Questions & Answers about A fizikai munka nehéz.
Why is there a at the beginning if the English meaning is just Physical work is hard and not The physical work is hard?
A is the Hungarian definite article, equivalent to the.
Hungarian often uses the definite article in general statements where English uses no article. So:
A fizikai munka nehéz.
can naturally mean
Physical work is hard.
So the article does not always make the sentence sound specifically the way it would in English. Context decides whether it is generic or specific.
Why is there no separate word for is?
In Hungarian, the verb to be is usually omitted in the present tense, third person when the predicate is a noun or adjective.
So:
A fizikai munka nehéz.
literally looks like
The physical work hard.
But it means
The physical work is hard / Physical work is hard.
You do use the verb in other situations, for example:
- Én fáradt vagyok. = I am tired.
- A munka nehéz volt. = The work was hard.
- A munka nehéz lesz. = The work will be hard.
Why is fizikai before munka, but nehéz after it?