A bank zárolja a bankszámlát.

• a = the
• bank = bank
• zárolja = freezes / blocks / locks
• a = the
• bankszámlát = bank account (as the direct object)

So the structure is:

A bank = the bank
zárolja = freezes/blocks
a bankszámlát = the bank account

Because Hungarian uses the definite article before both the subject and the object when both are definite.

So:

• a bank = the bank
• a bankszámlát = the bank account

This is normal in Hungarian. English also often does this: The bank freezes the bank account.

Hungarian has two forms of the:

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

Since bank and bankszámlát both begin with b, Hungarian uses a:

• a bank
• a bankszámlát

If the next word began with a vowel, you would use az instead.

The -t marks the direct object in Hungarian.

Here, the thing being affected is the bank account, so it gets object marking:

• base form: bankszámla = bank account
• object form: bankszámlát = bank account as the thing being frozen

This is one of the most important endings in Hungarian. It often corresponds to the noun that would come after the verb in English.

Because bankszámla is the dictionary form, but in this sentence it is the object of the verb.

Compare:

• A bankszámla zárolva van. = The bank account is frozen.
  Here bankszámla is the subject.
• A bank zárolja a bankszámlát. = The bank freezes the bank account.
  Here bankszámlát is the object, so it takes -t.

Because Hungarian verbs change form depending on several things, and here the key point is that the verb has a definite object.

The object is a bankszámlát = the bank account, which is definite, so Hungarian uses the definite conjugation.

• zárol = basic verb stem, to freeze/block
• zárolja = he/she/it freezes it / the ...

So zárolja is the third person singular definite form.

Very roughly:

• zárol = freezes / blocks with no definite object expressed
• zárolja = freezes it / freezes the ... with a definite object

Examples:

• A bank számlát zárol. = The bank freezes a bank account.
  This is indefinite.
• A bank zárolja a bankszámlát. = The bank freezes the bank account.
  This is definite.

English does not mark this on the verb, but Hungarian does.

There are two main clues:

1. bankszámlát has the object ending -t
2. zárolja is a transitive verb form meaning something like freezes it/the ...

So:

• A bank = the doer
• a bankszámlát = the thing affected

Even if word order changes, the -t ending still helps identify the object.

Yes. Hungarian word order is more flexible than English word order.

The neutral version here is:

• A bank zárolja a bankszámlát.

But you could also have:

• A bankszámlát a bank zárolja.

This still means The bank freezes the bank account, but now the object is more prominent or in focus as a topic.

Hungarian word order often reflects focus, emphasis, and topic, not just grammatical roles.

Yes. Hungarian often forms compound nouns as one word.

• bank = bank
• számla = account / bill
• bankszámla = bank account

This is very common in Hungarian. English often writes similar expressions as two words, but Hungarian may combine them into one.

Because Hungarian usually does not need an extra pronoun when the verb form already gives the necessary information.

In zárolja, the ending already shows a relationship to a definite object, so Hungarian does not need to add a separate word meaning it.

Hungarian often leaves out subject pronouns too, because the verb ending gives enough information.

It can vary by context.

With a bank account, zárolja often means something like:

• freezes
• blocks
• puts a hold on
• sometimes locks

So in banking language, it usually means that access to the account or its funds is restricted, often temporarily.

The exact English translation depends on the situation.

Approximately:

ZAA-rolya

A few helpful notes:

• á is a long a sound
• j in Hungarian sounds like English y
• so ja sounds like ya

So zárolja is roughly ZAA-rol-ya.

Approximately:

Aw bank ZAA-rol-ya aw bank-saa-mlaat

A few details:

• A sounds like a short aw
• sz is pronounced like English s
• á is a long vowel
• j sounds like English y

So:

• bank = close to English bank
• bankszámla = bank-saa-mla
• bankszámlát = same, with a final t

Because it is the subject in this sentence, and Hungarian subjects in the nominative case usually have no ending.

So:

• bank = subject form
• bankszámlát = object form with -t

Hungarian often marks the object clearly, while the subject remains unmarked.

No. Because a here is the definite article the, not the English indefinite article a/an.

So:

• A bank = the bank
• not a bank

This often confuses English speakers at first, because Hungarian a/az looks like English a, but it actually means the.

Yes. It is grammatically normal and clear.

That said, in real life Hungarian speakers might also use other wording depending on context, for example if they want to sound more formal, legal, or technical. But as a basic sentence, A bank zárolja a bankszámlát is perfectly natural and useful for learning.