Better Hungarian

I’ve already gone over neutral sentences, so now I’ll be talking about focus sentences – sentences with emphasis, as they are structured a little differently.

The general setup is the same:

topic || focus preverb || verb || X

The focus preverb is different from the regular preverb in neutral sentences. In focus preverbs you can find:

• question words or phrases (ki, mi, hol…)
• answers to questions
• negation or negated phrases (nem, se, sosem…)
• stressed words or phrases (csak…)

In a focus sentence, anything that would have occupied the preverb position in a neutral sentence is typically moved to the “X” section.

---

Focus Sentence Structure

Let’s look at the neutral sentence: “Petra moziba megy” (Petra is going to the cinema)

Now let’s see how this sentence will change when focus elements are applied:

Ki megy moziba? (Who is going to the cinema?)

Focus Preverb	Verb	X
Ki	megy	moziba

In this sentence, “Petra” is replaced with “ki” – because this is a question, “ki” is the focus preverb despite also technically being the “topic” of the sentence (in place of ‘Petra’). In question phrases like this, the question words occupy the preverb position, as they are the focus/emphasis in the sentence. “Moziba” is moved to the “X” position right after the conjugated verb.

---

Petra megy moziba (Petra is going to the cinema) *as an answer to a question

Focus Preverb	Verb	X
Petra	megy	moziba

In this sentence, “Petra” is the answer to a question, so it goes in the preverb position. It replaces “moziba”, which is once again moved to the “X” position. Since it is the answer to a question, “Petra” is the focus/emphasis in this sentence, and the meaning is more like “It is PETRA who is going to the cinema” (as opposed to someone else).

---

Petra nem megy moziba (Petra is not going to the cinema)

Topic	Focus Preverb	Verb	X
Petra	nem	megy	moziba

This sentence is negative, so the negation “nem” goes in the preverb position. It replaces “moziba”, which is again moved to the “X” position. In negative sentences, the negation will go in the preverb position.

---

Csak Petra megy moziba (Only Petra is going to the cinema)

Focus Preverb	Verb	X
Csak Petra	megy	moziba

In this sentence, there is a stressed element: “csak Petra“. This is put in the preverb position, as it is emphasised more than the other parts of the sentence. It replaces “moziba”, which is removed from the preverb position and put in the “X” position.

---

Interrogative Sentences

In interrogative sentences, the question word must come immediately before the conjugated verb. Otherwise, some of the word order is flexible.

Let’s look at the neutral sentence: “Ma a szomszédok pálinkát isznak” (The neighbors are drinking pálinka today)

The neutral structure is arranged thusly:

Topic	Preverb	Verb
Ma a szomszédok	pálinkát	isznak

---

When framed as a question, this sentence can be phrased several different ways:

Mit csinálnak este a szomszédok?

Mit csinálnak a szomszédok este?

Este mit csinálnak a szomszédok?

A szomszédok mit csinálnak este?

Este a szomszédok mit csinálnak?

A szomszédok este mit csinálnak?

All of these sentences mean “what do the neighbours do in the evening?”. Both the topic section and the X section have a bit of flexibility in regards to order, but the focus preverb (mit) and the conjugated verb (csinálnak) must remain where they are. As it is a question word, “mit” must come right before “csinálnak“.

Let’s look at this sentence just like we did “Petra moziba megy”.

Question: Este kik isznak pálinkát? (Who drinks pálinka in the evening?)

Topic	Focus Preverb	Verb	X
Este	kik	isznak	pálinkát

Answer: Este a szomszédok isznak pálinkát (The neighbours drink pálinka in the evening)

Topic	Focus Preverb	Verb	X
Este	a szomszédok	isznak	pálinkát

---

Question: Mikor isznak pálinkát a szomszédok? (When do the neighbours drink pálinka?)

Focus Preverb	Verb	X
Mikor	isznak	pálinkát a szomszédok

Answer: A szomszédok este isznak pálinkát. (The neighbours drink pálinka in the evening)

Topic	Focus Preverb	Verb	X
A szomszédok	este	isznak	pálinkát

---

Negative: A szomszédok sosem isznak pálinkát este. (The neighbours never drink pálinka in the evening)

Topic	Focus Preverb	Verb	X
A szomszédok	sosem	isznak	pálinkát este

Negative: A szomszédok nem este isznak pálinkát (hanem reggel) (The neighbours don’t drink pálinka in the evening (but rather morning))

Topic	Focus Preverb	Verb	X
A szomszédok	nem este	isznak	pálinkát

---

Stressed: A szomszédok csak este isznak pálinkát (reggel soha) (The neighbours only drink pálinka in the evening (never morning))

Topic	Focus Preverb	Verb	X
A szomszédok	csak este	isznak	pálinkát

---

Questions and Negation

If both a question word and negation are present in a sentence, then they will both occupy the focus preverb position. The question word will come before the negation.

Boldizsár miért nem akar énekelni? (Why doesn’t Boldizsár want to sing?)

Topic	Focus Preverb	Verb	X
Boldizsár	miért nem	akar	énekelni

Ki nem megy a boltba? (Who isn’t going to the store?)

Focus Preverb	Verb	X
Ki nem	megy	a boltba

Kit nem láttál ma? (Who didn’t you see today?)

Focus Preverb	Verb	X
Kit nem	láttál	ma

---

Yes-No Questions

In yes or no questions, the word or phrase being questioned is put in the focus preverb position. If the verb has a coverb attached, then that coverb will occupy the focus preverb position.

Magyarok voltak? (Were they Hungarian?)

Focus Preverb	Verb
Magyarok	voltak

Sokáig voltál Németországban? (Were you in Germany a long time?)

Focus Preverb	Verb	X
Sokáig	voltál	Németországban

A buli sokáig tartott? (Did the party go on for a long time?)

Topic	Focus Preverb	Verb
A buli	sokáig	tartott

Mindig keresel pénzt. (Xe is always looking for money)

Focus Preverb	Verb	X
Mindig	keresel	pénzt

Meg fogod enni a sütit? (Are you going to eat the cake?)

Focus Preverb	Verb	X
Meg	fogod	enni a sütit

Mit vársz? (What are you waiting for?)

Focus Preverb	Verb
Mit	vársz

Petrát látod? (Do you see Petra?)

Focus Preverb	Verb
Petrát	látod

---

Imperatives

In sentences, the conjugated imperative verb usually comes first, followed by the coverb.

Edd meg azt az almát! (Eat that apple!)
Menj oda! (Go over there!)

If the imperative is negated, then the negation occupies the focus preverb position. If the verb has a coverb, the coverb is removed from the preverb position and placed in the “X” position.

Ne maradj ebben a házban! (Don’t stay in this house!)
Ne ragadd meg a macskát! (Don’t grab the cat!)

---

As with neutral sentences, focus sentences follow some guidelines that will help you determine how to structure them. It’s another thing that may be hard to get the hang of at first, but practice and exposure will result in this aspect of Hungarian coming to you more naturally over time. After a while, you won’t even have to think about it!