Learn Hardcore Hungarian: Mikor megy a tanár a repülőtérre? - When does the teacher go to the airport?

It’s a case suffix that encodes direction. -ra/-re is the sublative case and usually means “onto/to.” Because repülőtér has front vowels, it takes -re, giving “to the airport.” Compare:

a repülőtérre megy = goes to the airport (onto its grounds/territory)
a repülőtérbe megy = goes into the airport (inside the building) with -ba/-be (illative)
a repülőtérhez megy = goes to the airport (up to/near it) with -hoz/-hez/-höz (allative)

Why is the subject after the verb here?

Hungarian questions place the wh-word (here mikor “when”) in the focus position immediately before the verb. So we get Mikor megy …, and other elements like the subject (a tanár) follow the verb. You can also front the subject as a topic: A tanár mikor megy a repülőtérre? Both are natural.

Could I say “to the airport” with something other than -re?

Yes, but the meaning shifts:

-re: a repülőtérre (onto/to the airport area; default for venues/institutions)
-be: a repülőtérbe (into the interior of the airport)
-hez: a repülőtérhez (to/near the airport, up to it) Choose based on what you want to emphasize: entering, approaching, or just going there.

Why is the present tense megy used if we’re asking about the future?

Hungarian often uses the present for near or scheduled future when the time is clear from context. Mikor megy …? naturally means “When is … going/will … go?” If you want to be explicitly future, use fog: Mikor fog a tanár a repülőtérre menni?

How is the verb menni (to go) conjugated around this form?

It’s irregular. Present tense (indefinite):

1sg: megyek
2sg: mész
3sg: megy
1pl: megyünk
2pl: mentek
3pl: mennek Here megy is 3rd person singular and the verb is intransitive, so the “indefinite” conjugation is used.

Does megy imply walking, or can it be any means of transport?

It’s neutral: megy simply means “go,” regardless of how. Context supplies whether it’s by car, bus, plane, etc. If you want to emphasize traveling, you can use utazik (“travels”).

What’s the difference between mikor and hánykor?

mikor = “when” (general)
hánykor / hány órakor = “at what time (o’clock)” So for clock time, you’d ask: Hánykor megy a tanár a repülőtérre?

Why is there a double r in repülőtérre?

The noun ends in -r, and the suffix -re starts with r, so they merge as -rre (written with double r). You pronounce a slightly longer trilled/tapped r.

Do I need the article before repülőtérre? Could I say: Mikor megy a tanár repülőtérre?

The article is normally included because a specific place is implied: a repülőtérre. Dropping it (… megy repülőtérre) is possible but sounds more generic/indefinite (“to an airport”) and is less common in this context. Stick with the article unless you mean it generically.

Why is it a tanár and not az tanár?

Hungarian uses a before consonant-initial words and az before vowel-initial words. tanár and repülőtérre start with consonants (t-, r-), so it’s a tanár, a repülőtérre. Example with a vowel: az iskola (“the school”).

How would I put this in the past or make it explicitly future?

Past: Mikor ment a tanár a repülőtérre? (“When did the teacher go…?”)
Explicit future: Mikor fog a tanár a repülőtérre menni? (“When will the teacher go…?”)

Could I use jön instead of megy?

Yes, but it changes the viewpoint. jön = “come” (toward the speaker or reference point), megy = “go” (away). Mikor jön a tanár a repülőtérre? means “When is the teacher coming to the airport?” (e.g., you’re at or associated with the airport).

How would I ask about arrival time rather than departure time?

Use ér or érkezik (“arrive”): Mikor ér / Mikor érkezik a tanár a repülőtérre? This asks “When does the teacher arrive at the airport?”

Is repülőtér really one word, and what are its parts?

Yes, it’s one compound word: repülő (“flying; airplane-”) + tér (“space/field”). Literally “flying field,” i.e., “airport.” With the suffix: repülőtérre. Colloquially, people often say reptér, and then: reptérre.

Any pronunciation tips for tricky letters here?

gy in megy = a soft “dy” sound (palatalized; like the “d” in “during” said very soft and smooth)
ö vs ő = front rounded vowels; ő is the long version
é = long “e” (close-mid, not a diphthong)
r = tapped or lightly trilled Stress is always on the first syllable of each word: MI-kor MEGY a TA-nár a RE-pü-lő-tér-re.