Az expozíció helyes.

Breakdown of Az expozíció helyes.

az
the
helyes
correct
expozíció
exposure in photography

Questions & Answers about Az expozíció helyes.

Why is it az and not a?

Hungarian has two forms of the definite article:

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

Because expozíció begins with a vowel sound, the correct form is az expozíció.

Compare:

  • a könyv = the book
  • az alma = the apple
What does expozíció mean, and is it a native Hungarian word?

Expozíció is a loanword, ultimately related to exposition/exposure in other European languages. In Hungarian it can be used in contexts like:

  • photography: exposure
  • art or museum contexts: exhibition/exposition
  • sometimes more technical or academic contexts as well

It is not an old native Hungarian word; it is an international-style learned word, which is why it may look familiar to an English speaker.

Why is helyes after the noun?

Because this sentence is structured like The exposure is correct.

In Hungarian, when an adjective is used predicatively—that is, as the main description in a sentence—it appears without any extra ending:

  • Az expozíció helyes. = The exposure is correct.

But when an adjective directly modifies a noun, it usually comes before it:

  • a helyes expozíció = the correct exposure

So:

  • helyes expozíció = correct exposure
  • Az expozíció helyes. = The exposure is correct.
Where is the word for is?

In the third person singular and third person plural in the present tense, Hungarian often leaves out the verb van (is/are) when describing something.

So Hungarian says:

  • Az expozíció helyes.

where English requires:

  • The exposure is correct.

This is very normal in Hungarian. Compare:

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

If you added van here, it would usually sound unnatural unless there is some special emphasis or contrast.

Is helyes the same as good?

Not exactly.

Helyes usually means correct, right, or proper. It often suggests that something is accurate or acceptable according to a standard.

Depending on context:

  • helyes válasz = correct answer
  • helyes döntés = right/proper decision
  • helyes expozíció = correct exposure

If you wanted to say something is simply good, Hungarian often uses jó instead.

So:

  • Az expozíció helyes. = The exposure is correct.
  • Az expozíció jó. = The exposure is good.

Sometimes the difference is small, but helyes is more about correctness than general quality.

How is expozíció pronounced?

A rough English-friendly pronunciation is:

eggs-poh-ZEE-tsee-oh

More carefully, Hungarian pronunciation is approximately:

  • ex = eks
  • po = like po in पो/po, or English poh
  • zí = zee
  • ció = roughly tsee-oh

A few useful points:

  • x in Hungarian is usually pronounced ks
  • z is like English z
  • c is pronounced ts
  • í is a long ee sound
  • ó is a long o

Stress in Hungarian normally falls on the first syllable, so:

EX-po-zí-ci-ó

Why does helyes not change form here?

Hungarian adjectives do not change for gender, and in this kind of sentence they also do not agree with the noun the way adjectives do in many Indo-European languages.

So helyes stays helyes regardless of whether the noun is masculine, feminine, neuter, singular, or plural—because Hungarian does not work with grammatical gender like that.

Examples:

  • A válasz helyes. = The answer is correct.
  • A megoldás helyes. = The solution is correct.
  • Az expozíció helyes. = The exposure is correct.
Could the word order be changed?

Yes, but the neutral, ordinary order here is:

  • Az expozíció helyes.

If you change the order, you usually change the emphasis.

For example:

  • Helyes az expozíció.

This can sound more like:

  • The exposure is correct
  • or It is the exposure that is correct

depending on context and intonation.

So for a simple neutral statement, Az expozíció helyes. is the best basic form to learn.

Is this sentence natural Hungarian?

Yes, it is grammatical and natural, especially in technical or evaluative contexts.

For example, someone might say it when discussing:

  • photography settings
  • printed images
  • visual reproduction
  • technical correctness

That said, in everyday speech people might also choose other words depending on the situation, such as:

  • jó = good
  • rendben van = it is fine / it is okay
  • megfelelő = appropriate / suitable

But Az expozíció helyes. is perfectly normal if the intended meaning is specifically The exposure is correct.

What would the plural version be?

The plural would be:

  • Az expozíciók helyesek. = The exposures are correct.

Changes:

  • expozíció → expozíciók = plural noun
  • helyes → helyesek = plural predicate adjective

Unlike the singular sentence, in the plural Hungarian usually does show plural marking on the adjective in this kind of predicate structure.

So:

  • Az expozíció helyes. = singular
  • Az expozíciók helyesek. = plural
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