A közös képviselő megnézi a szivárgás mértékét.

Literally, yes: közös = common/shared, and képviselő = representative.

But as a fixed expression, közös képviselő usually refers to the person who manages a shared apartment building or condominium on behalf of the residents. Depending on context, English translations might be:

• building manager
• property manager
• condo representative
• common representative

So this is one of those cases where the literal meaning helps, but the real-life usage is more specific.

Both A and a are the Hungarian definite article, meaning the.

In this sentence:

• A közös képviselő = the common representative / the building manager
• a szivárgás mértékét = the extent of the leakage

Hungarian has two forms of the definite article:

• a before consonant sounds
• az before vowel sounds

So here it is a, because both közös and szivárgás begin with consonants.

The base verb is néz, meaning to look or to watch.

The form megnéz is a very common prefixed verb, and it usually means something like:

• look at
• check
• take a look at
• inspect

So:

• nézi = he/she is looking at it, watches it
• megnézi = he/she checks it, has a look at it, often with a sense of completing the action

The prefix meg- often adds a sense of completion, thoroughness, or result.

In this sentence, megnézi sounds natural because the representative is not just passively looking; they are checking the extent of the leak.

Because Hungarian verbs change depending on whether they take a definite object.

Here the object is definite:

• a szivárgás mértékét = the extent of the leakage

Since the object is definite, Hungarian uses the definite conjugation of the verb.

For megnéz in the third person singular:

• megnéz = he/she checks something / checks in general
• megnézi = he/she checks it / the specific thing

So the -i here is a sign that the verb is agreeing with a definite object.

The -t marks the accusative case, which usually shows the direct object of the verb.

The thing being checked is the extent:

• base noun: mérték = measure, extent, degree
• direct object form: mértéket
• but here we actually have mértékét, because there is also a possessive element involved

So the -t tells you that this noun phrase is the thing being checked.

Hungarian often expresses of relationships by simply putting two nouns together, where the second noun carries a possessive ending.

Here:

• szivárgás = leakage
• mértéke = its extent / the extent of it

So:

• a szivárgás mértéke = the extent of the leakage
• a szivárgás mértékét = the extent of the leakage as a direct object

This is a very common Hungarian pattern:

• a ház teteje = the roof of the house
• a könyv címe = the title of the book
• a szivárgás mértéke = the extent of the leakage

So Hungarian usually does not need a separate word equivalent to English of in this kind of structure.

This is a great question, because mértékét packs several things together.

Start from the noun:

• mérték = extent, degree, measure

Then add the third-person singular possessive ending:

• mértéke = its extent / the extent of it

In this sentence, the owner is a szivárgás (the leakage), so:

• a szivárgás mértéke = the leakage’s extent = the extent of the leakage

Then put that possessed noun into the accusative:

• mértéke
  • -t → mértékét

So:

• mérték = extent
• mértéke = its extent
• mértékét = its extent, as the object

The é is not a separate extra ending with a separate meaning here; it is part of how the possessed form appears in this word.

Yes, Hungarian word order is more flexible than English, but the neutral/basic order here is very natural:

• subject: A közös képviselő
• verb: megnézi
• object: a szivárgás mértékét

So this sentence is a straightforward neutral statement: The building manager checks the extent of the leakage.

Other word orders are possible, but they would usually change the emphasis or focus. For example, moving the object earlier could emphasize what is being checked.

For a learner, this sentence is best understood as a normal, neutral order.

It is related, but not always identical in usage.

szivárgás usually means:

• leakage
• seeping
• the act/process of leaking

Depending on context, English may translate it as:

• leak
• leakage
• water seepage

So in this sentence, a szivárgás mértéke is most naturally the extent of the leakage or how bad the leak is.

A rough pronunciation guide is:

A KÖ-zhesh KÉP-vi-she-lő MEG-nay-zi a SEE-vaar-gaash MÉR-tay-kayt

A few useful notes:

• ö is somewhat like the vowel in French peu or German schön
• é is a long ay sound
• sz is pronounced like English s
• s alone is pronounced like English sh
• zs is like the s in measure
• gy does not appear here, but many learners expect g
  • y combinations to work like English; in Hungarian they are separate special sounds when written as digraphs

Word stress in Hungarian is always on the first syllable of each word:

• KÖzös
• KÉPviselő
• MEGnézi
• SZIvárgás
• MÉRtékét

Yes, sometimes Hungarian present tense can correspond to different English present or even near-future meanings depending on context.

megnézi can mean:

• checks
• is checking
• will check

But without extra context, the most neutral translation is usually simple present in English: checks.

If the context is a planned action, it could also mean will check:

• A közös képviselő holnap megnézi a szivárgás mértékét.
• The building manager will check the extent of the leakage tomorrow.

So Hungarian present tense is broader than English simple present in actual use.

Yes, slightly.

The given sentence with megnézi suggests a purposeful check or inspection.

If you used nézi, it would sound more like looks at / watches, which is often less natural in this context:

• A közös képviselő nézi a szivárgás mértékét. = The building manager is looking at the extent of the leakage.

• A közös képviselő megnézi a szivárgás mértékét. = The building manager checks / takes a look at the extent of the leakage.

So megnézi is the better choice if the idea is assessing or inspecting the problem.