Language/Hungarian/Grammar/Adjectives-and-adverbs

Hungarian → Grammar → 0 to A1 Course → Adjectives and adverbs

Welcome to our lesson on Hungarian Adjectives and Adverbs, an essential topic for anyone eager to express themselves clearly and vividly in Hungarian. Whether you want to describe people, places, or objects, mastering adjectives and adverbs will elevate your ability to communicate effectively.

In this lesson, we will explore:

• The role of adjectives and adverbs in Hungarian.

• How to form and use descriptive adjectives.

• The use of adverbs of time and frequency.

• Practical exercises to reinforce your understanding.

Understanding adjectives and adverbs is vital as they add color and depth to your conversations. So let’s dive in!

The Role of Adjectives in Hungarian

Adjectives in Hungarian are words that describe or modify nouns. They can express qualities, quantities, or states of being. In Hungarian, adjectives typically precede the noun they modify, which is quite different from English, where adjectives can come before or after nouns.

Key Points:

• Adjectives agree with the noun in terms of number (singular or plural) and case.

• They generally come before the noun.

Common Descriptive Adjectives

Let’s take a look at some common descriptive adjectives in Hungarian:

Hungarian	Pronunciation	English
szép	sejp	beautiful
nagy	nɑ:dʒ	big
kicsi	kiʧi	small
okos	okosh	smart
boldog	boldɔg	happy
szomorú	so:moruː	sad
gyors	jo:rʃ	fast
lassú	lɑʃʊ	slow
színes	si:neʃ	colorful
egyszerű	ɛɟsɛrɨ	simple

You can combine adjectives to create more complex descriptions, such as "nagy és szép ház" (big and beautiful house).

The Role of Adverbs in Hungarian

Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs, giving more information about how, when, or where an action takes place. They can express time, frequency, manner, or degree.

Key Points:

• Adverbs typically follow the verb they modify.

• They do not change form based on gender or number.

Common Adverbs of Time and Frequency

Here are some common adverbs of time and frequency in Hungarian:

Hungarian	Pronunciation	English
most	moʃt	now
mindig	miːndɪɡ	always
néha	neːhɒ	sometimes
soha	sohɒ	never
gyakran	ɟɒkrɒn	often
korán	koːrɒn	early
későn	keːʃøːn	late
este	ɛʃte	evening
reggel	rɛɡɛl	morning
tegnap	tɛɡnɒp	yesterday

Understanding when and how to use these adverbs will enhance your ability to express time and frequency in your sentences.

Examples of Combining Adjectives and Adverbs

To illustrate how adjectives and adverbs work together, consider the following sentences:

1. A szép lány gyorsan fut. (The beautiful girl runs quickly.)

2. A nagy ház mindig üres. (The big house is always empty.)

3. A kicsi kutya korán kel. (The small dog gets up early.)

4. Az okos diák soha nem késik. (The smart student is never late.)

5. A boldog család gyakran utazik. (The happy family travels often.)

Exercises

Now it’s time to practice what you’ve learned! Here are 10 exercises to help you reinforce your understanding of adjectives and adverbs in Hungarian:

Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks

Translate the following sentences into Hungarian using the correct form of the adjectives and adverbs provided.

1. The big house is beautiful.

2. She runs quickly.

3. The small dog is happy.

4. They travel often.

5. The sad girl is never late.

Solutions:

1. A nagy ház szép.

2. Ő gyorsan fut.

3. A kicsi kutya boldog.

4. Ők gyakran utaznak.

5. A szomorú lány soha nem késik.

Exercise 2: Match the Descriptions

Match the adjectives with their English translations.

| Hungarian | English |

|---------------|------------------|

| szép | a) small |

| okos | b) happy |

| nagy | c) beautiful |

| boldog | d) smart |

Solutions:

• szép - c) beautiful

• okos - d) smart

• nagy - a) big

• boldog - b) happy

Exercise 3: Create Sentences

Using the adjectives and adverbs provided, create your own sentences.

Adjectives: színes, egyszerű, gyors

Adverbs: néha, soha, mindig

Example Solutions:

1. A színes könyv mindig érdekes. (The colorful book is always interesting.)

2. Az egyszerű válasz soha nem elég. (The simple answer is never enough.)

3. A gyors autó néha lassú. (The fast car is sometimes slow.)

Exercise 4: Identify the Adjectives and Adverbs

Read the following sentences and underline the adjectives and adverbs.

1. The small cat is always playful.

2. She sings beautifully.

3. The big tree is very tall.

4. They rarely visit us.

Solutions:

1. The small cat is always playful.

2. She sings beautifully.

3. The big tree is very tall.

4. They rarely visit us.

Exercise 5: Translate the Sentences

Translate the following sentences into Hungarian.

1. The happy family is always together.

2. The sad movie ended late.

3. The colorful flowers bloom in spring.

4. The smart boy studies early.

Solutions:

1. A boldog család mindig együtt van.

2. A szomorú film későn ért véget.

3. A színes virágok tavasszal nyílnak.

4. Az okos fiú korán tanul.

Exercise 6: Choose the Correct Form

Choose the correct adjective or adverb to complete the sentences.

1. She is a (boldog/ boldogabb) girl.

2. He runs (gyorsan/gyorsabb) than his brother.

3. This is a (szép/szebb) painting.

4. They dance (gyakran/gyakrabban) at the club.

Solutions:

1. She is a boldog girl.

2. He runs gyorsabban than his brother.

3. This is a szebb painting.

4. They dance gyakran at the club.

Exercise 7: Fill in with Adverbs

Fill in the blanks with the correct adverb from the list: (mindig, néha, soha).

1. She is (always) late.

2. He (never) eats vegetables.

3. They go to the cinema (sometimes).

Solutions:

1. She is mindig late.

2. He soha eats vegetables.

3. They go to the cinema néha.

Exercise 8: Sentence Transformation

Transform the following sentences by changing the adjectives or adverbs.

1. The big dog runs fast. (Use small and slow)

2. The beautiful girl sings beautifully. (Use plain and loudly)

Example Solutions:

1. The small dog runs slowly.

2. The plain girl sings loudly.

Exercise 9: Create Adjective Phrases

Combine the adjectives with nouns to form phrases.

1. (szép, ház)

2. (nagy, kutya)

3. (okos, lány)

Solutions:

1. szép ház (beautiful house)

2. nagy kutya (big dog)

3. okos lány (smart girl)

Exercise 10: Adjective and Adverb Quiz

Choose whether the following statements are true or false.

1. Adjectives come after the noun in Hungarian. (False)

2. Adverbs can modify adjectives. (True)

3. There are no plural forms for adjectives in Hungarian. (False)

4. Adjectives and adverbs agree in gender. (False)

Solutions:

1. False

2. True

3. False

4. False

In conclusion, mastering adjectives and adverbs in Hungarian will greatly enhance your descriptive capabilities and your overall communication skills. Keep practicing and using these words in your conversations, and you'll find that your confidence in speaking Hungarian will grow.

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 grammar - Wikipedia

Other Lessons

• Pronouns and possessives
• How to Use Have
• Definite and indefinite articles
• 0 to A1 Course
• Future Tense
• Gender
• Cardinal Numbers
• Plural
• Aspect and mood combinations
• Conditional and subjunctive moods