Ma én is elmegyek a piacra.

Today I am also going to the market.

Breakdown of Ma én is elmegyek a piacra.

• én: I
• ma: today
• elmenni: to go
• -ra: to
• is: also/too
• piac: the market

Questions & Answers about Ma én is elmegyek a piacra.

Why is én (I) included? Can it be omitted?

Yes, it can usually be omitted. Hungarian verb endings already show the subject, so Ma is elmegyek a piacra. is perfectly natural.
You keep én when you want emphasis or contrast, e.g. Today I am also going (as opposed to someone else).

What does is mean here, and where can it go in the sentence?

is means also/too/as well. It typically comes right after the word it “adds to.”

• Ma én is elmegyek a piacra. = I also am going today (others are going too).
• Ma én elmegyek is a piacra. sounds odd/uncommon in this meaning.
• Ma is elmegyek a piacra. = Today too I’m going (in addition to other days).
  So placement changes what is being included: én is (I too), ma is (today too), a piacra is (to the market too).

Why is the word order Ma én is ...? Is Hungarian word order fixed?

Hungarian word order is flexible and mainly reflects topic/focus (what you’re talking about vs what you emphasize).

• Starting with Ma makes today the topic (setting/time).
• én is then adds the idea “I too.”
  Other valid orders with slightly different emphasis include:
• Én is ma elmegyek a piacra. (emphasizes I too)
• Ma is elmegyek a piacra. (emphasizes today too)
• A piacra ma én is elmegyek. (foregrounds to the market)

What is the difference between megyek and elmegyek?

megyek = I go / I’m going (neutral movement)
elmegyek = I go away / I leave / I’m going (off) to a place
The prefix el- often adds a sense of departure or going off somewhere. In everyday Hungarian, elmegyek a piacra is very common for “I’m going to the market.”

What tense is elmegyek? Is it present or future?

Formally it’s present tense, but Hungarian present tense often covers near-future plans too.
So Ma ... elmegyek naturally means Today I’m going / I will go (a planned action). Context supplies whether English prefers present continuous or future.

How do we know it’s I (first person singular) from elmegyek?

The ending -ek in megyek / elmegyek marks 1st person singular (“I”).
So even without én, elmegyek already means I go / I’m going.

Why is it a piacra and not a piac?

Because Hungarian marks direction/location with case endings.

• piac = market (base form)
• piacra = to the market (motion toward it)
  Without the -ra ending, it wouldn’t express “to.”

What does the ending -ra mean, and why not -ba/-be?

-ra/-re means onto / to (a surface or open place) and is commonly used with places like piac (market), tér (square), etc.: a piacra = “to the market.”
-ba/-be means into (inside something): a boltba = “into the shop.”
Markets are often conceptualized as an open area, so -ra fits naturally.

Why is there an article a before piacra? Is it “the” or “a”?

a is the Hungarian definite article = the.
Hungarian often uses the definite article in cases where English might say the market or sometimes simply market. Here, a piacra is most naturally to the market.

Can I say Ma is elmegyek piacra without a?

Sometimes you’ll hear article-dropping in informal or special contexts, but the neutral, standard version is a piacra.
Without the article, piacra can sound more like a set phrase (“to market”) and may feel less specific. For learners, use the article unless you’ve learned a specific idiomatic exception.