A stégnél szállunk be a kenuba.

Stégnél comes from stég meaning dock / pier / jetty plus the suffix -nál/-nél, which means at, by, next to.

So:

• stég = dock, pier
• stégnél = at the dock / by the dock

The form -nél is used because of vowel harmony. Since stég has a front vowel (é), Hungarian uses -nél, not -nál.

Here, szállunk is the verb form meaning we get on / we board / we get in, depending on context.

More exactly:

• base verb: szállni
• with the prefix be-: beszállni = to get in / board

The ending -unk tells you the subject is we. So Hungarian does not need a separate word for we in this sentence.

Hungarian usually leaves out subject pronouns when they are clear from the verb ending.

In szállunk, the ending -unk already means we, so adding mi (we) would usually be unnecessary unless you want extra emphasis.

So:

• szállunk = we get in / we board
• mi szállunk = we get in, with extra stress on we

The basic verb is indeed beszállunk. Hungarian verb prefixes often separate from the verb when another part of the sentence is emphasized or focused.

So:

• beszállunk = neutral we get in / board
• A stégnél szállunk be... gives special prominence to A stégnél = at the dock

This kind of word order can sound like It is at the dock that we get into the canoe, or at least it gives the location more attention than a fully neutral sentence would.

A kenuba means into the canoe.

It breaks down like this:

• a = the
• kenu = canoe
• -ba = into

Hungarian often expresses direction with a suffix on the noun instead of a separate preposition. So where English says into the canoe, Hungarian says the canoe-into.

Because -ba/-be means into, while -ban/-ben means in.

So:

• a kenuba = into the canoe
• a kenuban = in the canoe

Since the action is movement from outside to inside, Hungarian uses -ba, not -ban.

A is the Hungarian definite article, meaning the.

Hungarian has two forms of the definite article:

• a before a consonant
• az before a vowel

So here:

• a stégnél = at the dock
• a kenuba = into the canoe

The case ending goes on the noun, not on the article.

That is also because of vowel harmony.

Hungarian chooses suffix vowels to match the word. Kenu has back vowels, so it takes the back-vowel form -ba.

So:

• kenuba
• not kenube

This is the same pattern you see in many Hungarian suffixes.

No, not in the grammatical sense of a direct object.

A kenuba is a direction phrase: it tells you where the movement goes. The verb beszállni is intransitive here, meaning it does not take a direct object the way a verb like to see or to build does.

That is why the verb form is simply szállunk, not a definite-object conjugation based on kenu.

No. Hungarian word order is quite flexible, and changes in order often change emphasis rather than basic meaning.

This sentence highlights A stégnél. A more neutral version might keep the prefix together with the verb:

• A stégnél beszállunk a kenuba.

Both are possible, but A stégnél szállunk be a kenuba gives more prominence to the location.

It is very commonly used for boarding or getting into some vehicle or craft, such as a car, bus, plane, or canoe.

With kenu, English naturally says get into the canoe, but Hungarian still uses beszállni very naturally here. So the verb has a broader board/get in meaning, not just for large vehicles.