Hungarian ez a/az and az a/az identify a noun by pointing within the physical situation or the conversation. Ez is proximal—roughly “this”—and az is distal—roughly “that.” Yet actual choice is not measured in meters: speakers also use the contrast to manage attention, distinguish alternatives, and refer to ideas that feel current or more remote in the discourse.
The construction is always definite. Its case appears on both demonstrative and noun, and a direct object triggers definite verb conjugation. Review those shapes on the demonstrative forms page; here the focus is what speakers do with them.
Pointing in the immediate situation
Use ez a/az for something presented as near the speaker or as the current object of attention. Use az a/az for something treated as farther away or separated from the speaker's immediate sphere.
Ez a szék szabad?
Is this seat free?
Az a piros ház a nagyszüleimé.
That red house belongs to my grandparents.
The contrast is relational. A salesperson can say ez a kabát while holding a coat, then az a kabát while indicating one on a distant rack. Two objects at similar physical distances can still be contrasted as the one currently handled versus the other one.
Ezt a bögrét kérem, nem azt a kéket.
I'll take this mug, not that blue one.
The omitted noun after azt a kéket is recoverable from context: kéket means “blue one.” The demonstrative makes the choice contrastive and definite.
Directing the listener's attention
Demonstratives are common when showing, selecting, warning, or giving instructions. Gesture and gaze often supply the reference in speech.
Tedd ezt a dobozt az asztalra, azt a nagyot pedig a földre!
Put this box on the table, and that big one on the floor!
Vigyázz, azon a lépcsőn meglazult egy deszka!
Be careful, a board has come loose on those stairs!
In the second sentence, azon a lépcsőn double-marks the superessive relation. English uses one preposition-like element on; Hungarian marks azon and lépcsőn.
Demonstratives can also repair identification when the definite article alone would be too weak.
Nem a bejárat melletti ajtón, hanem azon a keskeny ajtón menj be!
Don't go in through the door by the entrance; use that narrow door!
Here azon a keskeny ajtón singles out the intended door from a competing definite referent.
Referring to the conversation itself
Proximal ez often points to the topic now being introduced, the statement just made, or the issue currently under discussion. Distal az often retrieves something already established, remembered, or mentally set apart.
Ezt a kérdést a következő értekezleten megbeszéljük.
We'll discuss this issue at the next meeting.
Az a történet jutott eszembe, amelyet tavaly meséltél.
I thought of that story you told last year.
Ez az ötlet elsőre furcsának tűnik, de működhet.
This idea seems strange at first, but it could work.
The idea need not be physically near. Ez az ötlet presents it as the speaker's current discourse object. Az a történet reaches back to shared memory. This is the brief's crucial distal discourse use: az can signal conversational distance, not only spatial distance.
Hungarian has frequent frames such as az a baj, hogy… “the problem is that…” and az az igazság, hogy… “the truth is that…”. The first az is distal demonstrative; the second a/az is the article.
Az a baj, hogy ma már nincs több vonat.
The problem is that there are no more trains today.
Az az igazság, hogy elfelejtettem válaszolni.
The truth is that I forgot to reply.
These are (register-neutral) and common in conversation. Their distance meaning is conventionalized: the speaker is presenting a proposition as “that problem/truth,” not pointing across a room.
Keeping alternatives distinct
In a set of visible or previously named options, demonstratives establish a contrast. Proximal and distal may correspond to “the one here” and “the one there,” but descriptive modifiers can do most of the identifying work.
Ez a kisebb csomag olcsóbb, de abban a nagyobb csomagban több kávé van.
This smaller package is cheaper, but that larger package contains more coffee.
Ezek a fényképek frissek, azok a fekete-fehérek pedig a hetvenes években készültek.
These photographs are recent, while those black-and-white ones were taken in the 1970s.
The noun may be omitted from the second phrase when an adjective carries the relevant endings: azok a fekete-fehérek “those black-and-white ones.” This is natural when the omitted category is obvious.
Plural reference
Use ezek a/az for “these” and azok a/az for “those.” Hungarian marks plurality on both the demonstrative and the noun.
Ezek az almák édesebbek, mint azok a zöldek.
These apples are sweeter than those green ones.
Azokkal az ügyfelekkel holnap találkozom.
I'm meeting those clients tomorrow.
If the plural phrase has a case, both edges still carry it: azok-kal … ügyfél-ek-kel. Do not treat azok as an English-style invariable word placed before an independently inflected noun.
Case marking expresses the phrase's role
The demonstrative can locate a referent while case expresses movement, position, source, recipient, instrument, or another relation. Both demonstrative and noun receive the case; adjectives do not.
Ebben az üzletben hétvégén is lehet kenyeret kapni.
You can buy bread in this shop on weekends too.
Ahhoz a pulthoz menj, amelyik fölött kék tábla van!
Go to that counter with the blue sign above it!
Erről a megállóról indul a reptéri busz.
The airport bus leaves from this stop.
Notice the independent harmony choices: ebben az üzletben has front suffixes throughout, while abban a házban combines distal abban with the back-vowel noun form házban. Demonstrative e- or a- does not force the noun's suffix vowel.
Word order and information focus
Inside the phrase, neutral order is demonstrative + article + modifiers + noun: ezt a nagyon fontos levelet. Hungarian's flexible clause order can move the entire phrase, but its internal order remains together.
