Hungarian clause links often come in pairs. A subordinate conjunction such as amikor or miután can correspond to a main-clause demonstrative such as akkor or azután; bár can be answered by mégis; minél predicts annál. Other pairs coordinate parallel constituents, as in nemcsak... hanem... is. Recognizing both halves reveals clause relations that no single English conjunction consistently captures.
A compact map
| Relation | Subordinate/first element | Main/second element | Typical mood |
|---|---|---|---|
| time point | amikor | akkor (optional) | indicative |
| earlier event | miután | azután (optional) | indicative |
| comparison | mint | comparative or manner expression | indicative/ellipsis |
| unreal resemblance | mintha | úgy/olyan (optional) | conditional |
| factual concession | bár | mégis (optional) | indicative |
| additive coordination | nemcsak | hanem ... is | parallel structures |
| proportional change | minél + comparative | annál + comparative | usually indicative |
The demonstrative-like main-clause member is often optional when the relation is clear. It becomes important under emphasis, restriction, or carefully balanced prose.
Amikor and its correlate akkor
Amikor introduces the time at which an event occurs. Main-clause akkor points to that same time.
Amikor kiléptünk az állomásról, eleredt az eső.
When we stepped out of the station, it started to rain.
Akkor kezdjük a próbát, amikor minden zenész megérkezett.
We'll begin rehearsal when every musician has arrived.
The amikor clause can precede or follow. First position sets a temporal frame; final position often identifies or restricts the relevant time. Akkor can be omitted in a neutral narrative, but focused csak akkor... amikor means “only when” and needs the correlate.
Both clauses have ordinary Hungarian finite structure. Future reference need not force a future auxiliary inside amikor: present or past-looking aspectual forms are selected according to viewpoint and completion.
Miután and azután
Miután marks its event as earlier than the event in the other clause. Azután in the main clause means “after that/then” and can point back to it.
Miután elolvastam a szerződést, felhívtam az ügyvédet.
After I read the contract, I called the lawyer.
Azután mentünk ebédelni, miután minden dobozt felcímkéztünk.
We went to lunch after we had labeled every box.
Hungarian does not require a dedicated pluperfect to mark the earlier event. Miután and aspectual completion establish the sequence. Azután, hogy... is another frequent expanded frame: Azután, hogy beszéltünk... “After we spoke...”
Mint for comparison
After a comparative adjective or adverb, mint introduces the standard of comparison. A comma normally marks the comparison boundary.
Ez a kerülő hosszabb, mint a folyóparti út.
This detour is longer than the riverside route.
A javítás gyorsabban elkészült, mint vártuk.
The repair was completed faster than we expected.
The material after mint may be a noun phrase or an elliptical/full clause. Hungarian can also express a nominal comparison with -nál/-nél: hosszabb a folyóparti útnál. The choice and punctuation are developed on the comparison page.
When mint means “as, in the capacity of,” it is not a comparative “than”: Mint szerkesztő, sok kéziratot olvasok “As an editor, I read many manuscripts.” Meaning and syntactic integration determine punctuation and interpretation.
Mintha for unreal resemblance
One-word mintha means “as if/as though” when the comparison is presented as non-real or only apparent. Its clause normally uses conditional mood.
Úgy néz ki az ég, mintha hamarosan havazna.
The sky looks as if it were going to snow soon.
Úgy beszélt velem, mintha semmi sem történt volna.
She spoke to me as if nothing had happened.
Present conditional havazna marks an unreal comparison. Past conditional történt volna consists of past történt plus invariant volna. Do not write this conjunction as two words when it has the unitary “as if” meaning. Separate mint ha is possible only when mint compares an independently conditional ha clause, a structurally different and much rarer configuration.
Bár and mégis
Bár introduces a circumstance that would normally favor the opposite result. Main-clause mégis explicitly says that the result holds nevertheless.
Bár erősen fújt a szél, mégis megtartották a szabadtéri rendezvényt.
Although the wind was strong, they held the outdoor event anyway.
Bár nem értünk mindenben egyet, jól tudunk együtt dolgozni.
Although we don't agree on everything, we work well together.
Factual concession normally uses indicative mood. Mégis is optional when the concessive relation is already clear, but it strengthens the counter-expectation. In formal writing, noha or jóllehet may replace bár (formal); they do not require a different core architecture.
