Learn Hardcore Hungarian: Valaki a téren áll és vár. - Someone is standing in the square and waiting.

Hungarian uses the superessive case (the suffix -n/-on/-en/-ön) for many places that English conceptualizes as “in” or “at.” A tér is an open area, treated as a surface, so a téren literally means “on the square,” but in natural English we say “in the square.” This is normal: the languages conceptualize location differently.

What does the -en in téren mean, and how do I know whether to use -on, -en, or -ön?

-en is the superessive suffix variant used here: tér → téren (“on/at the square”). Very roughly:

Back-vowel words often take -on (e.g., hajó → hajón, “on the boat”).
Front rounded-vowel words often take -ön (e.g., tükör → tükrön, “on the mirror”).
Many front unrounded-vowel words take -en (e.g., szék → széken, “on the chair”; tér → téren).

There are exceptions (e.g., híd → hídon), and the choice also aims for easy pronunciation. It’s best to learn common place nouns with their typical superessive form.

Do I need the article a before téren? Could I say just téren?

You normally use an article with a specific place:

Valaki a téren áll és vár. = “Someone is standing and waiting in the square.” (a specific, known square) If you don’t care which square, you can say:
Valaki egy téren áll és vár. = “Someone is standing and waiting in a square.” Dropping the article entirely (Valaki téren...) is usually not idiomatic; use a (the) or egy (a).

Why not use -ban/-ben (“térben”) for “in the square”?

-ban/-ben (inessive) is “in, inside” something enclosed. A tér is an open area, so Hungarian uses the superessive: téren (“on/at the square”). Compare:

a parkban = “in the park” (enclosed area)
a hídon = “on the bridge”
a téren = “in/on the square”

Is the word order Valaki a téren áll és vár neutral? Can I move a téren?

Hungarian word order highlights information. The item immediately before the verb is in focus. In Valaki a téren áll és vár, the location a téren is in the focus slot, subtly emphasizing “at the square (as opposed to elsewhere).” More neutral options include:

Valaki áll és vár a téren. (location after the predicate)
A téren valaki áll és vár. (sets the scene: “At the square, someone is standing and waiting.”) All are grammatical; the difference is nuance and emphasis.

Does the Hungarian present here mean “stands and waits” or “is standing and waiting”?

It can mean either. Hungarian simple present covers both habitual and ongoing actions. Context usually makes it clear. If you want to emphasize the ongoing nature, add words like éppen or most:

Valaki éppen a téren áll és vár. = “Someone is standing and waiting in the square right now.”

Why are the verbs in 3rd person singular (áll, vár)? What conjugation is this?

The subject valaki (“someone”) is third person singular, and there’s no direct object, so you use the indefinite (subject) conjugation:

ő/valaki áll (“he/she/someone stands”)
ő/valaki vár (“he/she/someone waits”) This is the regular 3rd person singular indefinite present.

How would it change if it were “Some people are standing and waiting…”?

Use the plural subject valakik with plural verb forms:

Valakik a téren állnak és várnak. = “Some people are standing and waiting in the square.”

Does vár need a complement? Should it be “vár valamire” (wait for something)?

Vár can stand alone (“wait”) or take a complement:

With the sublative: vár valamire/valakire (e.g., Buszra várok. = “I’m waiting for the bus.”)
With a direct object (more formal/literary or with pronouns): Várom a buszt.; Várlak. = “I’m waiting for you.” In your sentence, vár is fine without specifying what for.

Can I replace és with meg, or omit the connector?

Use és to join verbs: áll és vár. Meg is a colloquial additive connector mainly for nouns/phrases (and it’s also a verbal prefix with a different function), so don’t use it here. You shouldn’t omit the connector; áll, vár without a conjunction isn’t standard prose.

Why is there no comma before és?

Hungarian typically does not use a comma before és when linking two predicates with the same subject. Valaki a téren áll és vár needs no comma. You might see a comma in special stylistic or complex cases, but not here.

Can I add the pronoun ő?

Not with valaki. Valaki itself is the subject (“someone”). Ő (“he/she”) refers to a specific known person. If you mean a specific person, you could say:

Ő a téren áll és vár. = “He/She is standing and waiting in the square.”

Is there a difference between áll és vár and várakozik?

Yes. Áll és vár literally describes the posture plus the act of waiting. Várakozik is an intransitive verb meaning “to wait, to be in a state of waiting,” often a bit more formal or procedural:

Valaki a téren várakozik. = “Someone is waiting in the square.”
Valaki a téren áll és vár. paints a more physical picture (standing, waiting).

How do I pronounce the sentence?

Stress is always on the first syllable of each word: VA-la-ki | a | TÉ-ren | ÁLL | és | VÁR. Long vowels are held longer: é, á in téren, áll, vár are long. A rough guide: [ˈvɒlɒki ɒ ˈteːrɛn ˈaːl eːʃ ˈvaːr].

How would I negate it?

Place nem before each verb, or focus the negation:

General negation: Valaki a téren nem áll és nem vár. = “Someone is not standing and not waiting in the square.”
Negating the location (focus): Valaki nem a téren áll és vár. = “Someone is standing and waiting, but not in the square.”

Can you give similar examples with different place cases?

Surface/route: Valaki a hídon áll és vár. = “Someone is standing and waiting on the bridge.”
Island/surface: Valaki a szigeten áll és vár. = “Someone is standing and waiting on the island.”
Enclosed area: Valaki a parkban sétál és vár. = “Someone is walking and waiting in the park.”
Landmark vicinity (at): Valaki a megállónál áll és vár. = “Someone is standing and waiting at the (bus) stop.”

Is there any nuance difference between Valaki a téren áll és vár and Valaki áll és vár a téren?

Slightly. Valaki a téren áll és vár puts the location in the focus position, subtly contrasting it with other places. Valaki áll és vár a téren is more neutral/storytelling: it states the action first and then adds where. Both are correct; choose based on what you want to emphasize.