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Miután befejezem a házimunkát, elmegyek a postára.

Miután befejezem a házimunkát, elmegyek a postára.
After I finish the housework, I go to the post office.

Breakdown of Miután befejezem a házimunkát, elmegyek a postára.

én
I
elmenni
to go
házimunka
the housework
-ra
to
befejezni
to finish
miután
after
posta
the post office
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Questions & Answers about Miután befejezem a házimunkát, elmegyek a postára.

Why does the sentence start with Miután? What does it do grammatically?

Miután means after (in the sense of after X happens, Y happens). It introduces a subordinate time clause:

  • Miután befejezem a házimunkát = After I finish the housework
    Then the main clause follows:
  • elmegyek a postára = I’ll go to the post office
    Hungarian typically separates the subordinate clause and the main clause with a comma when the subordinate clause comes first.
Why is there a comma after házimunkát?

Because the first part is a subordinate clause introduced by Miután. When that clause comes before the main clause, Hungarian normally uses a comma:
Miután … , … = After …, …

Why is it befejezem and not befejezek?

Because befejez can take either indefinite or definite verb conjugation, depending on whether the object is definite. Here the object is a házimunkát (the housework), which is definite, so Hungarian uses the definite verb ending:

  • befejezem = I finish it (definite)
  • befejezek = I finish (something) / I do some finishing (indefinite)
What exactly makes a házimunkát “definite”?

The object has the definite article a (the), so it refers to a specific, identifiable thing: the housework. That triggers the definite conjugation on the verb (befejezem).
(Also, things like proper names, pronouns like őt, and objects with demonstratives like ezt/azt are definite too.)

What is the -t ending in házimunkát?

-t marks the accusative case, i.e., the direct object of the verb:

  • a házimunka = the housework (dictionary form)
  • a házimunkát = the housework (as “what I’m finishing”)
    The vowel before -t often changes to fit pronunciation and vowel harmony; házimunka → házimunkát is the regular accusative form.
Does elmegyek mean present (“I go”) or future (“I will go”)?

Formally it’s present tense, but Hungarian commonly uses the present tense to express a near or planned future, especially with time words/clauses like Miután…:

  • elmegyek = I’m going / I’ll go (context decides)
    If you want to be extra explicit, Hungarian can use future with fogok menni (I will go), but it’s often unnecessary here.
Why is it elmegyek and not just megyek?

el- is a verbal prefix that adds a sense of going away / leaving / setting off. In many contexts it’s the natural choice for “go (somewhere as an errand)”:

  • megyek = I go / I’m going (neutral movement)
  • elmegyek = I go off / I go (away, to do something)
    In this sentence, elmegyek a postára sounds like “I’ll go to the post office (as a next step).”
What does a postára mean literally, and why the -ra ending?

postára = to the post office, using the -ra/-re case (often called sublative), which expresses movement onto/to a surface or (idiomatically) to certain places/institutions.

  • posta = post office
  • a posta = the post office
  • a postára = (going) to the post office
    Hungarian uses different “to” endings depending on the place concept (into vs onto vs toward), and -ra/-re is common with places like postára, iskolába/iskolára (depending on meaning/idiom), etc.
How would I say “after finishing the housework” using a noun-like structure instead of a full clause?

A common option is to use a verbal noun with után:

  • A házimunka befejezése után elmegyek a postára.
    = After the completion of the housework, I’ll go to the post office.
    This is more formal/“written” sounding than Miután befejezem…
Can the word order change, and what would it emphasize?

Yes, Hungarian word order is flexible and often reflects emphasis (focus/topic). For example:

  • Miután befejezem a házimunkát, elmegyek a postára. (neutral)
  • Miután befejezem a házimunkát, a postára megyek el. (stronger focus on where you’re going: to the post office)
  • A postára megyek el, miután befejezem a házimunkát. (main point first; still grammatical)
    The core meanings stay, but the emphasized part shifts.