Az időszak ma kezdődik.

Az is the definite article, meaning the.

So az időszak = the period.

Hungarian uses definite articles a lot, much like English does. If you are talking about a specific period, az is natural. If you said just időszak, it would sound more like a period / period depending on context, and it would usually not fit as well in a normal standalone sentence like this.

Hungarian has two forms of the definite article:

• a
• az

Which one you use depends on the sound at the beginning of the next word:

• a before most consonant sounds
• az before vowel sounds

Since időszak begins with the vowel i, you say az időszak.

Examples:

• a ház = the house
• az autó = the car

Időszak usually means period, time period, or phase, depending on context.

It is a noun. In this sentence, it refers to some span of time that is starting today.

Learners sometimes confuse it with:

• idő = time / weather
• időpont = point in time / appointment / exact time
• korszak = era

So időszak is specifically a period of time.

Ma means today.

Hungarian word order is more flexible than English word order. The position of a word often shows what is being emphasized or presented as important information.

In Az időszak ma kezdődik, the structure is very natural and neutral:

• Az időszak = the topic
• ma = the time expression
• kezdődik = begins / starts

English also often places time expressions flexibly:

• The period begins today.
• Today the period begins.

Hungarian allows similar flexibility, but the emphasis can shift depending on placement.

Yes, absolutely.

Ma kezdődik az időszak is also correct, but the emphasis is a little different.

• Az időszak ma kezdődik: the sentence is about the period, and you are saying that it starts today.
• Ma kezdődik az időszak: stronger focus on today; this can sound like It is today that the period begins.

Both are grammatical. Hungarian word order often reflects information structure and emphasis rather than rigid subject-verb-object rules.

Kezdődik means begins, starts, or is starting depending on context.

It comes from the verb kezdődik, which is an intransitive verb, meaning the subject itself begins.

So:

• Az időszak kezdődik = The period begins

This is different from kezd, which is usually transitive and means to begin/start something.

Compare:

• A film kezdődik. = The film is starting.
• Kezdem a munkát. = I am starting the work.

Not in the same way as in some other languages, even though English speakers sometimes get that impression.

The ending and form may make it feel like it begins itself, but it is best to learn kezdődik simply as a normal Hungarian verb meaning to begin / to start in an intransitive sense.

So do not analyze it as if it literally meant begins itself in everyday use. Just learn:

• kezd = start something
• kezdődik = begin / start

It is present tense, third person singular.

Breakdown:

• dictionary form: kezdődik
• subject: az időszak = the period
• tense: present

Hungarian often uses the present tense where English also uses the present:

• Az iskola holnap kezdődik. = School starts tomorrow.
• A program ma kezdődik. = The program starts today.

So even though the event may be in the near future, present tense is normal.

Because Hungarian usually does not need an explicit subject pronoun when the subject is already clear.

Here, the subject is the noun phrase az időszak, so no pronoun is needed.

Hungarian also often leaves out subject pronouns even when the subject is just implied by the verb ending:

• Kezdődik. = It begins / It’s starting.

In your sentence, az időszak already tells you what is beginning, so adding a pronoun would be unnecessary.

A rough guide:

• időszak ≈ ee-dur-saak
• kezdődik ≈ keh-zdø-deek

A few pronunciation notes:

• ő is a long front rounded vowel, something like the vowel in German schön if you know German.
• sz is pronounced like English s
• plain s in Hungarian is pronounced like English sh
• stress in Hungarian is always on the first syllable

So:

• IDŐszak
• KEZdődik

Yes. It is natural and grammatical.

It sounds slightly formal or neutral because of the word időszak, which is common in official, academic, administrative, or informative contexts.

For example, similar sentences could appear in:

• school announcements
• registration periods
• seasonal schedules
• official notices

In casual speech, the exact noun might change depending on context, but the sentence itself is perfectly normal Hungarian.