Definite Conjugation

Level 1

Hungarian verbs change their endings based on whether their object is definite (specific) or indefinite (general). The definite conjugation is used for 'the' things, specific names, and certain pronouns.

How It Works

The definite conjugation (also called the objective conjugation) is a distinctive feature of Hungarian. It is triggered by the presence of a 3rd-person definite direct object.

When to use it:

  • With a definite article (a/az). Example: Olvasom a könyvet (I am reading the book).
  • With proper nouns (names of people, cities, countries, institutions, pets, etc.). Example: Látom Pétert (I see Peter).
  • With demonstrative pronouns (ez, az) or nouns modified by them. Example: Ezt kérem (I want this) or Ezt a könyvet kérem (I want this book).
  • With possessive objects. Example: Nézem a házadat (I am looking at your house).
  • With reflexive pronouns (magam, magad, etc.) and the reciprocal pronoun (egymás). Example: Látom magamat (I see myself).
  • With the pronoun melyik (which one) and other pronouns ending in '-ik' (like mindegyik, bármelyik), as well as hogy-clauses (because they are grammatically anticipated by the 3rd-person demonstrative pronoun azt, even if dropped). Example: [Azt] tudom, hogy itt vagy (I know that you are here). Note that common indefinite pronouns like mindenkit (everyone), valamit (something), and semmit (nothing) trigger the indefinite conjugation instead.
  • With the formal you (Ön/Önök, maga/maguk). Example: Látom Önt (I see you).
  • With explicit 3rd-person pronouns like őt (him/her) or őket (them), or when the object is 'it', 'him', 'her', or 'them', even if not explicitly spoken. Example: Látom őt (I see him/her) or Tudom (I know [it]).

Vowel Harmony and Tenses:
Like most Hungarian suffixes, these endings follow vowel harmony. For example, the 'I' ending is -om for back-vowel verbs (várom) and -em/-öm for front-vowel verbs (kérem, nézem, főzöm). Similarly, the 3rd-person singular ('he/she/it') ending is -ja for back-vowel verbs (várja) and -i for front-vowel verbs (kéri, nézi). The definite conjugation exists in all tenses and moods (past, future, conditional, imperative), not just the present tense.

Consonant Assimilation:
When a verb stem ends in s, sz, z, or dz, the initial 'j' of the definite suffixes assimilates to the stem's final consonant (e.g., olvas + ja = olvassa). This is known as sibilant assimilation. Note that this only happens when the suffix starts with 'j'; front-vowel suffixes like -i do not trigger it (e.g., néz + i = nézi, not nézzi).

Important Note:
While 1st and 2nd person objects ('me' and 'you') generally trigger the indefinite conjugation (e.g., Látsz engem - You see me), there is a special exception: when the subject is 'I' and the object is the informal 'you' (téged/titeket), Hungarian uses the specific -lak/-lek suffix (e.g., Szeretlek - I love you). The formal 'you' (Önt, Önöket, magát, magukat) is grammatically 3rd person and triggers the standard definite conjugation (e.g., if the subject is 'I', you use the 1st-person definite ending: Látom Önt - I see you).

Intransitive Verbs:
Keep in mind that intransitive verbs—verbs that cannot take a direct object, such as alszik (sleeps), megy (goes), or ül (sits)—only ever use the indefinite conjugation.

Examples (5)

  1. Látom a várost.

    I see the city.

    Word by Word: I-see-it the city-ACC.

    The definite article 'a' triggers the definite ending '-om' on the verb 'lát'.

  2. Ismered Pétert?

    Do you know Peter?

    Word by Word: You-know-him Peter-ACC?

    Proper nouns like 'Péter' always trigger the definite conjugation.

  3. Ezt a könyvet olvassuk.

    We are reading this book.

    Word by Word: This-ACC the book-ACC we-read-it.

    The demonstrative 'ezt' (this) makes the object definite, requiring the '-juk' ending.

  4. Tudom.

    I know (it).

    Word by Word: I-know-it.

    Even if the word 'it' isn't said, the definite ending implies a specific 3rd-person object.

  5. Kérem a kávét.

    I would like the coffee.

    Word by Word: I-ask-for-it the coffee-ACC.

    The definite article 'a' requires the definite ending '-em' (front-vowel harmony).

Common Mistakes

  • Using the definite conjugation with 'everything' (minden).

    Mindent tudom.
    Mindent tudok.

    Even though 'everything' feels specific, the word 'minden' is grammatically indefinite in Hungarian and requires the indefinite conjugation. In contrast, 'az összes' (all of them) takes the definite conjugation (e.g., 'Az összeset tudom').

  • Using the definite conjugation for the informal 'you' (téged).

    Szeretem téged.
    Szeretlek téged.

    The definite conjugation is used for 3rd-person objects, which includes the formal 'you' (Ön/maga). However, when the object is the informal 'you' (téged/titeket), you must use the special -lak/-lek ending.

  • Forgetting the definite ending when the article 'a/az' is present.

    Olvasok a könyvet.
    Olvasom a könyvet.

    If the object has 'the' (a/az), the verb MUST use the definite ending.

How It Connects

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Definite ConjugationLevel 1

Learn This First

To become confident with definite conjugation, you need to understand how Hungarian distinguishes between definite and indefinite objects, as well as how vowel harmony dictates which specific suffix to attach to the verb stem.

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Patterns that build on this one.

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