Better Hungarian

This post goes into depth about definite verb conjugation and its applications. To read the overview of definite vs indefinite conjugation, see the post here. To see how to conjugate definite verbs in the present tense, see the post here.

The simplest application of definite verb conjugation is with definite articles like „a/az” (the), but there is much more to it than that.

In this post I’ve compiled a list of cases in which you would use the definite conjugation of a verb.

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a) preceded by the definite article a/az

Látom a házat (I see the house)

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b) it is a demonstrative pronoun (az/ez, azok/ezek), or is modified by such

Látom ezt/azt (I see this/that)
Látom ezt/azt a házat (I see this/that house)
(Azt) látom, hogy esik az eső (I see (that) it is raining)

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c) has a possessive suffix (includes possessive/reflexive pronouns)

Látom a házadat (I see your house)
Látom a házát (I see xir house)
Látom magamat (I see myself)
Mutasd meg a tiedet! (show me yours)

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d) is a proper noun

Látom Zsuzsát (I see Zsuzsa)
Látom Budapestet (I see Budapest)

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e) the direct object is a 3rd person pronoun (overt or implied)

Látom (őt) – I see (xem)
Látom (őket) – I see (them)
Látom (Önt) – I see (you – sg. polite)
Látom (Önöket) – I see (you – pl. polite)

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f) reciprocal pronoun “egymás”

Látják egymást – They see each other.

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g) modifier ending in –ik or preceded by such (melyik, hányadik, etc)

Melyiket kéred? – Which one do you want?
Melyiket könyvet kéred? – Which book do you want?

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GENERALIZATIONS WITH SZERET (TO LIKE/LOVE) AND UTÁL (TO HATE)

These verbs will always be definite when used with generalizations. With most generalizations, you would use the indefinite conjugations (i.e. I see trees -> látok fákat), but with these verbs it is not the case.

If you were to say „I like trees”, you would say „Szeretem (a) fákat”. You would not say „Szeretek (a) fákat”.

The simplest explanation I can offer is that with this type of generalization, you are not talking about just SOME of a thing, but rather all of it.

“I like trees” does not mean “I like some trees, but not others”, but rather it is implied to mean “I like all trees (in general)”. In Hungarian, this means the definite article will always be present.

“Szeretem a lányokat” – I like girls (not just SOME girls, but all girls in general)

You could, of course, specify and say „Szeretek bizonyos lányokat” (I like CERTAIN girls), in which case it would make „szeret” indefinite. But if you aren’t specifying in this way, the conjugation will be definite.

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PRONOUNS AND DEFINITE VS INDEFINITE CONJUGATION

When it comes to pronouns, it can be tricky to determine whether the verb should be definite or indefinite. Here’s a handy chart to help make it a bit simpler! (hopefully)