A szúnyogriasztó és a naptej is ott van.

Breakdown of A szúnyogriasztó és a naptej is ott van.

lenni
to be
ott
there
is
too
és
and
az
the
naptej
sunscreen
szúnyogriasztó
mosquito repellent

Questions & Answers about A szúnyogriasztó és a naptej is ott van.

What does is mean here? Is it the same as English is?

No. Hungarian is does not mean the verb is.

Here, is means also / too / as well. It is a small particle that comes after the word or phrase it belongs to.

So in this sentence, is adds the idea also:

  • a naptej is = the sunscreen too
  • in the full sentence, the meaning is that these items are there as well, in addition to something else already known from the context.
Does is apply only to a naptej, or to a szúnyogriasztó és a naptej together?

In a pattern like X és Y is, Hungarian very often understands is as applying to the whole coordinated phrase.

So the natural reading here is:

  • The mosquito repellent and the sunscreen are there too.

If you want to make the also meaning clearly separate for both items, Hungarian often repeats is:

  • A szúnyogriasztó is ott van, és a naptej is.

That sounds more explicitly like The mosquito repellent is there too, and the sunscreen is too.

I thought Hungarian often leaves out van in the present tense. Why is van used here?

That is a very common learner question.

In 3rd person present, Hungarian often leaves out van / vannak when the sentence says what something is or what it is like:

  • A naptej új. = The sunscreen is new.
  • A szúnyogriasztó hasznos. = The mosquito repellent is useful.

But Hungarian normally keeps van / vannak in location or existence sentences:

  • A naptej ott van. = The sunscreen is there.
  • A kulcs az asztalon van. = The key is on the table.

So in your sentence, van is needed because the sentence is about where the items are.

Why is the verb van singular, not vannak, if there are two things?

Because Hungarian does not always behave exactly like English here.

In everyday Hungarian, especially in location/existence sentences with inanimate things, speakers often use singular van when multiple items are mentioned together as a kind of set or list.

So:

  • A szúnyogriasztó és a naptej is ott van.

sounds natural.

You may also hear:

  • A szúnyogriasztó és a naptej is ott vannak.

That version makes the plural more explicit. So vannak is possible, but the singular van in your sentence is also idiomatic.

What does ott van mean, and why is ott before van?

ott means there, and van means is.

Together, ott van means:

  • is there
  • is located there

The order ott van is the normal, neutral order in this kind of sentence.

If you change it to van ott, the sentence usually sounds more marked or more focused on the fact that something exists there.

Compare:

  • Ott van a naptej. = The sunscreen is there.
  • Van ott naptej. = There is sunscreen there.

So ott van is the straightforward way to say where something is.

Why is there an a before both nouns?

Because Hungarian usually repeats the definite article before each coordinated definite noun:

  • a szúnyogriasztó és a naptej

This is normal Hungarian usage. English can sometimes use one the for both nouns, but Hungarian usually sounds more natural if each definite noun has its own article.

So:

  • a szúnyogriasztó és a naptej

is the expected form.

Why is the article a and not az?

Hungarian has two forms of the definite article:

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

Both nouns here begin with consonant sounds:

  • szúnyogriasztó
  • naptej

So the correct article is a.

Examples:

  • a táska = the bag
  • az autó = the car
Is naptej really the normal word for sunscreen?

Yes. naptej is a normal everyday Hungarian word.

It literally means sun milk, but in real usage it refers to sun lotion / sunscreen, especially the lotion-type product.

You may also hear:

  • napkrém = sun cream
  • fényvédő krém = protective sun cream / sunscreen cream

So naptej is completely natural here.

Why is szúnyogriasztó written as one long word?

Because Hungarian writes many compounds as a single word.

szúnyogriasztó is made from:

  • szúnyog = mosquito
  • riasztó = repellent / something that scares away

So the whole word literally means something like mosquito-repeller, which is why it means mosquito repellent.

This kind of one-word compound is very common in Hungarian.

What changes if I leave out is?

If you leave out is, you lose the meaning also / too / as well.

Compare:

  • A szúnyogriasztó és a naptej ott van.
    = The mosquito repellent and the sunscreen are there.

  • A szúnyogriasztó és a naptej is ott van.
    = The mosquito repellent and the sunscreen are there too.

So is tells you that these items are being added to something already mentioned or understood.

AI Language TutorTry it ↗
Your avatar
“What's the best way to learn Hungarian grammar?”
Hungarian grammar becomes intuitive with practice. Focus on understanding the core patterns first — how sentences are structured, how verbs change form, and how words relate to each other. Our course breaks these concepts into small lessons so you can build understanding step by step.

Sign up free — start using our AI language tutor

Start learning Hungarian

Master Hungarian — from A szúnyogriasztó és a naptej is ott van to fluency

All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.

  • ✓Infinitely deep — unlimited vocabulary and grammar
  • ✓Fast-paced — build complex sentences from the start
  • ✓Unforgettable — efficient spaced repetition system
  • ✓ AI tutor to answer your grammar questions