A főétel kész.

In Hungarian, the verb to be is often left out in the present tense when the sentence is in the third person.

So:

• A főétel kész. = The main dish is ready.

There is no need to say a separate word for is here.

Compare:

• Én kész vagyok. = I am ready.
• Te kész vagy. = You are ready.
• A főétel kész. = The main dish is ready.

So the missing is is completely normal Hungarian grammar.

A is the Hungarian definite article, meaning the.

So:

• a főétel = the main dish

Hungarian has two forms of the definite article:

• a
• az

Which one you use depends on the sound at the beginning of the next word.

• a főétel
• az étel

Use a before words beginning with most consonant sounds, and az before vowel sounds.

Főétel means main dish, main course, or entrée depending on context.

It is made up of:

• fő = main, chief, principal
• étel = food, dish

So főétel literally means something like main food/dish.

You might hear it in restaurants or at home when talking about a meal with several courses.

Kész is an adjective meaning ready, finished, or sometimes complete, depending on context.

In this sentence:

• A főétel kész. = The main dish is ready.

Because Hungarian often leaves out is in this kind of sentence, the adjective kész stands directly after the noun phrase.

You can also see kész in other expressions, for example:

• Kész vagyok. = I am ready.
• Kész a vacsora. = Dinner is ready.

This word order is the most neutral, straightforward way to say it:

• A főétel = the topic/subject
• kész = the new information about it

So it feels like:

• As for the main dish, it’s ready.

Hungarian word order is flexible, but changes often affect focus or emphasis.

For example:

• A főétel kész. = neutral: The main dish is ready.
• Kész a főétel. = more like The main dish is ready now / Ready is the main dish.

Both can be correct, but the first one is a very natural basic sentence.

A rough pronunciation guide is:

• fő ≈ something like furh or foe with rounded lips
• étel ≈ ay-tel

A more careful breakdown:

• ő is a long Hungarian vowel that does not exist exactly in English.
• é sounds like a long ay in say, but cleaner and without a glide.
• Stress in Hungarian is always on the first syllable, so:
  • FŐ-é-tel

So the word is stressed at the beginning, even though it has several syllables.

The accents are an important part of Hungarian spelling. They are not optional.

In this sentence:

• ő and é in főétel
• é in kész

These marks show different vowel sounds, and sometimes vowel length too.

For example:

• e and é are different vowels
• o, ó, ö, and ő are all distinct in Hungarian

So you should learn the accented vowels as separate sounds, not just as decorated versions of English vowels.

In this sentence, it usually means ready in the sense of prepared and ready to be served/eaten.

So the natural English meaning is:

• The main dish is ready.

Depending on context, kész can sometimes also mean finished or done, but with food, ready is usually the best interpretation.

You might hear longer expressions in Hungarian, but A főétel kész is much more natural and simple for everyday use.

Hungarian often prefers short, direct statements like:

• Kész az ebéd. = Lunch is ready.
• Kész a vacsora. = Dinner is ready.
• A főétel kész. = The main dish is ready.

A longer version may sound more formal, more specific, or less natural in ordinary conversation.

Yes. You can also say:

• Kész a főétel.

This is also natural Hungarian. The difference is mostly about information structure and emphasis, not basic meaning.

Very roughly:

• A főétel kész. = neutral statement about the main dish
• Kész a főétel. = emphasis on the fact that it is ready

English does this less with word order, so this can feel unfamiliar to learners.

It is neutral and works in both formal and informal situations.

• At home: A főétel kész.
• In a restaurant kitchen: A főétel kész.

It is short, clear, and natural. It does not sound especially formal or especially casual.