Én kérek cukrot és tejet.

I ask for sugar and milk.

Breakdown of Én kérek cukrot és tejet.

• én: I
• és: and
• tej: the milk
• kérni: to ask for
• cukor: the sugar

Questions & Answers about Én kérek cukrot és tejet.

Why does the sentence start with Én instead of just using kérek cukrot és tejet?

In Hungarian, personal pronouns like én (I) are often omitted because the verb ending usually indicates who is speaking. However, you can include én for emphasis or clarity. So Én kérek cukrot és tejet emphasizes that you specifically want sugar and milk.

What does the -t ending in cukrot and tejet signify?

The -t ending is the direct object marker in Hungarian. It shows that cukor (sugar) and tej (milk) are the objects being requested.

Why is the verb kérek used instead of something like kérem?

Kérek is the first-person singular indefinite form of the verb kérni (to ask for something). Kérem is a definite form: it would be used when you are specifically asking for something definite or already mentioned. Here, you’re just generally asking for sugar and milk, so kérek is appropriate.

What is the function of és in the sentence?

És simply means and in Hungarian. It connects the two objects you’re requesting—sugar and milk—just like in English.

Do I always need to say én?

No, you can often omit it. Usually, Kérek cukrot és tejet is perfectly fine because the -k ending on kérek already indicates I in Hungarian. You’d use én if you want to emphasize that it’s you (and not someone else) requesting the sugar and milk.