Mond means “say” or “tell,” but Hungarian assigns the participants differently from English. What is said is the accusative content object; the person addressed normally takes dative -nak/-nek. A reported hogy clause also behaves as definite content and normally selects the definite conjugation.
This page presents the entire productive paradigm together with those valency patterns and the major prefixed meanings. Unlabeled forms are neutral standard Hungarian. For clause-level reporting beyond this verb, see reporting and evidential framing.
Principal parts
| Infinitive | Present 3sg | Past 3sg | Imperative 2sg | Conditional 3sg | Present participle |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| mondani | mond | mondott | mondj; mondd | mondana | mondó |
The stem remains mond-, but third-person past adds a linking vowel (mondott), and definite second-person imperative mondd has written double dd. Bare mond is the third-person singular present form; the second-person singular commands are indefinite mondj and definite mondd.
Mondj valami biztatót, mert mindenki nagyon feszült!
Say something encouraging; everyone is very tense! (informal)
Present: content determines object agreement
| Person | Indefinite | Definite |
|---|---|---|
| én | mondok | mondom |
| te | mondasz | mondod |
| ő / ön | mond | mondja |
| mi | mondunk | mondjuk |
| ti | mondotok | mondjátok |
| ők / önök | mondanak | mondják |
A vacsora végén mondok majd egy rövid pohárköszöntőt.
At the end of dinner I'll give a short toast.
Mindig őszintén megmondom a véleményemet, ha megkérdeznek.
I always state my opinion honestly when I'm asked.
Egy rövid pohárköszöntőt is indefinite, so the verb is mondok. A véleményemet is definite through its possessive form, so megmondom is definite.
Past and conditional
| Person | Past indefinite | Past definite | Conditional indefinite | Conditional definite |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| én | mondtam | mondtam | mondanék | mondanám |
| te | mondtál | mondtad | mondanál | mondanád |
| ő / ön | mondott | mondta | mondana | mondaná |
| mi | mondtunk | mondtuk | mondanánk | mondanánk |
| ti | mondtatok | mondtátok | mondanátok | mondanátok |
| ők / önök | mondtak | mondták | mondanának | mondanák |
A portás azt mondta, hogy a hátsó bejárat már zárva van.
The doorman said that the rear entrance was already closed.
Hungarian commonly keeps the tense appropriate to the reported situation rather than mechanically shifting it back as English often does. Here van can remain present if the entrance is still closed at reporting time.
Én nem mondanék véleményt, amíg nem láttam az összes adatot.
I wouldn't offer an opinion until I had seen all the data.
Elmondanám a történetet, de előbb engedélyt kérek az érintettektől.
I would tell the story, but first I'll ask the people involved for permission.
The analytic future uses fog + mondani. Definite content triggers agreement on the auxiliary: el fogom mondani a történetet; indefinite content gives mondani fogok valamit.
Imperative–subjunctive
| Person | Indefinite | Definite |
|---|---|---|
| én | mondjak | mondjam |
| te | mondj / mondjál | mondd / mondjad |
| ő / ön | mondjon | mondja |
| mi | mondjunk | mondjuk |
| ti | mondjatok | mondjátok |
| ők / önök | mondjanak | mondják |
Long mondjál/mondjad is common in conversation and can add insistence; short mondj/mondd is neutral. The identical-looking forms mondja, mondjuk, mondjátok, mondják are distinguished as indicative or subjunctive by clause structure.
Mondd meg Áginak, hogy tíz percet késünk!
Tell Ági that we're running ten minutes late! (informal)
A szerkesztő azt kérte, hogy mondjak egy konkrét példát.
The editor asked me to give a concrete example.
Fontos, hogy az orvos pontosan mondja el a kockázatokat.
It is important that the doctor explain the risks precisely.
Infinitive and participles
The infinitive is mondani; personal forms are mondanom, mondanod, mondania, mondanunk, mondanotok, mondaniuk.
Ezt neked kell elmondanod a csapatnak, mert te vezetted a vizsgálatot.
You have to tell the team this because you led the investigation.
| Form | Function | Example phrase |
|---|---|---|
| mondó | present active participle | beszédet mondó vendég |
| mondott | said; previously mentioned | az előbb mondott összeg |
| mondandó | what is to be said; message | fontos mondandó |
| mondva | adverbial participle | enyhén szólva / másként mondva |
A megnyitóbeszédet mondó kurátor külön köszöntötte az alkotókat.
The curator giving the opening speech gave the artists a special welcome. (formal)
Másként mondva: több időre és kevesebb adminisztrációra van szükség.
Put differently, we need more time and less administration.
Mondandó is neutral as a lexical noun in van mondandóm “I have something to say,” while heavy participial uses can sound (formal).
Content object, addressee, and report
The reusable frame is mond valakinek valamit: the addressee takes dative and the content takes accusative.
A recepciós minden vendégnek ugyanazt mondta.
The receptionist told every guest the same thing.
English makes the person after tell a direct object. Hungarian does not: a vendégnek is dative, while definite ugyanazt selects mondta.
A clause can fill the content role. With azt, its definiteness is overt; without azt, the definite verb still signals a specific reported proposition.
Azt mondják, hogy hétvégére lehűl a levegő.
They say the weather will turn cooler by the weekend.
Juli azt mondta nekem, hogy inkább hétfőn találkozzunk.
Juli told me that we should meet on Monday instead.
To name what someone is called or classified as, Hungarian can use valaminek mond valakit/valamit.
A gyerekek titkos alagútnak mondják a pincébe vezető folyosót.
The children call the corridor leading to the cellar a secret tunnel.
Prefixes and information structure
Elmond tells/recounts, megmond tells/reveals, kimond pronounces or states explicitly, bemond announces, felmond recites or terminates/resigns, and visszamond cancels or repeats back. These are lexical meanings, not freely interchangeable aspect labels.
A szóvivő végül kimondta, hogy az eredeti terv nem finanszírozható.
The spokesperson finally stated explicitly that the original plan could not be funded. (formal)
Nem mondtam el senkinek a meglepetést.
I didn't tell anyone about the surprise.
Kinek mondtad meg először az eredményt?
Who did you tell the result to first?
Neutral affirmative order joins prefix and verb. Negation and focused interrogative kinek place the prefix after the finite verb.
Common Mistakes
❌ Mondtam Pétert a változásról.
Incorrect addressee case: the person told something takes dative.
✅ Mondtam Péternek valamit a változásról.
I told Péter something about the change.
❌ A tanú azt mondott, hogy sötét volt.
Incorrect object conjugation: the reported clause selects definite mondta.
✅ A tanú azt mondta, hogy sötét volt.
The witness said that it was dark.
❌ Mond a címet még egyszer!
Incorrect definite command: use mondd with the identified address.
✅ Mondd a címet még egyszer!
Say the address again!
⚠️ Nem elmondta a teljes történetet.
Possible only under corrective contrast; neutral negation separates el.
✅ Nem mondta el a teljes történetet.
He/She did not tell the whole story.
Key Takeaways
- Learn mond valakinek valamit: dative addressee, accusative or clausal content.
- Definite content selects mondom/mondta/mondd; indefinite content selects mondok/mondott/mondj.
- Hogy reports need not copy English backshift mechanically; tense follows the intended time relation.
- Mondd has double dd, and prefixed meanings such as elmond, megmond, and felmond require separate learning.
- Negation and focus can separate a prefix without changing the lexical frame.
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