How to Use the Conditional Mood in Hungarian for English Speakers

Understanding the Conditional Mood in Hungarian

The conditional mood in Hungarian is used to express hypothetical situations, wishes, or actions that depend on certain conditions. It is similar to the English "would" or "could" constructions. For English speakers learning Hungarian, mastering the conditional mood is essential for expressing polite requests, possibilities, and hypothetical scenarios.

Forming the Conditional Mood

In Hungarian, the conditional mood is formed by adding specific suffixes to the verb stem. The suffixes vary depending on the person and number. The general pattern involves adding -na/-ne to the verb stem, followed by personal endings.

For example, the verb menni (to go) in the conditional mood for the first person singular is mennék (I would go). Here, -nék is the conditional suffix combined with the personal ending.

Conditional Mood Suffixes and Personal Endings

The conditional suffixes -na or -ne are chosen based on vowel harmony rules in Hungarian. The personal endings are similar to those in the present tense but combined with the conditional suffix.

• én (I) → -nék
• te (you singular) → -nál/-nél
• ő (he/she) → -na/-ne
• mi (we) → -nánk/-nénk
• ti (you plural) → -nátok/-nétek
• ők (they) → -nának/-nének

For example, with the verb ír (to write):
én írnék (I would write)
te írnál (you would write)
ők írnának (they would write)

Vowel Harmony in Conditional Suffixes

Hungarian vowel harmony affects whether you use -na or -ne in the conditional suffix. Back vowels (a, á, o, ó, u, ú) take -na, while front vowels (e, é, i, í, ö, ő, ü, ű) take -ne.

For example:
lát (to see) → látna (he/she would see)
eszik (to eat) → enne (he/she would eat)

Using the Conditional Mood in Sentences

The conditional mood is often used with the conjunction ha (if) to form conditional sentences.

Example:
Ha időm lenne, elmennék a moziba.
Translation: If I had time, I would go to the cinema.

It can also express polite requests or wishes:

Segítenél nekem? – Would you help me?

Common Irregular Verbs in the Conditional Mood

Some Hungarian verbs have irregular forms in the conditional mood. For example, the verb lenni (to be) becomes lennék (I would be).

• lenni (to be) → lennék, lennél, lenne, lennénk, lennétek, lennének
• menni (to go) → mennék, mennél, menne, mennénk, mennétek, mennének

Practice Examples

Here are some sentences using the conditional mood:

• Szeretnék egy kávét. (I would like a coffee.)
• Ha esne az eső, otthon maradnék. (If it rained, I would stay home.)
• Segítenél nekem a házi feladatban? (Would you help me with the homework?)
• Ha több pénzem lenne, utaznék. (If I had more money, I would travel.)