keres: Complete Conjugation and Usage | Hungarian Grammar

Keres means “look for, seek” and, in a separate frame, “earn.” Unlike English look for, the person or thing sought is normally a direct accusative object in Hungarian: keresek egy kulcsot, but keresem a kulcsomat. The stem-final s also produces important ss spellings when it meets j.

Principal parts and the sibilant stem

Function	Form	Note
dictionary / present 3sg	keres	stem ends in s
past 3sg	keresett	linking vowel before -tt
conditional 3sg	keresne	front-vowel ending
imperative–subjunctive 2sg	keress	s + j → ss
infinitive	keresni	stem + -ni
present participle	kereső	long ő

The assimilation is heard and written. It appears throughout the imperative–subjunctive and in present definite keressük, where historical s + j also yields ss. It does not spread to endings without j: keresitek, not keressitek.

Indefinite conjugation

Person	Present	Past	Conditional	Imperative–subjunctive
én	keresek	kerestem	keresnék	keressek
te	keresel	kerestél	keresnél	keress / keressél
ő	keres	keresett	keresne	keressen
mi	keresünk	kerestünk	keresnénk	keressünk
ti	kerestek	kerestetek	keresnétek	keressetek
ők	keresnek	kerestek	keresnének	keressenek

Megbízható vízvezeték-szerelőt keresünk a felújításhoz.

We’re looking for a reliable plumber for the renovation.

The indefinite object megbízható vízvezeték-szerelőt selects keresünk. Present kerestek means “you all look for,” while past kerestek means “they looked for”; person and time come from context.

Definite conjugation

Person	Present	Past	Conditional	Imperative–subjunctive
én	keresem	kerestem	keresném	keressem
te	keresed	kerested	keresnéd	keresd / keressed
ő	keresi	kereste	keresné	keresse
mi	keressük	kerestük	keresnénk	keressük
ti	keresitek	kerestétek	keresnétek	keressétek
ők	keresik	keresték	keresnék	keressék

A szemüvegemet keresem; az előbb még az asztalon volt.

I’m looking for my glasses; they were on the table a moment ago.

Már fél órája keressük a parkolóautomatát.

We’ve been looking for the parking meter for half an hour.

The possessed object and the object with a are definite. First-person past kerestem is syncretic: kerestem egy címet is indefinite, while kerestem a címet is definite. The object, not the final letters of the verb, reveals the paradigm.

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Hungarian does not translate the for in English “look for.” Use an accusative object: keresek valakit, keresem Évát. Then choose the conjugation from that object’s definiteness.

Seeking people, things, work, and solutions

The sought entity takes accusative -t. A recipient or purpose may appear in another case without changing which noun is the object.

A recepciós téged keres, mert alá kell írnod egy űrlapot.

The receptionist is looking for you because you need to sign a form.

Second-person object téged takes the indefinite paradigm: keres, not keresi. Hungarian definite conjugation is used primarily for third-person definite objects; first- and second-person objects pattern differently.

A hétvégi kiránduláshoz keresek kényelmes bakancsot.

I’m looking for comfortable hiking boots for the weekend trip.

A kutatócsoport új megoldást keres a tárolási problémára.

The research team is seeking a new solution to the storage problem.

In megoldást keres a problémára, the solution is the object and the problem takes sublative -ra. English can attach to differently, so store the Hungarian frame rather than translating each preposition.

Employment uses állást/munkát keres “look for a job/work.” The person for whom something is sought can be dative:

A testvéremnek keresünk albérletet az egyetem közelében.

We’re looking for a rental apartment for my sibling near the university.

Here a testvéremnek is the beneficiary; indefinite albérletet controls keresünk.

Hungarian can omit a recoverable object because the verb ending and the conversation keep its role accessible. At a reception desk, Kit keres? means “Who are you looking for?”; after the visitor answers, the receptionist can say Mindjárt megkeresem “I’ll find/contact him or her in a moment.” The definite ending -em signals an understood definite third-person object.

Jó napot kívánok! Kit keres az épületben?

Good afternoon! Who are you looking for in the building?

A pénzügyi igazgatót keresem; tizenegyre van időpontom hozzá.

I’m looking for the finance director; I have an appointment with her at eleven.

Putting an object immediately before the verb can focus or contrast it: A számlát keresem, nem a megrendelőt “I’m looking for the invoice, not the order.” The verb remains definite because a számlát is definite. Word order changes information structure, not object status.

The question Mit keresel itt? literally contains “what,” but idiomatically means “What are you doing here?” It can express surprise and may sound confrontational without friendly intonation (informal).

Mit keresel még az irodában ilyen későn?

What are you still doing at the office this late?

Two related verbs help describe different search activities. Keresgél presents an unhurried, repeated, or tentative search, often among alternatives. Kutat presents systematic investigation or exploration and is common in scientific contexts (academic). Neither is merely a tense of keres.

Csak keresgélek a régi könyvek között, nincs konkrét cím a fejemben.

I’m just browsing among the old books; I don’t have a specific title in mind.

