nemcsak... hanem... is

Not Only … but Also

Level 4

Use nemcsak... hanem... is to add information with emphasis. It connects two parallel parts of a sentence, where the second part is an addition to the first.

How It Works

The Hungarian nemcsak... hanem... is structure is the standard way to express 'not only... but also.' It is a focusing construction, meaning it highlights specific elements for emphasis.

1. Structure and Placement:

  • nemcsak: Placed immediately before the first focused element (noun, verb, adjective, etc.).
  • hanem: Placed at the beginning of the second part of the sentence. A comma is mandatory before hanem.
  • is: Placed immediately after the second focused element. This particle is essential to complete the 'also' meaning.

2. Grammatical Parallelism:
The two elements being linked should be grammatically equivalent. If the first element is in the accusative case, the second should be as well. If the first is a verb, the second should be a verb.

3. Orthography:
In this specific conjunction role, nemcsak is written as one word. Writing it as two words (nem csak) is technically an error in formal writing, though common in casual texts. Use nem csak only when specifically negating the word 'only' (e.g., 'Not just one, but two').

4. Contrast with 'hanem':
While nem X, hanem Y is used to correct a mistake ('Not X, but Y'), the addition of is at the end turns it into an additive statement ('Not only X, but also Y').

Examples (5)

  1. A városnézés nemcsak érdekes, hanem fárasztó is.

    Sightseeing is not only interesting but also tiring.

    Word by Word: The sightseeing not-only interesting, but tiring also.

    Here, the pattern links two adjectives describing the subject.

  2. Péter nemcsak magyarul beszél, hanem németül is.

    Peter speaks not only Hungarian but German as well.

    Word by Word: Peter not-only Hungarian-in speaks, but German-in also.

    The pattern links two adverbs (languages) using the -ul/-ül suffix.

  3. Nemcsak főz a férjem, hanem porszívóz is.

    My husband not only cooks but also vacuums.

    Word by Word: Not-only cooks the husband-my, but vacuums also.

    This example shows the pattern linking two different verbs (actions).

  4. Nemcsak a tanár van itt, hanem a diákok is.

    Not only the teacher is here, but the students are too.

    Word by Word: Not-only the teacher is here, but the students also.

    The pattern links two subjects. Note that the verb van agrees with the first subject, while the second part implies the existence of the students.

  5. Ezt a könyvet nemcsak elolvastam, hanem meg is értettem.

    I not only read this book, but I understood it too.

    Word by Word: This-acc the book-acc not-only read-I, but perf also understood-I.

    When using verbal prefixes like 'meg-', the particle 'is' causes prefix separation, moving the prefix after the verb.

Common Mistakes

  • Omitting the particle 'is' at the end of the sentence.

    Different MeaningNemcsak szép, hanem okos.
    Nemcsak szép, hanem okos is.

    The sentence is fine without 'is', but 'is' makes the addition clear ('not only beautiful, but also smart'). Without it, it can sound like a plain contrast.

  • Placing 'is' immediately after 'hanem'.

    Nemcsak főz, hanem is takarít.
    Nemcsak főz, hanem takarít is.

    The particle is must always follow the specific word it is adding to the context.

  • Forgetting the comma before 'hanem'.

    Nemcsak éhes vagyok hanem szomjas is.
    Nemcsak éhes vagyok, hanem szomjas is.

    In Hungarian, a comma is required before the conjunction 'hanem' when it introduces a new clause or phrase.

How It Connects

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

nemcsak... hanem... isLevel 4Not Only … but Also

Learn This First

To become confident with 'nemcsak... hanem... is', you first need to understand how Hungarian handles contrastive focus using 'nem... hanem' and how the additive particle 'is' (also) functions to link related information.

Words in This Pattern

nemcsakhanemis