A csésze az asztalon van.

The cup is on the table.

Breakdown of A csésze az asztalon van.

• lenni: to be
• asztal: the table
• -on: on
• csésze: the cup

Questions & Answers about A csésze az asztalon van.

What are the two words a and az, and why do we see both of them here?

• a/az are both the definite article “the.”
• Use a before a word that starts with a consonant (e.g., a csésze).
• Use az before a word that starts with a vowel (e.g., az asztalon).
• Each definite noun phrase takes its own article, so the sentence has both.
• Note: az can also mean “that” (demonstrative). With a demonstrative, Hungarian repeats the article: az a csésze = “that cup.”

Why is van needed? I thought Hungarian often drops “is.”

• In the present tense, 3rd person, Hungarian omits the copula with predicate adjectives/nouns: A csésze piros = “The cup is red.”
• But you must use van with locations and many adverbials: A csésze az asztalon van = “The cup is on the table.”
• You also use the verb in negation/emphasis/questions: Hol van a csésze?; A csésze nincs az asztalon.

What is the -on in asztalon?

• -on/-en/-ön is the superessive case, meaning “on (top of).”
• Hungarian uses case endings instead of separate prepositions.
• Vowel harmony decides which variant you use:
  • Back vowels → -on (e.g., asztal → asztalon)
  • Front unrounded vowels → -en (e.g., szék → széken)
  • Front rounded vowels → -ön (e.g., tükör → tükörön)

How do I express movement (onto/off) versus position (on)?

• Position: az asztalon = “on the table.”
• Onto: az asztalra = “onto the table.” Example: A csészét az asztalra teszem = “I’m putting the cup onto the table.”
• Off (from the surface): az asztalról = “off the table.” Example: A csészét leveszem az asztalról = “I’m taking the cup off the table.”
• “At” (by/at the table, not on top): az asztalnál. Example: Az asztalnál ülök = “I’m sitting at the table.”

Can I change the word order? What changes in meaning?

• Hungarian word order signals focus (the emphasized/new info stands immediately before the finite verb).
• A csésze az asztalon van. Focus is on location (on the table).
• Az asztalon van a csésze. Still focuses on location; the cup is after the verb and de-emphasized.
• Az asztalon a csésze van. Focuses on the subject: “It’s the cup (not something else) that is on the table.”
• You cannot drop van here: A csésze az asztalon is incomplete in standard speech.

How do I say “There is a cup on the table”?

• Van egy csésze az asztalon.
• You can also say: Az asztalon van egy csésze (emphasizes the location).
• The original sentence with a/az refers to a specific, known cup: A csésze az asztalon van = “The cup is on the table.”

Why not vannak? When do I use van vs. vannak?

• van = “is” (3rd person singular). vannak = “are” (3rd person plural).
• Singular subject: A csésze az asztalon van.
• Plural subject: A csészék az asztalon vannak.
• Existential plural: Vannak csészék az asztalon.

How do I negate this sentence correctly?

• Simple absence: A csésze nincs az asztalon. (“The cup is not on the table.”) Use nincs, not nem van.
• Contrastive negation (it’s somewhere else): A csésze nem az asztalon van, hanem a polcon.

What’s the difference between az asztalon and az asztalnál?

• az asztalon = physically on top of the table’s surface.
• az asztalnál = at/by the table (typical with people: sitting/standing at it).
  • A só az asztalon van.
  • A gyerekek az asztalnál ülnek.

How do demonstratives work here? How do I say “This/That cup is on the table”?

• Hungarian repeats the article after a demonstrative:
  • Ez a csésze az asztalon van. = “This cup is on the table.”
  • Az a csésze az asztalon van. = “That cup is on the table.”
• Without the demonstrative, A csésze… just means “the cup.”

Where does the case ending go if there’s an adjective? Do adjectives change?

• The case ending attaches to the head noun, not to the adjective:
  • a piros csésze = “the red cup”
  • a piros csésze az asztalon van (the adjective piros does not change)
• Adjectives do not agree in case/number/gender; Hungarian adjectives are invariable in this sense.

Can I omit the first article a (“the”)?

• Not in normal, neutral sentences. Csésze az asztalon van sounds like a headline or a fragment.
• For a specific known item, use the article: A csésze az asztalon van.
• For an indefinite one, use egy: Van egy csésze az asztalon.

Pronunciation tips for this sentence?

• cs = like English “ch” in “chew” (e.g., csésze).
• sz = English “s” (e.g., asztal).
• Single s in Hungarian = English “sh.”
• é is a long “ay”-like vowel; a is a back rounded vowel (not like English “a” in “cat”).
• Primary stress is always on the first syllable of each word: A CSÉS-ze az ASZ-ta-lon van.

Could I say something more specific like “on the top of the table”?

• Yes: A csésze az asztal tetején van. (tetején = “on its top,” possessed form of “top”).
• This can sound more explicit than the basic superessive if you need to avoid ambiguity.

Can I use verbs like “stand/lie” instead of van?

• Yes, to add nuance about position/orientation:
  • A váza az asztalon áll. = “The vase is standing on the table.”
  • A könyv az asztalon fekszik. = “The book is lying on the table.”
• van is the neutral, all-purpose “is” for location.