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Questions & Answers about Én ritkán kések.
Do I need to include the pronoun Én?
No. Hungarian usually drops subject pronouns because the verb ending shows the person. Ritkán kések. is the default, neutral way. Adding Én gives contrast/emphasis: Én ritkán kések = As for me, I’m rarely late (others might be).
Where should ritkán go in the sentence?
In neutral statements, frequency adverbs typically stand right before the verb (the focus slot): Ritkán kések. You can put a topic like Én before it: Én ritkán kések. Other placements either sound odd or change focus. For instance, Ritkán kések én is marked/afterthought; Én kések ritkán is unnatural in standard usage.
What’s the dictionary form of kések?
The lemma is késik “to be late.” Kések is 1st person singular present indefinite.
How is kések formed from késik?
It’s an -ik verb. For 1st person singular present indefinite you drop -ik and add -ek/-ok/-ök according to vowel harmony. Because é is a front vowel, you get kések.
Why not készek?
Készek means “they are ready,” from the adjective kész “ready.” Don’t confuse:
- kések = I am late (verb)
- kész vagyok = I am ready (adjective)
How do you pronounce the sentence?
- Én: long e sound, roughly “ehn” [eːn]
- ritkán: “RIT-kahn” with a long “á”
- kések: “KAY-shek” with a long “é”; note Hungarian s = English “sh” Stress is always on the first syllable of each word: ÉN RIT-kán KÉ-sek.
Does the present tense here mean a habit?
Yes. Kések without a time adverb usually describes general/habitual behavior: “I am rarely late (as a rule).” For “I’m late right now,” add a time word: Most kések “I’m running late now.”
What’s the role of the prefix el- with this verb?
With késik, el- marks a single, completed instance of being late (arriving late somewhere).
- Neutral order: Elkések.
- If something is focused/negated before the verb, the prefix moves after the verb: Ritkán kések el. Habitual, general statements often use the bare verb: Ritkán kések. For a specific event: Elkéstem “I was late.”
How do I say “I will be late”?
Safest: El fogok késni. Present with a time word can also imply future: Holnap elkések “I’ll be late tomorrow.” Without context, plain Elkések can sound abrupt.
What’s the negative counterpart of “rarely”?
You can say Nem gyakran kések “I’m not often late.” Ritkán kések is a bit stronger/shorter than the negated version. Avoid double negatives like “not rarely.”
Can I say this with the habitual verb szoktam?
Yes: Ritkán szoktam elkésni = “I rarely tend to be late.” This explicitly frames it as a habit. With el- it refers to discrete late arrivals.
How would this look with other subjects?
- Te ritkán késel. (you sg.)
- Ő ritkán késik. (he/she)
- Mi ritkán késünk. (we)
- Ti ritkán késitek. (you pl.)
- Ők ritkán késnek. (they)
How do I form a yes–no question?
Use rising intonation and switch to the appropriate person: Ritkán késel? “Are you rarely late?” Adding the pronoun adds emphasis: Te ritkán késel?
How do I say it politely to “you” (formal)?
Ön ritkán késik. In very formal writing you may capitalize Ön for politeness; pronunciation and grammar stay the same.
How do I talk about a specific instance in the past?
Use past tense, often with el-: Elkéstem “I was late (to that event).” Plain Késtem also exists, but for a particular occasion Elkéstem is more idiomatic.
Is there a difference in meaning between Én ritkán kések and Ritkán kések?
Both say “I’m rarely late.” Én adds a contrastive topic—“As for me”—so it hints that others might be late more often. Without Én, it’s neutral.
Can I say Én ritkán vagyok késő?
No. For people being late, Hungarian uses the verb késik, not the adjective késő. Say (Én) ritkán kések.
Any quick rules about accents and spelling here?
Yes:
- Accented vowels (é, á) are separate letters in Hungarian; write them.
- Én is only capitalized because it starts the sentence; Hungarian doesn’t capitalize “I” like English.
What are some near-synonyms or related frequency words?
- nem gyakran = not often
- nem sűrűn = not frequently (colloquial)
- nagyon ritkán = very rarely
- Comparative: ritkábban = more rarely; Superlative: legritkábban = most rarely
Is there any tricky ambiguity with the word kések?
Yes. kések can also be the plural noun “knives” (from kés “knife”). Context disambiguates:
- Ritkán kések. = “I’m rarely late.” (verb)
- A kések élesek. = “The knives are sharp.” (noun)
Why is this verb in the “indefinite” conjugation?
Because késik is intransitive—there is no direct object—so it always takes the indefinite conjugation: kések, késel, késik, etc. Definite conjugation is only for verbs with a definite direct object.
Can I use késik for things like trains?
Yes: A vonat ritkán késik. “The train is rarely late.”