Coverbs can be confusing, especially when there are certain situations where you move them and others where you keep them with the verb. I’ve explained a bit in previous posts when the topic comes up, but I thought it would be helpful to compile a specific post about when to separate/split coverbs.
I will divide it into 3 categories: MUST split always, NEVER split, and BOTH are okay* (*may include exceptions)
Note: Alex and I spent quite a while discussing this and going over examples trying to figure out any exceptions or patterns. It’s possible we did not cover every possibility, so if you see any errors or can think of exceptions to this that we are not aware of, please do let me know so that I can update/correct the post. Thank you!
MUST Split Always
These are kind of like “helping” verbs, like will/can/must, etc. You will put the quasi-auxiliary verb (QAV) BETWEEN the coverb and (infinitive) verb.
Examples
Megeszem a sütit (I eat the cake) – regular sentence (megeszik)
Meg fogom enni a sütit (I WILL eat the cake) – QAV
Elalszom az ágyamban (I fall asleep in my bed) – regular sentence (elalszik)
El akarok aludni az ágyamban (I WANT to fall asleep in my bed) – QAV
Felhívod az orvost? (Are you calling the doctor?) – regular sentence (felhív)
Fel kell hívni az orvost? (MUST you/Do you HAVE to call the doctor?) – QAV
Becsukom az ablakot (I close the window) – regular sentence (becsuk)
Csukd be az ablakot! (Close the window!) – imperative
Szeretném megkérni, hogy csukja be1 az ablakot (Could you please close the window)
literally “I’d like to ask, that you (please) close the window”
1In this specific structure, although it is part of a subordinate clause, “becsuk” is conjugated in the imperative (because of ‘szeretném megkérni’), so the coverb will still split. I will get more into subordinate clauses further on.
This applies for negative imperative sentences too.
Ne csukd be az ablakot! (DON’T close the window!)
3. “Let’s” Phrases
These technically count as imperative sentences to Hungarian natives, but I included them with my post on the subjunctive. In these situations the coverb will ALWAYS split.
Másszunk fel a hegyre (Let’s climb (up) the mountain) – felmászik
Menjünk vissza (Let’s go back) – visszamegy
Együk meg a sütit (Let’s eat the cake) – megeszik
4. Other subjunctive/imperative clauses
These can be tricky, because depending on the verb and how it is used the coverb may or may not split. In the following situations the coverb will ALWAYS split:
1. The verb ‘mond‘ (in the sense of telling someone to do something)
A barátom azt mondta, hogy hívjam fel a tanárt (My friend told me to call the teacher)
2. Impersonal clauses (It is X to do Y)
Fontos, hogy ne menj ki a házból (It is important that you don’t leave the house)
3. Subordinate clauses with question words (even if not a direct question)
Tudod, mikor menj ki? (Do you know when to go out?) – kimegy
Kérdeztem, hová üljek le (I asked where to sit down) – leül
Tudom, miért indultam el (I know why I left) – elindul
A tanár mondta, mit írjuk le (The teacher told (us) what to write down) – leír
5. Questions with question words (ki, mikor, miért, mi…)
Only questions with actual question words will split the coverb – this includes negative questions. Regular questions without these words will not.
Ki ette meg a sütit? (Who ate the cake?) – megeszik
Mikor érkezünk meg? (When will we arrive?) – megérkezik
Miért megyünk ki a házból? (Why are we leaving the house?) – kimegy
6. Focus sentences where something else occupies the preverb position – covered in this post
Regular sentence: Anyukám kimegy a házból (My mom leaves the house)
Focus sentence: Anyukám gyorsan megy ki a házból (My mom quickly leaves the house) – since gyorsan now occupies the preverb position, the coverb will split
NEVER Split
1. Regular sentences
Elmegyek a barátomhoz (I’m going to my friend/boyfriend’s place) – elmegy
Megettem az almát (I ate the apple) – megeszik
2. Subordinate clauses that are not imperative in nature
Apám nem engedi, hogy kimaradjak1 az iskolából (My dad won’t let me drop out of school) – kimarad
1With “enged”, the subjunctive is still used, but as it is not a command/imperative clause, the coverb will NOT split.
A barátom mondta2, hogy elmegy a postára (My friend told me/said that he was going to the post office) – elmegy
2Here the coverb does not split, because they are telling/stating something and not telling someone to do something.
3. Regular questions WITHOUT question words
Megetted a sütit? (Did you eat the cake?) – megeszik
Elolvastad a könyvet? (Did you finish reading the book?) – elolvas
4. Subjunctive clauses expressing lack of or absence – covered in subjunctive post
Nincsenek barátaim, akikkel kimenjek (I have no friends to go out with) – kimegy
Nem volt lehetőség, hogy kimaradjak az iskolából (There was no possibility of me dropping out of school) – kimarad
5. Subjunctive clauses expressing purpose (I X, in order for Y) – covered in subjunctive post
Mentem a könyvtárba, hogy visszavigyem a könyvet (I went to the library in order to return the book) – visszavisz
Bocsánatot kértem, hogy megbocsáss (engem) (I apologized so that you would forgive me) – megbocsát
7. Focus sentences with 2 clauses, with focus element added in 1st clause
Anyukám ma akarja, hogy levigyem a szemetet (My mom wants me to take out the trash today)
Anyukám a testvéremmel akarja, hogy levigyem a szemetet (My mom wants me to take out the trash with my sibling)
BOTH are Okay
1. Subjunctive/imperative clauses with verbs kér/akar/szeret1 – covered in subjunctive post
1There is an exception to this that I go over in the subjunctive post, so please read that if you haven’t.
My father wants me to drop out of school (kimarad)
Apám akarja, hogy kimaradjak az iskolából
Apám akarja, hogy maradjak ki az iskolából
EXCEPTION: If the first clause is negative, then the coverb MUST be split
Apám nem akarja, hogy maradjak ki az iskolából (My father doesn’t want me to drop out of school)
I would like you to climb the mountain (felmászik)
Azt szeretném, hogy felmássz a hegyre
Azt szeretném, hogy mássz fel a hegyre
2. “Should/Shall” Questions in 1st person – covered in subjunctive post
Shall/Should I call the doctor? (felhív)
Felhívjam az orvost?
Hívjam fel az orvost?
Shall/Should I begin the story? (elkezd)
Elkezdjem a sztorit?
Kezdjem el a sztorit?
3. “Whether” Questions – covered in subjunctive post
I asked whether I should leave the house (kimegy)
Kérdeztem, hogy kimenjek-e a házból
Kérdeztem, hogy menjek-e ki a házból
Notes
As with the subjunctive post, it is (very highly) possible that I did not cover every single possibility, so please let me know if something is incorrect or there are other situations that I did not include. As always, feel free to message or comment if there is any confusion.
Better Hungarian 
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