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Questions & Answers about Az ember ott ül.
Why is there no separate word for 'is' in the sentence?
In Hungarian, a copula (the verb 'to be') is usually omitted in the present tense for third-person singular subjects. So instead of saying Az ember ott van (literally "The person is there"), Hungarian speakers can drop van, resulting in Az ember ott ül ("The person sits there"), where ül already implies that the person is sitting.
What does 'ember' mean, and why does it have the definite article 'az'?
'Ember' generally means "person" or "human being," while 'az' is the definite article ("the"). In this sentence, Az ember emphasizes a specific individual: "The person." If you wanted to talk about a man specifically, you could use A férfi, meaning "The man."
Does 'ott' always mean "there," or can it mean something else?
'Ott' usually means "there," indicating a location away from the speaker. It contrasts with itt, which means "here," near the speaker. If you want to say "going there," you’d use oda; if you want to say "coming here," you’d use ide. In this sentence, ott simply locates where the person is sitting.
Why is the verb 'ül' used instead of something like 'ülni'?
'Ül' is the third-person singular present tense form of the verb "to sit" (ülni in the infinitive). Hungarian uses different forms depending on tense and person. Here, since it’s a statement about what "the person" is doing right now, the sentence needs the present tense: ül.
Is the word order important? Can I say 'Ott ül az ember'?
Hungarian word order can be flexible, and you can indeed say 'Ott ül az ember.' The emphasis, however, might shift slightly. Ott ül az ember emphasizes the location ("there") first, while Az ember ott ül emphasizes the subject ("the person") first. Both versions are grammatically correct.