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Infinitive + Negation

The Infinitive


The infinitive form of a verb conveys a verb that has no mood, tense or relation to a noun.

In English, if you look up a verb in the dictionary, it will give you the verb in infinitive form. These verbs can be either preceded by to, succeeded by ing or not at all.

  • I need to go.
  • I like playing games.
  • I must leave.

In Hungarian, the base-verb (taken from the 3rd person singular indefinite) is only succeeded by -ni. It also does not have any definite or indefinite conjugation.

  • Szeretek olvasni - (I like to read/reading)
  • Holnap tudok menni - (I can go tomorrow)
  • Mikor foglak látni? - (When will I see you?)

When using the infinitive, be aware that it won't always line up with the base-verb. There are two cases:

Case 1: Vowel Harmony

Depending on how the verb ends will determine if it has a linking vowel or not. The two forms of vowel harmony are -ani, -eni.

If the verb ends in -ít it will receive a linking vowel.

  • segít - segíteni (to help)
  • kiegészít - kiegészíteni (to complete)
  • borít - borítani (to cover)
  • lefordít - fordítani (to translate)

Or if the verb ends in two consonants it will also receive a linking vowel.

  • dönt - dönteni (to decide)
  • éleszt - éleszteni (to revive)
  • játsz - játszani (to play)
  • mond - mondani (to say)

Case 2: Irregular verb

The verb that you are using could in fact be an irregular verb, in which case it will have different conjugations and possibly a different infinitive form). Here is a list of all the irregular verbs, bolds and italics are there to help indicate pattern.

Irregular verb Infinitve
van lenni
lesz lenni
megy (he/she/it goes) menni
eszik (he/she/it eats) enni
iszik (he/she/it drinks) inni
fő (he/she/it cooks) főzni
tesz (he/she/it puts/does) tenni
vesz (he/she/it take/buys venni
visz (he/she/it brings) vinni
hisz (he/she/it believes) hinni
alszik (he/she/it sleeps) aludni
nyugszik (he/she/it rests) nyugodni
fekszik (he/she/it lies) feküdni
jön (he/she/it comes) jönni
sző (he/she/it weaves) szőni
lő (he/she/it shoots) lőni
nő (he/she/it grows) nőni
ró (he/she/it carves/punishes/mandates) róni
tagad (he/she/it denies) tagadni
fogad (he/she/it receives) fogadni
szenved (he/she/it suffers) szenvedni
enged (he/she/it allows) engedni
téved (he/she/it errs) tévedni

Addendum

It is worth noting that to cheer in Hungarian, you wouldn't say you can do it! but rather menni fog or sikerülni fog. They literally mean it will go and it will succeed respectively.

Negation


Negating with nem & sem

You can negate most sentences with nem, it means no, or not. Nem almost always starts at the beginning of the sentence.

  • Nem tudom - (I don't know)
  • Nem értem - (I don't understand)
  • Nem vagyok tökéletes - (I'm not perfect)
  • Ezt nem mondod komolyan! - (You can't be serious! lit. You aren't saying this seriously!)
  • Köszönöm, nem kérek - (No thanks lit. Thanks I don't ask for it)

If the same subject negates more verbs in a sentence, sem is used instead. The use of sem can also be used with pronouns for emphasis.

Consider this scenario:

  • Alex: Szeretitek a klasszikus zenét? - (Do you like classical music?)
    • Barnabás: Nem.
    • Éva: Én sem. - (I don't either.)

It should be noted that English treats the sentence as one whole value whereas Hungarian treats the sentence as a series of values. If you want to negate the sentence, every part of the sentence is negated.

  • English: I don't know anybody. (Negated once)
  • Hungarian: Nem ismerek senkit. - (I don't know nobody.)

Quick note: ismer and tud are both verbs that can be used as the equivalent to know. ismer has connotations of possesing knowledge whereas tud has connotations of possessing skills and skillsets (hence, why tud also means can, in the sense of ability).

Useful negations

  • mindenki (everyone) senki (nobody)
  • valami (something) semmi (nothing)

Negating with nincs & sincs

Recall that van is the verb for existence. In Hungarian, nem van nincs/nincsen is used to negate a noun's existence (and nincsenek for negating multiple nouns). Likewise with sem, sincs is used as a further negation to really emphasise the lack of existence.

Although nincs is used for the present tense, nem volt and nem lesz are used for the past and future respectively.

