Áll most often means “stand,” but a reliable entry must include much more than that English gloss. It can locate a person or upright object, describe a state, take a complement in fixed constructions, and even take a direct object in idioms such as állja a költségeket “cover the costs.” Its prefixes create frequent verbs including megáll “stop” and feláll “stand up.”
Principal parts and spelling
The two l letters in áll represent a long consonant. Keep both throughout the paradigm: állok, álltam, állnék, álljunk. Writing ál changes the word and is not an acceptable shorthand.
| Function | Form | Note |
|---|---|---|
| dictionary / present 3sg | áll | long ll |
| past 3sg | állt | stem + -t |
| conditional 3sg | állna | back-vowel ending |
| imperative–subjunctive 2sg | állj | stem + -j |
| infinitive | állni | stem + -ni |
| present participle | álló | “standing; stationary” |
Indefinite conjugation
The central posture and location meanings are intransitive, so these are the forms learners use most often.
| Person | Present | Past | Conditional | Imperative–subjunctive |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| én | állok | álltam | állnék | álljak |
| te | állsz | álltál | állnál | állj / álljál |
| ő | áll | állt | állna | álljon |
| mi | állunk | álltunk | állnánk | álljunk |
| ti | álltok | álltatok | állnátok | álljatok |
| ők | állnak | álltak | állnának | álljanak |
A futár már tíz perce áll a kapuban.
The courier has been standing at the gate for ten minutes.
Hungarian uses present áll with tíz perce for a situation continuing now; English usually requires a perfect progressive. There is no separate Hungarian progressive paradigm.
Definite conjugation in transitive idioms
Plain posture áll has no object, but several established extensions are transitive: állja a költségeket “cover the costs,” állja a sarat “stand one’s ground,” állja a próbát “stand the test,” and állja a szavát “keep one’s word.” These license the definite paradigm when the object is definite.
| Person | Present | Past | Conditional | Imperative–subjunctive |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| én | állom | álltam | állnám | álljam |
| te | állod | álltad | állnád | álld / álljad |
| ő | állja | állta | állná | állja |
| mi | álljuk | álltuk | állnánk | álljuk |
| ti | álljátok | álltátok | állnátok | álljátok |
| ők | állják | állták | állnák | állják |
Ha te megszervezed a vacsorát, én állom az italokat.
If you organize the dinner, I’ll pay for the drinks.
A régi szerszámok meglepően jól állták a próbát.
The old tools stood the test surprisingly well.
The identical first-person past álltam can be indefinite or definite: the object phrase reveals the paradigm. Do not infer transitivity from the English gloss alone.
Posture and location
With people, áll describes an upright posture or a stationary position. The location takes the case or postposition required by the spatial relation: a kapuban “in the gateway,” az ablaknál “at the window,” a ház előtt “in front of the house.” Upright objects can also áll on a supporting surface.
A befőttesüvegek a kamra felső polcán állnak.
The preserving jars are standing on the top shelf of the pantry.
Ne állj egész este az ajtóban; gyere beljebb!
Don’t stand in the doorway all evening; come farther in!
English often uses neutral be where Hungarian chooses a posture verb. A váza az asztalon áll presents the vase as upright; A váza az asztalon van merely locates it. The distinction is meaningful, but Hungarian does not require áll for every tall object.
Posture can become the background manner of another action through állva:
A zsúfolt villamoson végig állva olvastam a híreket.
I read the news standing up throughout the crowded tram ride.
This adverbial participle means “while standing.” Its form and its subject are interpreted through the surrounding clause; see the adverbial participle guide.
States and idiomatic complements
Several common patterns translate English be, look, consist, or depend. Learn the required complement with the verb.
| Hungarian frame | Meaning |
|---|---|
| jól / rosszul áll valakinek | suit / not suit someone |
| valamiből áll | consist of something |
| rendelkezésre áll | be available (formal) |
| valaki mögött áll | support or be behind someone |
| valamin áll vagy bukik | depend decisively on something |
Ez a sötétzöld kabát nagyon jól áll neked.
This dark green coat really suits you.
A reggeli két fogásból és friss gyümölcsből áll.
Breakfast consists of two courses and fresh fruit.
Ügyfélszolgálatunk munkanapokon nyolctól négyig áll rendelkezésre.
Our customer service is available from eight to four on weekdays.
In jól áll neked, the experiencer is dative; it is not an accusative object. In valamiből áll, the parts take elative -ból/-ből. English prepositions do not predict these cases.
