Present Tense
The following table shows the suffixes in both definite and indefinite conjugation in present tense. For examples see the
list of 100 common verbs . You chose the appropriate suffix from the variety of options offered most cases based on the vowel harmony. However, there are many
exceptions and some additional rules to consider, so I recommend to check it for the individual verb you intend to use.
| Indefinite | Definite | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Singular | Plural | Singular | Plural | |
| First | -ok, -ek, -ök | -unk, -ünk | -om, -em, -öm | --Δuk, --Δük, -juk, -jük |
| Second | sz, -asz, -esz, -ol, -el, -öl | -tok, -tek, -tök, -otok, -etek, -ötök |
-od, -ed, -öd | -játok, -itek, -Δátok |
| Third | ---- | -nak, -nek -anak, enek |
-ja, -i, --Δa | -ják, -ik, --Δák |
Past Tense
The past tense suffix is a 3-form suffix: -ott, -ett, -ött, but sometimes just a -t or -tt. I will use the word "PAST" for the appropriate past tense suffix
in the chart below. However, it is just a -t in most cases.
Examples for this ending: rak - rakott, kezd - kezdett, főz - főzött, emel - emelt. Please note, that these are singiular, third person indefinite forms.
There are a great number of exceptions as well, I will mention them later.
The person/number suffix always follows the "PAST":
| Indefinite | Definite | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Singular | Plural | Singular | Plural | |
| First | PAST + -am, -em | PAST + -unk, -ünk | PAST + -am, -em | PAST + -uk, -ük, |
| Second | PAST + -ál, -él | PAST + -atok, -etek, | PAST + -ad, -ed | PAST + -átok, -étek |
| Third | PAST | PAST + -ak, -ek | PAST + -a, -e | PAST + -ák, -ék |
The first person singular suffix is the same in the definite and indefinite conjugations.
This may seem a little complicated, so I give two examples in each form in the table below. The eamples are the verbs "mos" and " néz"
| Indefinite | Definite | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Singular | Plural | Singular | Plural | |
| First | mostam, néztem | mostunk, néztünk | mostam, néztem | mostuk, néztük, |
| Second | mostál, néztélél | mostatok, néztetek, | mostad, nézted | mostátok, néztétek |
| Third | mosott, nézett | mostak, néztek | mosta, nézte | mosták, nézték |