Az asztal nagy, a szék kicsi.

to be

Breakdown of Az asztal nagy, a szék kicsi.

• nagy: big
• kicsi: small
• szék: the chair
• asztal: the table

Questions & Answers about Az asztal nagy, a szék kicsi.

Why is az used in Az asztal nagy, a szék kicsi instead of a?

In Hungarian, we have two forms of the definite article: a and az. We use az when the following word starts with a vowel sound (like asztal), and a when it starts with a consonant (like szék). Since asztal starts with a vowel sound, we say az asztal.

Why is there no van (the verb "to be") in Az asztal nagy, a szék kicsi?

In Hungarian, when describing what someone or something is (in the third person, present tense), the verb van (or vannak in plural) is omitted if the sentence just states a characteristic or quality. So instead of saying Az asztal van nagy, we just say Az asztal nagy.

How do I know if an adjective (like nagy and kicsi) should come before or after the noun?

In Hungarian, when you directly describe a noun with an adjective in a straightforward statement (e.g., "A nagy asztal"), the adjective typically comes before the noun. If you’re making a defining statement (e.g., "Az asztal nagy"), the noun comes first, followed by the adjective. The difference is mostly about saying "the big table" vs. "the table is big."

Is the sentence order flexible in Hungarian?

Hungarian is known for relatively flexible word order, but the default way to say "The table is big, the chair is small" is Az asztal nagy, a szék kicsi. The words can be rearranged in certain contexts, but it can change the emphasis or might sound unnatural without a specific reason. Generally, it’s best to use the basic subject-adjective structure when starting out.