Ez a szám helyes.

In Hungarian, a demonstrative like ez (this) is normally used together with the definite article:

• ez a szám = this number
• az a szám = that number

So ez points to the noun, and a is the article that goes with the noun. This is a very normal Hungarian pattern.

A literal word-for-word breakdown is roughly:

• ez = this
• a = the
• szám = number

But you should learn ez a szám as the natural Hungarian way to say this number.

Here, szám means number.

However, szám can have other meanings in different contexts, for example:

• number
• song/track in music
• in some expressions, even account or calculation-related meanings

In Ez a szám helyes, the meaning is clearly number.

Helyes means correct, right, or proper, depending on context.

In this sentence, it means:

• correct
• right

So Ez a szám helyes means that the number is the correct one.

You may also see helyes in other situations, such as:

• helyes válasz = correct answer
• helyesírás = spelling/orthography (literally something like correct writing)

Because Hungarian usually leaves out the verb to be in the present tense, third person when the sentence says that something is something or is some quality.

So:

• Ez a szám helyes. = This number is correct.

There is no separate word for is here.

This is a basic Hungarian pattern:

• A ház nagy. = The house is big.
• A könyv érdekes. = The book is interesting.

But in other persons, the verb appears:

• Én fáradt vagyok. = I am tired.
• Te fáradt vagy. = You are tired.

So the missing is is completely normal.

Hungarian word order is more flexible than English word order, and it often reflects topic and focus rather than a fixed English-style pattern.

In Ez a szám helyes:

• Ez a szám is the topic: this number
• helyes is the new information: is correct

So the sentence naturally means something like:

• As for this number, it is correct.

Putting helyes at the end is very normal here.

This is a very useful distinction.

• Ez a szám helyes. = This number is correct.
• Ez a helyes szám. = This is the correct number.

In the first sentence, helyes is a predicate adjective: it tells you something about the number.

In the second sentence, helyes directly modifies the noun szám:

• a helyes szám = the correct number

So the two sentences are close in meaning, but not identical.

A simple pronunciation guide is:

• ez ≈ ez
• a ≈ a short aw/uh
• szám ≈ saam
• helyes ≈ heh-yesh

A more careful approximation:

• sz is pronounced like English s
• s is pronounced like English sh
• á is a long vowel, roughly like aa

So:

• szám starts with an English s sound
• helyes ends with a sh sound

A rough full pronunciation is:

ez aw saam heh-yesh

Hungarian has two forms of the definite article:

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

Since szám begins with sz, which is a consonant sound, the article is:

• a szám

Compare:

• a szám = the number
• az alma = the apple

So ez a szám is correct.

Yes.

• Ez a szám helyes. = This number is correct.
• Az a szám helyes. = That number is correct.

So you just switch:

• ez = this
• az = that

The rest of the sentence stays the same.

In Hungarian, you can often make a yes/no question just by using question intonation in speech, and in writing you use a question mark:

• Ez a szám helyes? = Is this number correct?

The word order can stay the same.

So the statement and the question look almost identical:

• Ez a szám helyes. = This number is correct.
• Ez a szám helyes? = Is this number correct?

It can definitely change form.

Like many Hungarian words, ez changes when it gets case endings. For example:

• ez a szám = this number
• ezt a számot = this number (object)
• ennek a számnak = of this number / to this number

So in the basic sentence you see the dictionary form ez, but in other sentences it may look different.

Yes, but the meaning changes slightly.

• Ez a szám helyes. = This number is correct.
• A szám helyes. = The number is correct.

So if you want to point to a specific number as this one, keep ez. If the context already makes it clear which number you mean, A szám helyes may be enough.