A melléklet a kérelemben van.

Questions & Answers about A melléklet a kérelemben van.

Why are there two a words in A melléklet a kérelemben van?

Because a is the Hungarian definite article, meaning the.

So the sentence breaks down like this:

  • a melléklet = the attachment / the appendix / the enclosure
  • a kérelemben = in the application / in the request

Hungarian uses the definite article very regularly, so if both nouns are definite, both can take a.

Also:

  • a is used before consonant sounds
  • az is used before vowel sounds

So you get:

  • a melléklet
  • a kérelem but
  • az irat
What does kérelemben mean, and what is the -ben ending?

Kérelemben consists of:

  • kérelem = application, request, petition
  • -ben = in

So:

  • kérelemben = in the application/request

Hungarian often expresses meanings like in, on, under, from, to, etc. with endings attached directly to the noun rather than with separate prepositions.

Compare:

  • házban = in the house
  • dobozban = in the box
  • kérelemben = in the application

This kind of ending is called a case ending. Here, -ban/-ben is the ending for in.

Why is it -ben and not -ban?

This is because of vowel harmony, a very important feature of Hungarian.

The ending for in has two forms:

  • -ban
  • -ben

Which one you use depends on the vowels in the word.

  • kérelem contains front vowels, so it takes -ben
  • for a back-vowel word, you would usually use -ban

Examples:

  • kertben = in the garden
  • székben = in the chair
  • házban = in the house
  • szobában = in the room

So kérelemben is the expected harmonic form.

Why is the ending attached to the noun instead of using a separate word for in?

Because Hungarian is an agglutinative language. That means grammatical meanings are often shown by adding endings directly to words.

In English, you say:

  • in the application

In Hungarian, the same idea is usually expressed as:

  • a kérelemben

So instead of a separate preposition like in, Hungarian uses a noun ending.

This is very normal in Hungarian:

  • asztalon = on the table
  • házból = out of the house
  • iskolába = into the school
  • kérelemben = in the application
Why is van used here? I thought Hungarian often leaves out is/are in the present tense.

That's a very common and very good question.

Hungarian often omits van in the present tense in sentences like:

  • A melléklet fontos. = The attachment is important.
  • A kérelem kész. = The application is ready.

But in sentences showing location or existence, van is normally used:

  • A melléklet a kérelemben van. = The attachment is in the application.
  • A könyv az asztalon van. = The book is on the table.

So the rule of thumb is:

  • with identification or description, 3rd person present van is often omitted
  • with location/existence, van is usually kept

That is why van appears here.

What is the basic word order of this sentence?

The basic structure is:

  • A melléklet = topic / what we are talking about
  • a kérelemben = location
  • van = is

So:

  • A melléklet a kérelemben van.
  • literally: The attachment in the application is.

This is normal Hungarian word order for a neutral statement.

Hungarian word order is flexible, but changes in order often change emphasis rather than basic meaning.

For example:

  • A melléklet a kérelemben van. = neutral: The attachment is in the application.
  • A kérelemben van a melléklet. = emphasis more on where it is
  • A melléklet van a kérelemben. = emphasis more on the attachment as the thing that is there

So the original sentence is a straightforward, neutral version.

What exactly does melléklet mean here?

Melléklet can mean things like:

  • attachment
  • appendix
  • enclosure
  • annex

The exact English word depends on context.

For example:

  • in a document or official paperwork context, melléklet often means attachment or enclosure
  • in a book or formal text, it might mean appendix
  • in legal or administrative language, it can mean annex

So in this sentence, it most likely refers to some document or item included with the application/request.

What is the difference between kérelemben and kérelembe?

This is the difference between in and into.

  • -ban/-ben = in
  • -ba/-be = into

So:

  • a kérelemben van = it is in the application
  • a kérelembe teszi = he/she puts it into the application

Examples:

  • A levél a dobozban van. = The letter is in the box.
  • A levelet a dobozba teszi. = He/she puts the letter into the box.

In your sentence, the meaning is location, not movement, so -ben is correct.

Could this sentence be translated in more than one way in English?

Yes. Even if the general meaning is already known, there can be a few natural English translations depending on context.

Possible translations include:

  • The attachment is in the application.
  • The enclosure is in the application.
  • The appendix is in the application.
  • The annex is in the application.

Also, kérelem can mean:

  • application
  • request
  • sometimes petition, depending on context

So another possible translation could be:

  • The attachment is in the request.

The grammar stays the same; only the best vocabulary choice changes with context.

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