Language/Hungarian/Grammar/Conditional-and-subjunctive-moods
As we advance in our Hungarian studies, we will learn to express hypothetical or doubtful situations using the conditional and subjunctive moods. These moods allow us to talk about things that may or may not happen, or to express doubt or uncertainty. In this lesson, we will explore how to use these moods in Hungarian.
Don't hesitate to look into these other pages after completing this lesson: Future Tense & Comparisons and superlatives.
Conditional mood
The conditional mood in Hungarian is used to express actions or events that might happen under certain circumstances, or that may happen in the future. It is often used with the word "ha" (if) to refer to a condition that needs to be met for the action to occur. To form the conditional mood, we add the suffix "-na/-ne" to the verb root. Here is an example table:
| Hungarian | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Ha jönnél, boldog lennék. | Ha yo-nel, boL-dog len-nek. | If you came, I would be happy. |
Note that the conditional mood is often used to express wishes, regrets, or polite requests. For example:
- Szeretnék egy kávét, ha lehetne. (I would like a coffee, if possible.)
- Bárcsak tudnék hegyet mászni! (I wish I could climb mountains!)
- Ne áruld el senkinek, ha tudnád. (Don't tell anyone, if you could.)
Subjunctive mood
The subjunctive mood in Hungarian is used to express doubt, uncertainty, or hypothetical situations. It is often used after verbs like "remél" (to hope), "kíván" (to wish), "félek" (to fear), or "kétségbe von" (to question). It is also used in conditional statements or to express polite requests. To form the subjunctive mood, we add the suffix "-a/-e" to the verb root. Here is an example table:
| Hungarian | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Remélem, hogy gyógyulj meg! | Re-me-lem, hogy dyo-djul mee-g! | I hope you get well! |
Here are some examples of the subjunctive mood in use:
- Kétségbe vonom, hogy ő az igazságot mondta-e. (I question whether he told the truth.)
- Bár bátrabb lennék! (I wish I were braver!)
- Félek, hogy el fog esni. (I'm afraid he'll fall.)
Practice
To practice using the conditional and subjunctive moods in Hungarian, try to create your own sentences using the examples given above, or create your own scenarios where you need to use these moods. Here are some prompts to help you get started:
- Express a wish using the conditional mood
- State a hypothetical situation using the subjunctive mood
- Make a conditional request
- Express doubt using the subjunctive mood
Remember that these moods are used to express uncertainty, so don't be afraid to use them in situations where you're not sure what will happen or how to express your meaning.
Conclusion
In this lesson, we learned about the conditional and subjunctive moods in Hungarian. These moods allow us to express hypothetical or doubtful situations, and can be used to express wishes, regrets, or polite requests. We also saw some examples of how to use these moods in sentences, and gave some prompts for practice. By using these moods correctly, you can add nuance and depth to your Hungarian conversations and express your thoughts and feelings more fully.
Sources
- Hungarian verbs - Wikipedia
- The Hungarian conditional mood [HungarianReference.com ...
- Conjunctive/Imperative/Subjunctive mood in Hungarian ...
Congratulations on finishing this lesson! Explore these related pages to keep learning: Possessed object & Verbs and tenses.
Other Lessons
- How to Use Have
- Adjectives
- Conditional Mood
- Imperative and gerund forms
- Give your Opinion
- Pronouns and possessives
- How to Use Be
- Negation
- Pronunciation and accentuation