When learning a new language, it’s always essential to grasp the basic vocabulary. One of the first words you’ll want to learn in Hungarian is “my,” which is used to indicate possession. In this guide, we will explore the various ways to say “my” in Hungarian, both formally and informally. Let’s dive in!
Table of Contents
Formal Ways to Say “My”
Formality is important in many situations, especially when speaking to older individuals or people in positions of authority. Here are the formal expressions for saying “my” in Hungarian:
Az én
When using this phrase, it’s worth noting that “Az” means “the.” Therefore, “Az én” literally translates to “the my.” However, Hungarian commonly omits the possessive article, so you can simply use “én” alone in most cases.
Let’s look at some examples:
- Az én könyvem – My book
- Az én autóm – My car
- Az én családom – My family
Note that although “Az én” is the formal expression, it’s not commonly used in everyday conversation. Hungarians typically prefer the informal form, which we’ll explore next.
Informal Ways to Say “My”
The informal expressions for saying “my” in Hungarian are much more commonly used in daily conversations. Let’s take a look:
Az én → Enyém
In informal situations, Hungarians commonly use “enyém” to mean “mine.” This word is derived from “én,” which means “I” or “me.” Here are a few examples:
- Az autó enyém – The car is mine
- A könyv enyém – The book is mine
Note that “enyém” is a possessive pronoun, so you don’t need to use an additional noun to indicate what belongs to you. It stands alone as “mine.”
Using Possessive Suffixes in Hungarian
In addition to the above expressions, Hungarian also employs possessive suffixes. These suffixes can be added to the end of nouns to indicate possession. Let’s take a closer look:
When using possessive suffixes, the noun itself changes, and the possessive pronoun is attached as a suffix. Here’s an example:
- Az autóm – My car
The suffix “-om” is added to “autó” to indicate possession. Let’s explore a few more examples:
- A könyvem – My book
- A házam – My house
- A kutyánk – Our dog
As you can see, the possessive suffixes vary depending on the noun’s final sound and gender.
Summary
Congratulations! You’ve now learned various ways to say “my” in Hungarian. Let’s recap:
- The formal expression is “Az én,” but it’s not commonly used.
- The informal expression is “enyém,” which is more commonly used in everyday conversation.
- Possessive suffixes can be added to nouns to indicate possession.
Now that you have a good understanding of how to say “my” in Hungarian, keep practicing and try using these expressions in everyday conversations. Learning a new language is exciting, so enjoy the journey!
