Must you speak Hungarian to live in Budapest?

[Khadeejah_al-Jahani]

I can speak English and Arabic but no Hungarian. Would it be possible for me to live in Budapest without having to learn the local language?

[Arpad_Kato]

It is possible, but you will definitely face some obstacles while trying to sort things out, such as opening a bank account, subscribing for television or many other things. If you have a hungarian friend ask him or her to help you out when dealing with any of the above. Hungarians generally don't speak any other language, however Budapest is getting more and more an international city and most young people do speak English now, so there is a positive trend going on.
In a nutshell it is possible, I have many foreigner friends living in the city and they do just fine without knowing more than the absolute basics.
Hope it helped.

[Eduard_Moldovan]

If we’re talking about shorter term living, a few months, then most likely yes. On the other hand, if it is longer term, then you will run into local official matters, people in broader social circles around you so you would need to lear Hungarian to some extent.

[Barna_Szasz]

Sure, there are many expats living in Budapest who doesn't speak Hungarian at all.
You will do great with English.

[Karsten_Balogh]

You could definitely live in Budapest without speaking Hungarian, some of my friends have been doing it for years.
That being said it is an advantage to speak the local language, specifically when you have to interact with the government. It's best to have a local friend to help you out in those situations.

[Lehoczki_Zoltan]

Hi!

Not really, there are tens of thousands of foreign people living in Budapest without speaking Hungarian, so really, if you speak English, you can live a complete life here.

[Natasa_Budisin]

No, you don't have to! There are plenty of positions here which do not require knowledge of Hungarian

[Thomas_Rexton]

English is okay,but if you need live long time in Hungary,require thelocal language as everywhere in the world

[Andrasko_Beatrix]

It is nearly impossible to live in Budapest if you don't speak Hungarian as most of the people cannot answer to your questions and understands your problem hardly. Sorry if i have disappointed you!

[villain]

It is possible, but this can be quite hard as many of the Hungarians don't speak other languages. It's getting better, of course younger generations are much better in English. This also depends on where you move in the city day-by-day, in the center you will be better off. There is an (small) Arabic community in Budapest but I don't know any detail about them.
You will have to learn some Hungarian in the mid/long run anyway.
ps: and Hungary loves to use overbloated bureaucratic sentences in any kind of official papers - horror for the locals too!

[Devorah_Bonomo]

I have lived in Budapest 17 years and never learned Hungarian because the teachers were very bad and the schools were too expensive. I understand Hungarian at an upper intermediate level but cannot speak fleuntly just enough to be understood. I can get around perfectly and do everything on my own. I learned by ear. I get lonely sometimes as I love to speak to children and old people but I think yes, you can live in Hungary with little or no Hungarian and you will find many foreigners here as well.

[Nuno_Reis]

Sure!! English is more than enough as in the last few years Hungarians are learning more and more languages!! For a long term and with burocratic issues you just need to ask help to an Hungarian friend! Even though Hungary is becoming a country that does not more expats to move in, specially arabic (just saying as there was a post about the opening of the Arabic center in Budapest and so many hate in that post sadly).
Anyway answering the question, Hungarian is not needed but it is appreciated as a matter of respect and that you really want to integrate the society and not only use it for your own good!