Amíg az íny zsibbad, a fogorvos vár.

Amíg is a time-linking word. Very often it means while or as long as.

In many contexts it can also be translated as until, but that depends on the situation and the verb. In this sentence, learners often first understand it as while / as long as.

If Hungarian wants to make the idea of an endpoint especially clear, it often uses forms like addig ... amíg ..., or a verb with a prefix, for example elzsibbad.

Hungarian has two forms of the definite article:

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

So:

• az íny = the gum
• a fogorvos = the dentist

Both a and az mean the.

Yes, íny is singular.

Hungarian often uses a singular body-part noun where English might use a plural or a more general phrase. So az íny can correspond to English the gum or the gums, depending on context.

The plural ínyek exists, but it usually sounds more like separate gums rather than gum tissue in general.

It is a verb.

The infinitive is zsibbadni, and it means something like:

• to go numb
• to feel numb
• to tingle
• sometimes to be numb, depending on context

So az íny zsibbad uses a full verb, not an adjective. Grammatically, zsibbad here is 3rd person singular present.

Because zsibbad already carries the main meaning by itself.

Hungarian often uses a verb where English uses be + adjective. So instead of literally saying the gum is numb, Hungarian says something closer to the gum numbs / is going numb / feels numb.

This is different from sentences with true adjectives, where present-tense is is often omitted in 3rd person:

• A kéz hideg. = The hand is cold.

But here zsibbad is not an adjective like cold; it is a verb.

Yes. Fogorvos is a compound:

• fog = tooth
• orvos = doctor

So literally it is tooth-doctor, which is how Hungarian says dentist.

Hungarian uses compound nouns very often, so this is a very useful pattern to notice.

Vár is the 3rd person singular present form of várni = to wait.

It can be used in two ways:

1. Intransitively: to wait

   • A fogorvos vár.
   • The dentist waits / is waiting.

2. Transitively: to wait for

   • A fogorvos a beteget várja.
   • The dentist is waiting for the patient.

So in your sentence, vár does not need an object.

Because Amíg az íny zsibbad is a subordinate time clause, and it comes before the main clause.

Hungarian normally separates this kind of clause with a comma:

• Amíg az íny zsibbad, a fogorvos vár.

This is similar to English, where a clause like While the gum is numb, ... also usually takes a comma when it comes first.

Yes, you could.

Both are grammatical:

• Amíg az íny zsibbad, a fogorvos vár.
• A fogorvos vár, amíg az íny zsibbad.

The difference is mainly about emphasis and information structure.

• Starting with Amíg az íny zsibbad puts the time frame first.
• Starting with A fogorvos vár puts the main action first.

Hungarian word order is more flexible than English word order, and it often reflects what is being highlighted.

Not necessarily.

Hungarian often uses the pair addig ... amíg ..., especially when the meaning is until / up to that point / for that long:

• A fogorvos addig vár, amíg az íny zsibbad.

But amíg can also appear on its own, as in your sentence. That is completely normal.

So:

• amíg alone = fine
• addig ... amíg ... = also fine, often a bit more explicit

A rough guide:

• amíg → aw-MEEG
• az → az
• íny → long ee
  • ny
• zsibbad → starts with zh, like the s in measure
• fogorvos → FO-gor-vosh
• vár → vaar
• vár has a long á
• íny has a long í

A few useful sound notes:

• zs = the sound of s in measure
• ny = like Spanish ñ
• Hungarian stress is usually on the first syllable of the word.