Az ablaktörlő a szélvédőn van.

Both a and az mean the. Hungarian uses:

• a before a consonant sound
• az before a vowel sound

So:

• az ablaktörlő because ablaktörlő begins with a vowel
• a szélvédőn because szélvédőn begins with sz, a consonant sound

This is similar to a/an in English, but in Hungarian both forms are definite articles.

It is a compound word:

• ablak = window
• törlő = wiper, something that wipes

So ablaktörlő literally means window-wiper. In everyday use, it is the normal word for a windshield wiper.

Hungarian very often builds nouns this way, by combining smaller words into one longer word.

It is also a compound:

• szél = wind
• védő = protector / protecting thing

So szélvédő literally means something like wind-protector or wind-shield. That is why it means windshield.

The ending -n here means on.

So:

• szélvédő = windshield
• szélvédőn = on the windshield

This is part of the Hungarian case system. Instead of using a separate word like English on, Hungarian often adds an ending directly to the noun.

In this sentence, -n is a form of the superessive case, which often expresses on a surface.

Because Hungarian often expresses ideas like in, on, to, from, and so on with noun endings rather than separate prepositions.

So English:

• on the windshield

becomes Hungarian:

• a szélvédőn

Here the idea of on is built into szélvédőn itself.

Van means is.

In Hungarian, when you describe where something is, you normally use van:

• Az ablaktörlő a szélvédőn van. = The windshield wiper is on the windshield.

This is different from some other Hungarian sentences where English uses is, but Hungarian leaves it out:

• Az autó piros. = The car is red.
  No van here.

A useful rule for beginners is:

• with location: van is usually present
• with simple A is B descriptions in the present tense: van is often omitted in the 3rd person

No, Hungarian word order is flexible, but different orders change the emphasis.

Az ablaktörlő a szélvédőn van. is a neutral sentence. It presents the windshield wiper as the topic, and then says where it is.

A different order can emphasize the location more:

• A szélvédőn van az ablaktörlő.

That feels more like:

• It’s on the windshield that the wiper is
• or The wiper is on the windshield

So the original sentence is a very natural basic order, but not the only possible one.

A few useful points:

• sz is pronounced like English s in see
• ö and ő are rounded vowels that do not exist in standard English
• ő is basically a long version of ö

Very rough guides:

• ablaktörlő ≈ AWB-lok-tur-luh
• szélvédőn ≈ sale-vay-duhn

Those are only approximations.

Also:

• Hungarian stress is usually on the first syllable
• so: ABlaktörlő, SZÉLvédőn

If you are learning pronunciation, sz and the vowel ő are especially worth practicing.