Use an ordinal for a position in an ordered set, a number-label form for an identifier, a fraction for a portion, kettesével for groups of two, and fejenként for a rate applied to each person. English often uses a bare digit or the word each across these situations; Hungarian makes the intended relation explicit. Review the paradigms on the ordinal forms page and their broader contexts on the usage page.
Position versus number label
A második busz is the second bus in a sequence. A kettes busz is bus number 2, regardless of when it arrives. The -(V)s label form names a route, size, grade, room, or numeral; ordinal -dik ranks an item within an ordered set.
A második busz már zsúfolt volt.
The second bus was already crowded.
A kettes busz a pályaudvarig megy.
Bus number 2 goes to the railway station.
The same contrast appears with rooms. A második szoba is the second room counted from an understood starting point; a kettes szoba is room 2 as an official label.
A második szobában várnak rád.
They are waiting for you in the second room.
A kettes szoba most üres, az egyes még foglalt.
Room 2 is empty now; room 1 is still occupied.
Második versus másik
The forms look similar but do different work. Második means “second” in an order. Másik means “other” or “the other one” and does not specify rank.
A második javaslat olcsóbb, mint az első.
The second proposal is cheaper than the first.
Ez a javaslat túl drága; nézzük meg a másikat!
This proposal is too expensive; let's look at the other one!
If there are many proposals, a másik merely shifts away from the current one. It need not be number two. English another can also require egy másik, not ordinal második.
Ordinal position versus number of occurrences
An ordinal modifies an event noun: a második alkalom “the second occasion.” An iteration adverb says how many times the event happens: másodszor “for the second time.” Similarly, először means “for the first time/firstly,” while egyszer means “once.”
Ez már a második alkalom, hogy lekésem ezt a vonatot.
This is already the second time I have missed this train.
Másodszor már nem késtem le a vonatot.
The second time, I did not miss the train.
Először tavaly jártam Pécsen.
I first visited Pécs last year.
Tavaly csak egyszer jártam Pécsen.
I visited Pécs only once last year.
The two pairs can describe the same real-world sequence, but their grammar differs: ordinals identify an occasion as a noun; -szor/-szer/-ször forms modify the event directly.
Ordinal -dik versus fractional -d
Negyedik means “fourth”; negyed means “one quarter.” Removing -ik is not casual shortening—it changes the category and meaning.
A negyedik tortát a szomszéd hozta.
The fourth cake was brought by the neighbor.
A torta negyedét a szomszéd vitte haza.
The neighbor took a quarter of the cake home.
Fél is the ordinary unmodified “half,” whereas a specified mathematical numerator uses ketted in forms such as három ketted “three halves.” In everyday quantities, fél liter tej and két és fél liter tej are much more common.
Már csak fél liter tej van a hűtőben.
There is only half a liter of milk left in the fridge.
Clock expressions create a further lexicalized contrast: negyed három is 2:15, not “a quarter of three.” See clock-time contrasts.
Fraction, percentage, or decimal
Choose the representation that matches the discourse. Egy negyed is an exact fraction; huszonöt százalék is the same ratio presented as a percentage; 0,25 is decimal notation. Hungarian uses a comma in decimals and keeps százalék singular after the number.
A kérdőívet a dolgozók egy negyede töltötte ki.
One quarter of the employees completed the questionnaire.
A kérdőívet a dolgozók huszonöt százaléka töltötte ki.
Twenty-five percent of the employees completed the questionnaire.
The possessed heads negyede and százaléka are grammatically singular, so the neutral verb here is singular töltötte, even though many employees may be involved. This is one consequence of Hungarian treating the quantity as a single measured share.
Group size versus individual distribution
Kettesével answers “in groups of how many?” Fejenként answers “per person, at what rate?” Reduplicated két-két distributes two items to each relevant recipient or occasion.
A látogatókat kettesével engedték be.
The visitors were admitted two at a time.
A látogatók fejenként két jegyet kaptak.
The visitors received two tickets each.
Minden család két-két jegyet kapott.
