A hátizsák nagy.

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

• a is used before words that begin with a consonant
• az is used before words that begin with a vowel

So:

• a hátizsák = the backpack
• az alma = the apple

In Hungarian, the verb to be is often omitted in the present tense, third person.

So in English you say:

• The backpack is big.

But in Hungarian, you simply say:

• A hátizsák nagy.

This is completely normal.

However, in other persons, Hungarian does use the verb:

• Nagy vagyok. = I am big.
• Nagy vagy. = You are big.

Here nagy is not directly describing the noun inside a noun phrase; it is the predicate adjective.

So the structure is:

• A hátizsák = the subject
• nagy = what is being said about the subject

This is like:

• The backpack is big

If you want the adjective directly before the noun, that gives a different structure:

• a nagy hátizsák = the big backpack

So compare:

• A hátizsák nagy. = The backpack is big.
• A nagy hátizsák... = The big backpack...

Because a nagy hátizsák means the big backpack as a noun phrase, not a full statement.

It names an object, but it does not say anything complete yet.

• A nagy hátizsák = the big backpack
• A hátizsák nagy. = The backpack is big.

So the sentence uses nagy after the noun because it is making a statement, not just naming something.

A rough guide:

• hátizsák ≈ haa-ti-zhaak
• nagy ≈ nawdy or nody, but with a special Hungarian gy sound

A few useful points:

• á is a long vowel, longer than a
• zs sounds like the s in measure
• gy is a soft consonant sound that English does not have exactly

So:

• zs = zh
• gy = a soft sound somewhat like dy, but not exactly

In Hungarian, accent marks usually show vowel length, not stress.

So:

• a and á are different vowels
• á is longer than a

This difference matters because it can change the word.

Hungarian spelling is quite regular, so it is important to pay attention to vowel length.

Yes. Hungarian very often forms compound nouns as one word.

Hátizsák is a compound:

• háti = relating to the back
• zsák = sack, bag

Together they form the normal word for backpack.

This is very common in Hungarian, so learners will often see long compound words.

No. Hungarian does not have grammatical gender.

So hátizsák is not masculine, feminine, or neuter. The same is true for nouns in general.

This also means adjectives do not change for gender the way they do in some European languages.

Yes, you can, but the emphasis changes.

• A hátizsák nagy. = neutral statement
• Nagy a hátizsák. = emphasis on big

The second version can sound like:

• The backpack is big
• or It’s the backpack that is big / The backpack is big, actually

Hungarian word order is flexible, and moving a word often changes the focus or emphasis, not the basic meaning.

You add nem before the adjective:

• A hátizsák nem nagy.

That means The backpack is not big.

In this kind of sentence, nem normally comes before the part being negated.

Then the predicate adjective is usually plural too.

Compare:

• A hátizsák nagy. = The backpack is big.
• A hátizsákok nagyok. = The backpacks are big.

So:

• hátizsák → hátizsákok for plural
• nagy → nagyok for plural predicate adjective

This is useful because English does not change big, but Hungarian often does in this kind of sentence.