-kodik/-kedik/-ködik

Reciprocal and Repeated Activity

Level 3

The -kodik/-kedik/-ködik suffix family creates verbs that focus on how a subject acts or interacts. It often describes behaving like something (e.g., 'acting like a soldier'), mutual actions (e.g., 'arguing'), or continuous mental/physical processes (e.g., 'thinking').

How It Works

The -kodik/-kedik/-ködik suffix family is highly productive in Hungarian and serves several functional roles. It appears in two main variants: the -d- form (e.g., -kodik) and the -z- form (e.g., -kozik). While a few verbs allow both variants interchangeably (e.g., gondolkodik and gondolkozik, csodálkodik and csodálkozik), the vast majority of verbs strictly require only one variant. For example, találkozik, foglalkozik, and szórakozik only take the -z- form, while verekedik, veszekedik, and viselkedik only take the -d- form. Using the incorrect variant is ungrammatical.

  • Behavioral/Occupational: Describes acting like the base noun or adjective. E.g., kertész (gardener) → kertészkedik (to garden).
  • Reflexive: Indicates doing something to oneself, usually grooming or dressing. E.g., mosakodik (to wash oneself), fésülködik (to comb one's hair).
  • Reciprocal: Indicates an action performed between two or more people. E.g., barátkozik (to make friends/befriend each other).
  • Process/State: Describes a durative activity, such as gondolkodik (to think).

Vowel Harmony and Linking Vowels:
These follow standard three-way vowel harmony for mid-vowels. Many back-vowel stems attach the suffix directly without a linking vowel (e.g., gondolkodik, barátkozik). However, note that when a linking vowel is required for back-vowel stems, it is always -a- (e.g., mosakodik, várakozik). Sometimes this suffix combines with other derivational suffixes, resulting in forms like -lkodik (e.g., rosszalkodik) or the highly productive -skodik (meaning 'to act like [noun/adjective]', often pejorative, e.g., kíváncsiskodik - to be nosy, mérnökösködik - to act like an engineer).

  • -kodik / -kozik: Back-vowel words (gondolkodik, vitatkozik).
  • -kedik / -kezik: Front-unrounded words (kertészkedik, verekedik).
  • -ködik / -közik: Front-rounded words (élősködik, törölközik).

Imperative/Subjunctive Conjugation:
A crucial mechanical difference between the -d- and -z- variants appears in the imperative and subjunctive mood. For -z- verbs, the imperative -j assimilates to -zz- (e.g., barátkozz). For -d- verbs, the -j does not assimilate in writing, remaining -dj- (e.g., gondolkodj), though it is pronounced as a palatal stop /ɟ/.

Grammar Note: These are almost always intransitive (with rare exceptions like cselekedik) and belong to the -ik verb category. Because they are intransitive, they almost exclusively use the indefinite conjugation. In formal speech, the first-person singular ending is -om/-em/-öm (e.g., gondolkodom), though -ok/-ek/-ök is common in casual conversation. They typically require specific case-marked complements instead of the accusative case.

Examples (6)

  1. A gyerekek a kertben verekednek.

    The children are fighting in the garden.

    Word by Word: The children the garden-in fight-they.

    The verb 'verekedik' (to fight) uses the -kedik suffix to show a reciprocal action between the children.

  2. Egész este a jövőmről gondolkodtam.

    I was thinking about my future all evening.

    Word by Word: Whole evening the future-my-about thought-I.

    The verb 'gondolkodik' describes a continuous mental process. Note the use of the delative case for the object of thought.

  3. Péter sokat kertészkedik a hétvégén.

    Péter does a lot of gardening on the weekend.

    Word by Word: Péter much gardener-acts the weekend-on.

    This shows the behavioral use, turning the noun 'kertész' (gardener) into an activity.

  4. Ne rosszalkodj a boltban!

    Don't misbehave in the store!

    Word by Word: Not bad-act-you the store-in!

    Formed from the back-vowel adjective 'rossz' (bad), this uses the -alkodik variant with a linking vowel.

  5. A két szomszéd gyakran vitatkozik.

    The two neighbors often argue.

    Word by Word: The two neighbor often argues.

    The verb 'vitatkozik' (to argue) uses the -kozik variant, which is the primary form for reciprocal actions.

  6. Barátkozom az új kollégákkal.

    I am making friends with the new colleagues.

    Word by Word: Friend-making-I the new colleagues-with.

    This uses the -kozik variant. Note the first-person singular ending -om, typical for -ik verbs.

Common Mistakes

  • Using a direct object (accusative) with these verbs.

    Gondolkodom a könyvet.
    Gondolkodom a könyvön.

    Verbs ending in -kodik are typically intransitive. You cannot 'think a book'; you must use a case suffix like -on/-en/-ön (superessive) to mean 'think about/on' something.

  • Forgetting the -ik ending in the third person singular.

    Ő sokat gondolkod.
    Ő sokat gondolkodik.

    These are -ik verbs. For -kodik/-kozik verbs, the -ik ending is strictly required in the present tense third-person singular and is never dropped, even in casual speech.

  • Confusing -kodik (behavior) with -odik (becoming).

    A gyerek nagyodik.
    A gyerek növekszik / A gyerek nagyobbodik.

    The suffix -odik/-edik/-ödik usually indicates a change of state (becoming), while -kodik indicates acting or behaving. Using the wrong one can change the meaning entirely.

How It Connects

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-kodik/-kedik/-ködikLevel 3Reciprocal and Repeated Activity

Learn This First

To become confident with the reciprocal and habitual suffixes -kodik/-kedik/-ködik, you must first understand Hungarian's three-way vowel harmony to choose the correct suffix form. Additionally, since these suffixes create '-ik verbs', you need to be familiar with how those verbs are conjugated. Finally, a conceptual understanding of reciprocity (often first learned via the pronoun 'egymás') provides the necessary context for how these suffixes change a verb's meaning.

Words in This Pattern

-kodik-kedik-ködik