A születésnapi torta kész.

The birthday cake is ready.

Breakdown of A születésnapi torta kész.

• az: the
• kész: ready
• születésnapi torta: a birthday cake

Questions & Answers about A születésnapi torta kész.

What does A mean at the beginning of the sentence?

A is the definite article, so it means the.

Hungarian has two forms of the definite article:

• a before consonant sounds
• az before vowel sounds

So:

• a torta = the cake
• az alma = the apple

Here, torta begins with a consonant, so Hungarian uses a.

Why is születésnapi one word, and what does it literally mean?

Születésnapi is an adjective meaning birthday in the sense of related to a birthday.

It is built from:

• születésnap = birthday
• -i = an adjective-forming ending meaning something like related to or of

So:

• születésnap = birthday
• születésnapi = birthday-related / for a birthday

That is why születésnapi torta means birthday cake.

Hungarian very often forms this kind of adjective with -i.

Why is there no word for is in the sentence?