The allative -hoz/-hez/-höz marks approach toward a person, landmark, or other reference point: Péterhez “to Péter,” ablakhoz “to the window,” tükörhöz “to the mirror.” Its reference point may also be the target of attachment or a relationship. Unlike adessive and ablative, allative makes a three-way harmony distinction involving front-vowel rounding.
Three harmonic forms
Use -hoz after back-harmony stems, -hez after front unrounded stems, and -höz after front rounded stems. This is one of the clearest suffixes for hearing Hungarian's rounding harmony.
| Harmony class | Base | Allative | Core meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| back | ház | házhoz | to/toward the house |
| back | ablak | ablakhoz | to/toward the window |
| front unrounded | szék | székhez | to/toward the chair |
| front unrounded | kerítés | kerítéshez | to/toward the fence |
| front rounded | tükör | tükörhöz | to/toward the mirror |
| front rounded | hűtő | hűtőhöz | to/toward the refrigerator |
Lépj közelebb az ablakhoz!
Step closer to the window!
A kisfiú odahúzta a széket az asztalhoz.
The little boy pulled the chair over to the table.
A fodrász a nagy tükörhöz hívta a vendéget.
The hairdresser called the client over to the large mirror.
Within front-harmonic stems, the last stem vowel generally determines rounding. A final rounded front vowel selects -höz, while a final unrounded front vowel selects -hez. Thus tükörhöz, gyümölcshöz, hűtőhöz have -höz, while füzethez, kerítéshez, részhez, személyhez have -hez. The back-versus-front class of words containing only neutral vowels can still be lexical: hídhoz, sírhoz, célhoz take the back form, but vízhez, székhez, képhez take the front unrounded form.
Final vowels and stem behavior
Final short a/e lengthens before the suffix: Anna → Annához, Bence → Bencéhez, iroda → irodához, megye → megyéhez. Other final vowels remain: autóhoz, kávéhoz, fésűhöz.
Munka után Bencéhez megyek.
I'm going to Bence's after work.
A busz az irodához közeli megállóig visz minket.
The bus takes us as far as the stop near the office.
Stem alternations remain suffix-specific. Bokor has plural bokrok, but allative bokorhoz retains its second vowel. Tér → térhez and kéz → kézhez attach directly. Do not attach the suffix to a shortened plural stem unless that stem is independently required.
Allative follows number and possession
As an outer case suffix, allative follows plural and the complete possessed form.
| Structure | Form | Segmentation |
|---|---|---|
| singular | baráthoz | barát-hoz |
| ordinary plural | barátokhoz | barát-ok-hoz |
| singular possessed | barátomhoz | barát-om-hoz |
| possessed plural | barátaimhoz | barát-ai-m-hoz |
| possessed plural | ismerőseitekhez | ismerős-ei-tek-hez |
A vendégek vacsora után átmentek a barátainkhoz.
After dinner, the guests went over to our friends' place.
A szerelőt elküldték az ismerőseitekhez is.
They sent the repairman to your acquaintances' place too.
With names, the suffix attaches directly: Zsófihoz, Gergőhöz, Ádámhoz. The form depends on the name's harmony, not on the gender or number of the person.
Demonstratives and personal forms
Both demonstrative and noun carry allative: ehhez a székhez, ahhoz a házhoz. The final z of ez/az fully assimilates to h, giving hh. The demonstrative's own vowel selects ehhez or ahhoz; it does not copy a rounded noun's -höz. Thus “to this mirror” is ehhez a tükörhöz, not ehhöz a tükörhöz.
Ehhez a polchoz rögzítsd a lámpát!
Attach the lamp to this shelf!
Ahhoz az ügyvédhez fordulj, aki tegnap telefonált!
Go to the lawyer who called yesterday!
Personal pronouns use a hozzá- series.
| Person | Form | Typical meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 1st singular | hozzám | to me/my place |
| 2nd singular | hozzád | to you/your place |
| 3rd singular | hozzá | to him/her/it |
| 1st plural | hozzánk | to us/our place |
| 2nd plural | hozzátok | to you/your place |
| 3rd plural | hozzájuk | to them/their place |
Átjössz hozzánk kávézni?
Will you come over to our place for coffee?
A panasszal közvetlenül hozzá fordultam.
I went directly to him/her with the complaint.
