Készíts vízelvezető nyílást, nehogy víz maradjon az ültetőládában.

Készíts is the imperative form of készít, meaning make, create, or prepare.

• készít = to make / to prepare
• készíts = make! / prepare!

In this sentence, it is a direct instruction to you (singular).

So:

• Készíts vízelvezető nyílást = Make a drainage opening

The ending -s here is part of the imperative formation. Hungarian uses special verb forms for commands, unlike English, which usually just uses the base verb.

Because nyílást is the accusative form, marking it as the direct object of the verb.

• nyílás = opening, hole
• nyílást = an opening / a hole (as the thing being made)

Since Készíts means make, the thing being made must appear in the accusative:

• Készíts nyílást = Make an opening

The accusative ending in Hungarian is usually -t, though the exact form can vary slightly depending on the word.

It is a compound-like expression meaning drainage opening or water-draining hole.

Breakdown:

• víz = water
• elvezet = lead away, drain off
• vízelvezető = draining / for drainage / water-draining
• nyílás = opening, hole

So vízelvezető nyílás is literally something like:

• water-draining opening
• more naturally: drainage hole / drainage opening

Hungarian often builds these compact descriptive forms instead of using a longer phrase like English might.

Nehogy means something like:

• so that ... not
• lest
• to prevent ... from
• make sure ... doesn’t

It introduces a clause about something you want to avoid happening.

In this sentence:

• nehogy víz maradjon az ültetőládában
• so that water doesn’t remain in the planter box
• more natural English: so water won’t stay in the planter box

It is a very common Hungarian way to express prevention or undesirable possibility.

Because after nehogy, Hungarian normally uses a subjunctive / imperative-type verb form.

• marad = stays / remains
• maradjon = may stay / should stay / let it stay

After nehogy, however, maradjon does not mean that you want the water to stay. Quite the opposite: it is part of the structure meaning so that it does not stay.

So:

• nehogy víz maradjon = so that water doesn’t remain

This is a pattern worth learning as a whole:

• nehogy + subjunctive verb

Examples:

• Siess, nehogy elkéss! = Hurry so that you don’t end up late.
• Csukd be, nehogy kihűljön. = Close it so that it doesn’t cool down.

Because Hungarian structures this differently from English.

English often says:

• Make a drainage hole so that water doesn’t remain...

Hungarian uses:

• nehogy víz maradjon...

There is no separate required word exactly matching English that here. The function is handled by nehogy plus the following verb form.

So the clause works as a complete idea without needing an extra equivalent of that.

Hungarian often omits the article when speaking about a substance in a general sense.

• víz = water
• a víz = the water

Here the meaning is general: you do not want water to remain in the planter box. It is not about some previously identified, specific water.

So:

• nehogy víz maradjon... = so that water doesn’t remain...

If you said a víz, it would sound more like a specific water already being referred to in context.

It means in the planter box.

Breakdown:

• ültetőláda = planter box / planting box
• -ban / -ben = in

So:

• ültetőládában = in a/the planter box

The sentence has az ültetőládában, where:

• az = the
• ültetőládában = in the planter box

Why -ban? Because Hungarian uses case endings instead of separate prepositions like in.

So compare:

• English: in the planter box
• Hungarian: az ültetőládá-ban

Hungarian has two forms of the definite article:

• a
• az

Use az before a vowel sound, and a before a consonant sound.

Since ültetőládában begins with ü, a vowel, the article is:

• az ültetőládában

Compare:

• a házban = in the house
• az autóban = in the car

It works similarly to English a/an in that sense, though Hungarian uses it for the definite article.

Yes. It is built from:

• ültető = planting / planter / for planting
• láda = box, crate

Together:

• ültetőláda = planter box

Hungarian forms many nouns this way. Once you get used to compounds, long words become much easier to understand.

That is the most natural order here.

Structure:

• Készíts vízelvezető nyílást = the action to do
• nehogy víz maradjon az ültetőládában = the reason / undesirable thing to avoid

So the sentence is basically:

1. Do this
2. so that this bad result won’t happen

This order is very common in instructions.

You could think of it as:

• Make a drainage hole, so that water doesn’t stay in the planter box.

Yes. Depending on context, good English translations could include:

• Make a drainage hole so that water doesn’t remain in the planter box.
• Make a drainage opening to prevent water from staying in the planter box.
• Add a drainage hole so water won’t collect in the planter box.
• Make a drainage hole so the planter box doesn’t retain water.

The Hungarian sentence is straightforward, but English often chooses a slightly more natural phrase like drainage hole or water won’t collect.

No, Hungarian has other possible ways too, depending on style and context.

For example, you might also hear:

• drénnyílás in some technical contexts
• lefolyónyílás = drain opening / outlet opening
• vízelvezető lyuk = drainage hole

But vízelvezető nyílás is clear and natural, especially in an instructional or practical context.

• nyílás sounds a bit more neutral or technical
• lyuk is more like hole

So this sentence is perfectly normal, but not the only possible wording.