How to Use Conjunctions and Sentence Connectors in Hungarian

Understanding Conjunctions in Hungarian

Conjunctions are words that connect clauses, sentences, or words together. In Hungarian, conjunctions play a crucial role in linking ideas and making sentences flow smoothly. They can be coordinating, subordinating, or correlative, just like in English.

Coordinating Conjunctions

Coordinating conjunctions connect words, phrases, or independent clauses of equal importance. The most common coordinating conjunctions in Hungarian are:

• és (and)
• vagy (or)
• de (but)
• hanem (but rather)
• mert (because)

For example:
Szeretek kávét és teát. – I like coffee and tea.
Nem megyek, mert fáradt vagyok. – I am not going because I am tired.

Subordinating Conjunctions

Subordinating conjunctions introduce dependent clauses and show the relationship between the dependent clause and the main clause. Some common subordinating conjunctions in Hungarian include:

• hogy (that)
• ha (if)
• amikor (when)
• mivel (since/because)
• bár (although)

Example:
Tudom, hogy igazad van. – I know that you are right.
Ha esik, nem megyek ki. – If it rains, I won't go out.

Sentence Connectors to Improve Fluency

Sentence connectors help to link ideas between sentences or paragraphs, making your speech or writing more coherent. In Hungarian, these connectors often function similarly to English ones but may have different placements or forms.

Common Hungarian Sentence Connectors

• azonban (however)
• ezért (therefore)
• tehát (so)
• mindazonáltal (nevertheless)
• másrészt (on the other hand)
• végül (finally)

Example:
Esik az eső, azonban megyünk sétálni. – It is raining; however, we are going for a walk.
Nem volt időm, ezért nem tudtam eljönni. – I didn't have time; therefore, I couldn't come.

Tips for Using Conjunctions and Connectors in Hungarian

• Pay attention to word order changes after conjunctions, especially subordinating ones.
• Some conjunctions require the verb to be at the end of the clause.
• Practice common conjunctions in context to get a natural feel for their use.
• Use sentence connectors to make your speech or writing more cohesive and fluent.
• Remember that some Hungarian conjunctions have no direct English equivalent and require understanding of context.