Ha probléma van, üzenetet küldök a banknak az internetbankban.

If there is a problem, I send a message to the bank in internet banking.

Breakdown of Ha probléma van, üzenetet küldök a banknak az internetbankban.

• lenni: to be
• én: I
• ha: if
• küldeni: to send
• -ban/-ben: in
• internetbank: internet banking
• -nak/-nek: to/for
• probléma: problem
• üzenet: message
• bank: bank

Questions & Answers about Ha probléma van, üzenetet küldök a banknak az internetbankban.

Why does the sentence start with Ha probléma van? What does that structure mean?

Ha means if. The chunk probléma van literally means there is a problem (more naturally: there’s a problem). So Ha probléma van, ... = If there’s a problem, .... Hungarian commonly uses van (there is/are) with a noun like this.

Why is there a comma after Ha probléma van?

In Hungarian, a subordinate clause introduced by ha is normally separated from the main clause with a comma:
Ha ... , (then) ...
So the comma is standard punctuation here.

Why is it probléma van and not van probléma?

Both can be grammatical, but they have different emphasis.

• Ha probléma van is the neutral, common way: if there is a problem.
• Ha van probléma can sound a bit more like if there is any problem / if it happens that there is a problem, putting more focus on the existence of a problem.

Can I omit van and just say Ha probléma, ...?

Usually no. Ha probléma, ... sounds incomplete or very informal/elliptical. Hungarian normally needs van in this kind of “there is” statement: probléma van.

Why is it üzenetet (accusative) and not üzenet?

Because üzenet (message) is the direct object of the verb küldök (I send). Direct objects typically take the accusative -t:
üzenet → üzenetet = a message (as the thing being sent).

Why is it küldök and not küldöm?

Hungarian has two verb conjugations:

• indefinite (alanyi) when the object is indefinite/unspecified
• definite (tárgyas) when the object is definite/specific

Here the object is üzenetet = a message / some message (not the message), so the verb is indefinite: küldök.

If you made the object definite, you’d typically use the definite conjugation:

• az üzenetet küldöm = I’m sending the message (a specific one)

What does a banknak mean, and why is it -nak?

a banknak means to the bank. The ending -nak/-nek is the dative case, used for recipients/beneficiaries (like English to).

• bank → banknak = to the bank
  The article a is the (before a consonant sound).

Why is it a banknak (dative) and not something like a bankhoz?

Because küld (send) takes a recipient: send something to someone → dative -nak/-nek.
-hoz/-hez/-höz means to/towards a place in a movement/approach sense (go to the bank = a bankhoz megyek), not “recipient of a message.”

What does az internetbankban mean, and what is -ban?

az internetbankban means in the online bank / in internet banking.
The ending -ban/-ben is the inessive case = in (inside something).

• internetbank → internetbankban = in internet banking
  It’s a common way to say you do it within the online banking interface.

Why is it az internetbankban and not a internetbankban?

Hungarian has two forms of the:

• a before a consonant sound
• az before a vowel sound

internetbank starts with a vowel sound (i-), so it takes az: az internetbankban.

Do I have to say én (“I”) in this sentence?

No. Hungarian verb endings already show the subject. küldök clearly means I send, so én is usually omitted unless you want emphasis or contrast (like I as opposed to someone else).

Could I say Ha probléma lesz or Ha probléma lenne instead? What’s the difference?

Yes, but the meaning shifts:

• Ha probléma van = If there is a problem (general/whenever it happens)
• Ha probléma lesz = If there will be a problem (future-oriented, expectation)
• Ha probléma lenne = If there were a problem / if there would be a problem (more hypothetical/conditional, often softer or more speculative)