This chapter will explore the many different ways of conjugating

Hungarian verbs. We will see that there are literally thousands of

combinations of conjugation for each vderb in Hungarian. It'd be quite a
daunting task, were it not for the fact that nearly everything follow strict
rules of grammar.
In English, we have just one type of conjugation, and within that only four
forms (for regular verbs):like, likes, liking, liked.
Note that the above conjugation serves the following roles. In the below,
the word "see" is identical in each case, despite it serving different
grammatical functions.
Hungarian
conjugation

ltok
ltom
ltlak
lssuk
kell ltnom
kellett ltnom
ltni
fogok ltni
fogom ltni
foglak ltni
ltnk
lttam volna
ltnm
lttad volna
lss / lssl
lsd / lssad

Meaning

Conjugation used

Tense/Mood used

I see

no object - indefinite conjugation

Present indicative

I see it

object - definite conjugation

Present indicative

I see you

(you as object)

Present indicative

let's see

suggestion - imperative

Imperative

I must see

expressing need

(present)

I must have seen

expressing need

(past)

To see

(infinitive)

(infinitive)

I will see

future tense - indefinite)

Future

I will see it

future tense - definite

Future

I will see you

(future tense 'you'as with object)

Indicative

present tense conditional mood

(indefinite)
I would have seen
past tense conditional mood
(indefinite)
I would see it
present tense conditional mood
(definite)
you would have seen it past tense conditional mood (definite)
I would see

Conditional ('presen
t')
Conditional ('past')
Conditional
('present')
Conditional ('past')

see!

command - imperative (indefinite)

Imperative

see it!

command - imperative (definite)

Imperative

In Hungarian, these all have different conjugations. Each wil be

explained.

Grammatical terms
One of the problems that I found when learning Hungarian was that I
didn't really know too many grammatical terms. Words like "subject",
"object", "gemmination" etc were new to me. So let's explain these
terms.
Subject

The subject is the person or thing doing the verb.

I see gi.
"I" is the subject, because I am the one doing the seeing.
Object
The object is the person or thing on which the verb acts.

I see gi.
"gi" is the object, because she is the one being seen.
Transitive and intransitive verbs
Some verbs cannot have objects. To go, to be, to come, to die..... these
cannot take an obejct, ever. Verbs that cannot take an object are
called intransitive verbs.
Most verbs take an object. Verbs that must take an object are
called transitive verbs. To lift, to chew, to kill.
Some verbs may or may not take an object. They are both transitive
and intransitive verbs. To drink (generally), to drink water; to hear
(generally), to hear dogs.
Note that in an English dictionary, when you have seen v, vt, vi ... you
finally understand what they mean! Verb:transitive and
Verb:instransitive. Hurrah!
See the Answers.com page on Understand.
Indirect object
Sometimes there are three people or things that involved in conjugating
a verb.

I give gi the ball = I give the ball to gi

"I" is the subject, because I am doing the giving.
The ball is the object, because the ball is receiving the action of the
verb. The ball is being given. Note that in the first way of writing, even
though "gi" comes immediately after the verb, she is NOT the object.
gi is the indirect object, sometimes called the patient role.
This is where the dative case comes into play in many languages. In
Hungarian it is handled by the dative (Adom a labdt ginak I give the
ball to gi), and by the instrumental (Pal Pistaval ratja a levelet
Pal makes Pista write the leter; literally, Pal with Pista makes-write the letter.

Definite and indefinte conjugations

This is an alien concept to the Englishman, which, in a nutshell, is all
about needing to conjugate the verb differently based on how welldefined the object is. If we have a general object, "I like fish" or "I
like a fish", then we must use the indefinite case; if we have a well-

defined object, such as "I like the fish" or "I like

my/your/this/that/these/those fish", then we must use the
definite conjugation.
I will make a bold suggestion: Learn the definite conjugation first,
and then learn the indefinite. The definite has fewer exceptions and
follows almost identically the endings for possession, and therefore is
easier to learn. Most books teach indefinite first.
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This Hungarian lesson talks about the definite conjugation in

Hungarian. You should read the section on [when to use the definite
and when to use the infdefinite conjgations] so that you have some
background on the matter; when you are comfortable with
understanding when to apply this conjugation, this page will detail how
to do so.
I will be discussing the definite, and I recommend that you learn the
definite before the indefinite, because it is more symmetrical and fits
better into the overall model of the Hungarian language, in my opinion.
(For example, the endings for the definite tense are very similar to the
endings for possession.)
The definite conjugation has a set of regular endings, and then one
must apply a single additional rule under certain circumstances. That
rule is called assimilation.
Let's look at the basic endings first.
Person

Endings
back

front
short

long

-om

-em

-m

te

-od

-ed

-d

-ja

-i

mi

-juk

-jk

ti

-jtok

-itek

-jk

-ik

Note how, unlike in the indefinite or possession, the parity between

back and front vowel endings is not always symmetrical. For example,
the choice of endings for the third person plural indefinite is -nak or
-nek, but in the corresponding definite case the choices are -jk and
(not -jk but) -ik. Take care!
Note also that the third personal singular indefinite of -ik verbs and
the third person plural definite may have identical endings of -ik.
Therefore (the standard practice of) omitting the subject could cause
ambiguity.
However, I cannot think of any -ik verbs that are transitive, therefore if
there is an object but no subject you can be sure that the verb is third
person plural definite.

lakik he lives
This cannot be "they live (it)" because this verb is instransitive.

