A lány soha nem késik a találkozóra.

The girl is never late for the meeting.

Breakdown of A lány soha nem késik a találkozóra.

• -ra: to
• nem: not
• soha: never
• késni: to be late
• lány: girl
• találkozó: meeting

Questions & Answers about A lány soha nem késik a találkozóra.

Why is there a before both lány and találkozóra? Is it the same as the in English?

Yes—a/az is the Hungarian definite article, usually corresponding to English the.

• A lány = the girl (a specific girl in context)
• a találkozóra = to the meeting (a specific meeting)
  The article stays a (or az) even when the noun takes a case ending like -ra/-re.

Why is it soha nem (two negative words)? Isn’t that a double negative?

Hungarian commonly uses “multiple negation,” and it’s required in standard usage.

• soha = never
• nem = the basic negator (not)
  So soha nem késik literally looks like “never not late,” but it simply means never is late / is never late.

Where does nem go in the sentence? Could I move it?

In neutral sentences, nem typically appears right before the verb (or before the focused element). Here the verb is késik, so:

• soha nem késik is the natural pattern.
  You can rearrange for emphasis, but the meaning/focus changes. The given order is the most straightforward.

What does késik mean exactly, and how is it different from “to be late”?

késik is the verb to be late / to arrive late. Hungarian often expresses “be late” with a verb rather than “be + adjective.”

• (Ő) késik. = She/He is late.
  It’s an intransitive verb (it doesn’t take a direct object).

Why is it késik and not something like késik el?

késik alone already means is late. You may also see:

• elkésik = to be late / to end up being late (often feels a bit more “event-like”)
  In many everyday contexts, késik and elkésik can both work, but késik is perfectly normal here.

What is the function of -ra in találkozóra?

-ra/-re is the “onto/to” directional case, often used for events and appointments in the sense of for/to:

• a találkozóra = to/for the meeting (i.e., for the time/place of the meeting)
  So the sentence means she isn’t late for the meeting.

Could it be a találkozóhoz or a találkozón instead? What’s the difference?

Yes, but the meaning shifts:

• a találkozóra = for/to the meeting (being late for the appointment)
• a találkozón = at the meeting (location: she is not late while being at the meeting—usually not what you mean)
• a találkozóhoz = to the meeting (as a place/point), more like approaching a location; less idiomatic for “late for a meeting” than -ra.

Why is there no pronoun like ő (“she”) in the sentence?

Hungarian often drops subject pronouns because the verb ending and context make the subject clear.

• A lány … késik already identifies the subject as the girl, so ő would be unnecessary unless you want contrast/emphasis.

Is the word order fixed? Could I say A lány nem késik soha a találkozóra?

Hungarian word order is flexible, but it encodes emphasis (focus). The original is neutral:

• A lány soha nem késik a találkozóra.
  If you move soha later, it can sound more emphatic or stylistically marked, and may change what feels highlighted. The given order is the most natural for “never.”

Why is it a találkozóra and not találkozóra without the article?

Both can be possible depending on meaning:

• a találkozóra = to the meeting (a specific one)
• találkozóra can sound more general, like to a meeting / to meetings / for an appointment depending on context.
  In many real contexts, speakers prefer the definite article when a particular meeting is understood.

How do I know whether to use a or az?

It depends on the next word’s first sound:

• a before a consonant sound: a lány, a találkozó
• az before a vowel sound: az alma
  So A lány… is correct because l is a consonant.

What’s happening phonologically in találkozóra—why does it look long?

It’s a base noun plus a case ending:

• találkozó (meeting) + -ra (to/for) → találkozóra
  The extra length is normal agglutination: Hungarian stacks meaning with endings rather than separate prepositions.