Learn Hardcore Hungarian: Tegnap későn értem haza, ma pedig korán hazaérek. - Yesterday I got home late, and today I will arrive home early.

Hungarian is a pro‑drop language: the verb ending shows the subject. In értem and hazaérek, the 1st‑person singular ending tells you the subject is “I.” You’d add Én only for emphasis or contrast, e.g., Én tegnap későn értem haza, ma pedig korán hazaérek.

Why is the prefix split in the first clause (értem haza) but attached in the second (hazaérek)?

The element haza- is a verbal prefix (preverb). In neutral statements it stands before the verb: hazaértem, hazaérek. It moves behind the verb when:

something is in focus immediately before the verb, or
the sentence is negated, or
there’s an auxiliary, etc.

In Tegnap későn értem haza, the adverb későn is in focus, so the prefix moves after the verb. In ma pedig korán hazaérek, nothing occupies the focus slot before the verb, so the neutral attached form is used.

Could I also say “Tegnap későn hazaértem, ma pedig korán érek haza”? Are both correct?

Yes. Both word orders are grammatical. Nuance:

későn hazaértem / korán hazaérek = more neutral.
későn értem haza / korán érek haza = puts extra emphasis on the adverb (későn/korán).

Your original sentence mixes a focused first clause with a neutral second one, which also creates a nice contrastive rhythm.

What does pedig mean here, and how is it different from de or viszont?

pedig introduces contrast in a “whereas/as for …” sense and usually follows the contrasted topic: ma pedig (“and today, by contrast”). It’s lighter than “but.”
de is the straightforward “but” and comes at the start of the clause: … , de ma korán hazaérek.
viszont is “however/on the other hand,” common in speech: … , ma viszont korán hazaérek.

All three work; pedig nicely marks the day‑to‑day contrast.

Why is present tense (hazaérek) used to talk about the future (“I’ll get home early”)?

Hungarian often uses the present for scheduled or near‑certain future events when there’s a time expression (here ma). If you want to make the futurity explicit, you can use fog:

Ma korán hazaérek. = I’ll get home early today. (natural)
Ma korán haza fogok érni. = I will get home early today. (more explicit or formal)

What’s the difference between haza, otthon, hazamegy, and hazaér?

haza: “home(wards)” (goal/direction). No article: haza.
otthon: “at home” (location). Example: Otthon vagyok.
hazamegy: “go home” (movement to home).
hazaér: “arrive/get home” (arrival/completion).

So:

Tegnap későn hazamentem. = I went home late (focus on leaving/going).
Tegnap későn hazaértem. = I got home late (focus on arrival time).

Can I use a verb like “arrive” instead, e.g., érkezik?

Yes, but use it idiomatically:

Natural: Hazaérkezem. (arrive home)
Also fine: Ma korán hazaérkezem.
Less idiomatic: Megérkezem haza. Prefer Megérkezem a szállodába/állomásra, or use hazaérkezem for “arrive home.”

What are the present and past forms of hazaér for “I”?

Present: (én) hazaérek = I (will) get home.
Past: (én) hazaértem = I got home.

Note that hazaér is intransitive, so there’s no definite/indefinite contrast here.

Doesn’t értem also mean “I understand”? How do I tell them apart?

Yes, értem can be:

past 1sg of ér (“reach/arrive” with a prefix): (tegnap) értem haza = I arrived home.
present 1sg definite of érteni (“to understand”): Értem. = I understand (it).

Context and the presence/position of haza tell you which one it is. If you attach the prefix (hazaértem), there’s no ambiguity.

Why későn and korán, not késő and korai?

későn and korán are adverbs (“late,” “early”), used to modify the verb: későn/korán (haza)érek.
késő and korai are adjectives (“late,” “early” as properties of nouns): késő busz (a late bus), korai vacsora (an early dinner). Common idiom: Korán van. (“It’s early.”)

Where do time words like tegnap and ma go? Could I move them?

They typically appear early as topics: Tegnap … , ma pedig …. You can move them, but the neutral, natural placement is near the start. Variants like Hazaértem tegnap are possible but sound marked; Tegnap hazaértem (későn) is the default feel.

How do negation and questions affect the prefix?

Negation pushes the prefix after the verb:
- Ma nem érek haza korán. = I won’t get home early today.
Wh‑questions put the wh‑word in focus before the verb, so the prefix moves:
- Mikor érsz haza? = When will you get home?
- Answer: Ma korán hazaérek.

Is the comma before pedig required?

Yes, you’re linking two independent clauses, so use a comma: …, ma pedig …. Also note placement: pedig follows the contrastive topic (here ma), e.g., Én pedig…, Holnap pedig…

Any tips on pronunciation and stress?

Stress is always on the first syllable of each word: TEG-nap, KÉ-sőn, ÉR-tem, HA-za-É-rek (main stress on HA, with long vowels in é/á).
Long vowels matter: é and á are held longer than e and a.