A fodrásznak a zongora a kedvenc hangszere, de más hangszereken is tud játszani.

to be

Breakdown of A fodrásznak a zongora a kedvenc hangszere, de más hangszereken is tud játszani.

• is: also
• de: but
• játszani: to play
• tudni: to be able
• fodrász: the hairdresser
• kedvenc: favorite
• hangszer: the instrument
• zongora: the piano
• más: other

Questions & Answers about A fodrásznak a zongora a kedvenc hangszere, de más hangszereken is tud játszani.

What is the function of a fodrásznak in this sentence?

A fodrásznak is the dative form of fodrász (hairdresser), indicating the person for whom the statement applies. In Hungarian, this dative construction is used to express possession or a personal relationship; here it implies that the piano is the hairdresser’s favorite instrument.

How does the sentence express possession without an explicit possessive pronoun?

Hungarian often expresses possession by placing the possessor in the dative case (here, a fodrásznak) and then attaching a possessive suffix to the possessed noun. In a kedvenc hangszere, the suffix on hangszer shows that the favorite instrument belongs to the hairdresser, eliminating the need for a separate possessive pronoun like “his.”

Why do we see the definite article a used before both zongora and kedvenc hangszere?

The repetition of the definite article a signals that both nouns are specific and known to the speaker and listener. A zongora clearly identifies one particular instrument (the piano), while a kedvenc hangszere emphasizes that it is the specific favorite instrument of the hairdresser.

What can be said about the word order in this sentence?

Hungarian allows for flexible word order. In this sentence, the possessor a fodrásznak is placed at the beginning for emphasis, followed by the subject a zongora and then the predicate a kedvenc hangszere. This order highlights for whom the attribute is relevant and clearly expresses the possession relationship.

How is the phrase más hangszereken is tud játszani constructed, and what does it mean?

The phrase translates to “but he can also play on other instruments.” Here, más means “other,” and hangszereken is the instrumental (or locative) form of hangszer in its plural with the appropriate ending to indicate the means (or location) by which he plays. The inclusion of is emphasizes that besides his favorite instrument, he can perform on additional ones.

Is the method of expressing possession here similar to any structures in English?

Not exactly. In English, possession is typically shown using 's or the preposition of. Hungarian, by contrast, uses a dative construction alongside a possessive suffix on the noun. This method integrates the owner and the possessed item directly into the noun phrase, which is a distinctive feature of Hungarian grammar.