Resultative Prefixes

Level 5

In Hungarian, verbal prefixes (like meg-, el-, ki-, le-, fel-) often function as resultative markers. They shift the focus from the ongoing process of an action to its completion or the achieved result.

How It Works

Resultative prefixes are a core feature of Hungarian grammar, used constantly to express perfective aspect (completion).

1. Aspect, Not Tense
A common misconception is that prefixes indicate the past tense. They do not. They mark aspect (completion), and a prefixed verb can be conjugated in the present, past, or future tense. Crucially, because a completed action cannot be happening right now, a perfective prefixed verb conjugated in the present tense often carries a future meaning for isolated events (e.g., megírom means 'I will write it'). However, it is also routinely used for habitual, repeated completed actions in the present (e.g., Minden reggel megiszom egy kávét. 'I drink a coffee every morning'). For example, olvastam (bare verb) can describe reading without asserting that the whole text was finished, while elolvastam (prefixed verb) means 'I finished reading'.

2. Separation Rules
In neutral, declarative sentences, the prefix is written as one word with the verb: Megírom a levelet. (I will write the letter).

However, the prefix detaches and moves after the verb (or is split by an auxiliary or particle) in several environments:

  • Negation: Nem írom meg a levelet. (I will not write the letter.)
  • Imperatives: Separation is the standard rule for normal commands: Írd meg a levelet! (Write the letter!). Negative commands (prohibitions) use ne instead of nem and also trigger separation: Ne írd meg a levelet! (Do not write the letter!). However, in highly emphatic commands or strict warnings, the prefix can remain attached: Megírd a levelet!
  • Focus and Wh-Questions: When a specific detail is emphasized, or when using question words (who, what, when, etc.), the prefix separates: Ma írom meg a levelet. (It is today that I will write the letter.) or Mikor írod meg a levelet? (When will you write the letter?)
  • Progressive/Continuous Aspect: Inverting the prefix and verb changes the aspect from perfective to progressive, showing an ongoing action. This is often paired with the adverb éppen (just/currently): Éppen megyek be a házba. (I am currently going into the house) vs. Bemegyek a házba. (I will go into the house).
  • Auxiliary Verbs: In neutral sentences with an auxiliary or modal verb (like akar, tud, fog, kell, or lehet), the prefix detaches from the infinitive and moves in front of the auxiliary: Meg akarom írni a levelet. (I want to write the letter.) or Meg kell írnom a levelet. (I must write the letter.) However, if the sentence is negated or has a focused element, the prefix remains attached to the infinitive: Nem akarom megírni a levelet. (I do not want to write the letter.)
  • The Particle is: When the particle is (also/too/indeed) applies to the verb, it wedges itself directly between the prefix and the verb: Meg is írom a levelet. (I will indeed write the letter.)

3. Phonological Independence
Unlike most Hungarian suffixes, verbal prefixes do not undergo vowel harmony. They retain their exact vowels regardless of the verb stem (e.g., megír, megeszik).

Understanding how to use and separate these prefixes is essential to becoming proficient in Hungarian.

The Form Megiszom
Megiszom egy kávét uses the traditional first-person singular form of the -ik verb iszik with an indefinite object. In everyday speech, Megiszok egy kávét is also common. The choice here concerns the variable -ik conjugation, not whether meg- expresses completion. For careful standard writing, use megiszom.

Examples (4)

  1. Tegnap elolvastam a könyvet.

    Yesterday I read [and finished] the book.

    Word by Word: Yesterday away-read-I the book-acc.

    The prefix el- marks the completion of the reading process.

  2. A jég elolvadt.

    The ice melted [completely].

    Word by Word: The ice away-melted.

    Here, el- indicates a total change of state.

  3. Megírom a levelet.

    I will write [and finish] the letter.

    Word by Word: Meg-write-I the letter-acc.

    The prefix meg- shows completion. Even though it is present tense, it often implies a future completed action.

  4. Nem csináltam meg a házi feladatot.

    I didn't do [complete] the homework.

    Word by Word: Not did-I meg the home task-acc.

    In this ordinary sentence negation, the prefix meg- separates and follows the verb.

Common Mistakes

  • Failing to separate the prefix in negative sentences.

    Different MeaningNem megcsináltam a feladatot.
    Nem csináltam meg a feladatot.

    For ordinary negation of completing the task, use Nem csináltam meg.... Attached-prefix order can occur in contrastive correction, such as Nem megcsináltam, hanem kijavítottam. (I did not do it; I corrected it), so it is not forbidden in every negative context.

  • Assuming prefixes indicate past tense.

    Holnap megcsináltam.
    Holnap megcsinálom.

    Prefixes mark completion, not tense. To talk about completing something tomorrow, use the present tense form with the prefix.

How It Connects

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

Resultative PrefixesLevel 5

Learn This First

To understand resultative verbal particles, learners must first be familiar with the basic mechanics of Hungarian verbal prefixes (preverbs) and how they interact with word order. Additionally, knowledge of the translative-factive case (-vá/-vé) is helpful as it is the primary case used to express the 'result' state, and an understanding of aspectual completion (telicity) provides the conceptual framework for why a prefix is used to signal a finished process.

Words in This Pattern

meg-el-
Sources
  1. Lanstyák: Igek, variation in Hungarian verb forms
  2. Hungarian language advice: ikes igék helyes használata