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Questions & Answers about A tanár jó, a diák is jó.
Why is there an a before tanár and diák?
In Hungarian, a (or az before a vowel) is the definite article, equivalent to "the" in English. So a tanár means "the teacher," and a diák means "the student."
Why is the verb van ("to be") missing in this sentence?
In Hungarian, the verb van is often omitted in the present tense when describing the quality or state of something in the third person. So instead of saying "A tanár van jó," which is ungrammatical, Hungarian uses "A tanár jó."
What does is mean in this sentence?
Here, is means "also" or "too." It is used to emphasize that not only the teacher is good, but the student is good as well.
Why does the adjective jó not change when referring to both tanár and diák?
Hungarian adjectives do not change form based on the subject in these kinds of simple descriptive sentences. The adjective jó (meaning "good") stays the same regardless of whether it describes the teacher or the student.
Does word order matter in Hungarian, and could I say "Jó a tanár, jó a diák is"?
Basic word order in Hungarian is relatively flexible. You can say "Jó a tanár, a diák is jó," and it still makes sense, but the most neutral form is "A tanár jó, a diák is jó." Changing the order can shift the focus, so it’s best to start with the most common structure until you’re comfortable with Hungarian word order.