A tisztelt polgármester ma dolgozik.

A is the Hungarian definite article, equivalent to the in English.

Hungarian has two forms:

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

Since tisztelt starts with the consonant t, the sentence uses a tisztelt polgármester = the respected mayor.

Examples:

• a ház = the house
• az ember = the person

Tisztelt literally means respected, esteemed, or sometimes honorable depending on context.

In this sentence, it describes polgármester, so a tisztelt polgármester means something like:

• the respected mayor
• the honorable mayor

It is a polite, respectful word. You will also see it often in formal language, especially in letters and speeches:

• Tisztelt Uram! = Dear Sir!
• Tisztelt Hölgyem! = Dear Madam!

So here it gives the noun a formal or respectful tone.

In Hungarian, attributive adjectives normally come before the noun, just like in English.

So:

• tisztelt polgármester = respected mayor
• nagy ház = big house
• fiatal tanár = young teacher

That word order is the normal one.

Not in this kind of sentence.

Hungarian adjectives used directly before a noun usually do not agree with the noun in number the way adjectives often do in many Indo-European languages. They stay in a basic form:

• a tisztelt polgármester = the respected mayor
• a tisztelt polgármesterek = the respected mayors

Notice that tisztelt stays the same, while polgármester becomes plural if needed.

This is often surprising for English speakers who have studied languages like French, German, or Spanish.

Polgármester means mayor.

It is a single word in modern Hungarian. Historically, it is made up of parts related to polgár (citizen, bourgeois) and mester (master), but for learners it is best treated simply as the normal word for mayor.

So:

• a polgármester = the mayor
• egy polgármester = a mayor

Ma means today.

In this sentence, it appears before the verb:

• A tisztelt polgármester ma dolgozik.

That is a very natural Hungarian word order.

Hungarian word order is more flexible than English word order, and moving elements around often changes the emphasis rather than the basic meaning.

For example:

• A tisztelt polgármester ma dolgozik.
  Neutral: The respected mayor is working today.

• Ma a tisztelt polgármester dolgozik.
  Emphasis on today.

• A tisztelt polgármester dolgozik ma.
  Also possible, but a bit different in rhythm or emphasis.

So ma is in a normal place here, but it could be moved for focus.

Dolgozik means works or is working, depending on context.

Hungarian present tense can often translate into English in more than one way:

• dolgozik = works
• dolgozik = is working

So the sentence can mean:

• The respected mayor works today
• The respected mayor is working today

The exact English choice depends on context.

The verb dolgozik is the 3rd person singular present tense form: he/she/it works.

The dictionary form of many Hungarian verbs is this 3rd person singular form, so learners often first meet verbs this way:

• dolgozik = to work / he or she works
• lakik = to live / he or she lives
• játszik = to play / he or she plays

Historically, Hungarian has a group called -ik verbs, and dolgozik belongs to that pattern. As a beginner, the main practical point is simply:

• dolgozom = I work
• dolgozol = you work
• dolgozik = he/she works

Hungarian usually does not need subject pronouns when the verb form or the context makes the subject clear.

English often says:

• He works
• She works

Hungarian can simply say:

• dolgozik

In your sentence, the subject is already explicitly stated as A tisztelt polgármester, so no pronoun is needed.

If you added a pronoun, it would usually be for contrast or emphasis:

• Ő dolgozik ma. = He/She is working today.

But in the given sentence, the noun phrase already does the job.

It is talking about the mayor.

That is because:

• it has the definite article a
• polgármester is in its basic form
• there is no comma marking direct address

So A tisztelt polgármester ma dolgozik. means The respected mayor is working today.

If you were directly addressing the mayor, Hungarian would usually look different, for example:

• Tisztelt Polgármester! = Dear/Respected Mayor!

That is a form of address, especially in formal writing or speech.

In greetings or formal address, Hungarian often capitalizes titles and polite forms:

• Tisztelt Polgármester!
• Tisztelt Igazgató Úr!

But in an ordinary statement, common nouns are not capitalized:

• a tisztelt polgármester

So the sentence you have is a normal statement, not a greeting or salutation.

Yes. Then it would simply be:

• A polgármester ma dolgozik. = The mayor is working today.

Adding tisztelt makes it more respectful, formal, or rhetorically elevated. Without it, the sentence is more neutral.

So the difference is mainly tone:

• A polgármester ma dolgozik. = neutral
• A tisztelt polgármester ma dolgozik. = respectful/formal

A rough pronunciation guide:

• A = short aw
• tisztelt ≈ TEEST-telt
• polgármester ≈ POL-gaar-mesh-ter
• ma = maw
• dolgozik ≈ DOL-go-zik

A few useful sound notes:

• sz is pronounced like English s
• plain s is pronounced like English sh
• á is a longer vowel, somewhat like a in father
• stress in Hungarian usually falls on the first syllable of each word

So the stress pattern is roughly:

• A TISZ-telt POL-gár-mes-ter MA DOL-go-zik

Yes, depending on context and intonation.

Hungarian relies a lot on word order and stress for emphasis. In a neutral reading, the sentence just states a fact:

• A tisztelt polgármester ma dolgozik.

But if ma is stressed, it can imply contrast:

• today rather than another day
• today as opposed to being absent

If you wanted even stronger focus on today, Hungarian might place it in a more prominent position:

• A tisztelt polgármester ma dolgozik.
• Ma dolgozik a tisztelt polgármester.

So yes, context and emphasis matter a lot.