Amióta elkezdődött a fagy, csúszós az ösvény.

Amióta means since, ever since, or more literally from the time when.

In this sentence, it introduces a time clause:

• Amióta elkezdődött a fagy = Since the frost began

It tells you the starting point in time for the situation in the main clause.

This is a very common question.

• amióta is usually a conjunction/relative word meaning since, introducing a clause:

  • Amióta itt lakom, boldog vagyok.
  • Since I’ve lived here, I’ve been happy.

• mióta is often used in questions meaning since when? or how long?

  • Mióta laksz itt?
  • How long have you lived here? / Since when do you live here?

So in your sentence, amióta is the correct form because it introduces the clause elkezdődött a fagy.

Because Amióta elkezdődött a fagy is a subordinate time clause, and Hungarian normally separates such clauses with a comma.

So the structure is:

• Amióta elkezdődött a fagy, = subordinate clause
• csúszós az ösvény. = main clause

This is very normal Hungarian punctuation.

Elkezdődött means began, started, or got started.

It comes from the verb:

• elkezdődik = to begin, to start

Breakdown:

• el- = a verbal prefix
• kezd = begin/start
• -ődik = part of the verb form
• -ött = past tense marker here
• implied he/she/it subject = it began

So:

• elkezdődött a fagy = the frost began

Because elkezdődik is an intransitive verb meaning to begin, and a fagy is the subject:

• A fagy elkezdődött. = The frost began.

By contrast, elkezd is usually transitive and takes an object:

• Elkezdtem a munkát. = I started the work.

So:

• elkezdődött a fagy = correct for the frost started
• a fagy elkezdett = incomplete/incorrect on its own in standard usage

A fagy means the frost or sometimes the freeze/freezing weather, depending on context.

Hungarian often uses the definite article in places where English may or may not use one. Here, a fagy refers to the frost as a known weather condition or period of freezing.

So even if English might sometimes just say frost or freezing weather, Hungarian naturally says:

• a fagy

This is completely normal.

Not always. Fagy can refer to:

• frost
• freezing weather
• a freeze

So in this sentence, it suggests that freezing conditions have begun, and as a result the path is slippery.

Depending on context, a natural English translation could be:

• Since the frost began, the path has been slippery.
• Ever since it started freezing, the path has been slippery.

Both capture the idea.

Both are possible, but the word order affects emphasis and style.

• Az ösvény csúszós. = neutral, straightforward: The path is slippery.
• Csúszós az ösvény. = slightly more descriptive or focused on the quality slippery

Hungarian word order is flexible and often reflects what is being emphasized. Here, starting with csúszós puts a little more attention on the condition.

So the given sentence is natural, not strange.

Because Hungarian usually drops the verb van (to be) in the third person singular and plural present tense when linking a subject with a noun or adjective.

So:

• Az ösvény csúszós.
• literally: The path slippery.
• natural English: The path is slippery.

But in Hungarian, the is is simply not said here.

Compare:

• Én fáradt vagyok. = I am tired.
• Te fáradt vagy. = You are tired.
• Ő fáradt. = He/She is tired.
  No van here.

That is exactly what is happening in csúszós az ösvény.

Csúszós is an adjective meaning:

• slippery
• slick

So:

• csúszós az ösvény = the path is slippery

By contrast, csúszik is a verb meaning:

• to slip
• to slide

Examples:

• Az út csúszós. = The road is slippery.
• Elcsúsztam a jégen. = I slipped on the ice.

So csúszós describes a property, while csúszik describes an action.

The ending -s / -os / -es / -ös is a common adjective-forming suffix in Hungarian.

It often creates adjectives meaning something like:

• having the quality of
• characterized by
• full of / prone to

So:

• csúszós = slippery
  literally something like liable to slipping

Other examples:

• poros = dusty
• vizes = wet
• köves = stony

So csúszós is a regular-looking Hungarian adjective.

Ösvény means path, especially a narrow path, trail, or footpath.

It is not usually a big road. It suggests something smaller, often outdoors, such as:

• a forest path
• a trail
• a narrow walking path

So az ösvény = the path / the trail.

Because Hungarian is expressing:

1. a starting event in the past
   
   • elkezdődött a fagy = the frost began
2. a state that is true now
   
   • csúszós az ösvény = the path is slippery

This is very natural in Hungarian.

In English, we often prefer the present perfect in this kind of sentence:

• Since the frost began, the path has been slippery.

Hungarian does not need a special perfect tense here. A past event plus a present-state main clause is enough.

Yes, absolutely. That is probably the most natural English translation.

The Hungarian sentence does not explicitly mark English-style has been, but the meaning strongly suggests an ongoing state from that time until now.

So good translations include:

• Since the frost began, the path has been slippery.
• Ever since the frost started, the path has been slippery.
• Since it started freezing, the path has been slippery.

Yes.

In:

• elkezdődött a fagy

the subject is a fagy = the frost.

Hungarian often allows the verb to come before the subject, especially in neutral or natural narrative word order.

So this is equivalent to:

• A fagy elkezdődött.

Both mean:

• The frost began.

Yes, that is grammatical.

It would mean the same thing:

• Az ösvény csúszós, amióta elkezdődött a fagy.

Hungarian allows the subordinate clause either before or after the main clause.

The version with the time clause first:

• Amióta elkezdődött a fagy, csúszós az ösvény.

feels very natural because it sets the time frame first.

It is basically neutral standard Hungarian.

Nothing in it is especially slangy or highly literary. The only small stylistic point is that csúszós az ösvény sounds a little more descriptive than the plainer az ösvény csúszós, but both are normal.

So a learner can safely treat this as good everyday Hungarian.

The structure is:

• Amióta elkezdődött a fagy,
  since the frost began
• csúszós az ösvény.
  the path is slippery

So the pattern is:

time clause + main clause

More abstractly:

• Amióta + past event, present state

This is a very useful Hungarian pattern for talking about a situation that started because of something in the past and is still true now.