Learn Hardcore Hungarian: Innék még vizet, ha szabad. - I would drink more water if it is allowed.

The ending -nék/-nák marks first-person singular conditional. Here, innék means “I would drink” and often functions as a polite, soft way to express a desire or request. It’s chosen as -nék (not -nák) because of vowel harmony with the front vowel i in the stem.

Why is there no subject pronoun (én)?

Hungarian is a pro-drop language: the verb ending already shows the person and number. Innék unambiguously means “I would drink,” so adding én is usually unnecessary unless you want to emphasize “I” specifically.

Why is víz in the form vizet?

Vizet is the accusative (direct object) form of víz. The -t is the accusative ending, and an e is inserted as a linking vowel: víz + -t → vizet. Note that the long í of víz shortens to i before this suffix.

Is vízet ever correct?

In standard Hungarian, the correct accusative is vizet (short i). You will hear vízet colloquially or regionally, but it’s considered nonstandard. Contrast: with other suffixes you may keep the long vowel, e.g., vízzel (“with water”) is standard with long í.

What exactly does még add here, and where does it go?

Még means “more” or “still.” In this sentence it means “more” (additional quantity) and typically precedes the word it modifies: még vizet (“more water”). You can also front it for emphasis: Még vizet innék, which emphasizes the “more.”

What does ha szabad mean pragmatically?

Ha szabad literally means “if (it is) permitted,” and it politely asks for permission or shows deference. It softens the request the way English might use “if that’s okay” or “if I may.” It’s a courteous add-on rather than essential grammar.

Why isn’t it ha szabadna or ha lenne szabad?

While those are grammatically possible, the idiomatic, natural form in polite speech is simply ha szabad (indicative). The fixed expression doesn’t need the conditional. You’ll also hear ha lehet (“if possible”), which focuses on feasibility rather than permission.

Could I use other polite-request verbs like szeretnék, kérnék, or kaphatnék?

Yes, all are common:

Szeretnék még vizet. (I’d like more water.) Neutral–polite.
Kérnék még vizet. (I’d ask for some more water.) Very common when ordering.
Kaphatnék még vizet? (Could I get more water?) As a question, politely asking. They differ slightly in nuance but are all acceptable.

What’s the difference between innék and innám?

Innék is the conditional with an indefinite object (or no specified object): “I would drink (some).” Innám is the conditional with a definite object: “I would drink it/the water.” For a specific, identifiable water, you’d say innám a vizet, and more naturally with completion: meginnám a vizet.

Can I change the word order?

Yes. Hungarian word order is flexible and used for emphasis. Variants include:

Még vizet innék, ha szabad. (focus on “more water”)
Ha szabad, innék még vizet. (fronts the permission) All are natural, with subtle differences in focus.

Is it okay to drop the verb and just say something like “Még vizet, ha szabad”?

In casual, situational speech (e.g., addressing a waiter), ellipsis is common. Még vizet, ha szabad is understandable and polite. For maximum clarity, the full form with innék/kérnék/szeretnék is always safe.

How does pronunciation work here?

Innék: long nn and long é; stress on the first syllable: INN-ék.
még: long é.
vizet: short i; z is like English “z”.
ha: short, open a.
szabad: sz is like English “s”; both a’s are short. Hungarian always stresses the first syllable of each word.

What are the key forms of the verb “to drink”?

Infinitive: inni
Present 1sg: iszom (colloquial: iszok)
Past 1sg: ittam
Conditional 1sg: innék 3sg present is iszik, and 3sg conditional is inna.

Does még ever mean “still,” and is there any risk of confusion here?

Yes, még can mean “still/yet,” but here it clearly means “more” because it modifies a quantity (még vizet). For “still water” (non-sparkling), you’d say sima víz or szénsavmentes víz, not még víz.

Why is there a comma before ha szabad?

Hungarian normally uses a comma to separate the main clause from a following conditional clause starting with ha. It mirrors English punctuation in this kind of structure. If the ha-clause comes first, you also separate it with a comma: Ha szabad, …

When would I prefer több instead of még?

Use még for “some more/additional” in the moment: még vizet. Use több for a comparative quantity: több vizet (“more water” in general/than before). You can combine them for emphasis: még több vizet (“even more water”).