Each family received two tickets.
With fejenként, the people are the distribution units and két jegy is the amount per unit. With kettesével, pairs are the groups moving or being handled. With két-két, the repeated numeral distributes a fixed count over contextually supplied recipients. These meanings can coexist: Kettesével jöttek be, és fejenként két jegyet kaptak “They came in two at a time and received two tickets each.”
Article, focus, and register
In a normal noun phrase, an ordinal usually has a definite article: az ötödik feladat. A heading, list item, military-style instruction, or agenda label can omit it (formal/telegraphic): Ötödik feladat: egészítse ki a mondatokat. That omission belongs to label-like register.
Az ötödik feladatot hagytam utoljára.
I left the fifth exercise until last.
Contrastive focus changes word order and stress, not the ordinal form:
A HARMADIK fejezetet kell elolvasni, nem a negyediket.
It is the THIRD chapter that must be read, not the fourth.
In formal written material, digit ordinals use a period: 3. fejezet, IV. Béla. In speech, these are read as ordinals. A suffix is joined by a hyphen while the ordinal period remains where required outside date-specific spellings: a 3.-ban “in the third one.” Calendar dates have their own convention: május 5-én, without 5.-én. The date contrasts page treats that system in detail.
Decision tree
- Does the number locate one member in an order? Use an ordinal: első, második, harmadik.
- Is it an identifying label such as route 2 or room 3? Use kettes, hármas, and related -(V)s forms.
- Does it express a portion? Use fél or a fractional -d form such as negyed.
- Does it express a ratio out of one hundred? Use number + singular százalék.
- Are entities handled in groups of two? Use kettesével.
- Is an amount calculated for every person? Use fejenként; state the amount separately.
Diagnostic exercise
Choose the natural expression for each situation.
- “Take the third door on the right.” The door is ranked in a sequence: Jobbról a harmadik ajtón menj be!
- “Take bus 3.” Three is a route label: Szállj fel a hármas buszra!
- “The children entered in pairs.” This is group size: A gyerekek kettesével mentek be.
- “The meal costs 3,000 forints per person.” This is an individual rate: Az étkezés fejenként háromezer forintba kerül.
- “A quarter of the budget.” This is a possessed portion: a költségvetés negyede.
The noun after an overt number remains singular in each relevant answer: hármas busz, háromezer forint. Hungarian does not add plural -k merely because the amount exceeds one.
Common Mistakes
❌ A második busszal megyek a pályaudvarra.
Incorrect for the intended route number — this means I am taking the second bus in a sequence.
✅ A kettes busszal megyek a pályaudvarra.
I am taking bus number 2 to the railway station.
❌ Ez a másik alkalom, hogy elfelejted a kulcsot.
Incorrect for second occurrence — másik means other, not second.
✅ Ez a második alkalom, hogy elfelejted a kulcsot.
This is the second time you have forgotten the key.
❌ A látogatók kettesével két jegyet kaptak.
Incorrect for the intended two tickets per visitor — kettesével groups the visitors in pairs.
✅ A látogatók fejenként két belépőt kaptak.
The visitors received two admission tickets each.
❌ A dolgozók 25 százalékai otthonról dolgoznak.
Incorrect — százalék is singular after a number, and a share of a group takes a possessed form.
✅ A dolgozók 25 százaléka otthonról dolgozik.
Twenty-five percent of the employees work from home.
❌ Két és fél napokat maradunk.
Incorrect — a noun after a numerical quantity remains singular.
✅ Két és fél napot maradunk.
We are staying for two and a half days.
Key Takeaways
- Ordinals rank; -(V)s number forms label routes, rooms, grades, and sizes.
- Második means “second,” while másik means “other.”
- Fractional negyed contrasts with ordinal negyedik; fél is the ordinary word for “half.”
- Kettesével, fejenként, and két-két encode different kinds of distribution.
- Hungarian uses a decimal comma, special date spelling, and singular nouns after explicit numerical quantities.
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Start learning Hungarian →Related Topics
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