  • Nem igaz, hogy nincsen semmi baj. - (It isn't true that there is nothing wrong).
  • Kávé van? Nincs. Tea van? Az sincs. - (Is there coffee? There is none. Is there tea? None of that either.)
  • Gőzöm sincs. - (I haven't the foggiest idea. lit. I don't even have any steam).
  • Nincs mit. - (Don't mention it. lit. There is no what.)

Challenge! Frodo

Ha van Balrog, miért nincsen Jobbrog?

If there is a Balrog/Leftrog, why is there no Rightrog?

  • Bal - left
  • Jobb - right

Negating with ne & se

With the imperative and subjunctive mood, the negation becomes ne and se. Sometimes ne is is used instead of se. This concept will be expanded upon in later sections.

  • Ne aggódj! - (Don't worry!)
  • Ne félj, menni fog! - (Don't be afraid, it will go!)
  • Ne szólj! ne is kérdezz! Nézz reám! Akit itt látsz férfi már. - (Don't speak! Don't even question! Look at me! Who you see here is already a man.)

Challenge! Yoda

Tedd, vagy ne tedd, de ne próbáld!

Do or do not, but do not try!

Negative questions

It isn't uncommon to ask questions in the negative, especially if they are yes or no questions.

Consider these situations, Barnabás could respond with the following:

  • Alex: Nem láttad a nyelvtan könyvet? - (Have you (not) seen the grammar book?)
    • Barnabás: Sajnos nem, nincs itt. - (No unfortunately, it isn't here.)
    • Barnabás: De, az asztal mellett van! - (But it is next to the table!)

Notice how igen de (but) is used to counter a negative question.

  • Alex: Szia, nem zavarlak? - (Hi, am I (not) bothering you?)

    • Barnabás: Nem, dehogyis! Gyere be! - (No, quite the contrary! Come in!)
    • Barnabás: De zavarsz, kicsit elfoglalt vagyok. - (But you are, I'm a litle busy) zavarsz is optional.
  • Alex: Te nem szereted az AWS-t, igaz? (You don't like AWS, right?)

    • Barnabás: Nem, szerintem, hogy ők túl zajos. (No, I think they are too noisy.)
    • Barnabás: Dehogynem! Imádom őket! (Of course I do! I love (adore) them!)

    Dehogy is used to counter a positive question whereas dehogynem/dehogynincs counters a negative question. They can be used for more passion in a reply. An is is added if it is used as a follow up for more emphasis.

Listening

Jani and Pisti are talking, try to work out what they are saying!

Your browser does not support the audio element.

<script type = "text/javascript"> function check_reveal(button) { var hun = document.getElementById("transcript"); var eng = document.getElementById("translation"); var none = document.getElementById("none"); if (button === 'transcript') { if (hun.style.display === "none" && eng.style.display === "none") { none.style.display = "none"; hun.style.display = "block"; }else if (hun.style.display === "none" && eng.style.display === "block") { none.style.display = "none"; eng.style.display = "none"; hun.style.display = "block"; } }else if (button === 'translation') if (eng.style.display === "none" && hun.style.display === "none") { none.style.display = "none"; eng.style.display = "block"; }else if (eng.style.display === "none" && hun.style.display === "block") { none.style.display = "none"; hun.style.display = "none"; eng.style.display = "block"; } } function clearAll() { var hun = document.getElementById("transcript"); var eng = document.getElementById("translation"); hun.style.display = "none"; eng.style.display = "none"; none.style.display = "block"; } </script> Transcript Translation Clear
J: Így van
P: Jani,
J: Igen
P: Segíts, mi a gond?
J: A gond az, hogy nincs videó
P: De van
J: ...De nincs, ez a gond
P: Mármint, mi nincs?
J: Videó nincs. Ezen a csatornán nincs videó
P: Ezen a csatornán nincs videó
J: Igen
P: Hát ez gond...
J: Ez gond, hát ez gond!
P: Na most..
J: That's right
P: Jani,
J: Yes
P: Help me out, what's the issue?
J: The issue is that there is no video
P: But there is
J: ...But there isn't, that's the issue
P: Namely what isn't?
J: There's no video. There's no video on this channel
P: There's no video on this channel
J: Yes
P: Well this is an issue...
J: This is an issue, well this is an issue!
P: So now...















Yet to Learn