Prefix Position with Infinitival Predicates

Prefix climbing is a core mechanic of Hungarian syntax. It happens under specific conditions:

• Eligible Verbs: Prefix climbing only happens with a specific, restricted class of auxiliary and modal verbs (e.g., akar, fog, tud, kell, szokott, lehet, szabad, bír, tetszik, szeret, szeretne). It does not happen with all verbs that take an infinitive (e.g., utál, imád, elfelejt do not trigger climbing).
• Syntactic Position: The prefix moves into the preverbal slot (verbal modifier slot) immediately before the finite auxiliary verb.
• Strict Adjacency: Generally, nothing comes between the prefix and the auxiliary in a neutral sentence, though certain particles like is, sem, se, and ne can intervene.
• Position of the Infinitive: The infinitive is stripped of its prefix and typically placed after the auxiliary, following the formula: [Prefix] + [Auxiliary] + [Infinitive]. While usually only particles like is, sem, se, or ne can separate the prefix and auxiliary, other words can safely intervene between the auxiliary and the infinitive (e.g., El akarom holnap olvasni. - I want to read it tomorrow.). Note that if the infinitive acts as the focus of the sentence and precedes the auxiliary, the prefix does not climb and remains attached to the infinitive (e.g., Megcsinálni akarom. - I want to do it.).
• Separate Words: The prefix does not attach to the auxiliary. It must be written as a separate word (e.g., el akarom, not elakarom).
• Pronunciation: The prefix and the auxiliary form a single phonological unit. The prefix takes the primary stress, and the auxiliary loses its stress.
• Auxiliary Chains: If there is a chain of multiple auxiliaries, the prefix climbs to the very front of the entire chain (e.g., Ki fogom tudni nyitni. - I will be able to open it.).

When does it NOT climb?
If the sentence is not neutral or the preverbal slot is already filled, the prefix stays on the infinitive. Crucially, when the prefix does not climb, it must be written as a single word attached to the infinitive (e.g., write Nem akarom elolvasni - I don't want to read it, never Nem akarom el olvasni). This happens in several main cases:
1. Negation: In negative sentences, the negative word nem takes the preverbal slot. Because that slot is full, the prefix cannot climb (e.g., Nem akarom elolvasni. - I don't want to read it.).
2. Focus and Emphasis: If another word in the sentence is emphasized, it takes the focus slot before the verb. If the auxiliary verb itself is emphasized, it takes primary stress. Additionally, if the action itself is emphasized, the infinitive moves to the focus slot. All of these mechanisms block the prefix from climbing, so it stays attached to the infinitive (e.g., HOLNAP akarom elolvasni. - I want to read it TOMORROW.; Elolvasni akarom! = I want to read it!).
3. Question Words: Question words (like ki, mit, hol, mikor) obligatorily take the focus slot and therefore block prefix climbing (e.g., Mikor akarod elolvasni? - When do you want to read it?).
4. Prefixed Auxiliaries: If the auxiliary verb itself has a prefix (e.g., megpróbál, elkezd), its preverbal slot is already full, which blocks the infinitive's prefix from climbing (e.g., Megpróbálom kinyitni. - I am trying to open it.).