Language/Hungarian/Grammar/Plurals
Hi Hungarian learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will talk about plural forms in Hungarian. Plurals are common in all languages, and in Hungarian, forming plurals can sometimes be tricky. However, with practice and a good understanding of the grammar rules, you will be able to use plural forms with ease.
To navigate this lesson, use the table of contents below:
After mastering this lesson, these related pages might interest you: Give your Opinion, Introduction to Hungarian Grammar: Verbs and tenses, Personal Pronouns & Possessor.
Plural Suffixes[edit | edit source]
One of the main ways to form plurals in Hungarian is by adding suffixes to the end of the word. Which suffix to add depends on the word's vowel harmony.
If the word's last vowel is a front vowel (i, e, é), then the plural suffix will be -k. For example:
Hungarian | Pronunciation | English | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
híd (bridge) | [hi:d] | bridges | kéz (hand) | [ke:z] | hands | lecke (lesson) | [letse] | lessons |
If the word's last vowel is a back vowel (a, á, o, ó, u, ú), then the plural suffix will be -k.
For example:
Hungarian | Pronunciation | English | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
szék (chair) | [se:k] | chairs | toll (pen) | [toʎ:] | pens | cipő (shoes) | [tʃipo:] | shoes |
If the word's last vowel is a neutral vowel (ö, ő), then the plural suffix will be -k.
For example:
Hungarian | Pronunciation | English | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
hajó (ship) | [ha:jó] | ships | szőnyeg (carpet) | [søɲeɡ] | carpets | köröm (nail) | [ko:røm] | nails |
As you can see, -k is the most common plural suffix in Hungarian. However, there are some exceptions where different suffixes are used. For example:
- words that end in a consonant cluster: the plural suffix is -ek. For example, bank (bank) → bankok (banks) - words that end in -s, -sz, -z, -dz: the plural suffix is -ok. For example, kés (knife) → kések (knives) - words that end in -t, -d: the plural suffix is -ek. For example, kert (garden) → kertek (gardens)
It's important to note that some words have irregular plural forms that you will need to memorize. For example, barát (friend) → barátok (friends), szép (beautiful) → szépek (beautiful). Make sure to study these irregular forms and practice using them in context.
Plural Formation Without Suffixes[edit | edit source]
In addition to adding plural suffixes, there are some instances where plurals are formed without any suffixes.
For example, when referring to family members, no plural suffix is added. Instead, the word itself is changed to reflect the number of people being referred to. For example:
Hungarian | Pronunciation | English | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
apa (father) | [ɒpɒ] | father | apák (fathers) | [ɒpɒk] | fathers |
Hungarian | Pronunciation | English | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
lány (daughter) | [la:nj] | daughter | lányok (daughters) | [la:njok] | daughters |
In addition, some nouns have different forms in the singular and plural, with no suffix added. For example:
Hungarian | Pronunciation | English | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
ember (person) | [ɛmbɛr] | person | emberek (people) | [ɛmbɛrɛk] | people |
Hungarian | Pronunciation | English | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
szem (eye) | [sɛm] | eye | szemek (eyes) | [sɛmɛk] | eyes |
- Pronunciation Tip:
When adding plural suffixes, the stress usually falls on the second-to-last syllable. For example: ház-házak (houses), kép-képek (pictures).
- Dialogue
To see plural forms in action, here's a dialogue between two people:
- Person 1: Nézd, öt kisgyerek van az utcán! (Look, there are five children on the street!)
- Person 2: Öt kisgyerek? Nem, hat. (Five children? No, six.)
- Cultural Note:
In Hungarian, it's common to use diminutives instead of plural forms to express endearment or emphasis. For example, instead of saying "dogs," you might say "little dogs" to communicate fondness.
- Additional Resources:
To practice Hungarian plurals further, check out the Find native speakers and ask them any questions you might have. You can also learn more about Hungarian Grammar on the Polyglot Club website.
- Sources ##
➡ If you have any questions, please ask them in the comments section below.
➡ Feel free to edit this wiki page if you think it can be improved. 😎
Other Lessons[edit | edit source]
- Possessor
- Gender
- Future Tense
- Conditional Mood
- Give your Opinion
- Questions
- How to Use Be
- How to Use Have
- How to form the feminine
Sources[edit | edit source]
- Plurals in Hungarian [HungarianReference.com > Grammar > Misc ...
- [Hungarian Plurals – Better Hungarian]
- Hungarian Plural