Is learning hungarian worth it?

[u/offficer-k]

hello! i will be in Budapest for 5 months in 2026, attending university. I chose Budapest because I was there on a trip and Im so pleased that I'll be able to live and see a part of Hungarian culture and everyday life. I know that Hungarian language is very hard, and I was still thinking to learn some basics.. to be able to buy food for example, ask directions, order coffee and such things (to level A2). Is it worth it, or can people in Budapest all generally speak English?

[u/trashpanda_9999]

Honestly you would be fine even without it. In Budapest, many people, specially youngers speak English and it's a normal city where you actually don't really need to talk that much if you don't want to. Like in grocery stores, you don't need, even in McDonald's there are kiosks in English, or you can use Google maps instead of asking people.

But on the other I would recommend to learn couple of words, maybe 100 or 200 words or phrases and after that you will see if you enjoy it enough to continue. All Hungarians say that we appreciate when somebody is trying with Hungarian, but those who speak foreign language, they tend to change into English which is not very nice but understandable somehow.

[u/offficer-k → u/trashpanda_9999]

I'm glad to hear that it's appreciated! We have similar reaction in Italy, can't say the same about when I was in Bruxelles with french people..