valamelyik / bármelyik

One / Any of Them

Level 3

Valamelyik (one of them) and bármelyik (any of them) are used to select from a group that is already known or mentioned. They act as both pronouns and determiners.

How It Works

These pronouns are essential for making selections from a group.

1. The Requirement of a Set:
You usually use these when the listener knows which group you are talking about. For example, if there are three books on a table, you say valamelyik könyv (one of the books), not just valami könyv.

2. Conjugation and Definiteness:
A critical rule in Hungarian is that when valamelyik, bármelyik, or akármelyik (or a noun they modify) is the direct object, the verb always takes the definite conjugation. This is because they refer to a specific, identifiable set.

3. Akármelyik vs. Bármelyik:
While bármelyik means 'any of them' (no matter which), akármelyik is a common alternative that often carries a slightly more permissive or indifferent tone ('any one at all'). They are often interchangeable in daily speech.

4. Personal Forms:
To say 'one of us' or 'any of you', these pronouns take personal suffixes added directly to the end of the full pronoun stem:

  • valamelyikünk (one of us)
  • bármelyikőtök (any of you)
  • valamelyikük (one of them)

5. Vowel Harmony:
These words always follow front-vowel vowel harmony for suffixes. Even though valamelyik starts with a back vowel 'a', the suffix is determined by the front-vowel stem -mely-: valamelyiknek (to one of them).

Examples (5)

  1. Valamelyik nap meglátogatlak.

    I will visit you one of these days.

    Word by Word: One-of-them day I-visit-you.

    Here, 'valamelyik' selects one day from the set of upcoming days.

  2. Bármelyik könyvet leveheted a polcról.

    You can take any book from the shelf.

    Word by Word: Any-of-them book-ACC you-can-take the shelf-from.

    Note the use of the accusative case on 'könyvet' and the definite verb form 'leveheted'.

  3. Nem tudom, melyik a jobb, de valamelyiket meg kell vennem.

    I don't know which is better, but I have to buy one of them.

    Word by Word: Not I-know, which the better, but one-of-them-ACC PRFX must buy-I.

    The pronoun 'valamelyiket' stands alone here, referring back to the two options mentioned.

  4. Bármelyiknek örülnék.

    I would be happy with any of them.

    Word by Word: Any-of-them-DAT I-would-be-happy.

    Demonstrates the dative case suffix following front-vowel harmony.

  5. Válaszd ki valamelyiket!

    Choose one of them!

    Word by Word: Choose-IMP-DEF out one-of-them-ACC!

    Uses the definite imperative because the object is 'valamelyiket'.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the indefinite verb conjugation with these pronouns.

    Válassz valamelyiket.
    Válaszd valamelyiket.

    Because these pronouns refer to a specific set, they always trigger the definite conjugation.

  • Using back-vowel suffixes due to the 'a' in the first syllable.

    valamelyiknak
    valamelyiknek

    Hungarian vowel harmony is determined by the last syllable of the stem. Since the stem contains the front-vowel element 'mely', you must use front-vowel suffixes.

  • Using 'valami' (something) when a specific set is implied.

    Vegyél valami almát a kosárból.
    Vegyél valamelyik almából a kosárból.

    Use 'valamelyik' when you are picking from a specific group (the apples in the basket), not just 'something' in general.

How It Connects

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

valamelyik / bármelyikLevel 3One / Any of Them

Learn This First

To understand 'valamelyik' and 'bármelyik', you need to be familiar with the prefixes 'vala-' (indefinite) and 'bár-' (free choice), as well as the interrogative/relative stem 'mely', which refers to selecting one item from a known group.

Words in This Pattern

valamelyikvalamelyikbármelyikbármelyik