Minél több támogató adományoz, annál nagyobb lesz az adomány.

Questions & Answers about Minél több támogató adományoz, annál nagyobb lesz az adomány.

What does the pattern minél ... annál ... mean?

It is a very common Hungarian pattern meaning the more ..., the ... or more generally the X-er ..., the Y-er ....

So:

  • Minél több támogató adományoz, annál nagyobb lesz az adomány.
  • The more supporters donate, the larger the donation will be.

You can think of it like this:

  • minél ... = the more / the -er
  • annál ... = the more / the -er, in the matching result clause

This structure is used for proportional relationships:

  • Minél többet tanulsz, annál jobban fog menni. = The more you study, the better it will go.
Why is it több támogató and not több támogatók?

Because after numbers and quantity words, Hungarian normally uses the noun in the singular, not the plural.

So Hungarian says:

  • több támogató = more supporters
  • literally: more supporter

This is completely normal in Hungarian. Compare:

  • két könyv = two books
  • sok ember = many people
  • néhány diák = a few students
  • több támogató = more supporters

So even though English uses a plural noun, Hungarian usually does not here.

Why is the verb adományoz singular? Shouldn’t it be plural if several supporters are donating?

This is another important Hungarian rule: when the subject contains a number or quantity expression like két, sok, több, the verb is often singular.

So:

  • Több támogató adományoz. = More supporters donate.

Not:

  • Több támogató adományoznak. ← this sounds nonstandard in this structure

Compare:

  • Két ember jön. = Two people are coming.
  • Sok diák tanul itt. = Many students study here.

But if you use a regular plural noun without a quantity word, then the verb is plural:

  • A támogatók adományoznak. = The supporters donate.

So in your sentence, több támogató triggers a singular verb: adományoz.

Why is there no article before támogató?

Because több támogató is an indefinite quantity phrase, and Hungarian normally does not use an article in this kind of expression.

So:

  • több támogató = more supporters
  • sok ember = many people
  • néhány diák = a few students

This is just the normal pattern.

By contrast, az adomány has a definite article because it refers to the donation / the donation amount as a specific result in the sentence.

What exactly does támogató mean here? Is it a noun or an adjective?

Here támogató is a noun meaning supporter.

It can also function like an adjective in other contexts, because Hungarian often uses forms like this flexibly, but in this sentence it is clearly a noun:

  • több támogató = more supporters

So the structure is:

  • több = more
  • támogató = supporter
Why is nagyobb used? How is it formed?

Nagyobb is the comparative form of nagy:

  • nagy = big, large
  • nagyobb = bigger, larger

So:

  • annál nagyobb = the larger / the bigger

This matches the English comparative in the more ..., the larger ...

Hungarian comparatives are often formed with a suffix like -bb, though the exact form can vary a little depending on the word.

Examples:

  • nagy → nagyobb = big → bigger
  • kicsi → kisebb = small → smaller
  • gyors → gyorsabb = fast → faster
Why does the sentence use lesz? Is that a future tense?

Yes. Lesz is the future form of van / lenni in the sense of will be.

So:

  • nagyobb lesz = will be larger

In this sentence, it makes the result sound like a consequence:

  • if more supporters donate,
  • then the donation will be larger.

Hungarian often uses the present tense for future meaning too, but lesz is very natural here because it clearly presents the second clause as the resulting state.

A more timeless/general version could also be:

  • Minél több támogató adományoz, annál nagyobb az adomány.

That would sound more like a general truth: the more supporters donate, the larger the donation is.

Why is it az adomány in the singular? Why not az adományok?

Because the sentence is talking about the donation as a total amount or as a single result, not individual separate donations.

So az adomány here is best understood as something like:

  • the donation
  • the donated amount
  • the total donation

Hungarian often uses the singular this way when speaking about a general result or a total quantity.

If you wanted to emphasize many separate donations, you might use a different wording, for example something referring to adományok or to the sum of donations.

What exactly is annál grammatically?

In this sentence, the most useful thing is to treat annál as part of the fixed pattern minél ... annál ....

Historically/grammatically, annál is related to az and the suffix -nál/-nél, but in this structure it functions as an idiomatic correlative marker.

So for a learner, the safest approach is:

  • learn minél ... annál ... as one unit
  • understand it as the more ..., the ...

You do not need to analyze annál separately every time in order to use the pattern correctly.

Can minél be used without annál?

Yes. Minél can also appear by itself with the meaning as ... as possible.

For example:

  • minél hamarabb = as soon as possible
  • minél többet = as much as possible

But in your sentence, because it is paired with annál, it has the correlative meaning:

  • minél ..., annál ... = the more ..., the ...

So the same word minél appears in two related but different patterns.

Can the word order change, or is this fixed?

Hungarian word order is flexible, but this pattern is usually presented in this order:

  • Minél ..., annál ...

So your sentence is the most natural neutral version:

  • Minél több támogató adományoz, annál nagyobb lesz az adomány.

That said, Hungarian can sometimes rearrange things for emphasis, but learners should stick with the standard pattern first.

Inside the clauses, word order can also shift depending on emphasis, but the given version is clear and natural.

Why is there no object after adományoz? Donate what?

Because Hungarian can use adományoz without an explicit object when the general idea is simply to donate / to make a donation.

So:

  • adományoz = donates / makes a donation

If you want to say what is donated, you can add it:

  • pénzt adományoz = donates money
  • ruhát adományoz = donates clothes
  • könyveket adományoz = donates books

But here the exact thing being donated is not important, so Hungarian leaves it unsaid.

Could this sentence also be said with többen?

Yes, if you do not want to mention supporters explicitly.

For example:

  • Minél többen adományoznak, annál nagyobb lesz az adomány.

This means:

  • The more people donate, the larger the donation will be.

Here:

  • többen = more people

So the difference is:

  • több támogató = more supporters
  • többen = more people

Your original sentence is more specific because it names the group as supporters.

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