Az országgyűlés ma dönt.

Az is the Hungarian definite article, meaning the.

Hungarian has two forms of the definite article:

• a
• az

The choice depends on the sound that follows:

• a before a consonant
• az before a vowel

Since országgyűlés begins with a vowel sound, Hungarian uses az:

• az országgyűlés = the parliament / the National Assembly

This is similar to how English uses a and an, although in Hungarian it applies to the, not to the indefinite article.

Országgyűlés usually means Parliament or National Assembly in Hungarian.

It is made up of two parts:

• ország = country
• gyűlés = assembly, meeting

So the literal idea is something like country-assembly, but in normal English translation it is best understood as Parliament.

In modern Hungarian, az Országgyűlés commonly refers to Hungary’s national legislature.

Hungarian often forms compound nouns by writing them as a single word.

So:

• ország
  • gyűlés → országgyűlés

This is very normal in Hungarian. English often uses separate words where Hungarian prefers one compound word.

A learner coming from English may expect something like country assembly, but Hungarian combines them into one noun.

In this sentence, országgyűlés is written with a lowercase letter because it is being used as a common noun, basically parliament.

Hungarian capitalization is more limited than English capitalization. In English, names of institutions are often capitalized more readily. In Hungarian, capitalization usually depends on whether the word is part of an official proper name.

So:

• az országgyűlés = the parliament, parliament in general
• az Országgyűlés = the official name, the National Assembly

In many contexts, both may appear depending on how formal or official the wording is.

Ma means today.

So the sentence structure is:

• Az országgyűlés = the parliament
• ma = today
• dönt = decides / will make a decision

So the whole sentence means something like:

• The parliament decides today.
• Parliament makes its decision today.

Depending on context, English might also translate it more naturally as Parliament will decide today.

Hungarian word order is more flexible than English word order. The position of words often reflects focus, emphasis, or information structure, not just grammar.

In Az országgyűlés ma dönt, ma comes before the verb and gets some emphasis. It highlights today as important information.

Possible variants include:

• Az országgyűlés ma dönt. = The parliament decides today.
• Ma dönt az országgyűlés. = Today is when the parliament decides.

Both are grammatical, but the emphasis changes slightly.

Dönt comes from the verb dönteni, which means to decide.

Here, dönt is:

• present tense
• third person singular

So it means:

• he/she/it decides
• or with this subject, the parliament decides

In context, it often implies makes a decision.

Depending on the situation, English may translate the Hungarian present tense as either:

• decides
• is deciding
• will decide

In news-style Hungarian, the present tense is often used where English would naturally say will decide.

Hungarian usually does not need subject pronouns like he, she, or it, because the verb ending already gives person and number information.

In this sentence, the subject is explicitly stated:

• Az országgyűlés = the parliament

So there is no need for any extra pronoun.

Even when the subject is not said, Hungarian often leaves pronouns out if the meaning is clear from the verb form and context.

Dönt is the third person singular indefinite conjugation form of dönteni.

Hungarian verbs have two major conjugation patterns:

• indefinite
• definite

Very roughly:

• indefinite is used when there is no definite direct object
• definite is used when there is a definite direct object

In this sentence, dönt has no direct object stated, so the indefinite form is used.

Compare:

• Az országgyűlés ma dönt. = The parliament decides today.
• Az országgyűlés ma a kérdést dönti el. = The parliament decides the question today.

In the second sentence, there is a definite object, so a definite-type form appears.

Here it is being used more like an intransitive verb: to make a decision.

Hungarian often allows verbs like dönteni to appear without stating the object explicitly, especially when the general idea of making a decision is enough.

So the sentence does not have to say exactly what parliament is deciding. That can be understood from context.

A rough pronunciation guide is:

or-saag-yüü-laysh

But some details matter:

• orsz begins with a sound cluster that may feel difficult for English speakers
• gy is a soft consonant, somewhat like the d in British English duke for some speakers, but not exactly
• ű is a long front rounded vowel, which English does not really have
• é sounds somewhat like ay in say, but pure and long
• s in Hungarian is pronounced like English sh
• sz in Hungarian is pronounced like English s

So:

• gyűlés is approximately dyuu-laysh, but that is only approximate

If pronunciation is your main concern, the hardest parts are usually gy and ű.

Hungarian often uses the present tense for future events when the time is clear from context.

Since ma means today, the sentence can refer to something that is going to happen later today.

So:

• Az országgyűlés ma dönt.

can mean either:

• The parliament decides today
• The parliament will decide today

In natural English, especially in news reporting, will decide today may sound more idiomatic.

Yes. Hungarian allows several word orders, but the emphasis changes.

For example:

• Az országgyűlés ma dönt. = The parliament decides today.
• Ma dönt az országgyűlés. = It is today that parliament decides.
• Dönt ma az országgyűlés? = Does parliament decide today?

The basic meaning can stay similar, but the sentence may sound more neutral, more emphatic, or more question-like depending on order and intonation.

This flexibility is one of the biggest differences between Hungarian and English.