Language/Hungarian/Grammar/Imperative-and-gerund-forms
As a Hungarian language teacher with 20 years of experience, I am excited to introduce you to the topic of imperative and gerund verb forms in Hungarian. These forms are essential to speaking Hungarian fluently and confidently.
After mastering this lesson, these related pages might interest you: Conditional and subjunctive moods & Negation.
Imperative verbs
The imperative form is used to give commands or orders. In Hungarian, the imperative form is formed by taking the third person singular form of the present tense of the verb and dropping the suffix "-ik". Here are some examples:
| Hungarian | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Ne sírj! | ne ʃiːrj | Don't cry! |
| Szégyelld magad! | seːɟɛlld mɒɡɒd | Be ashamed of yourself! |
| Gyere ide! | d͡ʒɛrɛ idɛ | Come here! |
To negate the imperative, add "ne" before the verb. For example:
- Ne menj! - Don't go!
- Ne egyél meg mindent! - Don't eat everything!
Gerund verbs
The gerund form is used to express simultaneous actions or actions that are taking place continuously. In Hungarian, the gerund form is formed by adding the suffix "-va" or "-ve" to the stem of the verb. Which suffix you use depends on the vowel harmony rules. Here are some examples:
| Hungarian | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Örülve hallottam a hírt. | ørylvɛ hɒllottɒm ɒ hiːrt | I heard the news with joy. |
| Sétálva jobban meg lehet ismerni a várost. | ʃeːtaːlvɒ jobbɒn mɛɡ lɛhɛt iʃmɛrni ɒ vaːroʃt | Walking is a better way to get to know the city. |
| Írva könnyebb megjegyezni a dolgokat. | iːrvɒ kœɲjɛb mɛɡjɛɟɛzni ɒ dollɡokɒt | Writing makes it easier to memorize things. |
The gerund form can also be used in conjunction with auxiliary verbs to form compound tenses. For example:
- A könyvet éppen olvasva vagyok. - I am currently reading the book.
Summary
In this lesson, you have learned about the imperative and gerund verb forms in Hungarian. These forms are crucial to conveying meaning in different ways in the Hungarian language. Remember to practice using these forms regularly, and you will see improvement in your Hungarian communication skills.
Sources
- Hungarian verbs - Wikipedia
- Expressing need with personal infinitive verbs in Hungarian ...
- A Beginner-Friendly Guide to Hungarian Verb Conjugation
- The adverbal particple: -va/ve [HungarianReference.com ...
Other Lessons
- Nouns
- How to Use Have
- Plurals
- Possessed object
- Plural
- Verbs and tenses
- Future Tense
- Gender
- How to form the feminine