A barát a fa alatt ül.

The friend is sitting under the tree.

Breakdown of A barát a fa alatt ül.

• ülni: to sit
• barát: the friend
• fa: the tree
• alatt: under

Questions & Answers about A barát a fa alatt ül.

Why are there two instances of a in the sentence A barát a fa alatt ül?

In Hungarian, a is the definite article used before singular nouns starting with a consonant sound. We need to use it before both barát (friend) and fa (tree) because they are both definite nouns in this sentence. Essentially, Hungarian treats each noun phrase separately, so each needs its own article.

What does alatt mean, and how is it used?

Alatt literally means under or below. It is a postposition in Hungarian, which means it comes after the noun it modifies, rather than before (as prepositions typically do in English). In a fa alatt, it shows where the friend is sitting—under the tree.

Why do we say ül instead of something like ülni?

In Hungarian, the infinitive form is ülni, but when we describe someone actually performing the action of sitting, we use the present tense form ül. So, A barát a fa alatt ül tells us that the friend is sitting under the tree right now.

Can a barát ever appear without a?

Yes, under certain conditions. For example, if you were talking about a friend in general (not a specific one), you could omit the article and say something like Barát segített nekem (A friend helped me). However, in A barát a fa alatt ül, we’re referring to a specific friend, so the definite article is necessary.

Is alatt the only way to say "under," or are there other options?

Alatt is the main postposition for "under" in a literal, physical sense. However, Hungarian can have variations or different expressions depending on context. For most everyday uses, alatt is the go-to word when talking about something physically located beneath something else.