Védőkesztyűben címkét tesznek a konténerre az újrahasznosítás előtt.

Védőkesztyűben comes from védőkesztyű meaning protective glove.

The ending -ban / -ben usually means in. So literally, this form is something like in protective gloves.

With clothing and things worn on the body, Hungarian often uses this case to mean wearing something. So here:

• védőkesztyűben = wearing protective gloves / with protective gloves on

This is very natural in Hungarian.

The -t is the accusative ending, which marks the direct object of the verb.

Here, the thing being put is the label:

• címke = label
• címkét = a label, as the object of the action

So in címkét tesznek, the label is what they put.

Because the sentence is talking about a label in an indefinite sense, not the label.

Hungarian often leaves out the indefinite article where English uses a/an. So:

• címkét tesznek = they put a label
• not necessarily they put the label

This also connects with the verb form: because the object is indefinite, Hungarian uses the indefinite conjugation of the verb.

Tesznek is the 3rd person plural present tense form of tesz = to put / place.

So:

• tesznek = they put / they are putting

In Hungarian, the subject pronoun is usually omitted, because the verb ending already shows who is doing the action.

Also, this is the indefinite verb form, which matches the indefinite object címkét.

Hungarian very often leaves out subject pronouns like ő, ők, mi, and so on.

The ending -nek on tesznek already tells you the subject is they.

In this sentence, they is probably meant in a general or unspecified sense, like:

• workers
• people at the facility
• someone in the process

So Hungarian does not need to say ők unless there is special emphasis.

Because the label is being put onto the container, not into the container.

• -ra / -re = onto
• -ba / -be = into

So:

• a konténerre = onto the container
• a konténerbe = into the container

A label normally goes on the outside surface, so -re is the natural choice.

A is the definite article, meaning the.

So:

• a konténerre = onto the container

Hungarian articles come before the noun, just like in English, but the case ending is added to the noun itself:

• konténer = container
• konténerre = onto the container
• a konténerre = onto the container

Hungarian has two forms of the definite article:

• a before a consonant sound
• az before a vowel sound

So:

• a konténerre because konténer starts with a consonant sound
• az újrahasznosítás előtt because újrahasznosítás starts with a vowel sound

This is just like choosing the smoother-sounding form.

This means before the recycling.

Breakdown:

• újrahasznosítás = recycling
• előtt = before

Előtt is a postposition, which means it comes after the noun, not before it as in English.

So Hungarian says:

• az újrahasznosítás előtt
• literally: the recycling before
• natural English: before the recycling

It is built from parts:

• újra- = again / re-
• hasznosítás = utilization, making use of something

So újrahasznosítás is literally something like making use of something again, which is why it means recycling.

This is a very common Hungarian word for recycling.

Hungarian word order is more flexible than English word order. The beginning of the sentence often sets the scene or gives the context.

Starting with Védőkesztyűben highlights the circumstance:

• while wearing protective gloves
• with protective gloves on

So the sentence first tells you under what conditions the action happens, and then gives the action itself.

A very literal structure would be:

• Wearing protective gloves, they put a label onto the container before recycling.

Literally, tesz often means put, place, or sometimes do in other contexts.

Here, the most literal translation is:

• they put a label on the container

But in natural English, depending on context, you might also say:

• they place a label on the container
• they attach a label to the container

So tesz is a general verb, and English may use a slightly more specific verb in translation.

A very close literal breakdown would be:

• Védőkesztyűben = wearing protective gloves / in protective gloves
• címkét = a label
• tesznek = they put
• a konténerre = onto the container
• az újrahasznosítás előtt = before the recycling

So a very literal English version is:

• Wearing protective gloves, they put a label onto the container before the recycling.

A more natural English version might be:

• They put a label on the container while wearing protective gloves, before recycling.