Language/Hungarian/Grammar/Nouns-and-cases

Hungarian Grammar → Introduction to Hungarian grammar → Nouns and cases

As a Hungarian language teacher for over 20 years, I know that understanding Hungarian grammar can be a challenge. However, learning the basics of Hungarian grammar is essential to becoming fluent in the language. In this lesson, we will focus specifically on one of the most critical aspects of Hungarian grammar: nouns and cases.

Understanding Hungarian nouns

Nouns are a fundamental part of any language, and Hungarian is no exception. In Hungarian, nouns are words that refer to people, places, things, or concepts. Some examples of Hungarian nouns include

• Magyarország (Hungary)
• Ház (House)
• Szépség (Beauty)
• Az én anyám (My mother)

As you can see from the examples above, Hungarian nouns can be either singular or plural. Moreover, Hungarian nouns can belong to different noun classes or gender, which plays an essential role in the Hungarian language's inflectional system.

Hungarian cases

In Hungarian, cases are used to describe the relationship between the noun and the action in a sentence. There are six cases in the Hungarian language:

1. Nominative case: this is the basic, unchanged form used for the subject of a sentence.
2. Accusative case: used to describe the object of a sentence, or the direct object of the verb.
3. Dative case: used to indicate the indirect object of a sentence or the person or thing receiving the action.
4. Instrumental case: used to indicate the tool or instrument used to perform the action of the verb.
5. Causal-final case: used to describe the purpose or aim of the action or the reason for its being done.
6. Translative case: used to indicate the change of the state, quality or form of the noun.

Noun endings

A Hungarian noun changes its endings according to the case it is in. Learning these endings is essential to correctly inflect nouns in the Hungarian language. Here are the endings for each case:

Hungarian	Pronunciation	English
Nominative	-	-
Accusative	-t, -ot, -et	-
Dative	-nak, -nek, -val, -vel	to/for-
Instrumental	-al, -el, -tal, -tel	with/by
Causal-final	-ért, -érték	for/because of
Translative	-vé, -vá	to/into

Using cases in sentences

Here are some examples of Hungarian sentences using different cases:

• Az autó tiszta. – The car is clean. (nominative case)
• Szeretem a citromot. – I like the lemon. (accusative case)
• Adok egy ajándékot az édesanyámnak. – I am giving a gift to my mother. (dative case)
• Az íróasztal tollal, ceruzával, és papírral tele van. – The writing table is full of pens, pencils, and paper. (instrumental case)
• A diák a jó jegyért sokat dolgozik. – The student works hard for a good grade. (causal-final case)
• A madár tojásból fiókává válik. – The bird becomes a chick from an egg. (translative case)

Conclusion

Learning the six cases of Hungarian nouns is essential to becoming fluent in the language. Practicing the use of cases in different sentences can be a great way to master this aspect of Hungarian grammar.

I hope this lesson has been valuable to you. Keep practicing, and don't hesitate to reach out to me if you need any further assistance.

Sources

• Hungarian grammar
• Hungarian nouns

Table of Contents - Hungarian Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

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Greetings and Introductions

• Basic Greetings
• Introducing Yourself

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Pronouns and Verb Conjugation

• Personal Pronouns
• Present Tense Verb Conjugation

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Numbers and Time

• Numbers 1-100
• Telling Time

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Questions and Negation

• Asking Questions
• Negation

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Family and Relationships

• Family Members
• Relationships

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Adjectives and Adverbs

• Descriptive Adjectives
• Adverbs of Time and Frequency

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Food and Dining

• Common Foods and Drinks
• Ordering at a Restaurant

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Prepositions and Location

• Common Prepositions
• Expressing Location

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Travel and Transportation

• Modes of Transportation
• Asking for Directions

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Hungarian Customs and Traditions

• Holidays and Celebrations
• Traditional Foods

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Possessive Pronouns and Plurals

• Possessive Pronouns
• Forming Plurals

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Hobbies and Leisure Activities

• Common Hobbies
• Discussing Interests

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Hungarian History and Geography

• Important Historical Events
• Geography of Hungary

Related Lessons

• Passive voice and indirect speech
• Pronunciation and accentuation
• Imperative and gerund forms
• How to Use Be
• Conditional Mood
• Comparisons and superlatives
• Nouns
• Plural
• Adjectives