Az úszómedencébe tilos beleugrani, de merülni szabad.

Hungarian has two forms of the definite article:

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

Since úszómedencébe begins with the vowel ú, the correct article is az.

So:

• a ház = the house
• az autó = the car
• az úszómedence = the swimming pool

It has three parts:

• úszómedence = swimming pool
• -be = into
• so úszómedencébe = into the swimming pool

Also, úszómedence is a compound word:

• úszó = swimming
• medence = pool / basin

Hungarian usually writes this as one word.

The ending is -be, not -ba, because of vowel harmony. Medence contains front vowels, so it takes the front-vowel form -be.

Compare:

• házba = into the house
• medencébe = into the pool

Yes, both express inward direction, and this is very normal in Hungarian.

Hungarian often marks direction in two places at once:

• on the noun: úszómedencébe = into the pool
• on the verb: beleugrani = to jump into

This is not considered bad style or a mistake. It is a common Hungarian pattern.

A similar example:

• bemegy a szobába = he goes into the room

English usually uses only one into, but Hungarian often uses both a directional suffix/postposition and a verbal prefix.

In beleugrani, the fuller prefix bele- makes the idea of going right into something especially clear.

Because -ni is the infinitive ending in Hungarian, roughly equivalent to English to + verb.

So:

• ugrani = to jump
• beleugrani = to jump into
• merülni = to dive / submerge

After words like tilos and szabad, Hungarian normally uses the infinitive:

• tilos dohányozni = smoking is forbidden / it is forbidden to smoke
• szabad fényképezni = photography is allowed / you may take photos

So tilos beleugrani and merülni szabad are both standard patterns.

Tilos means forbidden, prohibited, or not allowed.

In this sentence, tilos + infinitive means:

• tilos beleugrani = it is forbidden to jump into it / you must not jump into it

This is a very common impersonal construction in Hungarian, especially on signs and notices.

For example:

• Tilos parkolni. = No parking. / It is forbidden to park.
• Tilos bemenni. = Do not enter. / It is forbidden to go in.

Here, szabad means allowed or permitted.

So:

• merülni szabad = diving is allowed / you may dive

Yes, szabad can also mean free, depending on context. For example:

• szabad ember = a free person
• szabad hely = a free seat / an available place

But in the pattern szabad + infinitive, it usually means may / be allowed to.

For example:

• Szabad bemenni? = May I come in?
• Itt szabad úszni. = It is allowed to swim here.

Because Hungarian usually leaves out van (is) in the present tense, third person, when the predicate is a noun, adjective, or similar word.

So Hungarian says:

• A ház nagy. = The house is big.
• Ez tilos. = This is forbidden.
• Merülni szabad. = Diving is allowed.

That is why you do not see an extra word meaning is after tilos or szabad.

Because this is an impersonal statement, like a rule or sign.

English often says:

• You must not jump into the pool
• You may dive

Hungarian often leaves that generic you unspoken. The meaning is still clear: it applies to people in general, or to whoever is reading the notice.

This is especially common with words like:

• tilos = forbidden
• szabad = allowed
• kell = must / need to
• lehet = possible / allowed

Merülni basically means to submerge, to go underwater, or to dive.

In a swimming-pool context, English often translates it as to dive, but the Hungarian verb is a bit broader than that. It does not necessarily focus on the exact style of diving.

So depending on context, it can suggest:

• going underwater
• submerging yourself
• diving

If Hungarian specifically wants to say dive headfirst, it may use a more specific expression such as fejest ugrani.

Yes. Hungarian word order is flexible, and it often changes for emphasis or focus.

For example, these are also possible:

• Tilos az úszómedencébe beleugrani, de szabad merülni.
• Az úszómedencébe beleugrani tilos, de merülni szabad.

The given version is natural. It presents the pool first, then the rule, and in the second clause it highlights merülni by placing it before szabad.

So merülni szabad has a slight contrastive feel:

• jumping in is forbidden,
• but diving is allowed.

That kind of contrast fits well with de = but.