Learn Hardcore Hungarian: A nő ma boldog, mert levelet kapott. - The woman is happy today because she received a letter.

A is the definite article meaning the.
Hungarian uses a before words starting with a consonant sound and az before a vowel sound.
nő starts with the consonant sound n, so it’s A nő. Examples: A nő (the woman), Az alma (the apple), Az ember (the human).

Why is there no word for is in A nő ma boldog?

Hungarian usually drops the present-tense copula van/vannak in 3rd person when the predicate is a noun or adjective.
So you say A nő boldog (The woman is happy), not A nő boldog van.
You do use a form of van for location, existence, or in the past:
- Location: A nő itt van (The woman is here).
- Past: A nő boldog volt (The woman was happy).

Why do we need the article at all? Could I say Nő ma boldog?

Bare nő without an article sounds like headline style (“Woman happy today”) or a generic label.
For “the woman,” Hungarian uses the definite article: A nő.
For “a woman,” use the indefinite article: Egy nő ma boldog.

What does mert do, and why is there a comma before it?

mert means because and introduces a subordinate clause.
Standard Hungarian punctuation places a comma before subordinate clauses, so …, mert … is written with a comma.
You can also emphasize the cause with azért, mert: A nő ma azért boldog, mert levelet kapott.

Why is it levelet and not levél?

levelet is the accusative (direct object) form of levél (letter). Hungarian marks the direct object with -t.
Many words undergo a stem change when adding the ending: levél → levelet (like kenyér → kenyeret).
So in the clause levelet kapott, levelet is “a letter” as the object of “received.”

Where is the word for “a” (egy) before levelet? Is it optional?

The indefinite article egy is often omitted in Hungarian when the noun is newly introduced and not emphasized.
Both are correct:
- levelet kapott = she received a letter (neutral).
- egy levelet kapott = she received one letter / a letter (slightly more emphatic on quantity/newness).

When would I use a levelet instead, and how would the verb change?

Use a levelet when the letter is specific/known. Then the verb takes the definite conjugation:
- Indefinite object: levelet kapott (she received a letter).
- Definite object: a levelet kapta or more commonly with a particle: megkapta a levelet (she received the letter).
In the definite version, kapott changes to kapta.

What exactly does kapott express—past or present perfect?

kapott is simple past: “received/got.” Hungarian doesn’t have a separate present perfect; kapott covers both English “got” and “has received,” depending on context.

What’s the difference between kapott, kap, kapta, and megkapta?

kap = receives/gets (present, indefinite object), also used for scheduled/near-future in context.
kapott = received/got (past, indefinite object).
kapta = received (past, definite object).
megkapta = got/received (past, definite) with meg- marking a completed/telic action; very common with definite objects: Megkapta a levelet.
With indefinite objects, plain kapott is preferred; megkapott egy levelet is possible but less natural.

Can I say mert kapott levelet instead of mert levelet kapott? Does the order matter?

Both are grammatical:
- mert kapott levelet is the neutral word order.
- mert levelet kapott puts levelet in the pre-verbal focus slot, subtly emphasizing that what she got was a letter (as opposed to something else).
The given sentence slightly highlights the object “a letter.”

Where can ma go? Is Ma a nő boldog different from A nő ma boldog?

A nő ma boldog is neutral: the woman is happy today.
Ma a nő boldog makes ma the topic/contrast: “Today, it’s the woman who is happy” (perhaps in contrast to other days or other people).
Both are correct; choose based on what you want to highlight.

Do I need to say ő in the second clause? When would I include it?

Hungarian drops subject pronouns when the verb ending makes the subject clear: … mert levelet kapott clearly means “she received.”
Add ő only for contrast/emphasis: … mert ő levelet kapott (nem én) = “… because she received a letter (not me).”

How do I pronounce the tricky parts?

Primary stress is always on the first syllable of each word: A NŐ ma BOL-dog, mert LE-ve-let KA-pott.
ő in nő is a long rounded vowel (like French deux, but longer).
Double tt in kapott is a long consonant—hold the t slightly longer.
r in mert is tapped/trilled; vowels in levelet are all short.

What grammatical pieces are in this sentence?

How would I put it in the past-of-being, or make it plural?

Past-of-being: A nő ma boldog volt, mert levelet kapott.
Plural: A nők ma boldogok, mert levelet kaptak.
- If you mean “letters” explicitly, use plural object: … mert leveleket kaptak.

Could I express the cause without mert?

Yes:
- A nő ma a levél miatt boldog. (The woman is happy today because of the letter.)
- A nő ma azért boldog, mert levelet kapott. (She’s happy today for the reason that she received a letter—slightly more emphatic.)
- More formal: Mivel levelet kapott, a nő ma boldog. (Since she received a letter, the woman is happy today.)

Does levél ever mean “leaf” and not “letter”? Is the sentence ambiguous?

levél can mean both “letter” and “leaf.”
In this sentence, levelet kapott strongly implies “received a letter,” because you “receive” letters, not leaves. Context normally resolves any ambiguity.