volna (feltételes jelen)

Would Be

Level 2

Use volna when you want to say 'would be' regarding a current or future state. It is the conditional version of the present-tense verb 'van'.

How It Works

The word volna is the conditional form of van (to be). It has two distinct roles in Hungarian grammar.

1. As a Main Verb ('Would Be'):
When it is the main verb of the sentence, it must conjugate to agree with the subject. While lenne is the standard choice in everyday speech, volna is used in more formal, literary, or sophisticated contexts.

  • én volnék (I would be)
  • te volnál (you would be)
  • ő/ön volna (he/she/it/you-polite would be)
  • mi volnánk (we would be)
  • ti volnátok (you all would be)
  • ők volnának (they would be)

2. As a Past Conditional Auxiliary ('Would Have'):
This is a crucial function. To form the past conditional of any other verb (e.g., 'I would have gone'), you use the past tense form of that verb followed by volna. In this role, volna is invariant—it never changes its ending, regardless of the subject.

  • Mentem volna (I would have gone)
  • Mentél volna (You would have gone)
  • Mentünk volna (We would have gone)

3. Volna vs. Lenne:
In modern spoken Hungarian, lenne is the default word for 'would be'. Volna is often perceived as more elegant or old-fashioned. However, in the past conditional (Point 2), volna is the only option and cannot be replaced by lenne.

Examples (6)

  1. Jó volna, ha itt lennél.

    It would be good if you were here.

    Word by Word: Good would-be, if here you-would-be.

    In this sentence, 'volna' acts as the main verb ('would be'). It sounds more formal than 'lenne'.

  2. Ha gazdag volnék, vennék egy házat.

    If I were rich, I would buy a house.

    Word by Word: If rich I-would-be, I-would-buy a house-ACC.

    When used as the main verb, 'volna' conjugates to match the subject (én volnék).

  3. Bárcsak nyár volna!

    If only it were summer!

    Word by Word: If-only summer would-be!

    Used with 'bárcsak' to express a strong wish for a different state.

  4. Tegnap elmentem volna a boltba.

    I would have gone to the shop yesterday.

    Word by Word: Yesterday away-went-I would-be the shop-into.

    Here 'volna' is an auxiliary word forming the past conditional. Notice it does not change even though the subject is 'I'.

  5. Megettük volna az ebédet.

    We would have eaten the lunch.

    Word by Word: Away-ate-we would-be the lunch-ACC.

    In the past conditional, 'volna' remains invariant for all persons (én, te, ő, mi, ti, ők).

  6. Ez túl szép volna, hogy igaz legyen.

    This would be too nice to be true.

    Word by Word: This too nice would-be, that true it-be.

    A literary way to express a hypothetical state.

Common Mistakes

  • Leaving out volna when the situation is unreal.

    Different MeaningHa ő tanár, boldog lenne.
    Ha ő tanár volna, boldog lenne.

    Ha ő tanár, boldog lenne is grammatical, but it treats him being a teacher as a real possibility. For an unreal or imagined situation, use volna: Ha ő tanár volna, boldog lenne.

  • Using 'lenne' as an auxiliary for the past conditional.

    Mentem lenne.
    Mentem volna.

    To form the past conditional ('I would have gone'), only 'volna' can be used as the auxiliary word. 'Lenne' is never used this way.

  • Confusing 1st person 'volnék' with 3rd person plural 'volnának'.

    Én boldog volnának.
    Én boldog volnék.

    Ensure the personal ending matches the subject. 'Volnék' is for 'I', while 'volnának' is for 'they'.

How It Connects

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volna (feltételes jelen)Level 2Would Be

Learn This First

To understand 'volna', you first need to be familiar with the verb 'van' (to be) and how it functions as a copula. You also need to understand the general concept and markers of the conditional mood in Hungarian, as 'volna' is the specific irregular form used to express 'would be'.

Words in This Pattern

volna