Verb Conjugation Basics: Present Tense in Hungarian for English Speakers

Understanding Hungarian Present Tense Verbs

In Hungarian, verbs are conjugated to reflect the subject of the sentence and the definiteness of the object. The present tense is used to describe actions happening now or habitual actions, similar to English. However, Hungarian verb conjugation differs significantly from English, especially because it distinguishes between definite and indefinite objects.

What is the Present Tense in Hungarian?

The present tense in Hungarian expresses actions that are currently happening or general truths. Unlike English, Hungarian verbs change their endings based on the subject and whether the object is definite or indefinite.

Personal Pronouns in Hungarian

Before conjugating verbs, it's important to know the Hungarian personal pronouns, as verb endings depend on them.

• én (I)
• te (you - singular informal)
• ő (he/she/it)
• mi (we)
• ti (you - plural informal)
• ők (they)

Conjugating Regular Verbs in Present Tense

Hungarian verbs are divided into two main conjugation patterns: definite and indefinite. The choice depends on whether the object of the verb is definite (a specific object) or indefinite (a general object or no object). If there is no object, the indefinite conjugation is used.

Indefinite Conjugation (No or Indefinite Object)

Use indefinite conjugation when the verb has no object or an indefinite object. Here is the conjugation pattern for the verb tanulni (to learn):

• én tanulok (I learn)
• te tanulsz (you learn)
• ő tanul (he/she learns)
• mi tanulunk (we learn)
• ti tanultok (you all learn)
• ők tanulnak (they learn)

Definite Conjugation (Definite Object)

Use definite conjugation when the verb has a definite object. For example, with the verb látni (to see) and the definite object a könyvet (the book):

• én látom (I see it)
• te látod (you see it)
• ő látja (he/she sees it)
• mi látjuk (we see it)
• ti látjátok (you all see it)
• ők látják (they see it)

Key Points to Remember

• Hungarian verbs conjugate differently based on the subject pronoun.
• There are two conjugation types: definite and indefinite, depending on the object.
• The present tense is used for current and habitual actions.
• Personal pronouns are often omitted because verb endings indicate the subject.

Example Sentences

Here are some example sentences using the present tense in Hungarian:

• Én eszem. (I eat.)
• Te iszol vizet. (You drink water.)
• Ő olvas egy könyvet. (He/She reads a book.)
• Mi tanulunk magyarul. (We learn Hungarian.)
• Ti dolgoztok. (You all work.)
• Ők játszanak a parkban. (They play in the park.)