Question and indefinite forms include kihez? mihez?, valakihez, valamihez, senkihez.
Approach, attachment, relation, and comparison
Allative has the same form in several connected patterns.
| Function | Pattern | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| approach | az ajtóhoz lép | steps up to the door |
| person/service | orvoshoz megy | goes to the doctor |
| attachment | a falhoz rögzít | fastens to the wall |
| selected relation | a tervhez ragaszkodik | sticks to the plan |
| comparison | a tervhez képest | compared with the plan |
A szerelő a falhoz erősítette a tartót.
The repairman fastened the bracket to the wall.
A csapat ragaszkodik az eredeti tervhez.
The team is sticking to the original plan.
A költség a tavalyi összeghez képest csökkent.
The cost decreased compared with last year's amount.
In valamihez képest, the postposition képest requires an allative standard. A direct comparative such as a tavalyinál alacsonyabb instead uses adessive. These related comparisons are explored on the allative usage page.
The proximity direction triple
Allative is the goal member of Péternél “at Péter's,” Péterhez “to Péter's,” Pétertől “from Péter's.” It is not every kind of destination: interiors use -ba/-be, surfaces and events use -ra/-re, and an endpoint reached without entry may use -ig.
Előbb a gyógyszertárhoz sétálunk, aztán bemegyünk a gyógyszertárba.
First we'll walk up to the pharmacy, then we'll go inside it.
The first phrase treats the building as an approached landmark; the second crosses into its interior. English “to the pharmacy” can conceal that difference.
Segmentation exercise
- barátainkhoz = barát + ai + nk + hoz: friend + possessed plural + our + to.
- irodáitokhoz = iroda + i + tok + hoz: office + possessed plural + your(plural) + to; final a lengthens.
- ismerőseihez = ismerős + ei + hez: to his/her acquaintances.
- ehhez = ez + hez, with complete z → h assimilation.
- hozzátok = allative pronominal base + second-person plural ending.
Common Mistakes
❌ Közelebb húztam a széket az asztalhez.
Incorrect — the back-vowel noun asztal requires -hoz.
✅ Közelebb húztam a széket az asztalhoz.
I pulled the chair closer to the table.
❌ Állj oda a tükörhez!
Incorrect — the rounded front vowels of tükör require -höz.
✅ Állj oda a tükörhöz!
Go and stand by the mirror!
❌ Ez a falhoz rögzítsd a polcot!
Incorrect — the demonstrative must agree in case with the noun.
✅ Ehhez a falhoz rögzítsd a polcot!
Fasten the shelf to this wall!
❌ Énhez gyere munka után!
Incorrect — personal allative uses the hozzá- series.
✅ Hozzám gyere munka után!
Come to my place after work!
Key Takeaways
- Allative has three harmonic forms: back -hoz, front unrounded -hez, and front rounded -höz.
- Final a/e lengthens, and the suffix follows plural and possession.
- Demonstratives agree as ehhez a… / ahhoz az…; pronouns use hozzám, hozzád, hozzá and their plural forms.
- The target schema of approach extends to attachment, selected relations, and valamihez képest comparisons.
- Allative is the goal member of the proximity triple, not a general equivalent of English “to.”
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Start learning Hungarian →Related Topics
- The Allative -hoz/-hez/-höz: Meanings and UsageA2 — Use Hungarian allative -hoz/-hez/-höz naturally for approaching people and landmarks, attachment, selected relations, suitability, and comparison.
- The Allative -hoz/-hez/-höz: Contrasts and Learner TrapsB1 — Distinguish Hungarian allative approach and attachment from recipient, interior, surface, and comparison constructions.
- The Adessive -nál/-nél: Forms and Core PatternA2 — Form Hungarian adessive -nál/-nél for proximity, locations associated with people and institutions, temporary possession, employers, and comparison standards.
- The Ablative -tól/-től: Forms and Core PatternA2 — Form Hungarian ablatives for movement away, personal sources, separation, causes, source-like agents, and standards of difference.
- The Three Spatial Case Triples: Forms and Core PatternA1 — Build and recognize Hungarian's nine core spatial case forms by combining direction with an interior, surface, or proximity relationship.
- Three-Way Harmony and Rounding: Forms and Core PatternA2 — The formal pattern of Hungarian three-way suffixes, local rounding harmony, vowel-final stems, and lexically conditioned linking vowels.