A tanár mond valamit a diákoknak.

The teacher says something to the students.

Breakdown of A tanár mond valamit a diákoknak.

• tanár: the teacher
• diák: the student
• valami: something
• -nak/-nek: to
• mondani: to say

Questions & Answers about A tanár mond valamit a diákoknak.

Why is it valamit and not valami?

Because Hungarian marks a direct object with the accusative -t. valami (something) + -t → valamit. More examples:

• alma → almát (an apple → an apple-ACC)
• kávé → kávét (coffee → coffee-ACC)

What does the -nak in diákoknak mean?

-nak/-nek is the dative ending, expressing “to/for.” It’s chosen by vowel harmony:

• Back-vowel words take -nak; front-vowel words take -nek.
• diákoknak parses as: diák (student) + plural -ok → diákok
  • dative -nak → diákoknak (to the students). Other examples:
• a nőnek (to the woman; front vowel → -nek)
• a gyerekeknek (to the children; front vowels → -nek)

Can I change the word order? What changes in meaning?

Yes. The element immediately before the finite verb is in focus (emphasized/new/contrasted).

• Neutral: A tanár mond valamit a diákoknak.
• Focus on recipient: A tanár a diákoknak mond valamit.
• Focus on “something”: A tanár valamit mond a diákoknak.
• Topic fronting: A diákoknak mond valamit a tanár.
• Another common neutral-ish variant: Valamit mond a tanár a diákoknak.

Why is it mond and not mondja?

Hungarian verb conjugation depends on the object’s definiteness:

• Indefinite object → indefinite conjugation → mond (3sg).
• Definite object → definite conjugation → mondja (3sg). Examples:
• A tanár mond valamit a diákoknak. (indefinite object: valamit)
• A tanár mondja a hírt a diákoknak. (definite object: a hírt “the news”)
• Fixed pattern with reported speech: A tanár azt mondja a diákoknak, hogy…

Is the article a required before tanár and diákoknak?

• A tanár = “the teacher” (specific). Without an article, you’d normally use Egy tanár = “a teacher.”
• a diákoknak = “to the students” (a specific group). Omitting the article (diákoknak) makes it generic: “to students (in general).” Both are grammatical; the article signals specificity.

Does mond mean “says” or “is saying”?

The Hungarian present covers both simple and progressive. Context or adverbs clarify:

• A tanár most/éppen mond valamit… = “The teacher is saying something right now.”

Why is it a diákoknak and not a diákokhoz?

• -nak/-nek marks a recipient (“to/for” someone) → fits “say to the students.”
• -hoz/-hez/-höz marks physical motion “(to/toward)” a place/person. Examples:
• A tanár mond valamit a diákoknak. (tells the students)
• A tanár odamegy a diákokhoz. (goes over to the students)

Can I replace a diákoknak with a pronoun?

Yes. Use the dative pronoun nekik (“to them”):

• A tanár mond valamit nekik. Word order is flexible: Nekik mond valamit a tanár, etc.

How would the sentence change if “something” were definite?

You’d use definite conjugation (and likely name the thing):

• A tanár (el)mondja a feladatot a diákoknak. = “The teacher (tells) the assignment to the students.” Here a feladatot is a definite object; mondja/elmondja is the definite form.

How do I say it in the past or future?

• Past, indefinite object: A tanár mondott valamit a diákoknak.
• Past, definite object: A tanár mondta a hírt a diákoknak.
• Future (with fog): A tanár (el) fog mondani valamit a diákoknak.
• Future (with majd): A tanár majd mond valamit a diákoknak.

How do I negate it?

Use nem and usually switch to a negative pronoun:

• A tanár nem mond semmit a diákoknak. = “The teacher doesn’t say anything to the students.”

What’s the difference between mond, beszél, szól, elmond, megmond?

• mond
  • Acc (+ Dat): to say/tell (something to someone). Core verb.
• beszél: to speak/talk; beszél valakivel (talk with someone), beszél valamiről (talk about).
• szól (valakinek): to let someone know / say to someone briefly; also “to sound.”
• elmond: to tell/recount completely (finish telling).
• megmond: to tell/declare (often decisive: Megmondtam! = “I told you (so)!”).

Why isn’t the verb plural when the students are plural?

The verb agrees with the subject (here, a tanár, 3rd person singular), not with the indirect object. Plural subject example:

• A tanárok mondanak valamit a diákoknak. (3pl indefinite: mondanak)

How do I say “to the student” (singular) or “to the teachers” (plural)?

• Singular: a diáknak (diák + -nak)
• Plural: a tanároknak (tanár + -ok + -nak)

When do I use a vs az?

Use az before a vowel-initial word, otherwise a:

• a diákoknak, a tanár (consonant-initial)
• az órának, az egyetemnek (vowel-initial)

Can I drop valamit and just say A tanár mond a diákoknak?

No; mond normally takes a direct object. If you don’t want to name the object, use:

• A tanár beszél a diákoknak. (The teacher is speaking to the students.)
• Or keep a generic object: A tanár mond valamit a diákoknak.