A labor új módszereket kutat a szennyvíz tisztítására.

The laboratory researches new methods for wastewater treatment.

English search covers all three verbs. Choose keres for an ordinary sought object, keresgél for tentative browsing, and kutat for systematic inquiry.

Earning money

With income as the object, keres means “earn.” The amount can be an accusative numeral expression, or jól/rosszul keres can evaluate income without naming an object.

Az új állásában valamivel többet keres, de hosszabb az útja.

He earns somewhat more in his new job, but his commute is longer.

A gyakornokok óránként háromezer forintot keresnek.

The interns earn three thousand forints per hour.

A nagybátyám jól keres, mégis nagyon takarékosan él.

My uncle earns well, yet he lives very frugally.

This sense is not “search for money.” Context and the income expression select the earning interpretation. Mennyit keresel? ordinarily asks “How much do you earn?”, whereas Mit keresel? asks “What are you looking for?”

Keres versus talál

Keres profiles an attempt or activity; it does not entail success. Talál/megtalál presents a result. English look for versus find makes a similar distinction, but Hungarian prefixes add further choices.

Egész reggel kerestem a garancialevelet, de nem találtam meg.

I looked for the warranty certificate all morning but didn’t find it.

The first verb is definite because a garancialevelet is definite. In the second clause the understood object remains definite, so találtam is the syncretic first-person past definite form.

Megkeres, felkeres, kikeres, and rákeres

Megkeres valakit often means contact or approach someone, especially in professional communication. Felkeres valakit/egy helyet means visit or seek out. Kikeres valamit means locate and select it from a larger collection. Rákeres valamire means run a search for it, especially digitally; its target takes -ra/-re, so the verb is indefinite.

A szerkesztő tegnap e-mailben megkeresett egy interjú miatt.

The editor contacted me by email yesterday about an interview.

The first-person object is encoded in megkeresett by context; no overt engem is required.

A panaszával személyesen keresse fel az ügyfélszolgálatot.

Please visit customer service in person with your complaint.

This is a (formal) instruction using third-person polite keresse. It is not the imperative of bare keres plus a loose adverb: felkeres is the lexical verb “visit/seek out.”

Kikerestem a szerződést a tavalyi iratok közül.

I located the contract among last year’s documents.

Rákerestél már a hibakódra a gyártó honlapján?

Have you searched for the error code on the manufacturer’s website yet?

Negation and focus separate a prefix from the finite verb:

A tanácsadó végül nem keresett meg minket.

In the end, the consultant did not contact us.

Pontosan melyik ügyfél kereste fel tegnap az irodát?

Exactly which client visited the office yesterday?

In the second sentence, the question phrase is the subject and fel follows kereste. Prefix order follows the general information-structure pattern.

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Learn each prefixed item with its case frame: megkeres valakit, felkeres egy helyet, kikeres valamit valamiből, but rákeres valamire.

Infinitive and participles

Personal infinitive forms are keresnem, keresned, keresnie, keresnünk, keresnetek, keresniük.

Másik beszállítót kell keresnünk, ha tovább emelkednek az árak.

We need to look for another supplier if prices continue to rise.

Form	Typical use	Register
keresni	munkát keresni “look for work”	unmarked
kereső	lakást kereső pár “couple looking for an apartment”	unmarked
keresett	keresett szakember “sought-after specialist”	often lexicalized
keresve	megoldást keresve “while looking for a solution”	unmarked
keresendő	a hiba oka a hálózatban keresendő “the cause is to be sought in the network”	(formal), mainly predicative

Common Mistakes

❌ Keresek a telefonomért, de sehol sincs.

Incorrect — the thing sought is accusative, not marked with -ért.

✅ A telefonomat keresem, de sehol sem találom.

I’m looking for my phone, but I can’t find it anywhere.

❌ Keresem egy csendes szobát két éjszakára.

Incorrect — an indefinite object requires indefinite conjugation.

✅ Keresek egy csendes szobát két éjszakára.

I’m looking for a quiet room for two nights.

❌ Keressük valami olcsóbb megoldást.

Incorrect — valami makes the object indefinite, so keressünk is required here.

✅ Keressünk valami olcsóbb megoldást a szállításra.

Let’s look for a cheaper solution for shipping.

❌ A könyvelő nem megkeresett a hiányzó számla miatt.

Incorrect — neutral negation separates the prefix.

✅ A könyvelő nem keresett meg a hiányzó számla miatt.

The accountant did not contact me about the missing invoice.

Key Takeaways

The principal forms are keres – keresett – keresne – keress – keresni – kereső.
Keres valakit/valamit takes an accusative object; English for is not translated.
Object definiteness selects keresek versus keresem, and téged takes the indefinite paradigm.
Stem-final s produces ss before j: keress, keressen, keressük.
The income frame means “earn”: jól keres, háromezer forintot keres.
Recoverable objects may be omitted, while keresgél and kutat profile different kinds of search.
Prefixed verbs have distinct valency, and their prefixes separate under negation or focus.

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