Áll versus van, ül, and fekszik
English often uses be for all spatial configurations, whereas Hungarian can choose a posture verb when orientation matters. Áll presents a person as upright or an object as upright, fixed, ready, or inactive. Ül presents a seated posture, and fekszik presents a horizontal position. Neutral van only asserts location.
A kerékpár a hátsó udvarban van, a fal mellett áll.
The bicycle is in the back courtyard, standing beside the wall.
The first clause supplies broad location; the second describes its position. These choices are not compulsory classifiers. A speaker can use van when orientation is irrelevant, but should not use áll merely because English happens to say stand metaphorically.
Several activity expressions use bare áll with a noun that does not function as its direct object. Sorban áll means queue, őrt áll means stand guard, and készen áll valamire means be ready for something.
Szombat reggel már nyitás előtt hosszú sorban álltak a vásárlók.
On Saturday morning, customers were already standing in a long line before opening.
A biztonsági őr egész éjjel őrt állt a lezárt bejáratnál.
The security guard stood guard at the sealed entrance all night.
A műszaki csapat készen áll az új rendszer bevezetésére.
The technical team is ready to introduce the new system.
In the last example, the purpose takes sublative -ra/-re. Another productive relational pattern is kapcsolatban áll valakivel/valamivel “be connected with” (formal), with instrumental -val/-vel.
A két meghibásodás valószínűleg kapcsolatban áll egymással.
The two failures are probably connected with each other.
Do not treat áll here as a copula that can replace van everywhere. A leves meleg van and a leves meleg áll are both wrong for “the soup is hot”; Hungarian uses the zero copula in third-person present: A leves meleg.
Prefixes and information structure
Feláll presents rising to one’s feet, megáll reaching a stop, beáll entering a position or joining, and kiáll stepping out or standing up for something. These are lexical choices, not freely interchangeable decorations.
Amikor belépett az igazgató, mindenki felállt.
When the principal entered, everyone stood up.
A sofőr a gyógyszertár előtt állt meg egy percre.
The driver stopped in front of the pharmacy for a minute.
A főnővér mindig kiáll a fiatalabb kollégák mellett.
The head nurse always stands up for the younger colleagues.
In a neutral positive statement the prefix normally precedes the verb. Negation, a question word, or a contrastive focus occupies the preverbal slot and pushes the prefix behind the finite verb.
A busz nem állt meg a következő megállóban.
The bus didn’t stop at the next stop.
Pontosan hol állt meg a lift?
Exactly where did the elevator stop?
The spelling follows the syntax: megállt together, but nem állt meg separately. The general system appears in the prefix-order guide.
Infinitive and participles
The personal infinitive forms are állnom, állnod, állnia, állnunk, állnotok, állniuk.
A fényképhez mozdulatlanul kellett állnunk két percig.
We had to stand still for two minutes for the photograph.
| Form | Typical use | Register |
|---|---|---|
| állni | nem akar sorban állni “doesn’t want to queue” | unmarked |
| álló | az ablaknál álló férfi “the man standing at the window” | unmarked |
| állt | régóta üresen állt ház “house that stood empty for a long time” | clausal participial use |
| állva | állva marad “remain standing” | unmarked |
| állandó | mostly lexical “constant”; literal future-participial readings are rare | (formal) in productive use |
Common Mistakes
❌ A vendégek a bejárat előtt álnak.
Incorrect — the long consonant in áll must be written with two l letters.
✅ A vendégek a színház oldalsó bejárata előtt állnak.
The guests are standing in front of the theater’s side entrance.
❌ Ez a szemüveg jól áll téged.
Incorrect — the person whom something suits takes dative -nak/-nek.
✅ Ez a vékony keret jól áll neked.
This thin frame suits you.
❌ A taxi nem megállt a címnél.
Incorrect — neutral negation separates the prefix from the verb.
✅ A taxi nem állt meg a megadott címnél.
The taxi didn’t stop at the address provided.
❌ Én állok a teljes javítási költséget.
Incorrect — the definite object requires the definite form állom.
✅ Én állom a teljes javítási költséget.
I’ll cover the full repair cost.
Key Takeaways
- The principal forms are áll – állt – állna – állj – állni – álló; the long ll remains visible.
- Posture and location áll is intransitive, but established idioms such as állja a próbát license definite conjugation.
- Learn complement frames: jól áll valakinek, valamiből áll, rendelkezésre áll.
- Posture verbs add orientation; neutral van supplies location without presenting something as upright.
- Feláll, megáll, beáll, and kiáll have distinct meanings and case frames.
- Negation and focus separate a prefix: megállt, but nem állt meg and hol állt meg?
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