The causal-final case can be translated as “for“, in the sense of “for the purpose of” or “towards“. The case does not change depending on back-vowel or front-vowel words; it is always “ért“. One common word you see this is in is the word “miért” (why). It is mi (what) + ért (for) → essentially, “what for“.

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EXAMPLES

I went to the store for some milk → Elmentem a boltba tejért.

In this situation, you went to the store with the purpose of buying milk. You went to the store for milk.

I paid 100 dollars for the book → Húsz dollárt fizettem a könyvért.

You paid 100 dollars in order to purchase a book. You paid 100 dollars for the book.

I went to the airport for my grandmother (to pick her up) → Elmentem a reptérre a nagyimért.

I went to the dry cleaners for my coat (to pick it up) → Elmentem a tisztítóba a kabátomért.

MORE EXAMPLES

Az egyetemi diákok bármit megtesznek a kreditekért. → University students will do anything for credits.

Pénzért nem lehet boldogságot venni → You can’t buy happiness for money (in exchange for).

Hajnalig dolgozik a gyerekeiért → Xe works until dawn for xir kids.

Sokat tesz az egészségéért → Xe does a lot for xir health.

The usage can be more poetic or literary, such as:

Harcolni fogunk az igazságért → We will fight for justice.

Petőfi meghalt a hazáért → Petőfi died for the homeland.

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AZÉRT VS EZÉRT

These are commons words you will see quite often.

• ezért → for this purpose / therefore
• azért → for that purpose / because

Ezért and azért are both conjuctions used accordingly:

Fáradt voltam, ezért elmentem aludni → I was tired, so I went to sleep. 

“Ezért” is used to show a natural consequence of events. Its structure is always “reason + ezért + consequence“. In the above sentence, the “reason” is being tired, and the “consequence” is going to sleep. “Ezért” is always used in academic texts, and is good for dispassionately stating facts:

Az orosz tél hideg volt, ezért Napóleon elveszítette a háborút → The Russian winter was cold, so (therefore) Napoleon lost the war.

“Azért” is paired with “mert“, and the order is a bit reversed.

Azért mentem aludni, mert fáradt voltam → I went to sleep, because I was tired. (The reason I went to sleep is because I was tired.)

“Azért….mert” is used more as a reasoning/explanation for something. Its order is typically “azért + consequence + reason“. In colloquial speech, it sometimes gets used in place of “ezért” in the above examples. “Azért” adds emphasis to a reason, more so than just using “mert (because)”.

Take for example the sentences here:

Éhes voltam, ezért elmentem a Burger Kingbe → I was hungry, so I went to Burger King. (natural progression of events)

Elmentem a Burger Kingbe, mert éhes voltam → I went to Burger King, because I was hungry. (again, natural progression. a casual way of attaching reason.)

Now if someone comes up to you and demands “why the hell are you eating at Burger King at 3am?!” you could respond:

Azért jöttem, mert éhes voltam! → I came (to Burger King), because I was hungry! (you are emphasizing that the reason you came was because of being hungry).

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PERSONAL PRONOUNS

értem → for me                                 értünk → for us

érted → for you                                 értetek → for you (pl.)

érte → for xem                                  értük → for them (pl.)

Önért → for you (formal)               Önökért → for you (pl. formal)

magaért → for you (formal)   magukért → for you (pl. formal)