-ó/-ő (főnévképző)

Agent and Function Nouns

Level 4

The suffix -ó/-ő turns verbs into nouns. It identifies the 'doer' of an action (e.g., író - writer), the tool used for an action (e.g., vasaló - iron), or the location where an action occurs (e.g., társalgó - lounge).

How It Works

The -ó/-ő suffix is a versatile tool in Hungarian that forms both nouns and adjectives from verbs, often denoting present, ongoing, or habitual actions (when attached to perfective verbs, it describes a completed action, which is often past but can be future, serving as a workaround for transitive verbs to express an active past meaning). To become proficient in its use, you must recognize its four primary roles:

  • Present Participle (Adjectival): Functions as an adjective describing an action. When used attributively (before a noun), it is not inflected for number or case. Crucially, these participles retain their verbal ability to take direct objects in the accusative case (e.g., a levelet író fiú - the boy writing the letter).
    Example: sír (to cry) → a síró gyerekek (the crying children, not sírók gyerekek).
  • Agent (Person): Denotes a profession, habitual role, or temporary agent (e.g., a sorban álló - the one standing in line).
    Note: tanító specifically refers to a primary school teacher, whereas tanár is the general term for educators in higher grades.
  • Instrument (Tool): Denotes a device. These often function as adjectives in compound words.
    Example: vasaló (iron) vs. vasalódeszka (ironing board).
  • Place: Denotes a location. Many of these are shortened forms (ellipses) of longer compounds.
    Example: váró (waiting room) is short for váróterem.

Morphological Notes:
1. Stem Changes: For v-inserting stems and sz-v alternating stems, a 'v' appears. This process is often accompanied by vowel shortening (sző (to weave) → szövő (weaver)) or vowel lengthening (hisz (to believe) → hívő (believer)).
2. -ik Verbs: The -ik ending is dropped: lakik → lakó (resident).
3. Pluralization and Cases: When acting as nouns, they follow standard plural nouns rules and can take all standard noun case suffixes (e.g., írók (writers), a váróban (in the waiting room), az eladóval (with the shop assistant)).
4. Irregular Participles of 'To Be': The verb van (to be) has two irregular present participles: lévő and való. These are essential for connecting location phrases or postpositions to nouns (e.g., az asztalon lévő könyv - the book on the table, or a gyerekeknek való játék - a toy meant for children).
5. Irregular Motion Verbs: The two most common verbs of motion have irregular participles: jön (to come) → jövő (coming / the future) and megy (to go) → menő (going / trendy).

Examples (6)

  1. A síró gyerek az anyukáját keresi.

    The crying child is looking for his mother.

    Word by Word: The crying child the mother-his-ACC looks-for.

    In this case, 'síró' (crying) functions as a present participle, acting as an adjective modifying 'gyerek'.

  2. Ő egy nagy evő, mindent megkóstol.

    He is a big eater; he tastes everything.

    Word by Word: He a big eater, everything-ACC tastes.

    'Evő' (eater) is an agent noun derived from the sz-v alternating stem of 'eszik' (to eat).

  3. A szövő a gépen dolgozik a gyárban.

    The weaver is working on the machine in the factory.

    Word by Word: The weaver the machine-on works the factory-in.

    'Szövő' (weaver) is an agent noun derived from 'sző' (to weave), demonstrating a vowel-shortening stem change.

  4. Kérlek, add ide a vasalót és a vasalódeszkát.

    Please hand me the iron and the ironing board.

    Word by Word: Please, give here the iron-ACC and the ironing-board-ACC.

    'Vasaló' (iron) is an instrument noun, but it also functions as an adjective in the compound 'vasalódeszka'.

  5. Sokat vártunk a váróban az orvosra.

    We waited a long time for the doctor in the waiting room.

    Word by Word: Much-ACC waited-we the waiting-in the doctor-on.

    'Váró' (waiting room) is a place noun, often used as a shortened form (ellipsis) of 'váróterem'.

  6. A tanító segít a gyerekeknek az első osztályban.

    The teacher helps the children in the first grade.

    Word by Word: The teacher helps the children-to the first grade-in.

    While 'tanár' is the general word for teacher, 'tanító' specifically refers to primary school teachers for grades 1–4.

Common Mistakes

  • Pluralizing the -ó/-ő suffix when it functions as an adjective before a noun.

    A sírók gyerekek éhesek.
    A síró gyerekek éhesek.

    When the -ó/-ő form is used as an adjective (present participle) modifying a noun, it does not take plural or case suffixes. It only takes these suffixes when it functions independently as a noun.

  • Using the passive past participle (-t/-tt) for transitive verbs when an active past meaning is intended.

    A levelet megírt ember itt van.
    A levelet megíró ember itt van.

    For transitive verbs, the past participle (-t/-tt) is strictly passive. To describe a person who completed a transitive action in the past, you must use a perfective verb with the -ó/-ő suffix (e.g., megíró) as a workaround. Note that intransitive verbs do use -t/-tt for active past meanings (e.g., a megérkezett vendég).

  • Confusing the agent noun (-ó/-ő) with the verbal noun (-ás/-és).

    Different MeaningSzeretem a futót.
    Szeretem a futást.

    'Szeretem a futót' is correct, but it means 'I like the runner'. If you mean you like the activity of running, use 'futás'. 'Futó' refers to the person who runs.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

-ó/-ő (főnévképző)Level 4Agent and Function Nouns

Learn This First

To understand agent and function nouns, you must first be familiar with the present participle (-ó/-ő), as these nouns are derived directly from that form. Additionally, since these words function as nouns, you need to understand basic noun morphology like pluralization and the underlying vowel harmony rules that determine which version of the suffix to use.

Words in This Pattern

-ó-ő