Learn Hardcore Hungarian: Kérlek, maradj tovább, mert olvasok. - Please, stay longer because I am reading.

Kérlek literally means “I ask you,” from the verb kér (to ask) with the special ending -lak/-lek that encodes “you” as the object. It works like “please” in English in an informal, friendly way (addressing someone as te). It softens a request without being formal.

Can I put kérlek in other positions?

Yes. Common placements:

Kérlek, maradj tovább… (as a parenthetical at the start)
Maradj tovább, kérlek.
Maradj, kérlek, tovább… (less common but possible) Punctuation: when kérlek is used parenthetically (as here), Hungarian usually separates it with a comma.

What’s going on with maradj? Why that ending and spelling?

Maradj is the 2nd person singular imperative of marad (to stay). Hungarian forms the imperative with -j. After a final d, adding -j gives the cluster dj, spelled exactly that way: marad + j → maradj. It’s pronounced with a palatalized sound at the end, close to “maradj” ~ [ˈmɒrɒɟ].

How do I say this to more than one person or formally?

Informal singular (te): Maradj tovább…
Informal plural (ti): Maradjatok tovább…
Formal singular (Ön): Maradjon tovább…
Formal plural (Önök): Maradjanak tovább… For “please”:
Informal: Kérlek, maradjatok tovább…
Formal: Kérem, maradjon tovább… / Kérem, maradjanak tovább…

What exactly does tovább mean here? How is it different from még?

Tovább means “further/longer” (in time or space). In Maradj tovább, it means “stay longer (than now/than planned).”

Maradj tovább = stay longer (continue beyond the current point)
Maradj még (egy kicsit) = stay a bit more/longer (colloquial, very common) You’ll also see:
továbbra (is) = “still/continue to” (e.g., Továbbra is itt maradok = I’m still staying here)

Why is there a comma before mert?

Hungarian punctuation requires a comma before mert (“because”) when it introduces a subordinate clause: …, mert …. This differs from English, where a comma before “because” is often omitted.

Could I use mivel instead of mert? Any difference?

Yes: mivel also means “since/as,” and it’s a bit more formal or explanatory. It often appears at the start of the reason:

Mivel olvasok, maradj tovább. Nuance: mert is the default “because” in everyday speech; mivel can sound more formal or like you’re providing background/known reasons.

Does olvasok mean “I read” or “I’m reading” here?

Hungarian has a single present tense that can cover both simple and progressive meanings. Olvasok can mean “I read” or “I’m reading,” with context deciding. To make “right now” explicit, add:

most (now): … mert most olvasok.
éppen (right this moment): … mert éppen olvasok. To say “I’m still reading”: … mert még (mindig) olvasok.

Why is it olvasok and not olvasom?

Hungarian uses two present-tense conjugations:

Indefinite (no specific/definite object): olvasok = I’m reading (in general)
Definite (a specific object): olvasom = I’m reading it / I’m reading the specific thing Examples:
Olvasok. = I’m reading. (no object)
A könyvet olvasom. = I’m reading the book. (definite object)
Olvasok egy könyvet. = I’m reading a (certain) book. (indefinite object → still olvasok)

Can the “because” clause come first?

Yes:

Mert (vagy Mivel) olvasok, maradj tovább. It’s grammatical. In everyday speech, the original order (Maradj…, mert…) is more common; starting with mivel at the front can sound a bit more formal or explanatory.

How would I say “Please stay a bit longer”?

Common options:

Kérlek, maradj még egy kicsit.
Kérlek, maradj egy kicsit tovább. Both are natural; the first is very common in speech.

Any quick pronunciation tips for these words?

kérlek: Stress the first syllable; é is long (like “ay” in “say” but longer).
maradj: Final dj is pronounced as a palatalized sound, close to Hungarian gy [ɟ].
olvasok: s is “sh” ([ʃ]): “ol-va-shok.” Stress always on the first syllable in Hungarian.

Is kérlek the only way to say “please”?

No. Common choices:

Kérlek (informal) / Kérem (formal standalone “please”)
Légy/Legyél szíves (informal: “be so kind”): Légy szíves, maradj tovább.
Szíveskedj (formal/polite request verb): Szíveskedjen tovább maradni. Note: szívesen means “with pleasure/you’re welcome,” not “please.”

How do I negate parts of this sentence?

Negative reason: …, mert nem olvasok. = “… because I’m not reading.”
Negative imperative: Ne maradj tovább… = “Don’t stay longer…” Place nem before the verb, and ne is used for negative imperatives.

Is there any nuance difference between tovább and space vs time?

Yes. Tovább works for both:

Space: Menj tovább. = Go further/on.
Time: Maradj tovább. = Stay longer. Context disambiguates. Here, with maradj, it’s clearly about time.