Grammar review: Hungarian in everyday situations

Szobába, szobában, szobából

To, in and from inside

Inside place endings come in a triplet: -ba/-be to/into, -ban/-ben in, -ból/-ből from/out of. and show vowel harmony.

Some places conventionally use surface endings instead: and . Foreign uses inside endings. Learn each place with its actual triplet.

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Form	Example	Meaning
		I go into the room.
I go into the room.
		I am in the room.
I am in the room.
		I come out of the room.
I come out of the room.
		They live in Germany.
They live in Germany.
		I go to Budapest.
I go to Budapest.
		Anna lives in Budapest.
Anna lives in Budapest.

A szobába megyek.I go into the room.
A szobában vagyok.I am in the room.
A szobából jövök.I come out of the room.
Németországban laknak.They live in Germany.
Budapestre megyek.I go to Budapest.
Budapesten lakik Anna.Anna lives in Budapest.

Egy kiló almát

Buying quantities

Numbers and measures take a singular noun: , , , . For an object add accusative to the last noun: , .

A number alone can take object -t: . Do not add a plural solely because English has apples or potatoes. Specified objects use the definite verb; generic requested food uses indefinite .

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Form	Example	Meaning
		I ask for a kilo of apples.
I ask for a kilo of apples.
		I ask for two kilos of potatoes.
I ask for two kilos of potatoes.
		I ask for half a kilo of cheese.
I ask for half a kilo of cheese.
		I ask for a bottle of milk.
I ask for a bottle of milk.
		I ask for six, as a number.
I ask for six, as a number.
		I pay the bill.
I pay the bill.

Egy kiló almát kérek.I ask for a kilo of apples.
Két kiló krumplit kérek.I ask for two kilos of potatoes.
Fél kiló sajtot kérek.I ask for half a kilo of cheese.
Egy üveg tejet kérek.I ask for a bottle of milk.
Hatot kérek.I ask for six, as a number.
A számlát fizetem.I pay the bill.

Vonattal, busszal, gyalog

The complete irregular go set is . The last two present forms are not past tense. means we go by train.

Transport and timetable times

Transport uses -val/-vel: . The initial assimilates after a consonant. Walking is . Being inside a train uses , a conventional surface ending.

is a return ticket; is one way. A timetable can use twenty-four-hour times. means the service is not running; this is a natural announcement for a cancelled train.

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Form	Example	Meaning
		I go by train.
I go by train.
		I go by bus.
I go by bus.
		I go by car.
I go by car.
		I go by bicycle.
I go by bicycle.
		I go on foot.
I go on foot.
		I am on the train.
I am on the train.

Vonattal megyek.I go by train.
Busszal megyek.I go by bus.
Autóval megyek.I go by car.
Biciklivel megyek.I go by bicycle.
Gyalog megyek.I go on foot.
A vonaton vagyok.I am on the train.

Tap a word to hear itTap a word to hear it and see its meaning
Person		Meaning
		I — go
I — go
		You (familiar singular) — go
You (familiar singular) — go
		He/she/you polite — go
He/she/you polite — go
		We — go
We — go
		You (familiar plural) — go
You (familiar plural) — go
		They/you polite plural — go
They/you polite plural — go

Tudok, tudom

Being able and knowing a fact

Ability uses indefinite with an infinitive: , . A known fact can use definite : .

A possibility or permission can use : . A polite first-person permission question can be , learned as a useful can-I-enter chunk. The -hat/-het possibility suffix is explained before exercise use, with .

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Form	Example	Meaning
		I know how to cook.
I know how to cook.
		You know how to cook.
You know how to cook.
		He/she knows how to help.
He/she knows how to help.
		We can help.
We can help.
		I know the name.
I know the name.
		He/she knows the name.
He/she knows the name.

Én tudok főzni.I know how to cook.
Te tudsz főzni.You know how to cook.
Ő tud segíteni.He/she knows how to help.
Mi tudunk segíteni.We can help.
Én tudom a nevet.I know the name.
Ő tudja a nevet.He/she knows the name.

Tap a word to hear itTap a word to hear it and see its meaning
Person		Meaning
		I — can, learned ability
I — can, learned ability
		You (familiar singular) — can, learned ability
You (familiar singular) — can, learned ability
		He/she/you polite — can, learned ability
He/she/you polite — can, learned ability
		We — can, learned ability
We — can, learned ability
		You (familiar plural) — can, learned ability
You (familiar plural) — can, learned ability
		They/you polite plural — can, learned ability
They/you polite plural — can, learned ability

Tap a word to hear itTap a word to hear it and see its meaning
Person		Meaning
		I — know, definite object
I — know, definite object
		You (familiar singular) — know, definite object
You (familiar singular) — know, definite object
		He/she/you polite — know, definite object
He/she/you polite — know, definite object
		We — know, definite object
We — know, definite object
		You (familiar plural) — know, definite object
You (familiar plural) — know, definite object
		They/you polite plural — know, definite object
They/you polite plural — know, definite object

The conjugation still depends on the object, not only the meaning of knowing versus ability. With a definite object use . Without a definite object use : means I know everything. In the ability examples here no definite object is specified. With one, an ability expression can also use a definite form.

Hol, hová, honnan

The complete come set is . asks by what or with what, as in .

Location, destination and source

Inside and surface endings show where, where to and where from: -ban/-ben, -ba/-be, -ból/-ből and -on/-en/-ön, -ra/-re, -ról/-ről. For a person or nearby place use -nál/-nél, -hoz/-hez/-höz, -tól/-től: .

The basic question set is Adverb triplets are and . Present plus a future time is a normal plan: . Early are explained past chunks in the map scene.

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Form	Example	Meaning
		Where is the key?
Where is the key?
		Where are you going?
Where are you going?
		Where are you coming from?
Where are you coming from?
		I am at Ilona’s place.
I am at Ilona’s place.
		I go to Ilona’s place.
I go to Ilona’s place.
		I come from Ilona’s place.
I come from Ilona’s place.

Hol van a kulcs?Where is the key?
Hová mész?Where are you going?
Honnan jössz?Where are you coming from?
Ilonánál vagyok.I am at Ilona’s place.
Ilonához megyek.I go to Ilona’s place.
Ilonától jövök.I come from Ilona’s place.

Tap a word to hear itTap a word to hear it and see its meaning
Person		Meaning
		I — come
I — come
		You (familiar singular) — come
You (familiar singular) — come
		He/she/you polite — come
He/she/you polite — come
		We — come
We — come
		You (familiar plural) — come
You (familiar plural) — come
		They/you polite plural — come
They/you polite plural — come

The map scene uses for I drew and for told. The story uses for I came and for I lived. Learn these supported past chunks here, before the general past lesson. For distance or direction, means to the lake and means to the station.

Compare toward home with at home. means I go home. The useful visit chunk means comes here or comes along; it uses the same come verb already practised.

Hungarian in everyday situations

Szobába, szobában, szobából

To, in and from inside

Egy kiló almát

Buying quantities

Vonattal, busszal, gyalog

Transport and timetable times

Tudok, tudom

Being able and knowing a fact

Hol, hová, honnan

Location, destination and source

Choose the form 1

Choose the form 2

Choose the form 3

Recall the form 1

Recall the form 2

Recall the form 3

Hungarian in everyday situations

Keep practising