A diák ott akarja várni a barátot.

the student

Breakdown of A diák ott akarja várni a barátot.

• ott: there
• barát: the friend
• várni: to wait for
• akarni: to want

Questions & Answers about A diák ott akarja várni a barátot.

Why is it akarja instead of akar in this sentence?

In Hungarian, when the verb has a definite object (here, a barátot, which refers to the friend), you generally use the definite conjugation. Thus, instead of akar (indefinite), you say akarja (definite). The -ja ending indicates it is the definite form in the third person singular.

Why do we say a barátot rather than egy barátot or just barátot?

Hungarian often uses the definite article a when you are talking about a specific person or thing. The sentence implies that the student is waiting for a particular friend, thus the definite article a is used, making it a barátot. Using egy would introduce the friend as indefinite (like "a friend"), which changes the meaning.

How does the word order work in A diák ott akarja várni a barátot? Could we say it differently?

Hungarian word order is quite flexible, but it often follows a topic-focus structure. By placing ott (there) early, you emphasize the location. You could shift words around (for instance, A diák akarja ott várni a barátot), but it might slightly change the emphasis. The core meaning would remain the same, but ott is emphasized more in the original sentence.

Why is there no preposition before a barátot (like "for the friend")?

In Hungarian, vár (to wait) does not require a preposition when taking a direct object. English uses "for" in "wait for someone," but Hungarian simply uses the accusative suffix -t to mark the direct object (so a barátot indicates "the friend" being waited for).

Is diák always referring to a student at any level, or does it have a specific context?

The word diák in Hungarian generally refers to a student, and it can be used broadly for high school or university students. It does not usually apply to very young children in elementary school, but in many cases, diák just means "student" without a strict specification of the educational level.