-ván/-vén

The -ván/-vén suffix is attached to the verb stem and follows vowel harmony.

• -ván: Used with back-vowel stems (e.g., tudván - knowing/having known).
• -vén: Used with front-vowel stems (e.g., kérvén - asking/having asked).

Key Functions:
1. Time and Aspect: The timing depends on verbal prefixes. With imperfective verbs (no prefix), it indicates simultaneity ('while doing X', e.g., írván - while writing). With perfective verbs (with a prefix), it indicates anteriority ('having done X', e.g., megírván - having written).
2. Causality: It often implies a 'since' or 'because' relationship.
3. Active Voice: In modern Hungarian, the -ván/-vén suffix is strictly active. While the modern -va/-ve is also active in its adverbial role (e.g., sírva - crying), -ván/-vén cannot be combined with the copula van to form a passive or stative predicate in contemporary usage. However, in older texts or biblical translations, you may encounter it combined with van or vagyon to form a passive-like state (e.g., megírván vagyon), though the -va/-ve suffix was generally more common for forming stative passives even historically (e.g., megírva vagyon - it is written).

The Special Case of 'Lévén' and Absolute Constructions:
The most frequent modern application of this suffix is lévén (the converb of lesz/van). It means 'being' or 'since... is'. It is often used in 'absolute constructions' where its subject is different from the main subject (e.g., Vasárnap lévén, a boltok zárva vannak - It being Sunday, the shops are closed). Other verbs can also be used in absolute constructions in literary contexts (e.g., A nap lemenvén, a gyerekek lefeküdtek - The sun having set, the children went to bed). In these constructions, the independent subject of the -ván/-vén clause takes the nominative case (e.g., A nap).

Punctuation:
According to Hungarian orthography rules, because phrases ending in -ván/-vén frequently act as separate subordinate clauses (expressing causality or absolute constructions), they usually DO require a comma to separate them from the main clause.

Morphology and Negation:

• Invariable Form: Today, the suffix is invariable. However, historically it did take personal endings, and the -n is actually a fossilized third-person singular ending.
• Negation: To negate the converb, simply place nem before it (e.g., nem tudván - not knowing).

Stem Rules:

• For regular -ik verbs, the -ik is dropped (e.g., lakik → lakván). However, many irregular -ik verbs use their past/infinitive d-stem (e.g., alszik → aludván, fekszik → feküdvén).
• Irregular v-stems use their 'v' form: evén (eating), iván (drinking), tévén (doing), vivén (carrying), hivén (believing), vevén (taking/buying).

Register Note: While lévén is common in formal, legal, and academic texts, using other -ván/-vén forms in conversation will sound extremely archaic. In everyday spoken Hungarian, native speakers overwhelmingly prefer conjunctions like mivel (since/because), miután (after), or miközben (while) with regular conjugated verbs.