Language/Hungarian/Grammar/Nouns-and-cases

Hungarian → Grammar → 0 to A1 Course → Nouns and cases

In this lesson, we will explore the fascinating world of Hungarian nouns and their cases. Understanding how nouns function in Hungarian is crucial for grasping the language's structure and enhancing your communication skills. Hungarian is a unique language with a complex grammatical system, and the use of cases is one of its most distinctive features.

In English, we primarily rely on word order to convey meaning; however, in Hungarian, the relationship between words is often expressed through the use of cases. This lesson will introduce you to the six primary cases used in Hungarian, their functions, and how to use them effectively in sentences.

Outline of the Lesson:

1. Introduction to Nouns and Cases

2. The Six Cases of Hungarian Nouns

• Nominative Case (Alanyeset)

• Accusative Case (Tárgyeset)

• Dative Case (Részes eset)

• Instrumental Case (Eszközhatározó eset)

• Causal Case (Okk原因)

• Translative Case (Átmeneti eset)

3. Examples of Each Case

4. Exercises and Practice Scenarios

5. Conclusion and Further Learning

Introduction to Nouns and Cases

Nouns are words that name people, places, things, or ideas. In Hungarian, nouns are not just identified by their names but also by their roles in a sentence, which is where cases come into play. Each case serves a specific purpose and changes the ending of the noun to indicate its function.

Understanding cases is essential because they allow you to express various relationships, such as possession, direction, and the means by which something is done. Let’s dive deeper into each of the six cases and see how they work!

The Six Cases of Hungarian Nouns

Nominative Case (Alanyeset)

The nominative case is the base form of the noun and is used for the subject of the sentence. This is the form you would find in the dictionary.

Hungarian	Pronunciation	English
könyv	kɒɲv	book
macska	mɒtʃkɒ	cat
ház	hɑːz	house
autó	ɒutó	car
kutya	kűtʲɒ	dog

Accusative Case (Tárgyeset)

The accusative case indicates the direct object of the verb, representing what is being acted upon. In Hungarian, the accusative is typically formed by adding the suffix -t.

Hungarian	Pronunciation	English
könyvet	kɒɲvɛt	book (accusative)
macskát	mɒtʃkɑːt	cat (accusative)
házat	hɑːzɒt	house (accusative)
autót	ɒutót	car (accusative)
kutyát	kűtʲɑːt	dog (accusative)

Dative Case (Részes eset)

The dative case indicates the indirect object of the verb, showing to whom or for whom something is done. The suffix -nak or -nek is added depending on vowel harmony.

Hungarian	Pronunciation	English
könyvnek	kɒɲv.nɛk	to the book
macskának	mɒtʃkɑːnɒk	to the cat
háznak	hɑːz.nɒk	to the house
autónak	ɒutónɒk	to the car
kutyának	kűtʲɑːnɒk	to the dog

Instrumental Case (Eszközhatározó eset)

The instrumental case indicates the means by which something is done. It is typically formed by adding the suffix -val or -vel.

Hungarian	Pronunciation	English
könyvvel	kɒɲv.vɛl	with the book
macskával	mɒtʃkɑːvɒl	with the cat
házzal	hɑːz.zɑl	with the house
autóval	ɒutó.vɑl	with the car
kutyával	kűtʲɑːvɑl	with the dog

Causal Case (Okk原因)

The causal case expresses the reason for an action and is formed with the suffix -ért.

Hungarian	Pronunciation	English
könyvért	kɒɲv.eːrt	for the book
macskáért	mɒtʃkɑː.eːrt	for the cat
házért	hɑːz.eːrt	for the house
autóért	ɒutó.eːrt	for the car
kutyáért	kűtʲɑː.eːrt	for the dog

Translative Case (Átmeneti eset)

The translative case indicates a transformation or change and is formed with the suffix -vá or -vé.

Hungarian	Pronunciation	English
könyvvé	kɒɲv.vɛ	into a book
macskává	mɒtʃkɑː.vɑ	into a cat
házzá	hɑːz.zɑ	into a house
autóvá	ɒutó.vɑ	into a car
kutyává	kűtʲɑː.vɑ	into a dog

Examples of Each Case

Let’s consolidate our understanding of these cases with some practical examples that illustrate their usage in sentences.

1. I read a book. (Nominative)

2. I see the cat. (Accusative)

3. I give the book to the cat. (Dative)

4. I write with a pen. (Instrumental)

5. I bought the book for the cat. (Causal)

6. She became a teacher. (Translative)

To provide more examples, here are sentences demonstrating each case:

Case	Example Sentence	Translation
Nominative	A könyv érdekes.	The book is interesting.
Accusative	Látom a macskát.	I see the cat.
Dative	Adok a könyvnek.	I give to the book.
Instrumental	Írok a tollal.	I write with the pen.
Causal	Vettem a könyvért.	I bought it for the book.
Translative	Tanár lett.	She became a teacher.

Practice Exercises

Now that we have covered the cases in detail, let’s put your knowledge to the test with some exercises!

Exercise 1: Identify the Case

Identify the case of the underlined noun in each sentence.

