The Present Indefinite Conjugation: Forms and Core Pattern

The present indefinite conjugation is the basic Hungarian verb pattern used when a verb has no object or has a grammatically indefinite object, an open interrogative such as kit/mit, or a first-person or usually second-person personal-pronoun object. Selective melyik “which one” instead triggers the definite series when it is the object. “Indefinite” names the conjugation; it does not mean that the whole sentence must be vague. Pontosan tudok válaszolni “I can answer precisely” has no indefinite meaning, but its finite verb belongs to this series.

The verb ending identifies the subject, so a neutral clause normally omits the subject pronoun. This page builds the forms. The usage page develops their meanings, and the contrast page separates them from the definite series. Unless labeled otherwise, the forms are neutral modern standard Hungarian.

The six-person paradigm

Use the dictionary stem and add a person-number ending. The following table uses vár “wait,” kér “ask for,” and ül “sit” to display back-vowel, front unrounded, and front rounded choices.

For ordinary non--ik verbs, third-person singular has a zero ending: vár-∅, kér-∅, ül-∅. The other central endings are -ok/-ek/-ök, -sz, -unk/-ünk, -tok/-tek/-tök, and -nak/-nek. The three-way choices distinguish front rounded vowels in first-person singular and second-person plural; the two-way choices have only back and front variants.

In kérünk két hosszú kávét, the object is quantified rather than identified as one particular set, so the indefinite conjugation is appropriate. Vowel harmony belongs to the Hungarian form, not the English translation: kérünk has front -ünk, while várunk has back -unk.

What selects the indefinite series?

The form is used with an intransitive verb or an activity presented without an expressed or recoverable definite direct object:

It is also used with an indefinite article, a bare noun, a numeral, an indefinite pronoun, or an open interrogative object such as kit/mit. By contrast, selective melyik takes the definite series:

By contrast, Keresem a szerelőt “I'm looking for the repair technician” requires the definite conjugation because a szerelőt identifies a particular third-person referent. Definiteness is therefore part of verb formation. English speakers cannot choose the ending merely by translating the person and tense.

The second-person singular has stem-sensitive shapes

The ordinary second-person singular ending is -sz, as in vársz, kérsz, ülsz, tanulsz. After stems ending in the sibilants written s, sz, z, and also after dz, Hungarian normally uses a harmonic vowel plus l: -ol/-el/-öl. This avoids an awkward consonant sequence: compare olvasol, mászol, főzöl, and edzel “you train/work out.”

Treat sz as one Hungarian consonant letter when identifying the stem edge. English letter-by-letter habits obscure the pattern: mász + ol → mászol, not a form based on English values for s and z.

T-final stems do not all behave alike

With a t-final stem, the surface form before second-person -sz depends on the stem class. Many stems attach -sz directly: szeret + sz → szeretsz, köt + sz → kötsz, fut + sz → futsz. Stems ending in a long vowel plus t, and many stems ending in a consonant plus t, generally use a linking vowel: tanítasz, segítesz, fűtesz, festesz, bontasz. The very common lát → látsz shows why this cue is not an exceptionless rule.

There is no honest one-line rule that predicts every t-final verb from spelling alone. The short-vowel/long-vowel and cluster cues are productive, but learners should store the second-person form of common verbs. More alternations appear on the verb stem-class page.

Regular and irregular -ik verbs

An -ik verb has -ik in third-person singular indefinite present. A regular example is lakik “live/reside.” Its traditional first-person singular ends in -om/-em/-öm rather than -ok/-ek/-ök.

In contemporary speech, regular -k first-person forms occur with many verbs ending in -ik: dolgozok is common (informal) beside careful standard dolgozom. The distribution is lexical and stylistically variable; it is not safe to replace every traditional -m mechanically. Core verbs such as eszik “eat,” iszik “drink,” and alszik “sleep” also have stem alternations: eszem, iszol, alszanak. Their irregular forms must be learned as paradigms; final -ik alone does not guarantee regular behavior.

Pronoun omission is built into the form

The contrast among várok, vársz, vár, várunk, vártok, várnak already identifies the subject. Pronouns occur for contrast, focus, or topic repair.

The first exchange omits ti and mi neutrally. The second states an explicit division of roles, so én and te are natural. English requires a subject in both environments and therefore encourages overuse of Hungarian pronouns.

Segmentation exercise

Separate each form into stem plus ending, identify the harmony pattern, and name the subject.

1. ülünk
2. vártok
3. főzöl
4. kérnek
5. lakom
6. tanítasz

Answers: ül-ünk is front, first-person plural; vár-tok is back, second-person plural; főz-öl is front rounded, second-person singular after z; kér-nek is front, third-person plural; lak-om is the traditional back-vowel first-person singular of an -ik verb; tanít-asz is back, second-person singular with a linking vowel after long-vowel-plus-t.

Common Mistakes

Key Takeaways

• Use the present indefinite series with no object and with grammatically indefinite or open ki/mi interrogative objects; selective melyik and object person add further rules.
• Vowel harmony gives -ok/-ek/-ök, -unk/-ünk, -tok/-tek/-tök, and -nak/-nek.
• Ordinary second-person singular -sz becomes -ol/-el/-öl after s, sz, z.
• t-final verbs divide into stem classes; learn frequent second-person forms instead of forcing one rule.
• -ik marks third-person singular in its class, while first-person -m and irregular stem behavior require lexical knowledge.
• Person endings license pronoun omission. The verb jointly packages subject, tense, mood, object reference, and—in prefixed verbs—the syntax that controls prefix placement.