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Persze, felhívlak, amikor hazaérek.

Persze, felhívlak, amikor hazaérek.
Of course, I’ll call you when I get home.

Breakdown of Persze, felhívlak, amikor hazaérek.

én
I
te
you
amikor
when
felhívni
to call
hazaérni
to arrive home
persze
of course
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Questions & Answers about Persze, felhívlak, amikor hazaérek.

Why is there a comma after Persze and around the middle of the sentence?

Hungarian often sets off discourse words like persze (used like “sure/of course”) with a comma, similar to English.
The second comma comes before a subordinate clause introduced by amikor (when). Subordinate clauses are normally separated by a comma in Hungarian:
Felhívlak, amikor hazaérek. = main clause + amikor-clause.

What does felhívlak break down into?

fel-hív-lak

  • hív = to call
  • fel- = a verbal prefix (roughly “up”; with calling it makes the idiom to call (someone) up)
  • -lak / -lek = a special verb ending meaning I (do it) to you (1st person singular subject + 2nd person singular object)

So felhívlak literally encodes I call you (up) in one word.

Why is it -lak (not -ok/-ek or something else)?

Hungarian has a specific conjugation ending for “I … you” (singular object): -lak/-lek.
You use it when:

  • the subject is I (1st singular), and
  • the direct object is you (2nd singular), whether that you is said or just understood.

Example pattern:

  • látlak = I see you
  • felhívlak = I’ll call you / I’m calling you
Can I add the pronoun téged (you) here, or is it redundant?

You can, but it’s usually for emphasis or contrast. The verb ending already includes “you,” so téged is often omitted.

  • Neutral: Felhívlak, amikor hazaérek.
  • Emphatic/contrastive: Téged hívlak fel, amikor hazaérek. = You (not someone else) I’ll call when I get home.
Why is this not using a separate future tense? How does it mean “I’ll call”?

Hungarian often uses the present tense to talk about the near/clear future, especially with time clauses like amikor…
So felhívlak can naturally mean I’ll call you in context.

If you want an explicit future, you can use fog:

  • Felhívlak, amikor hazaérek. (very natural)
  • Fel foglak hívni, amikor hazaérek. (more explicitly “I will call you”)
Why is the prefix attached: felhívlak and not hívlak fel?

Verb prefixes in Hungarian move depending on emphasis and sentence structure.

  • In a neutral, straightforward statement, the prefix typically sticks to the verb: felhívlak.
  • If something comes right before the verb and takes focus (or in some other structures), the prefix may “separate”: hívlak fel.

For example, emphasizing when:

  • Amikor hazaérek, hívlak fel. (prefix separated is common here)

Both are grammatical; the choice is about information structure and rhythm.

What’s the difference between amikor and ha here?
  • amikor = when (a specific time is expected to happen)
  • ha = if (conditional; it might or might not happen)

So:

  • …amikor hazaérek implies “I will get home, and at that time…”
  • …ha hazaérek implies “if I get home (if that happens), then…”
Why is it hazaérek as one word? What is haza-?

haza is a directional word meaning (to) home. It commonly combines with verbs of motion:

  • hazaér(ni) = to arrive home
  • hazamegy(ek) = I go home
  • hazajövök = I come home

So hazaérek = I arrive home (1st person singular).

Why is it érek and not something like érkezem?

Both can be used, but they’re not identical in style and typical usage:

  • hazaérek (from hazaérni) is very common and natural for “I get home / I arrive home.”
  • haz­aérkezem (from érkezni) is also correct but can sound a bit more formal or “report-like” depending on context.

In everyday speech, hazaérek is often the default.

Is this sentence informal? How would I say it more politely?

Yes, it’s informal singular (talking to one person you address as te), because -lak targets you (singular).

Polite (addressing Ön):

  • Persze, felhívom, amikor hazaérek.
    Here the object is Ön, and Hungarian uses the definite conjugation (felhívom) rather than -lak/-lek.

Polite plural/formal “you” (Önök):

  • Persze, felhívom Önöket, amikor hazaérek. (often you’ll include Önöket for clarity)
How is this pronounced and stressed?

Hungarian stress is typically on the first syllable of each word:

  • PER-sze, FEL-hí-vlak, A-mi-kor, HA-za-é-rek

Notes:

  • í is a long vowel (like a longer ee sound).
  • hazaérek has adjacent vowels (a-e), both pronounced (not merged into one).