1. A macska a ház előtt ül. (The cat is sitting in front of the house.)

2. Látom a kutyát. (I see the dog.)

3. Adok a barátnak egy könyvet. (I give a book to the friend.)

4. Írok a tollal. (I write with the pen.)

5. Vettem a házért. (I bought it for the house.)

6. Tanár lett a gyerekből. (He became a teacher from the child.)

Solutions:

1. Nominative

2. Accusative

3. Dative

4. Instrumental

5. Causal

6. Translative

Exercise 2: Fill in the Blanks

Fill in the blanks with the appropriate case endings.

1. Látom a ______ (kutyá) (I see the dog.)

2. Adok a ______ (macska) (I give to the cat.)

3. Írok a ______ (toll) (I write with the pen.)

4. Vettem a ______ (ház) (I bought it for the house.)

5. Kérlek, adj a ______ (barát) (Please give to the friend.)

Solutions:

1. kutyát (Accusative)

2. macskának (Dative)

3. tollal (Instrumental)

4. házért (Causal)

5. barátnak (Dative)

Exercise 3: Sentence Construction

Construct sentences using the given nouns in different cases.

1. (könyv) – Nominative

2. (macska) – Accusative

3. (barát) – Dative

4. (toll) – Instrumental

5. (ház) – Causal

Solutions:

1. A könyv érdekes. (The book is interesting.)

2. Látom a macskát. (I see the cat.)

3. Adok a barátnak egy könyvet. (I give a book to the friend.)

4. Írok a tollal. (I write with the pen.)

5. Vettem a házért. (I bought it for the house.)

Exercise 4: Matching Cases

Match the sentence with the correct case.

1. A kutya a ház előtt. (Nominative)

2. Látom a könyvet. (Accusative)

3. Adok a tollnak. (Dative)

4. Írok a macskával. (Instrumental)

5. Vettem a barátnak. (Causal)

Solutions:

1. Nominative

2. Accusative

3. Dative

4. Instrumental

5. Causal

Exercise 5: Transformation Practice

Transform the nouns in the following sentences to the specified case.

1. (könyv) → Accusative

2. (barát) → Dative

3. (toll) → Instrumental

4. (ház) → Causal

5. (macska) → Translative

Solutions:

1. könyvet

2. barátnak

3. tollal

4. házért

5. macskává

Exercise 6: Correct the Mistakes

Identify and correct the mistakes in the following sentences.

1. A kutyát a ház előtt ül. (The dog is sitting in front of the house.)

2. Látom a könyv. (I see the book.)

Solutions:

1. A kutya a ház előtt ül.

2. Látom a könyvet.

Exercise 7: Create Your Own Sentences

Create your own sentences using at least three different cases from the ones we studied.

Exercise 8: Case Quiz

Choose the correct case for the following sentences.

1. I bought this for my ______ (barát).

• a) barát

• b) barátot

• c) barátnak

2. I write with a ______ (toll).

• a) toll

• b) tollat

• c) tollal

3. The cat is sitting on the ______ (ház).

• a) ház

• b) házat

• c) háznál

Solutions:

1. c) barátnak

2. c) tollal

3. a) ház

Exercise 9: Role Play

In pairs, take turns using nouns in different cases in conversation. One person should ask a question and the other respond using a noun in the correct case.

Exercise 10: Reflection Writing

Write a short paragraph about your favorite pet using at least five nouns in different cases.

Conclusion and Further Learning

Today, you've taken an important step in your journey to mastering Hungarian! By understanding nouns and their cases, you can express a wide range of meanings and relationships in your sentences. The use of cases may seem daunting at first, but with practice, you will become more comfortable and confident in your usage.

As you continue with this course, remember to review these concepts regularly, as they will serve as the foundation for more advanced topics. Keep practicing, and don’t hesitate to refer back to this lesson whenever you need a refresher!

Table of Contents - Hungarian Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

  ---

Greetings and Introductions

• Basic Greetings
• Introducing Yourself

  ---

Pronouns and Verb Conjugation

• Personal Pronouns
• Present Tense Verb Conjugation

  ---

Numbers and Time

• Numbers 1-100
• Telling Time

  ---

Questions and Negation

• Asking Questions
• Negation

  ---

Family and Relationships

• Family Members
• Relationships

  ---

Adjectives and Adverbs

• Descriptive Adjectives
• Adverbs of Time and Frequency

  ---

Food and Dining

• Common Foods and Drinks
• Ordering at a Restaurant

  ---

Prepositions and Location

• Common Prepositions
• Expressing Location

  ---

Travel and Transportation

• Modes of Transportation
• Asking for Directions

  ---

Hungarian Customs and Traditions

• Holidays and Celebrations
• Traditional Foods

  ---

Possessive Pronouns and Plurals

• Possessive Pronouns
• Forming Plurals

  ---

Hobbies and Leisure Activities

• Common Hobbies
• Discussing Interests

  ---

Hungarian History and Geography

• Important Historical Events
• Geography of Hungary

Sources

• Hungarian noun cases [HungarianReference.com > Grammar ...
• Hungarian grammar - Wikipedia
• A Beginner's Guide to Basic Hungarian Grammar
• Hungarian noun phrase - Wikipedia

Other 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