Barátom szeret zenét hallgatni.

My friend likes to listen to music.

Breakdown of Barátom szeret zenét hallgatni.

• hallgatni: to listen to
• zene: the music
• barátom: my friend
• szeretni: to like

Questions & Answers about Barátom szeret zenét hallgatni.

Why do we say barátom without an article instead of a barátom?

In Hungarian, the possessive form (barátom = my friend) already implies definiteness. Therefore, we typically don’t add the definite article (a) before it. Using a barátom is possible in some contexts—like when emphasizing a particular friend—but in a simple sentence referencing one’s friend, just using barátom is common and natural.

What does the suffix -m in barátom signify?

The -m suffix is a possessive ending that means my. So barát means friend, and barátom literally translates to my friend.

Why do we use zenét instead of zene?

Hungarian marks the direct object of a sentence with the -t accusative suffix. Since zenét is functioning as the object of the verb hallgatni (to listen), it needs the -t. In other words, zenét means music as the thing being listened to.

Why is the verb hallgatni in the infinitive form rather than just hallgat?

When one verb expresses a liking or wanting in Hungarian (szeret, akar, szokott, etc.), the next action verb usually appears in the infinitive form. Here, szeret (likes) is followed by hallgatni (to listen). This construction is similar to saying likes to listen in English.

Is szeret always translated as like in such contexts?

Szeret can mean both love or like, depending on context and tone. In everyday speech, when you say someone szeret doing something, it typically means likes in English. If you’re talking about deep affection (especially between people), szeret would mean love.