A kutya a ház mellett áll.

The dog stands next to the house.

Breakdown of A kutya a ház mellett áll.

• kutya: the dog
• ház: the house
• állni: to stand
• mellett: next to

Questions & Answers about A kutya a ház mellett áll.

Why do we have the definite article A before kutya when in English we would say The dog?

Hungarian uses the definite article a (or az if the following word starts with a vowel) in front of specific nouns similar to the in English. Since kutya is a specific dog the speaker has in mind, it's appropriate to use a kutya here.

What does mellett mean, and how does it compare to other Hungarian postpositions like nál/nél or közel?

Mellett translates as next to or beside. It specifically indicates proximity in a sideways sense (something is right alongside something else). Nál/nél often means at (someone’s or something’s place), and közel means near without necessarily being directly beside. So in this sentence, mellett stresses that the dog is directly beside the house.

Why is the word order A kutya a ház mellett áll instead of putting mellett somewhere else?

Hungarian word order is quite flexible, but the focus is often near the verb or at the beginning of the sentence, depending on what you want to emphasize. In this sentence, mellett naturally sits before the verb áll, showing the location as part of the context. This is a straightforward, neutral word order focusing on the fact that the dog is standing next to the house.

Why do we use the verb áll (to stand) instead of van (to be)?

Hungarian often distinguishes the posture or position of the subject. Áll means the dog is standing, emphasizing its upright position. If the sentence used van (A kutya a ház mellett van), it would be grammatically correct but less specific—it would simply state the dog is next to the house without conveying any stance or posture.