A folyamat ma kezdődik.

• A = the (definite article)
• folyamat = process (the subject)
• ma = today (time adverb)
• kezdődik = begins / starts

So grammatically, A folyamat is the subject, ma tells you when, and kezdődik is the verb.

A is the Hungarian definite article, equivalent to the in English.

Hungarian has two forms of the definite article:

• a before most consonant sounds
• az before vowel sounds

So:

• a folyamat = the process
• but az ablak = the window

Here, folyamat starts with a consonant, so a is correct.

This is a very common question.

• kezd usually means to start something
• kezdődik means to begin / to start by itself

So:

• A tanár kezdi az órát. = The teacher starts the lesson.
• Az óra kezdődik. = The lesson begins.

In your sentence, the process is not starting something else; it is itself beginning. That is why kezdődik is the natural choice.

Kezdődik is 3rd person singular, present tense.

It means it begins or it is beginning, depending on context.

Hungarian dictionary forms for verbs are usually given in the 3rd person singular present form, so you often learn verbs like this:

• kezdődik = it begins
• infinitive: kezdődni = to begin

In this sentence, the subject is singular (a folyamat), so the 3rd person singular verb form is correct.

The -ik is part of the verb form. Hungarian has a group of verbs traditionally called -ik verbs, and kezdődik belongs to that pattern.

For a beginner, the most useful thing is to learn kezdődik as a whole verb form meaning it begins.

You do not need to interpret -ik here as a separate word with a separate meaning. It is simply part of the verb's standard form.

Hungarian word order is more flexible than English word order, and it often reflects emphasis and information structure, not just grammar.

In A folyamat ma kezdődik, putting ma right before the verb often gives today some emphasis:

• The process begins today.
• almost like It is today that the process begins.

So this order is very natural if the important new information is today.

Hungarian often works like this:

• topic first: A folyamat
• emphasized/focused element before the verb: ma
• verb: kezdődik

Yes, that is possible, but the nuance can change.

• A folyamat ma kezdődik often highlights today
• A folyamat kezdődik ma can sound less focused on today, depending on context

Hungarian word order is not random. Different orders can all be grammatical, but they may suggest different emphasis.

So the sentence you were given is a very natural one if the speaker wants to stress the timing.

Because ma is already an adverb meaning today.

It is not a noun here, so it does not need an extra case ending to mean on today or today.

Compare:

• ma = today
• holnap = tomorrow
• tegnap = yesterday

These are fixed time adverbs.

It is singular.

Hungarian plurals usually take the suffix -k:

• folyamat = process
• folyamatok = processes

Since there is no plural ending here, folyamat is singular, and that matches the singular verb kezdődik.

A rough pronunciation guide is:

KEZ-dő-dik

A few helpful points:

• sz in Hungarian sounds like English s
• plain s sounds more like English sh
• ő is a long front rounded vowel, which English does not really have
• stress in Hungarian is always on the first syllable

So the whole sentence is stressed like this:

A FOL-ya-mat ma KEZ-dő-dik

The hardest part for many English speakers is ő. It is not the same as English o.

Normally, no, not in standard everyday Hungarian for this sentence.

A folyamat refers to a specific process, so the definite article is expected.

Without the article, it would sound unnatural in most normal contexts, or perhaps like a headline, note, or very telegraphic style.

So the standard sentence is:

A folyamat ma kezdődik.