Learn Hardcore Hungarian: A diák reggel érkezik a könyvtárba. - The student arrives at the library in the morning.

A is the definite article “the.”
Hungarian uses a before consonant sounds and az before vowel sounds.
- Examples:
  - a diák = the student
  - a könyvtár = the library
  - az iskola = the school
For an indefinite “a/an,” Hungarian uses egy (often optional in speech): Egy diák reggel érkezik… = A student arrives…

Why use érkezik instead of jön?

érkezik = “arrives,” reaching a destination (neutral/formal; often used with schedules).
megérkezik = “arrives” with a completed/arrived nuance (perfective).
jön = “comes” (movement toward the speaker; less about the endpoint).
With destinations, érkezik (megérkezik) … -ba/-be/-ra/-re/-hoz/-hez is the natural choice.

What does the -ba in könyvtárba express?

-ba/-be is the illative case: “into” (movement inside).
Common contrasts:
- a könyvtárba = into the library (movement)
- a könyvtárban = in the library (location)
- a könyvtárhoz = to the library (up to/at the vicinity, not inside)

Why is it -ba (not -be) after könyvtár?

Vowel harmony. If a word has any back vowel (a, á, o, ó, u, ú), you choose the back variant (-ba). Könyvtár contains á (a back vowel), so it’s könyvtárba, not könyvtárbe.

Could I say a könyvtárhoz or a könyvtárra? When would those be used?

a könyvtárhoz: to the library (up to the building/outside).
a könyvtárra: onto the library (onto a surface—roof, wall)—rare and literal.
For entering a building as a destination, a könyvtárba is standard.

Why is there an article before könyvtárba? Can it be omitted?

With a specific, known place, use the article: a könyvtárba.
Some institutional nouns can drop the article for a generic “institutional” sense:
- iskolába megyek = I go to school (as an institution)
- With könyvtár, both occur; articleless könyvtárba can sound more generic (“to the library” as an activity), while a könyvtárba points to a specific library.

What is reggel exactly, and why no preposition like “in”?

reggel is an adverb meaning “in the morning.” No preposition is needed.
Related time forms:
- reggel 8-kor = at 8 in the morning
- hajnalban = at dawn (note the -ban here)
- reggelre = by morning

Is the word order important? Why is reggel before érkezik?

The item right before the verb is typically emphasized (focus). Here reggel before érkezik highlights “in the morning.”
Other natural options (with different emphasis):
- A diák érkezik reggel a könyvtárba. (Emphasizes that it’s the student who arrives.)
- A diák a könyvtárba érkezik reggel. (Emphasizes the destination.)
- Reggel érkezik a diák a könyvtárba. (Puts the time first; narrative style.)
All are grammatical; choice depends on what you want to highlight.

Does érkezik take an object? Why not the “definite” conjugation?

érkezik is intransitive (no direct object), so it uses the indefinite conjugation. The phrase a könyvtárba is a directional complement, not an object.

What’s the -ik ending in érkezik? How do I say “I arrive”?

Many intransitive verbs have -ik in 3rd person singular present: ő érkezik.
1st person forms:
- Standard: én érkezem
- Colloquial (very common): én érkezek
Other present forms: te érkezel, mi érkezünk, ti érkeztek, ők érkeznek.

Can this sentence refer to the future?

Yes. Hungarian present often covers scheduled/near-future if time is clear: “The student arrives in the morning” (i.e., will arrive). To be explicit: A diák reggel fog érkezni or use a future adverb like holnap reggel érkezik.

How do I say “The students arrive …”?

A diákok reggel érkeznek a könyvtárba.
Note the plural subject diákok and plural verb érkeznek.

How do I express a habitual “in the mornings”?

Reggelente or minden reggel:
- A diák reggelente a könyvtárba jár. (Habitual “goes to the library in the mornings.”)
- A diák minden reggel érkezik a könyvtárba.

What’s the difference between érkezik and megérkezik?

érkezik: neutral “arrives.”
megérkezik: emphasizes completion (“gets there, has arrived”).
In the past, completion is clear: megérkezett = (has) arrived.

Why not könyvtárban here?

-ban/-ben is static “in.”
érkezik implies motion to an endpoint, so you need a directional case: -ba/-be (“into”).
A diák a könyvtárban van. = The student is in the library. (location)

How do I negate this, and does word order change the meaning?

General negation: A diák nem érkezik reggel a könyvtárba. = The student doesn’t arrive at the library in the morning.
Negating only the time (focus shift): A diák nem reggel érkezik a könyvtárba. = It’s not in the morning that the student arrives (but at another time).
In Hungarian, nem comes before the focused/preverbal element; moving parts around changes what’s being denied/emphasized.

Is diák gendered? How do I specify male/female?

Hungarian has no grammatical gender; diák is gender-neutral.
To specify: fiú diák (male student), lány diák / diáklány (female student). Another common word is tanuló (learner/student).

Any pronunciation tips for this sentence?

Stress is always on the first syllable of each word.
Vowels: á (long “a” as in father), é (long “ay”), ö (like German ö or French eu).
ny = “ny” in canyon; gy/ty aren’t in this sentence, but ny appears in könyv-.
Say: A DI-ák REG-gel ÉR-ke-zik a KÖNYV-tár-ba (primary stress on capitalized first syllables).

Can I omit the subject if it’s clear from context?

Yes. Hungarian is pro-drop.

Reggel érkezik a könyvtárba. = He/She arrives at the library in the morning.
Use the full A diák when you need to identify or contrast the subject explicitly.