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Questions & Answers about A barátnőm testvére a könyvtárban dolgozik.
What does the word barátnőm mean exactly?
It means my girlfriend (or my female friend). Morphology:
- barát = friend
- nő = woman/female (here it makes “female friend”)
- -m = my (1st person singular possessive) So barátnő + m → “my (female) friend,” usually understood as “girlfriend” in everyday Hungarian unless you clarify otherwise.
Why is there an article at the start: A barátnőm testvére?
In Hungarian, possessed noun phrases normally take the definite article (a/az). In a possessive chain like A barátnőm testvére (“my girlfriend’s sibling”), you put the article only once, at the very beginning of the whole phrase. You don’t repeat it before testvére.
Why does testvére end in -e?
That -e is the 3rd person possessive suffix: testvér + e = “his/her sibling.” Inside the chain, it’s understood to mean “the sibling of my girlfriend.” English shows possession with ’s; Hungarian marks it on the possessed noun.
Could it be testvérje instead of testvére?
No. For most consonant-final stems like testvér, the 3rd person possessive is -a/-e: testvére. The -ja/-je variant appears after vowel-final stems (e.g., autója “his/her car”). So here testvére is the correct form.
How do I say “my girlfriend’s brother” or “sister” specifically?
Hungarian has specific words:
- Older brother: bátyja
- Younger brother: öccse
- Older sister: nővére
- Younger sister: húga If you only want to specify gender (not age):
- Male sibling: fiútestvére
- Female sibling: lánytestvére
Who is the possessor of testvére? Isn’t that ambiguous?
On its own, testvére means “his/her sibling” (ambiguous). In the chain A barátnőm testvére, the possessor is the preceding noun with a possessive marker (barátnőm = my girlfriend). So it’s unambiguously “my girlfriend’s sibling.”
Why is it könyvtárban and not könyvtárben?
The inessive case “in” is -ban/-ben, chosen by vowel harmony. Könyvtár has a back vowel (á) in its last syllable, so it takes the back-vowel form -ban: könyvtár + ban → könyvtárban (“in the library”).
Does könyvtárban mean “in” or “at” the library?
Primarily “in the library” (inside). If you want “at/near” as a contact point or workplace location, Hungarian also uses -nál/-nél: a könyvtárnál. But for workplaces, -ban/-ben is very common and idiomatic if the work is done inside the building.
What verb form is dolgozik?
It’s the 3rd person singular, indefinite conjugation, present tense of dolgozik (“to work”): “he/she works” or “he/she is working.” With a plural subject, it becomes dolgoznak (“they work”).
How would I say “My girlfriend’s siblings work in the library”?
Use the plural possessed form and a plural verb:
- A barátnőm testvérei a könyvtárban dolgoznak. Here testvérei = “her siblings,” and dolgoznak agrees in plural.
How do I negate the sentence?
Place nem before the verb:
- A barátnőm testvére nem a könyvtárban dolgozik. (not in the library—focus on place)
- A barátnőm testvére nem dolgozik a könyvtárban. (he/she doesn’t work in the library) The exact position affects emphasis.
Can the word order change?
Yes. Hungarian word order is used to mark topic and focus. Neutral:
- A barátnőm testvére a könyvtárban dolgozik. To emphasize the place, put it before the verb:
- A könyvtárban dolgozik a barátnőm testvére. (“It’s in the library that …”) To focus on who works there:
- A barátnőm testvére dolgozik a könyvtárban. (as opposed to someone else)
How do I ask “Where does my girlfriend’s sibling work?” or “Who works in the library?”
- Where?: Hol dolgozik a barátnőm testvére? — A könyvtárban.
- Who?: Ki dolgozik a könyvtárban? — A barátnőm testvére.
Should there be a form of “to be” (van) in this sentence?
No. Van is not used with another lexical verb. Dolgozik itself is the main verb (“works”), so you don’t add van.
Could/should I omit the initial article and say Barátnőm testvére…?
In everyday standard Hungarian, possessed NPs normally take the article, so A barátnőm testvére… is preferred. Dropping it can sound telegraphic (headline style) or marked. Keep the article in neutral sentences.
What about the alternative with -nak/-nek: A barátnőmnek a testvére?
That’s the “dative possessor” construction. It’s also correct and common, especially for emphasis or clarity:
- A barátnőmnek a testvére a könyvtárban dolgozik. Meaning is the same; it can highlight the possessor (barátnőmnek). Note the possessed noun usually keeps the article (a testvére).
Do the accent marks matter (ö, ő, á) in words like barátnőm, könyvtárban?
Yes, they’re part of the spelling and can change meaning and pronunciation. For example, ő and ö are different vowels; á is a long “a.” Always write them: barátnőm, not “baratnom.”
Can you break the sentence into parts with meanings?
- A = the (definite article)
- barátnőm = my girlfriend
- testvére = her sibling
- a könyvtárban = in the library (inessive case)
- dolgozik = works / is working Altogether: “My girlfriend’s sibling works in the library.”