Fractions and Decimals

Level 3

Fractions are formed by adding suffixes like -ad/-ed/-od/-öd to number stems. Decimals use a comma (vessző) and are read formally as 'X egész Y [fractional unit]' or informally as 'X vessző Y'.

How It Works

1. Fractions (Törtek)
To create a fraction, take the cardinal number stem and generally add a linking vowel + d (-ad / -ed / -od / -öd) based on vowel harmony. Exceptions include kettő → ketted and millió → milliomod. Fractions are written as two words when standing alone (e.g., egy ötöd, két harmad), but as a single word when acting as an adjective modifying a noun (e.g., egyötöd rész, háromnegyed óra).

  • 1/2 (Half): Almost always expressed as fél in everyday contexts, though the strict mathematical term is egy ketted. For fractions with a denominator of 2 and a numerator greater than 1, use the stem ketted (e.g., három ketted for 3/2).
  • Fractions of something: When expressing 'a fraction of [something]', use the possessed form of the fraction for all fractions (e.g., a torta fele for half of the cake, a torta harmada for a third of the cake, a fizetés negyede for a quarter of the salary).
  • Numerator 1: A numerator of 1 must be explicitly stated as egy for standalone fractions (e.g., egy ötöd for 1/5). When using the possessed form, the egy is often omitted (e.g., a torta harmada for a third of the cake). If the egy is kept, the fraction is written as a single word (e.g., a torta egyharmada).
  • Numerator 2: When the number 2 is the numerator, use the form két (e.g., két harmad for 2/3).
  • Shortened/Irregular Stems: 3 (három) → harmad, 4 (négy) → negyed, 7 (hét) → heted, 10 (tíz) → tized, 20 (húsz) → huszad, 1000 (ezer) → ezred, 1,000,000 (millió) → milliomod.
  • Other stems: ötöd (1/5), hatod (1/6), nyolcad (1/8), század (1/100).

Halves: For 1.5, use the unique word másfél (written as a single word, e.g., másfél liter for one and a half liters). For 2.5 and above, use the pattern [Number] + és fél (written as separate words, e.g., két és fél).

2. Decimals (Tizedes törtek)
Hungarian uses a decimal comma (tizedesvessző). For decimals starting with zero, use nulla (e.g., 0,5 is nulla egész öt tized).
Formal style: [Integer] + egész + [Decimal Value] + [Unit].
The unit must correspond to the number of decimal places (the position of the last digit):

  • 1 place: tized (10th)
  • 2 places: század (100th)
  • 3 places: ezred (1000th)

Example: 5,25 is öt egész huszonöt század. When a noun is used, it is placed at the very end (e.g., öt egész huszonöt század másodperc).
Everyday style: The decimal unit (tized/század) is frequently dropped in everyday speech. Example: 5,25 is öt egész huszonöt.
Informal style: [Integer] + vessző + [Decimal Value]. Digits after the comma can be read as a whole number or individually. Example: 3,14 is három vessző tizennégy or három vessző egy négy. In the most common informal shortcut, both the fractional unit and the word egész (or vessző) are dropped entirely. For example, 0,5 is commonly read as nulla öt, and 3,14 as három tizennégy.

3. Syntax
When using fractions or decimals with nouns, the noun always remains in the singular, following the rule for cardinal numbers.

Examples (6)

  1. Kérek kétharmad kiló kenyeret.

    I would like two-thirds of a kilo of bread.

    Word by Word: I-ask two-third kilo bread-ACC.

    When the number 2 is the numerator, the form 'két' is used instead of 'kettő'. Because the fraction modifies the noun 'kiló', it is written as a single word ('kétharmad'). The noun remains singular.

  2. A torta felét megettem.

    I ate half of the cake.

    Word by Word: The cake half-its-ACC away-ate-I.

    To express 'half of [something]', Hungarian uses the possessed form 'fele' (here in the accusative as 'felét') rather than a basic mathematical fraction.

  3. A lázam harmincnyolc egész öt tized fok.

    My fever is 38.5 degrees.

    Word by Word: The fever-my thirty-eight whole five tenth degree.

    In formal decimals, 'tized' (tenth) is used because there is one decimal place.

  4. Ez a távolság nulla egész huszonöt század kilométer.

    This distance is 0.25 kilometers.

    Word by Word: This the distance zero whole twenty-five hundredth kilometer.

    The word 'nulla' is used for zero. Because there are two decimal places, the unit 'század' (hundredth) is used to match the last digit's position.

  5. Csak másfél órát vártam.

    I only waited one and a half hours.

    Word by Word: Only second-half hour-ACC waited-I.

    'Másfél' is the unique term for 1.5. Note that 'óra' remains singular following the rule for cardinal numbers.

  6. Ez a könyv kettő vessző öt kiló.

    This book is 2.5 kilos.

    Word by Word: This the book two comma five kilo.

    In casual speech, 'vessző' (comma) is used instead of the formal 'egész' structure.

Common Mistakes

  • Using a decimal point instead of a comma.

    3.5
    3,5

    In Hungary, the point is used for thousands (e.g., 10.000), while the comma is the decimal separator.

  • Using the long-vowel cardinal stem for fractions like 1/3 or 1/4.

    háromad, négyed
    harmad, negyed

    Certain numbers undergo vowel shortening or stem changes when forming fractions: három becomes harmad, négy becomes negyed, hét becomes heted, tíz becomes tized, and húsz becomes huszad.

  • Saying 'egy és fél' for 1.5.

    egy és fél kiló
    másfél kiló

    'Másfél' is the natural, native way to say 'one and a half'. However, for 2.5 and above, you should use the pattern 'két és fél', 'három és fél', etc.

How It Connects

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

Fractions and DecimalsLevel 3

Learn This First

To understand fractions and decimals in Hungarian, you must first be comfortable with basic cardinal numbers. Fractions are formed using suffixes related to ordinal numbers (the '-dik' forms), and decimals use specific terms like 'egész' (whole) followed by fractional units like 'tized' (tenth) or 'század' (hundredth), all of which follow standard vowel harmony rules.

Words in This Pattern

-ad-ed-od-öd-degész