Better Hungarian

I’m putting these three in the same post, because they are all cases of movement involving places. Specifically, going into places, being in places, and coming out of places.

Illative (-ba/-be)

• back-vowel word: -ba
• front-vowel word: -be

The first thing to know about this one is that it means something is moving. There is a destination at the end, and you are going there (but aren’t there yet).

Use -ba/-be when:

1. you are on your way to a place (exception is Hungarian cities, they take -ra/-re)
2. something/someone is moving into something else (a place)

Examples

Megyek a hotelbe → I am going to the hotel.

A szekrénybe tettem a ruhát → I put the dress in(to) the wardrobe.

A táskámba tettem a könyvet  → I put the book in(to) my bag.

Iskolába megyünk  → We are going to school.

Börtönbe küldenek engem  → They are sending me (in)to prison.

Note that the object receiving the direct action (being put, placed, etc) will take the accusative.

---

Inessive (-ban/-ben)

• back-vowel word: -ban
• front-vowel word: -ben

This is essentially the static version of -ba/-be. Nothing is moving, instead something is currently in a place.

Use -ban/-ben when:

1. you are INSIDE the place where you were going (except Hungarian cities, which take -n/-on/-en/-ön)
2. something/someone is INSIDE of something else

Examples

Hotelben vagyok  → I am in the hotel.

A ruha a szekrényben van  → The dress is in(side) the wardrobe.

A könyv a táskámban van → The book is in(side) my bag.

Iskolában vagyunk  → We are in(side) the school. (used to say someone is “at school”)

Börtönben vagyok  → I am in(side) prison.

Notice the difference? No one is moving or doing anything, -ban/-ben merely indicates a current position of being inside something (a place or a space, typically). Note that the direct object with -ba/-be is now the subject in -ban/-ben sentences, and therefore is in the nominative case, and not the accusative.

Interesting note: When saying you are “at a party”, you would actually say “IN a party” in Hungarian (buliban).

---

Elative (-ból/-ből)

• back-vowel word: -ból
• front-vowel word: -ből

Think of this as the reverse of -ba/-be. Instead of going INTO or putting something INTO something, you are going OUT OF something, or taking something OUT OF something else.

Use -ból/-ből when:

1. you are leaving a place/coming out of a space (except Hungarian cities, which will take -ról/-ről)
2. you are taking something out of something else

Examples

A hotelből jövök  → I am coming out of the hotel.

Kivettem a ruhát a szekrényből → I took the dress out of the wardrobe.

Kivettem a könyvet a táskámból  → I took the book out of my bag.

Iskolából jövünk  → We are coming out of school.

Szabadulok a börtönből  →  I am freed from (out of) prison.

Notice that the subject in the -ból/-ből version is now the direct object again, and thus in the accusative case, because something is being done to it once more.

---

Visual illustrations: