How to Form Plural Nouns in Hungarian for English Speakers

Understanding Plural Forms in Hungarian Nouns

In Hungarian, forming the plural of nouns is an essential part of learning the language. Unlike English, Hungarian uses specific suffixes to indicate plurality, and these suffixes can change depending on the word's ending and vowel harmony rules. This article will guide English speakers through the basics of Hungarian plural noun forms.

Basic Plural Suffix: -k

The most common way to form the plural of a Hungarian noun is by adding the suffix -k to the singular form. For example, könyv (book) becomes könyvek (books). However, vowel harmony affects the vowel inserted before the -k suffix.

Vowel Harmony and Plural Suffix Variations

Hungarian vowels are divided into front vowels and back vowels, and the plural suffix changes accordingly to maintain vowel harmony. The plural suffix is usually -ok, -ek, or -ök depending on the word's vowels.

For example:

• Back vowel nouns (a, o, u): add -ok - ház (house) → házak (houses)
• Front vowel nouns (e, i, ö, ü): add -ek or -ök - kert (garden) → kertek (gardens), tükör (mirror) → tükrök (mirrors)

Plural Formation with Nouns Ending in a Vowel

If a noun ends with a vowel, the plural suffix is added directly without an extra vowel. For example, autó (car) becomes autók (cars). The suffix still follows vowel harmony rules.

Examples of Plural Nouns in Hungarian

• fiú (boy) → fiúk (boys)
• lány (girl) → lányok (girls)
• asztal (table) → asztalok (tables)
• szék (chair) → székek (chairs)
• tükör (mirror) → tükrök (mirrors)

Exceptions and Special Cases

Some Hungarian nouns have irregular plural forms or do not change in the plural. For example, some foreign loanwords or compound nouns may behave differently. Additionally, proper nouns typically do not take plural forms.

Practice: Forming Plurals from Singular Nouns

Try forming the plural of these Hungarian nouns:

1. ház (house)
2. kert (garden)
3. autó (car)
4. szék (chair)
5. tükör (mirror)

Answers:

1. házak
2. kertek
3. autók
4. székek
5. tükrök