Assimilation: the leading -j- in the ending turns into the last
letter of the stem
This is a rule which must be applied after you attach the endings to a
verb stem. In a nutshell, the leading -j- in the ending turns into
the last letter of the stem, in certain conditions.
Luckily, those conditions are quite simple:
if the stem ends in
o

-s

-sz

-z

-dz

then apply the rule.

Here are some examples:

mos (to) wash

Apply the ending and get

mossa he washes (it)

mos + ja, which then becomes.....

nz (to) look (at)

Apply the ending and get

nzzk we look at (it)

olvas (to) read

Apply the ending and get

olvassk they read (it)

vesz (to) take, (to) buy

Apply the ending and get

nz + jk, which then becomes.....

olvas + jk, which then becomes.....

vesz + jk, which then becomes.....

vesszk! we buy (it)

In this last example, the whole of the trailing sz is doubled, giving us

vesz + szk which is of course written as vesszk
See the secion on the Hungarian alphabet for help with doubling twoglyph letters.
Notez-bien
Not all verbs in Huingarian take objects in the same way as in English.
For example, we might say "They are hunting the fox that stole my
chickens". Here, the verb has a definite object.
However in Hungarian, this verb does not take a definite object (nor
indeed any direct object), and instead we mark the indirect object:

vadsz

vadsznak they hunt

vadsznak a rkra

to hunt

they hunt the fox

(literally, "they hunt (nothing) onto the fox")

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The past tense in Hungarian is certainly not particularly easy, but it is

nothing to be scared of. You'll see it presented in text books quite late in

their chapters because it is fiddly (but not as fiddly as the conjunctiveimperative).

Hungairan has only one past tense, the nominative past tense, which
corresponds to all English forms. For example, the past tense word
mentem corresponds to the tenses I went, I was going, I had gone, I have
gone.
The characteristic letter for the past tense is -t-. A verb with a -t- in
its ending is of the past tense (ingoring the 2nd person pl -tok- that we
saw in the present tense). The base ending is applied before the
personal endings, but the base ending comes in two different flavours.
The main question of conjugation surrounds the form that this -t- must
take. You must ask yourself:
should the base ending be

-t- or -ott/ett/tt-?

We will therefore look at three groups of verb that have different

rules applied. Having selected the group that our verb falls into, the
personal endings are then very easy and familiar if you have studied
possession. But first let us work out which group a verb falls into.

Groups of verbs for forming the past tense

These are the three groups of verbs that have different rules applied
when forming the past tense in Hungarian.
Group A.
Verbs that take the long form of the suffix in all persons. The form that the base suffix
takes before any personal forms is -ott-, -ett- or -tt-.
Group B.
Verbs that take the short form of the suffix in all persons. The form that the base suffix
takes before any personal forms is -t-.
Group C.

-t- in most persons except in the third

person singular which then takes -ott, -ett or -tt.
Verbs that take the short form of the suffix

Group A - always long bases: -ottRemember that this group of verbs will always form the past tense base
with -ott-, -ett- or -tt- before we add the personal suffixes.
Verbs that fall into this group are defined by these rules:
1.Verbs that end in two consonants (except --d).
2.Verbs that end in

-t.

-t except lt.

3.Monosyllabic verbs that end in

Let's look at some example verbs that fall into Group A and see the
reason why they fall into this group.

jtsz|ik becomes jtsz-ott

tekint becomes tekint-ett (1)

pt

takart

ft becomes ft-tt

jut

becomes

pt-ett

becomes

becomes

(rule 1)

(2)

takart-ott (2)
(3)

jut-ott

(3)

Group B - always short bases: -tRemember that this group of verbs will always form the past tense base
with -t- before we add the personal suffixes.
Verbs that fall into this group are defined by these rules:
1.Verbs that end in the "Summering Johnny" consonants, which are the same consonants that
force the accusative case ending to be directly appied, too:
o

-s -l -r -n -ny -j -ly

2.Di-syllabic verbs that end in

-ad or -ed.