Do not confuse concessive bár with optative Bár/Bárcsak több időm lenne! “If only I had more time!” That independent wish uses conditional mood and different intonation.
Nemcsak ... hanem ... is
This paired construction coordinates two parallel additions: “not only X, but Y as well.” Standard spelling is one-word nemcsak in the paired conjunction.
A műhely nemcsak kerékpárokat javít, hanem alkatrészeket is árul.
The workshop not only repairs bicycles but also sells parts.
Nemcsak elolvasta a kéziratot, hanem részletesen ki is javította.
She not only read the manuscript but also corrected it in detail.
The compared structures should be parallel: objects with objects, predicates with predicates, or clauses with clauses. Additive is follows the second coordinated constituent or verb modifier: alkatrészeket is, ki is javította. In the standard paired construction, a comma precedes hanem whether it links clauses or parallel phrase-level constituents.
Minél ... annál
This pair links two proportional changes: “the more/less X, the more/less Y.” Both halves normally contain a comparative expression.
Minél többet gyakorolsz, annál természetesebben ejted ki a szavakat.
The more you practise, the more naturally you pronounce words.
Minél hidegebb lett, annál gyorsabban fogyott a tűzifa.
The colder it became, the faster the firewood ran out.
Segment minél több-et gyakorol-sz ... annál természetes-ebb-en ejt-ed ki: correlative marker + comparative quantity-ACC, then main correlate + comparative adjective + adverbial suffix. Irregular comparatives such as több “more” and jobb “better” behave like ordinary comparative expressions in this construction.
The minél clause usually comes first because it sets the scale on which the annál result varies. Reversal is possible in marked prose, but the canonical order is the safest productive model.
Clause order, mood, and punctuation
Temporal and concessive clauses may precede or follow their main clause. A comma marks the finite-clause boundary: Bár esett, elindultunk; Elindultunk, bár esett. Paired coordinators also take punctuation according to the structures they join.
Mood follows meaning. Actual times and factual concessions use indicative. Unreal mintha uses conditional. Minél... annál generally describes a real or generalized correlation with indicative, but a hypothetical correlation can use conditional forms in both parts: Minél tovább maradnánk, annál többet fizetnénk “The longer we stayed, the more we would pay.”
Segmentation exercise
Identify both members, clause order, mood, and any comparative morphology.
- Akkor indulunk, amikor megérkezik a busz. — main correlate akkor
- temporal amikor; indicative.
- Miután bezárt a bolt, hazamentünk. — subordinate mi-után clause first; comma before the main event.
- Úgy tett, mintha nem hallotta volna a kérdést. — manner correlate úgy
- one-word mintha; past conditional hallotta volna.
- Nemcsak gyors, hanem pontos is. — parallel predicate adjectives; is follows the second member.
- Minél később indulunk, annál később érkezünk. — minél... annál with comparative adverb később in both clauses.
Common Mistakes
❌ Amikor végeztem a munkával hazamentem.
Incorrect punctuation—a comma separates the opening temporal clause.
✅ Amikor végeztem a munkával, hazamentem.
When I finished work, I went home.
❌ Úgy néz rám, mint ha ismerne.
Incorrect spelling for the unitary unreal comparison—as if is mintha.
✅ Úgy néz rám, mintha ismerne.
She looks at me as if she knew me.
❌ Nem csak teát főzött, hanem kávét is.
Incorrect spelling in the paired construction—write nemcsak as one word.
✅ Nemcsak teát főzött, hanem kávét is.
She made not only tea but coffee as well.
❌ Minél többet olvasok, akkor annál gyorsabb tanulok.
Incorrect pairing and form—do not insert akkor, and use an adverb with tanulok.
✅ Minél többet olvasok, annál gyorsabban tanulok.
The more I read, the faster I learn.
Key Takeaways
- Pair optional akkor with amikor and azután with miután to anchor temporal relations.
- Use comparative mint for a standard and one-word mintha plus conditional mood for unreal resemblance.
- Combine factual concessive bár with optional counter-expectation marker mégis.
- Keep nemcsak... hanem... is parallel and attach is to the second added constituent.
- Build proportional comparisons as minél + comparative, annál + comparative.
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