Ez a film vicces.

This movie is funny.

Breakdown of Ez a film vicces.

• ez: this
• lenni: to be
• film: the movie
• vicces: funny

Questions & Answers about Ez a film vicces.

Why is there no word for “is” in Ez a film vicces? Why don’t we say Ez a film van vicces?

In Hungarian, the verb lenni (to be) is usually left out in the present tense, 3rd person (he/she/it, they) when it simply links a subject and a descriptive word (like an adjective or a noun).

So:

• Ez a film vicces. = This film is funny.
  (literally: This the film funny.)

You would only use van in similar sentences in special cases (e.g. to emphasize existence or location):

• A film vicces. – The film is funny. (normal statement, no van)
• A film vicces van. – Very unusual; would sound wrong/unnatural in standard Hungarian.

But in other tenses you must use the verb:

• Ez a film vicces volt. – This film was funny.
• Ez a film vicces lesz. – This film will be funny.

So: in the present, 3rd person, simple descriptive sentences drop the “is” in Hungarian.

What does ez a mean? Why do we need both words: ez and a?

• ez = this (demonstrative pronoun)
• a = the (definite article, used before consonant sounds)

In ez a film, you literally have:

• ez – this
• a film – the film

Together, ez a film works like “this film” in English.

Hungarian uses the article a/az even after a demonstrative:

• ez a film – this film
• az a könyv – that book (k‑ sound → use az)

You cannot say *ez film in standard Hungarian; you need the article:

• ✅ ez a film – this film
• ❌ ez film – incorrect

Could I just say A film vicces instead of Ez a film vicces?

Yes, but the meaning changes slightly:

• Ez a film vicces. – This film is funny. (You’re pointing to or clearly referring to a particular one near you or previously specified.)
• A film vicces. – The film is funny. (Some specific film that both speaker and listener know about from context.)

So:

• Use ez a film when you want to clearly say this one here / this particular film.
• Use a film when the specific film is clear from context, but you’re not emphasizing this as opposed to some other.

Is vicces an adjective? What exactly does it mean?

Yes, vicces is an adjective. It means “funny, amusing, comical”.

• vicc = a joke
• vicces = “jokey”, “having the quality of a joke” → funny, amusing

Example:

• A film vicces. – The film is funny.
• A történet vicces. – The story is funny.
• Vicces vagy. – You are funny.

It usually means “funny in a humorous way”, not “funny = strange” (for “funny/odd/strange”, Hungarians often say furcsa or fura).

Why is it vicces, not viccesen?

• vicces = adjective → funny
• viccesen = adverb → funnily, in a funny way

In Ez a film vicces, you are describing what the film is (its quality), so you need an adjective:

• A film vicces. – The film is funny. (adjective)

You would use the adverb viccesen to describe how something is done:

• Viccesen beszél. – He/She speaks funnily / in a funny way.
• Viccesen reagált. – He/She reacted in a funny way.

So: use vicces after a (hidden) “to be”, and viccesen to modify a verb.

Could I say Vicces ez a film? Is the word order change allowed?

Yes, you can say Vicces ez a film, but the emphasis changes.

• Ez a film vicces. – Neutral word order; basic statement.
  This film is funny. (simple information)
• Vicces ez a film. – Emphasis on vicces.
  Roughly: This film *is funny, you know. / *Funny, this film is.

It can sound more expressive, like you’re commenting or reacting:

• Vicces ez a film. – “This film sure is funny.”

In Hungarian, the first stressed element before the verb (here: is → hidden) gets the emphasis. So putting vicces first highlights the funniness.

How would I say “These films are funny”?

You need plural forms for both the demonstrative, the noun, and the adjective:

• Ezek a filmek viccesek.
  
  • ezek – these
  • a filmek – the films
  • viccesek – funny (plural form agreeing with filmek)

Hungarian adjectives agree in number with the noun when they stand alone as the predicate:

• Ez a film vicces. – This film is funny. (singular)
• Ezek a filmek viccesek. – These films are funny. (plural, adjective gets -ek)

Why does vicces change to viccesek in the plural? English doesn’t do that.

Hungarian predicate adjectives (adjectives used after “to be”) usually mark the plural with -k / -ek / -ak / -ok / -ök, agreeing with the subject:

• A film jó. – The film is good.

• A filmek jók. – The films are good.

• Ez a film vicces. – This film is funny.
• Ezek a filmek viccesek. – These films are funny.

So when the subject is plural (filmek), the adjective often also takes a plural marker (viccesek).

When the adjective is before the noun (a vicces film), it doesn’t change:

• a vicces film – the funny film
• a vicces filmek – the funny films (adjective has no plural ending here)

Does ez show gender, like “he/she/it” or “this (masc./fem.)”?

No. Hungarian does not have grammatical gender (no masculine/feminine/neutral articles or pronouns for inanimate things or even for “he/she”).

• ez just means this (for a singular thing close to the speaker), no gender.
• For people, you still say ez or ő (he/she), but ő also doesn’t show gender; it can mean he or she depending on context.

So:

• Ez a film vicces. – This film is funny. (no gender)
• Ez a lány vicces. – This girl is funny.
• Ez a fiú vicces. – This boy is funny.

“ez” does not change for gender, only for number and distance (ez / ezek, az / azok).

Why is it a film, not egy film? What’s the difference?

• a film = the film (definite, specific)
• egy film = a film / one film (indefinite, non-specific)

In Ez a film vicces, you’re clearly pointing out a specific, known film, so Hungarian uses the definite article:

• ez a film – this (particular) film

You might use egy film vicces if you mean “a (certain) film is funny” but you’re not specifying which one, or you want to say “some film or other is funny”:

• Egy film vicces, a másik unalmas. – One film is funny, the other is boring.

With ez/az (this/that), Hungarian practically always uses the definite article a/az:

• ez a film, az a film – this film, that film
• not *ez egy film in the same sense of “this film” (though ez egy film can mean “this is a film,” a different structure).

How do I pronounce Ez a film vicces?

Approximate pronunciation (IPA-like and English-based):

• Ez – [ɛz] → like “ez” in “ezra” (short e, then z)
• a – [ɒ] → short, more like British “o” in “hot” but shorter and more open
• film – [film] → like English “film”, but with a clear i as in “sit” and no extra schwa; 1 syllable.
• vicces – [ˈvit͡ʃːɛʃ]
  
  • vi – “vee” but short: [vit]
  • cc – a long “ch” sound [t͡ʃː]
  • e – as in “bet”
  • s – pronounced like English “sh”

So very roughly:

• Ez a film vicces. → “Ez o film vich-chesh.”
  (but keep the vowels short and crisp, and “ch” a bit long)

Can I use vicces directly before a noun, like “a funny film”?

Yes. Then vicces works just like English “funny” before a noun:

• egy vicces film – a funny film
• a vicces film – the funny film
• vicces filmeket nézünk. – We’re watching funny films.

Notice that when it’s before the noun, vicces doesn’t change for plural:

• egy vicces film – a funny film
• vicces filmek – funny films (adjective unchanged, plural only on the noun)

But when it’s the predicate (after the “is” / hidden van), it changes for plural:

• A film vicces. – The film is funny.
• A filmek viccesek. – The films are funny.

How do I say this sentence in other tenses: “This film was / will be funny”?

You simply change the verb “to be” (now it can’t be omitted anymore):

• Present:
  Ez a film vicces. – This film is funny.

• Past (simple):
  Ez a film vicces volt. – This film was funny.
  (volt = was/were)

• Future:
  Ez a film vicces lesz. – This film will be funny.
  (lesz = will be)

In present, 3rd person, the copula usually drops.
In past and future, you must show it.