-ás/-és

Action Nouns

Level 4

The suffix -ás/-és transforms a verb stem into a noun. It is the most common way to talk about an action as a concept (e.g., 'reading') or the result of that action (e.g., 'a writing').

How It Works

The verbal noun is a cornerstone of intermediate Hungarian, allowing for more formal and abstract expression.

1. Formation:
The suffix follows vowel harmony rules:

  • -ás for back-vowel verbs: tanul (study) → tanulás (studying).
  • -és for front-vowel verbs: kér (ask) → kérés (a request/asking).

2. Stem Changes:
Most verbs use their standard stem and preserve long vowels (e.g., ír → írás). However, there are two key exceptions:

  • v-inserting stems (like eszik, iszik, alszik) use the 'v' form: evés (eating), ivás (drinking), alvás (sleeping).
  • Monosyllabic v-stems that end in a long vowel (like lő or sző) shorten that vowel: lövés (shooting), szövés (weaving).

3. Usage:

  • As a Subject: Often requires the definite article. A dohányzás káros. (Smoking is harmful.)
  • With Possessives: To express 'the [action] of [something]', Hungarian uses the possessive construction. The verbal noun acts as the possessed object: a levél megírása (the writing of the letter).
  • With Cases: It can take any case, such as the inessive to show what someone is busy with. Segítek a takarításban. (I help in the cleaning.)

Examples (5)

  1. A rendszeres futás egészséges.

    Regular running is healthy.

    Word by Word: The regular running healthy.

    Here, 'futás' acts as the subject of the sentence, representing the activity of running in general.

  2. Nem értem ezt a leírást.

    I don't understand this description.

    Word by Word: Not I-understand this-acc the description-acc.

    The verbal noun 'leírás' (from 'leír' - to describe) takes the accusative case because it is the object of the verb.

  3. Az evés után mindig álmos vagyok.

    I am always sleepy after eating.

    Word by Word: The eating after always sleepy I-am.

    The irregular verb 'eszik' uses its 'v-stem' (ev-) before the suffix '-és'. It is followed by the postposition után.

  4. A könyv elolvasása sok időbe telt.

    Reading the book took a lot of time.

    Word by Word: The book reading-its much time-into took.

    To express the action of a specific object, the verbal noun takes a possessive suffix. Here, 'elolvasása' literally means 'its reading'.

  5. Ez a fordítás nagyon pontos.

    This translation is very accurate.

    Word by Word: This the translation very accurate.

    In this context, 'fordítás' refers to the result (the translated text) rather than the process of translating.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the verbal noun to form continuous tenses like in English.

    Én evés vagyok.
    Eszem.

    Hungarian does not use the verbal noun to say 'I am eating.' You must use the standard present tense conjugation.

  • Using the dictionary form for v-stem verbs.

    Az eszés fontos.
    Az evés fontos.

    Verbs like 'eszik', 'iszik', and 'alszik' must use their 'v' stems (ev-, iv-, alv-) when adding -ás/-és.

  • Using the noun with 'kell' when you mean 'must study'.

    Different MeaningKell a tanulás.
    Tanulni kell.

    'Kell a tanulás' is correct, but it means 'studying is needed'. For 'one must study', use the infinitive: 'Tanulni kell.'

How It Connects

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-ás/-ésLevel 4Action Nouns

Learn This First

To form verbal nouns with -ás/-és, learners must be able to identify the verb stem and apply two-way vowel harmony to select the appropriate suffix variant. This pattern transforms an action into a noun, which then functions like any other noun in the language.

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-ás-és