Let's look at some example verbs that fall into Group B and see the
reason why they fall into this group.

beszl

vr

kvn

foly

fj

marad

becomes

marad-t

(2)

bred

becomes

bred-t

(2)

becomes

becomes

vr-t-

becomes

becomes
becomes

beszl-t(1)

kvn-t-

foly-t-

fj-t-

(1)

(1)

(1)

(rule 1)

Group C - short bases except for third person singular - indefinite

only
Remember that this group of verbs will usually form the past tense base
with the short base -t- except for the third person singular when they
use -ott-, -ett- or -tt-. Then we add the personal suffixes. The
definite does not have this third group and it's the same as Group B.
Verbs that fall into this group are defined by these "rules":
1.All other verbs that are not in Group A or B. This include those that would normally fall into
Group A according to Rule 1, i.e. ending in two consonants, but that end in -d.
2.The following exceptions.

Here are some example of Group C verbs that are here due to them
simply not fitting A or B - that is, they are in Group C because of rule 1..

ad

szeret

khg

becomes

khg-t-

and

khg-tt

olvas

becomes

olvas-t-

and

olvas-ott

hv

becomes

ad-t and ad-ott

becomes

becomes

szeret-t- and szeret-ett

hv-t-

and

hv-ott

Here are some examples of -d verbs that ordinarily would be Group A

but that are actually Group C because of their final -d

mond

becomes

mond-t-

and

mond-ott

kld

becomes

kld-t-

and

kld-tt

kezd

becomes

kezd-t-

and

kezd-ett

Now let us see the exceptions that are in Group C because of

idiosyncractic behavior let's be fair - Hungarian has hardly any, especially
compared to English.

lt

fogad

fogad-t-

and

fogad-ott. This is not Group B as might be

tagad

tagad-t-

and

tagad-ott. This is not Group B as might be

becomes

lt-t-

becomes
guessed.
becomes
guessed.

and

lt-ott. This is not in Group A as might be guessed.

enged

becomes
guessed.

enged-t-

and

enged-ett. This is not Group B as might be

Personal endings for the past tense in Hungarian

The personal ending for the past tense in Hungarian are very similar to
those of possession. Let's look at spome examples from all three
groups. I have pilfered these examples from Zoltan Bnhidi's book.
Definite
Perso
n

Characteristic
ending

Endings

Group A e.g.

Group B and C e.g.

-m

-am,
-em

tartottam,
ptettem

vrtam,
krtem

adtam,
gyztem

te

-d

-ad,
-ed

tartottad,
ptetted

vrtad,
krted

adtad,
gyzted

-a

-a, -e

tartotta,
ptette

vrte,
krte

adta, gyzte

mi

-uk

-uk,
-k

tartottuk,
ptettk

vrtuk,
krtk

adtuk,
gyztk

ti

-'tok

-tok,
-tek

tartotttok,
ptetttek

vrttok,
krttek

adttok,
gyzttek

-'k

-k,
-k

tartottk,
ptettk

vrttk,
krtk

adtk,
gyztk

Indefinite
Person

Characteristic
ending

Endings

Group A e.g.

Group B e.g.

Group C e.g.

-m

-am,
-em

tartottam,
ptettem

vrtam,
krtem

adtam,
gyztem

te

-l

-l,
-l

tartottl,
ptettl

vrtl,
krtl

adtl,
gyztl

(nothing)

(nothing)

tartott,
ptett

vrt, krt

adott,
gyztt

mi

-unk

-unk,
-nk

tartottunk,
ptettnk

vrtunk,
krtnk

adtunk,
gyztnk

ti

-tok

-atok,

tartottatok,

vrtatok,

adtatok,

-etek

ptettetek

krtetek

gyztetek

-k

-ak,
-ek

tartottak,
ptettek

vrtak,
krtek

adtak,
gyztek

n/tge
d

-alak

-alak,
-elek

tartottalak,
ptettelek

vrtalak,
krtelek

adtalak,
gyztelek

You may note that, in comparing these two tables, you see only minimal
differences. Those differences are noteably the following:
(te) - the

-l becomes -d and the vowel shortens

() - the (nothing) becomes

(mi) - the

-a

-unk becomes -uk

(ti) - the first vowel lengthens to become

(k) - the vowel lengthens to become

-tok

-k

Irregular verbs
Just like in many languages, Hungarian has some irregular verbs,
particularly those very basic human functions such as "be", "go",
"come", etc. These are listed here in a form that shows, essentially, the
third person singular past stem. That is, the past tense stem to which
the personal ending can be immediately applied. When there is an
irregularity in the stem, this will be highlighted.
Present tense stem

megy
jn
esz|ik
isz|ik
tesz|ik
vesz|ik
visz|ik
hisz|ik
van
lesz

Infinitive

men(ni)
jn(ni)
en(ni)
in(ni)
ten(ni)
ven(ni)
vin(ni)
hin(ni)
len(ni)
len(ni)

Past tense stem Irregularities or example

ment
jtt
ett, evett
itt, ivott
tett
vett
vittem
hitt
volt
lett

mentem
jttem
ettem, evett
ittam, ivott
tettem
vettem
vittem
hittem
voltam
lettem

Meaning
I went
I came
I ate, he ate
I drank, he drank
I do
I take
I carry
I believe
I was
I became

There are other irregular verbs, but these are the "big guns".
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