Loanword Inflection

Integrating foreign words into Hungarian syntax requires paying attention to two distinct sets of rules: phonological (how it sounds) and orthographical (how it is written).

1. Phonological Rules (Pronunciation dictates suffixes)

• Vowel Harmony: Suffixes are based on the spoken vowels of the word. For example, Lille is pronounced with front vowels (/lil/), so it takes front-vowel suffixes (Lille-ben). For mixed-vowel foreign words, the last pronounced vowel typically dictates the suffix. Note that for foreign compound words, harmony is based on the last compound element (e.g., Facebook takes back vowels because of 'book' -> /u/).
• Consonant Assimilation: Suffixes that assimilate, like the instrumental-comitative -val/-vel, assimilate to the last pronounced consonant. For example, Facebook ends in a /k/ sound, so it becomes Facebookkal.
• Vowel Lengthening: If a foreign word ends in a pronounced short a, e, o, or ö, the vowel lengthens to á, é, ó, ő when a suffix is added, but only if the word is actually spelled with those single letters (e.g., Coca-Colát, Malmőben). If the sound is spelled with a complex letter combination, the spelling does not change (e.g., Peugeot takes the accusative as Peugeot-t, not Peugeót). Note that unlike foreign words, native Hungarian words almost never end in short o or ö.

2. Orthographic Rules (Spelling dictates hyphens)

• Direct Attachment: If the word's final pronounced sound is spelled with a letter or a common foreign digraph (like ch, sh, th) that is accepted in Hungarian orthography and whose pronunciation is adapted to Hungarian sounds, the suffix attaches directly (e.g., Facebookon, Bluetoothszal). Additionally, if a foreign word ends in a single 'y' pronounced as /i/ (e.g., whisky, party), the suffix attaches directly without a hyphen (e.g., whiskyvel). This contrasts with complex combinations like 'eaux' (e.g., Bordeaux-ban), which require a hyphen.
• Hyphenation: If the word ends in a silent letter (e.g., Peugeot, Apple) or a complex, unusual foreign letter combination (like 'eaux' in Bordeaux or 'eau' in Rousseau), the suffix must be attached with a hyphen (Peugeot-val, Bordeaux-ban). When a word ends in a silent letter but is pronounced with a consonant, the suffix still assimilates to that spoken consonant, and the fully assimilated suffix is written out after the hyphen (e.g., Apple + vel -> Apple-lel, not Apple-vel). For vowel-initial suffixes on silent-letter words, the linking vowel is dictated by the spoken pronunciation, ignoring the silent letter (e.g., Apple-ök, Skype-on).
• Multi-Word Names: Inflectional suffixes attach directly to the last word of a multi-word foreign proper noun (e.g., New Yorkban, San Diegóban). However, derivational suffixes like the -i adjective suffix are attached with a hyphen to the entire phrase, retaining capital letters (e.g., New York-i).
• Double Consonant Rule: For foreign words ending in a double consonant, if a suffix starts with the same consonant, they do not simplify. A hyphen must be used instead (e.g., Grimm-mel, Scott-tal, jazz-zel).
• Acronyms and Initialisms: Suffixes are always attached to acronyms and initialisms with a hyphen, and vowel harmony is based on the Hungarian pronunciation of the final letter (e.g., BMW-vel, HBO-n).
• The -i Suffix Exception: Single-word foreign place names ending in an /i/ sound spelled with 'i' do not take an extra 'i' or hyphen when forming adjectives, and they become lowercase (e.g., Helsinki -> helsinki). If the place name ends in an unusual letter combination or a silent letter, the -i suffix must be attached with a hyphen, and the entire word becomes lowercase (e.g., bordeaux-i). Note that words ending in 'y' pronounced as /i/ absorb the suffix without a hyphen (e.g., sydneyi).