Appendix:Hungarian pronunciation assimilation

=Assimilation in pronunciation=

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

= Voicing and devoicing of consonants = Consonants can be classified as voiced and unvoiced.


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

b /b/ → /p/

 * 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]

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

g /g/ → [k]

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

v /v/ → [f]

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

z /z/ → [s]

 * zp [sp]
 * központ [ˈkøspont] center
 * zt [st]
 * méztől [ˈmeːstøːl] from honey
 * pénztár [ˈpeːnstaːr] cash register

zs /ʒ/ → [ʃ]

 * zsp [ʃp]
 * rizspehely [ˈriʃpɛhɛj] rice flakes
 * zsk [ʃk]
 * rozskenyér [ˈroʃkɛɲeːr] rye bread
 * zsf [ʃf]
 * rizsföld [ˈriʃføld] rice paddy
 * zs + sz [ʃs]
 * törzsszám [ˈtørʃsaːm] prime number

dz /d͡z/ → [t͡s]

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

dzs /d͡ʒ/ → [t͡ʃ]

 * dzst [t͡ʃt]
 * bridzstől [ˈbrit͡ʃtøːl] from bridge

gy /ɟ/ → [c]

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

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

p /p/ → [b]

 * 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]

 * 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]

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

s /ʃ/ → [ʒ]

 * sb [ʒb]
 * városban [ˈvaːroʒbɒn] in town

c /t͡s/ → [d͡z]

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

cs /t͡ʃ/ → [d͡ʒ]

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

sz /s/ → [z]

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

f /f/ → [v]

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

ty /c/ → [ɟ]

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

= Assimilation of sibilants = 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]

 * szs [ʃː]
 * egészség ['ɛgeːʃːeːg] health

sz [s] → [ʒ]

 * szzs [ʒː]
 * horgászzsinór [ˈhorgaːʒːinoːr] fishing line

z → [ʃ]

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

z → [ʒ]

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

= Lengthening of consonants before j = 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]

 * adja [ˈɒɟːɒ] - he/she gives it

d + j → [ɟ]

 * földje [ˈfølɟɛ] - his/her land

gy [ɟ] + j → [ɟː]

 * hagyjátok [ˈhɒɟːaːtok] - leave it

t + j → [cː]

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

t + j → [c]

 * kertje [ˈkɛrcɛ] - his/her garden

ty [c] + j → [cː]

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

n + j → [ɲː]

 * kívánjuk [ˈkiːvaːɲːuk] - we wish

n + j → [ɲ]

 * westernje [ˈvɛstɛrɲɛ] his/her western movie

ny [ɲ] + j → [ɲː]

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

= Nasal place assimilation =

n → [m]

 * np [mp]
 * színpad [ˈsiːmpɒd] stage
 * nb [mb]
 * azonban [ˈɒzombɒn] but
 * különb [ˈkylømb] better (than)
 * nm [mː]
 * önmagam [ˈømːɒɡɒm] myself

n → [ŋ]

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

n → [ɲ]

 * 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 =

l + r → [rː]

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

l + j → [jː]

 * tanulj [ˈtɒnujː] - learn!

ll + j → [jː]

 * hallja [ˈhɒjːɒ] - he/she can hear it

t + sz [s] → [t͡sː]

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

t + sz [s] → [t͡s]

 * Bratszk [ˈbrɒt͡sk] - Bratsk

d + sz [s] → [t͡sː]

 * másodszor [ˈmaːʃot͡sːor] - the second time

t + s [ʃ] → [t͡ʃː]

 * barátság [ˈbɒraːt͡ʃːaːg] - friendship

t + s [ʃ] → [t͡ʃ]

 * mentség [ˈmɛnt͡ʃeːg] - excuse

d + s [ʃ] → [t͡ʃː]

 * szabadság [ˈsɒbɒt͡ʃːaːg] - freedom

= Consonant clusters = 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 =
 * Papp István: Hangtörvények a magyarban
 * Magyar mint idegen nyelv: Mássalhangzótörvények
 * Lanstyák István: A magyar beszélt nyelv sajátosságai
 * Zsigri Gyula: Részleges vagy teljes hasonulás?
 * Stephen M. Grimes: On the creation of a pronunciation dictionary for Hungarian
 * Darnay László: A mássalhangzók egymásra hatása a beszédben
 * Darnay László: A mássalhangzók egymásra hatása (II.)
 * Fischer Sándor: A beszéd művészete, Gondolat, Budapest, 1966
 * Menyhárt Krisztina: Koartikulációs folyamatok két magánhangzó kapcsolatában
 * Bodnár Beáta: Hiátustöltés a magyarban