Én az emeleten várok.

I am waiting on the floor upstairs.

Breakdown of Én az emeleten várok.

• én: I
• várni: to wait
• -en: on
• emelet: the floor

Questions & Answers about Én az emeleten várok.

Is the subject pronoun Én necessary, or can I leave it out?

You can leave it out. Hungarian verbs show the subject in their endings, so the neutral, most common version is simply: Az emeleten várok.
Use Én when you want emphasis or contrast, like “I (as opposed to someone else) am waiting upstairs.”

• Neutral: Az emeleten várok.
• Emphasizing the subject: Én az emeleten várok.
• Emphasizing who (among several): Az emeleten én várok.

Why is it az and not a?

Hungarian has two definite articles: a and az. You use az before words that start with a vowel sound (like emelet), and a before consonants.

• az emeleten (e- is a vowel)
• a széken (sz- is a consonant)

Do I need the article here? Could I say just Emele­ten várok?

In normal speech, yes, you generally include the definite article with place nouns: Az emeleten várok is the natural choice.
Omitting the article can sound telegraphic (signs, headlines) or needs a modifier (e.g., a possessor or demonstrative).

• Typical: Az első emeleten várok.
• With possessor: A mi emeletünkön várok.
• Sign-like headline style (ok on placards, not in conversation): Első emeleten várunk.

What does the ending -en in emeleten mean?

It’s the superessive case, meaning “on” (on the surface of something). Hungarian uses case endings instead of prepositions for most locations.

• emelet → emeleten = on the floor/upstairs
• asztal → asztalon = on the table
• szék → széken = on the chair
• föld → földön = on the ground

In emeleten, the front vowels (e, e, e) select the -en form.

Why is it “on the floor” (emeleten) and not “in the floor” (emeletben)?

Hungarian conceptualizes standing/being on a given story as being “on” its surface, so az emeleten is idiomatic.
Use -ban/-ben (“in”) for being inside enclosed spaces (e.g., a szobában = in the room), not for storeys.

How do I express motion to or from upstairs?

Hungarian uses different cases for static location vs. movement:

• Where? (static): az emeleten = on the floor
• To where? (movement to): az emeletre = onto the floor/upstairs
• From where? (movement from): az emeletről = from the floor/down from upstairs

Examples:

• Felmegyek az emeletre. = I’m going upstairs.
• Lemaradtam az emeleten. = I stayed behind upstairs.
• Lemegyek az emeletről. = I’m coming down from upstairs.

Is the word order fixed? Can I say Várok az emeleten?

Word order is flexible, but it changes nuance (focus). All of these are grammatical:

• Az emeleten várok. Neutral and common; it slightly highlights the place (upstairs).
• Várok az emeleten. Also acceptable and fairly neutral in everyday speech.
• Én az emeleten várok. Emphasizes the subject “I.”
• Az emeleten én várok. Emphasizes that upstairs, it’s me (not someone else).

In Hungarian, the element right before the verb is the main focus. Putting az emeleten immediately before várok highlights the location.

Why is it várok and not várom?

Hungarian has indefinite vs. definite verb conjugations:

• várok (indefinite) = I wait / I am waiting (no specific direct object)
• várom (definite) = I am waiting for a specific, definite object

Use várom when there’s a definite direct object:

• Várom a buszt. = I’m waiting for the bus.
• Várlak. = I’m waiting for you. (definite with a built-in “you” object)

When you say where you’re waiting without a direct object, use várok:

• Az emeleten várok.

How do I say “I’m waiting for you upstairs”?

Several natural options:

• With the built-in object on the verb: Fent várlak. / Az emeleten várlak.
• Using the “for” case on the pronoun: Rád várok az emeleten.
• With emphasis on the place: Az emeleten rád várok.

All are correct; choose based on what you want to emphasize (the place, the person, or the act).

Does Hungarian distinguish “I wait” vs. “I am waiting”?

No separate tense is needed. The present tense covers both. Context supplies the meaning.

• (Most) az emeleten várok. = I’m (currently) waiting upstairs.
• Mindig az emeleten várok. = I always wait upstairs.

You can add éppen to stress ongoing action: Éppen az emeleten várok.

How do I pronounce the sentence?

• Stress is always on the first syllable of each word.
• Én: long “é” (like the e in “café,” but longer), roughly “EEN.”
• az: short a, z links smoothly to the next vowel: “az emeleten” sounds like “azemeleten.”
• emeleten: all short e’s, like “eh-meh-leh-ten.”
• várok: long “á” (like a in “father”), roughly “VAH-rok.”

Can I say fent instead of az emeleten?

Yes. Fent (also spelled fenn) is an adverb meaning “up/upstairs.” It’s less specific than az emeleten (“on the floor”). Both are natural:

• Fent várok. = I’m waiting upstairs.
• Az emeleten várok. = I’m waiting on the (upper) floor. (More concrete; pairs well with floor numbers: az első emeleten.)

How do I talk about specific floors (first, second, etc.)?

Use ordinal numbers + emeleten (with the article):

• Az első emeleten várok. = I’m waiting on the first floor.
  Note: British English “first floor” = one above ground; American English often calls that the “second floor.” Adjust your English translation accordingly.

What are the parts of várok?

Root: vár (wait) + 1st person singular indefinite ending -ok → várok.
If there is a definite object, the ending changes: várom (I wait for it/him/her). With “you” as the object, you often use várlak.

Can I use megvár here? What’s the difference between vár and megvár?

vár = wait (in general).
megvár = wait for (and allow/ensure completion), typically with a specific object and often implying “I’ll wait until X arrives/finishes.”

• Natural: Megvárlak az emeleten. = I’ll wait for you upstairs (till you get there).
• Also natural: Megvárom a buszt. = I’ll wait for the bus.

Saying Én az emeleten megvárok (without an object) is odd; megvár wants a definite object.