A tanár könyvet olvas.

the teacher

Breakdown of A tanár könyvet olvas.

• könyv: the book
• olvasni: to read

Questions & Answers about A tanár könyvet olvas.

Why does the sentence use 'A tanár' instead of 'Egy tanár'?

'A' is the definite article in Hungarian, meaning 'the.' 'Egy' would be the indefinite article for 'a teacher.' In this sentence, we're referring to a specific teacher rather than just any teacher, so we use 'A tanár.'

Why does the word 'könyvet' end with '-et' instead of just 'könyv'?

In Hungarian, 'könyv' means 'book' in the nominative (dictionary) form, but when it becomes the direct object of the sentence, it often takes the '-t' or '-et' ending (object marker). This ending shows that 'book' is what is being read.

Is the sentence focusing on the teacher or the book, and does the word order matter?

In Hungarian, 'A tanár könyvet olvas' emphasizes the activity (reading), stating that as a fact. We might also say 'Könyvet olvas a tanár' to stress the book, or 'Olvas a tanár könyvet' in more colloquial usage, but the most neutral way is 'A tanár könyvet olvas.' Word order in Hungarian is flexible, but the focus structure changes with the position of words.

Why are we not using any separate pronoun like 'ő' (he/she)?

Hungarian usually omits personal pronouns when the subject is clear from context or the verb form. Here, the subject is named as 'tanár,' so there's no need for 'ő.'

Is there a difference between 'reads' and 'is reading' in Hungarian?

Hungarian often uses the same present tense ('olvas') for both 'reads' and 'is reading.' Context tells you which one is meant. There isn't a separate present continuous form as in English.