Learn Hardcore Hungarian: Ez a nap hosszú, de érdekes.

In Hungarian, the verb van (to be) is normally left out in the present tense, 3rd person (he/she/it, or a thing) when you are saying what something is or what it is like.

So instead of literally saying Ez a nap van hosszú, Hungarian just says Ez a nap hosszú for “This day is long.” The missing is is understood from context and the grammar.

What exactly does Ez a nap mean, and why not just Ez?

Ez by itself means “this (one)” without specifying what kind of thing.

Ez a nap literally means “this the day”, but functionally it’s “this day”, pointing to a specific day you both know about or are experiencing.

Ez = this (pronoun)
a = the (definite article)
nap = day

In Hungarian, the pattern ez a + noun is the normal way to say “this + noun” (and az a + noun for “that + noun” before vowels).

Why is it a nap and not az nap?

Hungarian chooses a vs az based on the sound that follows:

a goes before a consonant sound: a nap, a ház
az goes before a vowel sound: az alma, az ember

Since nap starts with n (a consonant), the correct form is a nap, not az nap.

Can nap also mean sun? How do I know if it’s day or sun here?

Yes, Hungarian nap can mean both “day” and “sun”. Context decides which one is meant.

As “day”, it’s usually about dates, lengths of days, daily routines:
- Ez a nap hosszú. = This day is long.
As “Sun” (the star), it is often written with a capital N: Nap, especially in scientific or formal contexts:
- A Nap fényes. = The Sun is bright.

In Ez a nap hosszú, de érdekes, normal everyday context clearly suggests “day”.

Could I also say Ez a nap érdekes, de hosszú? Does the word order change the meaning?

Yes, you can say Ez a nap érdekes, de hosszú. Both sentences are grammatically correct and mean roughly “This day is long but interesting.”

The difference is emphasis:

Ez a nap hosszú, de érdekes. → the first thing you assert is that it’s long, then you contrast with but (still) interesting.
Ez a nap érdekes, de hosszú. → you first say it’s interesting, then add but (also) long, often implying the length is a bit of a downside.

Hungarian uses word order to highlight what is most important or most contrastive.

What’s the difference between Ez a nap hosszú and Ez a hosszú nap?

They are structurally different:

Ez a nap hosszú. = This day is long.
- hosszú is a predicate adjective (what the day is like).
Ez a hosszú nap. = This (is) the long day.
- hosszú is an attributive adjective, part of the noun phrase hosszú nap (“long day”).

So:

Ez a nap hosszú. → you’re making a statement about today’s quality.
Ez a hosszú nap. → you are identifying or pointing out a specific “long day” (for example, the one you mentioned earlier: “the long day we were talking about – this is it”).

Why is there a comma before de?

In Hungarian, you almost always put a comma before coordinating conjunctions like de (but) when they join two clauses or statements.

So … hosszú, de érdekes follows a standard rule:

hosszú = one statement (or part of one)
de érdekes = a contrasting statement

Hence the comma: hosszú, de érdekes.

How do I pronounce hosszú and what do the double letters mean?

Hosszú is pronounced approximately like:

hos-szú → “hos-soo”, with:
- o: like o in “or” but shorter
- sz: like English s in “see”
- ssz = a doubled sz → the s sound is held slightly longer
- ú: a long u sound, like oo in “food”, held longer than a short u

In Hungarian spelling:

A double consonant (like ssz) means a long consonant.
An accent on a vowel (ú, á, é, etc.) means a long vowel.

Can I drop ez a and just say A nap hosszú, de érdekes? Does it mean the same?

You can say A nap hosszú, de érdekes, but the meaning is slightly different:

Ez a nap hosszú… = This day is long… (a specific day, usually today or one clearly identified)
A nap hosszú… = The day is long… (could mean “the day” in a more general or habitual sense, or a specific day already clear from context)

In real conversation, Ez a nap… sounds more clearly like you’re talking about today or a particular day you’re in the middle of.

How would I say “These days are long, but interesting” in Hungarian?

You would say: Ezek a napok hosszúak, de érdekesek.

Changes to notice:

Ezek = these (plural of ez)
napok = days (nap
- -ok plural suffix)
hosszúak, érdekesek = adjectives also take plural endings (-ak / -ek) when used as predicates:
- hosszú → hosszúak
- érdekes → érdekesek

Why is it de and not hanem for “but”?

Hungarian has two main “but” words:

de = but, however (simple contrast, like English “but”)
hanem = but rather, used when you negate something and replace it:
- Nem ez a nap hosszú, hanem a holnapi.
  = Not this day is long, but rather tomorrow’s.

In Ez a nap hosszú, de érdekes, there is no negation, just a contrast (“long, but interesting”), so de is the correct choice.

How would I negate this sentence, like “This day is not long, but interesting”?

You can negate only the first part:

Ez a nap nem hosszú, de érdekes.
= This day is not long, but (it is) interesting.

Notice:

nem (not) goes right before the word it negates: nem hosszú.
The is is still omitted in Hungarian present tense, as usual.