Complex Verbal Derivation

When building complex verbs, you attach suffixes directly to the verb stem, following vowel harmony and inserting link vowels as needed.

1. The Suffixes:

• Frequentative (-gat/-get, -ogat/-eget/-öget): Indicates repeated, continuous, or attenuated action. While -gat/-get is the primary suffix for productive stacking, you will also encounter other frequentative suffixes like -kál/-kél or -dos/-des/-dös. The use of link vowels generally follows a syllable-count constraint specifically for the productive -gat/-get and -gál/-gél suffixes: the resulting frequentative verb is usually at least three syllables long. For example, the monosyllabic mos requires a link vowel to become mosogat, while the polysyllabic beszél becomes beszélget without one. However, there are common two-syllable exceptions, such as hallgat.
• Causative (-at/-et, -tat/-tet): Indicates making or having someone do something (e.g., csináltat - to have something done). The choice of suffix depends on the stem: generally, monosyllabic stems ending in a single consonant, as well as monosyllabic stems ending in two consonants, take -at/-et. However, there are common exceptions (e.g., ül → ültet, lép → léptet, él → éltet, and szop → szoptat). All polysyllabic stems ending in a consonant (other than -t) take -tat/-tet. Crucially, verbal prefixes do not count toward this syllable length; the rule applies strictly to the root verb (e.g., megír takes -at because the root ír is monosyllabic, while elolvas takes -tat because olvas is polysyllabic). For verbs ending in -t, those ending in a vowel + t (e.g., tanít, süt) take -tat/-tet, while those ending in a consonant + t (e.g., bont, fest) take -at/-et. Note that some common verbs have highly irregular causative forms that must be memorized: eszik → etet (to feed), iszik → itat (to give to drink), and alszik → altat (to put to sleep).
• Potential (-hat/-het): Indicates ability or permission (e.g., csinálhat - can do). Following vowel harmony, use -hat for back-vowel words and -het for front-vowel words. This suffix never takes a link vowel. Note that some irregular verbs have special potential stems: eszik → ehet, iszik → ihat, megy → mehet, lesz → lehet, and the 'v-stem' verbs (tesz → tehet, vesz → vehet, visz → vihet, and hisz → hihet).

2. Stacking Order and Meaning:
When combining these suffixes, the standard morphological order is: Root + Frequentative + Causative + Potential. A classic example of this full progression is: mos (wash) → mosogat (wash dishes/wash little by little) → mosogattat (have someone wash dishes) → mosogattathat (can have someone wash dishes).

Note that the order of the frequentative and causative suffixes can sometimes change the meaning:

• íratgat (write + causative + frequentative) = to repeatedly make someone write.
• írogattat (write + frequentative + causative) = to make someone write repeatedly/little by little.

3. The Potential Suffix Rule and Moods:
For finite verbs, the potential suffix must come last in the derivational chain, right before the tense, mood, and person markers. For example: csinálgattathatod (you can have [someone] do it little by little). To express "could", you combine the potential suffix with the conditional mood (e.g., csinálhatná - he/she could do it). In non-finite forms, it can be followed by adjective-forming suffixes like the present participle (e.g., látható - visible) or the privative suffix (e.g., láthatatlan - invisible).

4. Transitivity, Conjugation, and Causee Marking:
Adding a causative suffix makes a verb transitive or introduces a new object. This dictates that the resulting verb can take the definite conjugation if the object is definite (which explains why csinálgattathatod takes the definite -od ending). Furthermore, you must mark the 'causee' (the person being made to do the action) correctly: if the base verb is transitive, the causee takes the instrumental case (-val/-vel); if the base verb is intransitive, the causee takes the accusative case (-t).

5. Verbal Prefixes:
Complex derived verbs interact with verbal prefixes just like simple verbs. In a neutral sentence, the prefix stays attached (e.g., megcsináltathatod - you can have it done). In negative sentences, the prefix splits and moves after the verb (e.g., nem csináltathatod meg).

6. Double Causatives:
Sometimes you will see a double causative (e.g., írattat). While this can mean 'make A make B write', native speakers often use it simply to emphasize coercion or indirectness in a standard two-participant situation.

While deeply stacked forms are grammatically perfect, they carry a high cognitive load and are usually reserved for precise or playful emphasis. Single and double derivations are extremely common in everyday speech.