sound like 'y'.
Häufige Fehler
s-z
sz
c-s
cs
n-y
ny
g-y
gy
l-y
ly
t-y
ty
z-s
zs
Splitting at line end
Keep together
Alphabetical order error
Check dictionary
Ignoring digraphs
Use them
Historical spelling
Modern spelling
Phonetic inconsistency
Standard spelling
Over-correction
Standard
Syllabification error
Standard
Satzmuster
A ___ nagyon finom.
A ___ szép.
Szeretem a ___.
A ___ a kertben van.
Real World Usage
Nagyon szép a kép!
Mikor jössz?
Gyorsan tanulok.
Hol van a gyógyszertár?
Kérek egy csirkét.
Tisztelt Hölgyem!
Use a Keyboard
Don't Split
Dictionary Check
Listen Carefully
Smart Tips
Treat digraphs as single letters.
Check the alphabet order.
Focus on the single sound.
Keep the digraph together.
Aussprache
cs
Like 'ch' in church.
gy
Like 'd' + 'y' in dew.
sz
Like 's' in sun.
Statement
A csoki jó. ↘
Falling intonation for statements.
Question
Csoki? ↗
Rising intonation for questions.
Einprägen
Eselsbrücke
Remember that in Hungary, two letters hold hands to make one sound.
Visuelle Assoziation
Imagine a 'c' and an 's' wearing a single hat together, showing they are one person.
Rhyme
Cs, gy, ly, ny, sz, ty, zs, These are the sounds you must possess!
Story
A child (gyerek) eats chocolate (csoki) in the summer (nyár). He sees a hen (tyúk) near a hole (lyuk). He feels beautiful (szép) in his sack (zsák).
Word Web
Herausforderung
Write 5 words containing different digraphs and say them out loud 3 times each.
Kulturelle Hinweise
Digraphs are a point of national pride and a key part of the language's unique identity.
Some dialects pronounce 'ly' differently, but the spelling remains standard.
Standard pronunciation is used in media and formal settings.
Hungarian orthography evolved from Latin script, adapting digraphs to represent unique sounds.
Gesprächseinstiege
Szereted a csokit?
Hány gyerek van a családban?
Szép az idő ma, nem?
Mi a véleményed a magyar nyelvről?
Tagebuch-Impulse
Häufige Fehler
Test Yourself
A ___erek játszik.
Which is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
A s-zép ház.
A csoki finom.
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
Which of these is a digraph?
A ___ár meleg.
Find and fix the mistake:
A zs-ák tele van.
Score: /8
Ubungsaufgaben
8 exercisesA ___erek játszik.
Which is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
A s-zép ház.
A csoki finom.
csoki
Which of these is a digraph?
A ___ár meleg.
Find and fix the mistake:
A zs-ák tele van.
Score: /8
FAQ (8)
No, they are single letters in the Hungarian alphabet.
Because they represent a single sound.
Use a Hungarian keyboard layout.
Phonetically yes, but spelling is different.
They have their own section after the single letter.
Yes, they are mandatory.
Yes, swapping a digraph for a single letter changes the word.
Practice with flashcards and audio.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
ch, ll, rr
Hungarian digraphs are official alphabet letters.
ch, ph, gn
Alphabetical status.
sch, ch, st
Alphabetical status.
kana combinations
Writing system structure.
none
Writing system structure.
pinyin
Writing system structure.
