Ma nem vagyok szomjas.

Today I am not thirsty.

Breakdown of Ma nem vagyok szomjas.

• én: I
• ma: today
• szomjas: thirsty
• nem lenni: to not be

Questions & Answers about Ma nem vagyok szomjas.

Why isn’t én (I) included in the sentence?

Hungarian often drops subject pronouns because the verb ending already shows the person/number.

• vagyok = I am, so (én) nem vagyok szomjas is clear without én.
  You might add én only for emphasis/contrast, e.g. Én nem vagyok szomjas, de ő igen. (I’m not thirsty, but he is.)

Why does this sentence use vagyok? I heard Hungarian sometimes “doesn’t use ‘to be’” in the present tense.

In present tense Hungarian:

• 3rd person (he/she/it/they) often omits the verb van: Ő szomjas. (He is thirsty.)
• 1st and 2nd person still use forms of lenni (to be):
  
  • (Én) szomjas vagyok.
  • (Te) szomjas vagy.
    So Ma nem vagyok szomjas needs vagyok because it’s 1st person singular.

Why is nem placed before the verb (nem vagyok)?

In neutral sentences, Hungarian negation nem typically comes directly before the verb (or before what’s being negated).
So the default is:

• nem + verb → nem vagyok = I am not
  This is the most natural pattern here.

Could I say Ma vagyok nem szomjas or Ma nem szomjas vagyok?

Those sound unnatural in normal conversation. The neutral, standard word order is:

• Ma nem vagyok szomjas.

Hungarian word order is flexible, but changes emphasis. Usually you keep nem right before the verb: nem vagyok. Putting nem szomjas before vagyok is generally not the usual way to build this kind of sentence.

Can I move ma (today) to the end: Nem vagyok szomjas ma?

Yes. Both are grammatical:

• Ma nem vagyok szomjas.
• Nem vagyok szomjas ma.

The difference is mostly emphasis/topic:

• Starting with Ma foregrounds “today” (as the topic/time frame).
• Ending with ma can feel like an afterthought or a lighter time tag, depending on intonation/context.

What part of speech is szomjas and why doesn’t it have an ending?

szomjas is an adjective meaning “thirsty.” In this sentence it’s a predicate adjective (describing the subject), so it normally appears in its basic form with no case ending:

• (Én) szomjas vagyok.
• (Én) nem vagyok szomjas.

You’d add endings only in other constructions (e.g., with different grammar needs), not in this basic “I am X” pattern.

Is there a verb form like “I’m not thirsty” without using vagyok?

You can use a verb meaning “to be thirsty,” but it’s less common as the everyday default than szomjas vagyok:

• Nem szomjazom. = “I’m not thirsty / I’m not thirsting.”

Most learners will hear and use (nem) vagyok szomjas more often in daily speech.

How would I ask this as a question in Hungarian?

Common options:

• Szomjas vagy? = “Are you thirsty?” (informal singular)
• Szomjas vagyok? = “Am I thirsty?” (less common, sounds like you’re checking)
  And with today:
• Ma szomjas vagy? = “Are you thirsty today?”

How do I say it in past or future tense?

Using lenni (to be):

• Past: Ma nem voltam szomjas. = “Today I wasn’t thirsty.”
• Future: Ma nem leszek szomjas. = “Today I won’t be thirsty.”

(And without ma: Nem voltam szomjas. / Nem leszek szomjas.)

How is this pronounced (especially szomjas)?

Key pronunciation points for English speakers:

• sz = /s/ (like s in see)
• s = /ʃ/ (like sh in she)
  So szomjas starts with s (not “sh”): roughly SOHM-yawsh.
  Also, Hungarian stress is usually on the first syllable: MA nem vagyok SZOMjas.