Noun + -n + Postposition

Postpositions After Superessive

Level 3

While most Hungarian postpositions follow a plain noun, a specific group requires the noun to carry the superessive case (the 'on' suffix). These include words like át (across), keresztül (through), and kívül (outside).

How It Works

Most postpositions in Hungarian (like alatt or előtt) follow a noun with no suffix. However, a small but high-frequency group requires the superessive case (-n, -on, -en, -ön).

1. Common Postpositions in this Group:

  • át: across / through (e.g., a hídon át - across the bridge)
  • keresztül: through / via (e.g., az erdőn keresztül - through the forest)
  • túl: beyond / past (e.g., a határon túl - beyond the border)
  • kívül: outside / except (e.g., a házon kívül - outside the house)
  • belül: inside / within (e.g., egy héten belül - within a week)
  • felül / alul: above / below (usually abstract, e.g., a várakozáson felül - above expectations)
  • innen: on this side of (e.g., a Dunán innen - on this side of the Danube)

2. Pronominal Usage:
Unlike standard postpositions, these cannot take personal endings directly (you cannot say *keresztülem). Instead, you must use the personal forms of the superessive case (rajtam, rajtad, rajta, etc.) followed by the postposition:

  • rajtam keresztül (through me)
  • rajtuk kívül (besides them)

3. Word Order Nuance:
While these usually follow the noun, át, keresztül, and túl can sometimes precede the noun for stylistic emphasis, but the noun must still keep the suffix (e.g., át a hídon).

Examples (5)

  1. A folyón át úszott.

    He swam across the river.

    Word by Word: The river-on across he-swam.

    The noun 'folyó' (river) takes the superessive suffix '-n' because it is followed by 'át'.

  2. Az ablakon keresztül néztem a kertet.

    I watched the garden through the window.

    Word by Word: The window-on through I-watched the garden-ACC.

    'Keresztül' requires the superessive '-on' on the noun 'ablak'.

  3. A városon kívül lakunk.

    We live outside the city.

    Word by Word: The city-on outside we-live.

    'Kívül' indicates a position outside a boundary and governs the superessive case.

  4. Egy órán belül itt lesznek.

    They will be here within an hour.

    Word by Word: One hour-on within here they-will-be.

    'Belül' is used here for a temporal limit, still requiring the '-n' suffix.

  5. Rajta kívül mindenki eljött.

    Everyone came except for him.

    Word by Word: Him-on outside everyone away-came.

    When using pronouns, we use the inflected form 'rajta' (on him) followed by the postposition.

Common Mistakes

  • Omitting the superessive suffix on the noun.

    A híd át megyünk.
    A hídon át megyünk.

    Unlike 'alatt' (under) or 'mellett' (beside), 'át' cannot follow a plain noun; the noun must have the -n/-on/-en/-ön suffix.

  • Adding personal endings directly to the postposition.

    Keresztülem nézett.
    Rajtam keresztül nézett.

    These postpositions do not take personal suffixes. You must use the personal pronoun 'rajtam' (on me) instead.

How It Connects

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

Noun + -n + PostpositionLevel 3Postpositions After Superessive

Learn This First

To understand postpositions that govern the superessive case, you must first be familiar with the superessive suffix itself (-n) and how postpositions generally follow the nouns they modify in Hungarian.

Words in This Pattern

-nátkeresztülkívül