How do I make my 'zs' and 'gy' sounds more natural?

u/CoachEszter_PronunciationCoach / Jun 2, 2026 / 87 upvotes

The 'gy' trap is almost always about tongue tension. Most English speakers treat it like a 'd-j' combo, but in Hungarian, it’s much softer. Practice the word 'igyen' (the dialectal version of 'igen') to isolate the soft palate contact. If your 'zs' is too sharp, you're likely retracting your tongue too far. Keep the tip of your tongue slightly lower, near the bottom of your upper teeth, and flatten the blade of your tongue. Think of the 'zs' in 'zsiráf' as a buzzy, rounded sound—almost like a 'j' in French 'jour' but with your lips slightly more protruded. Record yourself saying 'zsiráf' versus 'siráf' repeatedly; if they sound the same, you aren't engaging your vocal cords enough.

u/MagyarNyelvFan_AdvancedLearner / Jun 2, 2026 / 42 upvotes

For the 'gy', stop trying to make a 'd' sound at all. It’s a palatal plosive. Try to press the middle of your tongue against the roof of your mouth behind the alveolar ridge—almost like you're trying to say 'd' and 'y' (as in 'yes') at the exact same time. A great drill is the 'gy-g-gy-g' transition; it forces your tongue to stop hitting the teeth. For 'zs', it should be voiced, so place two fingers on your throat and make sure you feel a vibration. If it sounds too sharp, you’re likely making an 's' (English 'sh') sound, which is unvoiced. Focus on pushing that air through the middle of the tongue while engaging the vocal cords.

u/BudapestTechie_AppSkepticalLearner / Jun 2, 2026 / 29 upvotes

Honestly, stop recording news clips for a second; news anchors use a very stiff, formal articulation that isn't how actual Hungarians talk in a pub. To fix the 'gy', try the phrase 'gyere gyere' while over-exaggerating the palatal contact until your tongue muscles ache a bit. It’s a muscle memory thing. For the 'zs', try to find a mirror and watch your lips—if you aren't rounding your lips slightly, you'll never hit the right acoustic profile of the sound. My best tip? Find a native friend on Tandem and ask them to send you audio of them saying 'zsír' and 'gyors' naturally. Mimic their speed, not the slow, enunciated version you hear on language apps.