Learn Hardcore Hungarian: A tanítás nagyon fontos.

"A" is the definite article in Hungarian, similar to "the" in English. It precedes words that begin with a consonant sound. If the word started with a vowel sound, "Az" would be used.

Is the word order in "A tanítás nagyon fontos" flexible in Hungarian?

Hungarian word order can be more flexible than English. However, the focus in this sentence is on "nagyon fontos." Placing "A tanítás" at the beginning simply sets the topic as "the teaching," and "nagyon fontos" then states that it is "very important."

Why is the noun "tanítás" used instead of a verb form?

"Tanítás" is a noun that literally means "teaching" or "instruction." While English might say "Teaching is very important," Hungarian uses the noun form to express the concept of teaching as an activity or idea.

Could I say "A nagyon fontos tanítás" instead?

"A nagyon fontos tanítás" would translate roughly to "The very important teaching," which implies you are describing a specific teaching (like a particular lesson) as very important. The original sentence focuses more on the general importance of teaching as a concept rather than labeling a specific teaching as important.