Ezt a fontos levelet ma kell elküldenünk.
We need to send this important letter today.
Ma EZT a levelet kell elküldenünk, nem azt.
Today we need to send THIS letter, not that one.
Stress makes the second object contrastive; it does not remove the article or change double case marking. The demonstrative phrase remains definite in any clause position.
The effect on verb conjugation
A demonstrative direct object is identifiable by definition. Hungarian therefore uses definite conjugation: ezt a levelet írom, azt a filmet nézed, ezeket a jegyeket vesszük meg.
Megveszem ezt a kabátot, ha van belőle a méretemben.
I'll buy this coat if they have it in my size.
Ismered azt az embert az ajtó mellett?
Do you know that person by the door?
English buy and know do not change because of this/that. Hungarian megveszem and ismered show the definite paradigm. The article inside the demonstrative phrase is not optional decoration; it participates in a noun phrase whose definiteness affects the clause.
Lexical neighbors are not built the same way
Do not extend the ez a/az a frame to every pointing word. Attributive ilyen “this kind of/such” and olyan “that kind of/such” normally occur directly before a noun: ilyen könyv, olyan ember. In Ilyen a könyv, by contrast, ilyen is predicative: “The book is like this.”
Ilyen cipőt keresek, csak feketében.
I'm looking for shoes like these, only in black.
The compounds ugyanez “this very same” and ugyanaz “that/the very same” do use an article before an overt noun: ugyanez a probléma, ugyanaz az ember. Learn each determiner's construction rather than assuming that English this/that/such/same share one Hungarian frame.
A short everyday dialogue
This exchange is (informal):
– Melyik almát kéred? – Ezt a nagy pirosat.
– Which apple would you like? – This big red one.
– És azzal a két zölddel mi legyen? – Azokat tedd vissza a kosárba!
– And what should we do with those two green ones? – Put those back in the basket!
The noun alma is omitted where the color adjectives identify the fruit. Case and number remain visible: pirosat accusative singular, zölddel instrumental singular after a numeral, and azokat accusative plural.
Formal and informal alternatives
Ordinary ez a/az and az a/az are (register-neutral). Informal instructions use them freely:
Ezt a papírt itt írd alá!
Sign this paper here! (informal)
Formal administrative and academic prose may instead use short attributive e or elevated azon. These are (formal) and (academic); e can also feel (literary).
E dokumentum aláírásával a kérelmező elfogadja a feltételeket.
By signing this document, the applicant accepts the conditions. (formal)
The ordinary alternative Ennek a dokumentumnak az aláírásával… is also fully correct but heavier. Learners should use neutral double-marked forms confidently and recognize e in official prose.
Common Mistakes
❌ Szeretem ez könyvet.
Incorrect — the attributive demonstrative requires an article, and the accusative must appear on both demonstrative and noun.
✅ Szeretem ezt a könyvet.
I like this book.
❌ Abban a kert ülünk.
Incorrect — the inessive case is marked on the demonstrative but missing from the noun.
✅ Abban a kertben ülünk.
We're sitting in that garden.
❌ Ehhez a feladathoz segítséget kérek, mert nem értek ez a részt.
Incorrect — the second demonstrative object lacks accusative marking and requires definite verb conjugation.
✅ Ehhez a feladathoz segítséget kérek, mert nem értem ezt a részt.
I'm asking for help with this task because I don't understand this part.
❌ Megveszek azt a kabátot.
Incorrect in neutral standard Hungarian — the demonstrative object is definite.
✅ Megveszem azt a kabátot.
I'll buy that coat.
Key Takeaways
- Ez usually presents a referent as physically or mentally near; az presents it as farther away, recalled, or contrasted.
- Distal reference can be spatial or discourse-based: az a történet may refer to a shared memory.
- Plural is marked on both sides: ezek a könyvek, azok a könyvek.
- Case is likewise doubled: ebben a házban, ahhoz az emberhez.
- The internal order is demonstrative + article + modifier + noun, even when the whole phrase moves for focus.
- Demonstrative objects are definite and require the definite verbal paradigm.
- Formal e dokumentum is a register-marked alternative, not the everyday core pattern.
Now practice Hungarian
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Start learning Hungarian →Related Topics
- Demonstrative Determiners ez and az: Forms and Core PatternA1 — Build Hungarian this/that phrases with ez a and az a, including plurals, double case marking, consonant assimilation, and definite verb agreement.
- Demonstrative Determiners ez and az: Contrasts and Learner TrapsA2 — Distinguish proximal ez and distal az, control article and double-case agreement, and choose the definite verb paradigm.
- Choosing a or az by Sound: Meanings and UsageA1 — Use a and az naturally in definite noun phrases and connect article choice to discourse familiarity, generic reference, possession, and definite verb conjugation.
- Demonstrative and Correlative Pronouns: Meanings and UsageA2 — Use Hungarian demonstratives for distance, discourse reference, quality, size, and quantity across complete case-marked phrases.
- Definiteness across Discourse: Meanings and UsageB1 — Track Hungarian referents from first mention to later reference, bridging, generic readings, possession, and verbal definiteness.
- Choosing Conjugation by Object Definiteness: Meanings and UsageA2 — Use Hungarian object-sensitive conjugation to introduce, identify, recover, and contrast participants naturally.