Hiába kérünk tippet, a feladvány nehéz marad.

Hiába means something like in vain, no matter how much, or it’s useless to. It signals that the action in the first part does not change the result in the second part.

So here:

Hiába kérünk tippet, a feladvány nehéz marad.

means that even if we ask for a hint, the puzzle still remains difficult.

A very common pattern is:

Hiába + verb, ...
= Even if / No matter how / In vain ...

For example:

• Hiába próbálom, nem sikerül. = Even though I try / No matter how I try, it doesn’t work.

Kérünk is the indefinite conjugation of kér in the 1st person plural: we ask.

Hungarian uses two conjugations:

• indefinite: when there is no definite direct object, or the object is indefinite
• definite: when the direct object is definite

Here the object is tippet = a hint / some hint, which is indefinite, so Hungarian uses the indefinite form:

• kérünk tippet = we ask for a hint

Compare:

• kérünk egy tippet = we ask for a hint → indefinite
• kérjük a tippet = we ask for the hint → definite

So kérjük would suggest a definite object, such as a tippet.

Because tippet is the accusative form of tipp.

In Hungarian, the direct object usually takes the -t accusative ending. But the form can change a bit depending on pronunciation and spelling.

Here:

• base noun: tipp
• accusative: tippet

This happens because Hungarian often inserts a vowel before the accusative ending to make pronunciation easier.

So:

• tipp = hint
• tippet = a hint as the direct object

In the sentence, what do we ask for? → tippet

Hungarian often leaves out egy (a/an, one) when English would naturally use a/an.

So both of these are possible:

• kérünk tippet
• kérünk egy tippet

The version without egy is very natural and often sounds more general:

• kérünk tippet = we ask for a hint / hints / some hint
• kérünk egy tippet = we ask for one hint

Leaving out egy does not make the sentence wrong or incomplete. In many contexts, it is the more idiomatic choice.

Feladvány is a noun in the subject form, so it has no special ending here.

It means puzzle, riddle, or brain teaser, depending on context.

In this sentence:

• a feladvány = the puzzle

The article a makes it definite, so we are talking about the specific puzzle.

Because the sentence is talking about a specific puzzle, not just any puzzle.

• a feladvány = the puzzle
• egy feladvány = a puzzle

Since the sentence says that the puzzle remains difficult, it refers to a particular puzzle already known from the context.

Marad means remains or stays.

It is the 3rd person singular form of marad:

• én maradok = I remain
• te maradsz = you remain
• ő marad = he/she/it remains

Here the subject is a feladvány, which is singular, so:

• a feladvány nehéz marad = the puzzle remains difficult

This is a very common Hungarian structure:

X + adjective + marad
= X remains/stays + adjective

For example:

• A szoba hideg marad. = The room stays cold.

Because in Hungarian, when a noun remains or becomes something, the adjective usually comes before the verb:

• nehéz marad = remains difficult
• boldog lett = became happy

So the structure is:

subject + adjective + marad

Here:

• a feladvány = subject
• nehéz = adjective
• marad = verb

This word order is completely normal.

The comma separates the two parts of the sentence:

1. Hiába kérünk tippet
2. a feladvány nehéz marad

The first part sets up a contrast or concession: even if we ask for a hint / in vain we ask for a hint.
The second part gives the unchanged result: the puzzle remains difficult.

Hungarian commonly uses a comma in this kind of structure, especially with hiába.

Yes, Hungarian word order is flexible, but different orders change the focus or emphasis.

The given sentence is very natural:

• Hiába kérünk tippet, a feladvány nehéz marad.

Other versions may be possible, for example:

• Hiába kérünk tippet, nehéz marad a feladvány.

This is also grammatical, but it sounds slightly different in emphasis. The original version is a neutral, clear way to say it.

Hungarian word order is often guided more by information structure than by a fixed English-style pattern.

Literally, yes, it looks close to that, but in natural English we would usually say ask for a hint.

Hungarian often uses a direct object where English uses a preposition:

• kérünk tippet = literally we ask hint
• natural English: we ask for a hint

So when translating, it is better to think about the natural English meaning, not just the word-for-word structure.

Not exactly. It can sometimes feel similar to although, even if, or despite that, but its core idea is stronger: the effort is useless or it makes no difference.

Compare the feeling:

• although = simple contrast
• hiába = contrast + futility / lack of effect

So in this sentence, hiába does not just mean although we ask for a hint. It means more like:

• Even if we ask for a hint, it doesn’t help
• Asking for a hint is no use

The sentence has two parts:

1. Hiába kérünk tippet
   = Even if / In vain we ask for a hint

2. a feladvány nehéz marad
   = the puzzle remains difficult

So the full pattern is:

Hiába + verb clause, main clause

This expresses:

• an action is done
• but the result does not change

A useful general model is:

Hiába + present/past verb, something still happens / remains true.

Example:

• Hiába tanulok, fáradt vagyok.
  = Even though I study / No matter how much I study, I am tired.

Yes. Both verbs are in the present tense:

• kérünk = we ask
• marad = it remains

Even though English might sometimes translate this with still remains or something slightly more interpretive, the Hungarian forms themselves are simple present tense.

The we is built into the verb ending -ünk, so Hungarian does not need a separate pronoun.

• kérünk already means we ask

You could add mi for emphasis:

• Hiába mi kérünk tippet...

but that would sound marked and is usually unnecessary.

This is normal in Hungarian: subject pronouns are often omitted because the verb ending already shows the person and number.