Learn Hardcore Hungarian: Ez víz.

In Hungarian, when you’re simply identifying something in the present tense (e.g. “This is water.”), you often leave out van (“to be”) for third-person statements. So instead of saying Ez van víz., which sounds incorrect in Hungarian, you just say Ez víz..

Does Ez strictly mean “this,” or can it also mean “that”?

Ez typically translates to “this,” but Hungarian does not always differentiate between “this” and “that” the same way English does. Depending on context, ez can mean either “this” or “that,” especially if you’re pointing at something close or somewhat further away.

Why don’t we need an article (like a or az) in Ez víz.?

When stating what something is in a general, non-specific way (e.g. “This is water,” rather than “This is the water”), Hungarian does not require an article. You would use an article if you were referring to a specific instance, such as Ez a víz… (“This water [in particular]…”).

Is víz always singular or can it be plural?

Víz is singular and generally used as an uncountable noun (like “water” in English). If you need to refer to different types of waters or bottles of water in a more countable sense, you might use vizek in certain contexts, but in everyday usage, you’ll mostly see víz in its uncountable form.