Kötelező átvizsgálni az ablaktörlőt, a féklámpát és a fényszórót.

Kötelező means obligatory, mandatory, required. In this sentence, it works like a predicate adjective: it is mandatory to ...

Hungarian often uses this pattern:

kötelező + infinitive

So:

Kötelező átvizsgálni ...
= It is mandatory to inspect ...

This is a very common impersonal way to express rules, requirements, and formal instructions.

The -ni ending is the Hungarian infinitive, equivalent to English to inspect / to examine.

So átvizsgálni = to inspect thoroughly.

After words like kötelező, Hungarian normally uses the infinitive:

• Kötelező kitölteni a nyomtatványt. = It is mandatory to fill in the form.
• Kötelező ellenőrizni az adatokat. = It is mandatory to check the data.

So kötelező átvizsgálni literally works like mandatory to inspect.

The base verb is vizsgálni, meaning to examine, inspect, investigate.

Adding the prefix át- often gives the idea of going through something thoroughly or completely. So:

• vizsgálni = to examine
• átvizsgálni = to inspect thoroughly / check over / examine carefully

In this sentence, átvizsgálni suggests a proper inspection rather than just a quick glance.

That -t is the accusative ending, used for the direct object of the verb.

Since these are the things being inspected, Hungarian marks them as objects:

• ablaktörlő → ablaktörlőt
• féklámpa → féklámpát
• fényszóró → fényszórót

English usually shows the object by word order, but Hungarian often marks it directly with the accusative ending.

Hungarian has two forms of the definite article:

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

So:

• az ablaktörlőt because ablaktörlő begins with a vowel sound
• a féklámpát because féklámpa begins with a consonant sound
• a fényszórót because fényszóró begins with a consonant sound

This is similar to English a/an, but Hungarian uses it only for the definite article, not the indefinite one.

Hungarian often builds nouns by combining smaller meaningful parts.

• ablaktörlő

  • ablak = window
  • törlő = wiper / something that wipes
    So this literally means window-wiper, i.e. windscreen wiper / windshield wiper

• féklámpa

  • fék = brake
  • lámpa = lamp
    So this means brake light

• fényszóró

  • fény = light
  • szóró = something that spreads or throws
    So this literally means light-thrower, i.e. headlight

These kinds of compounds are extremely common in Hungarian.

Hungarian often uses the singular where English prefers the plural, especially when talking about a type of thing in a general or technical sense.

So az ablaktörlőt, a féklámpát és a fényszórót can naturally refer to those vehicle components in a general inspection context.

If the speaker specifically wanted to emphasize multiple items, Hungarian could use plurals, but the singular is very normal here.

The sentence begins with Kötelező because that is the main point being emphasized: the action is mandatory.

Hungarian word order is more flexible than English and is strongly influenced by information structure and emphasis. A neutral, natural reading here is:

Kötelező átvizsgálni az ablaktörlőt, a féklámpát és a fényszórót.

This puts the requirement itself first, then the action, then the things affected.

You could express the same idea in other ways, but this version sounds like a formal rule or instruction.

Yes. A very common alternative is:

Át kell vizsgálni az ablaktörlőt, a féklámpát és a fényszórót.

This also means The wiper, brake light, and headlight must be inspected or must be checked.

The difference is mostly stylistic:

• Kötelező átvizsgálni ... sounds a bit more formal, like a regulation or requirement.
• Át kell vizsgálni ... is also very common and means must be inspected, but it feels a little more directly verbal.

Both are natural.

Yes, this works very much like English coordination in a simple list.

• a, b és c = a, b, and c

So:

az ablaktörlőt, a féklámpát és a fényszórót

means:

the wiper, the brake light, and the headlight

Hungarian normally does not use a comma before és in a simple list, unlike English, where the Oxford comma is optional.

The accents in Hungarian are very important because they usually show different vowel sounds or vowel length.

A few key ones here:

• á = a longer, more open vowel than a
• é = a long e
• ő = a long rounded front vowel
• ó = a long o

Examples from the sentence:

• Kötelező: the ö and ő are rounded vowels; ő is long
• ablaktörlőt: ő is long
• féklámpát: both é and á are long
• fényszórót: é, ó, and another ó are long

Vowel length matters in Hungarian, so learners should try not to ignore the accents.

It is impersonal: it expresses a general requirement, not a named subject like you or the mechanic.

That is why there is no explicit subject. The sentence is more like:

It is mandatory to inspect ...

rather than:

You must inspect ...

Hungarian often uses this subjectless style for signs, regulations, manuals, and official instructions.