How to Use Relative Clauses and Pronouns in Hungarian

Understanding Relative Clauses in Hungarian

Relative clauses are used to provide additional information about a noun without starting a new sentence. In Hungarian, relative clauses function similarly to English but have unique features and pronouns.

What is a Relative Clause?

A relative clause is a subordinate clause that modifies a noun or pronoun, giving more detail about it. For example, in English: "The man who is wearing a hat is my uncle." The phrase "who is wearing a hat" is the relative clause.

Relative Pronouns in Hungarian

Hungarian uses specific relative pronouns to introduce relative clauses. The most common relative pronouns are aki (for people) and ami (for things). Unlike English, Hungarian relative pronouns agree in number and sometimes case with the noun they refer to.

Here are the main relative pronouns:

• aki – who (singular, for people)
• akik – who (plural, for people)
• ami – which/that (for things)
• amely – which/that (formal or specific for things)

Examples of Relative Clauses with Pronouns

Let's look at some examples to see how these pronouns work in sentences:

• Az ember, aki ott áll, a tanárom. (The man who is standing there is my teacher.)
• A könyv, ami az asztalon van, az enyém. (The book that is on the table is mine.)
• A diákok, akik jól tanulnak, jutalmat kapnak. (The students who study well receive a reward.)

Forming Relative Clauses in Hungarian

Relative clauses in Hungarian are typically introduced by the relative pronoun and are placed immediately after the noun they modify. The verb in the relative clause is conjugated normally.

Word Order and Punctuation

In Hungarian, the relative clause is separated from the main clause by commas, similar to English. The relative pronoun is placed at the beginning of the relative clause.

Example:

A ház, ami a dombon áll, régi. (The house that stands on the hill is old.)

Omission of Relative Pronouns

In some cases, especially in informal speech, the relative pronoun can be omitted if it is the object of the relative clause. However, this is less common in Hungarian than in English.

Practice: Common Relative Pronouns and Their Usage

Tips for English Speakers Learning Hungarian Relative Clauses

1. Remember that aki is used only for people, while ami and amely are used for things or abstract concepts.

2. Pay attention to the number agreement: use aki for singular and akik for plural when referring to people.

3. Hungarian relative clauses are always set off by commas, so be sure to punctuate correctly.

4. Practice forming sentences with relative clauses to get comfortable with the word order and pronoun usage.