Log inSign up

A pénztáros a nyugtát az asztalra teszi.

A pénztáros a nyugtát az asztalra teszi.
The cashier puts the receipt on the table.

Breakdown of A pénztáros a nyugtát az asztalra teszi.

asztal
the table
tenni
to put
nyugta
the receipt
pénztáros
the cashier
-ra/-re
for
Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Hungarian grammar and vocabulary.

Start learning Hungarian now

Questions & Answers about A pénztáros a nyugtát az asztalra teszi.

Why is there a before each noun? Does it mean a or the?

In Hungarian, a/az is the definite article and usually corresponds to English the.

  • a pénztáros = the cashier
  • a nyugtát = the receipt (as a specific, identifiable receipt)
  • az asztalra = onto the table (a specific table in the context)

Hungarian doesn’t have an indefinite article that works exactly like English a/an in every case, but it does have egy (a/an, one) when you want to stress indefiniteness: Egy pénztáros... = A cashier...

Why is it az asztalra but a nyugtát and a pénztáros?

a and az are the same article; az is used before words starting with a vowel sound.

  • asztal starts with a vowel (a), so you get az asztalra.
    Before consonants, it’s a: a pénztáros, a nyugtát.
What does the -t at the end of nyugtát mean?

The -t marks the accusative case, i.e., the direct object (what is being put).

  • Base form: nyugta = receipt
  • Accusative: nyugtá-t = (the) receipt (as the object)

The long vowel á is part of how this noun takes the accusative ending: nyugta → nyugtát.

Why is it asztalra and not something like asztalon?

Because Hungarian distinguishes direction vs location very clearly:

  • -ra/-re = onto (movement toward a surface) → az asztalra teszi = puts it onto the table
  • -on/-en/-ön = on (static location) → az asztalon van = it is on the table

So asztalra is correct because teszi implies movement/placing.

How do I know whether to use -ra or -re?

It’s mainly vowel harmony:

  • Back vowels (a, á, o, ó, u, ú) → -ra
  • Front vowels (e, é, i, í, ö, ő, ü, ű) → -re

asztal has back vowels (a, a), so: asztalra.

Why does the verb appear as teszi and not tesz?

Hungarian has two verb conjugations: indefinite and definite.
You use the definite conjugation when the verb has a definite direct object (often with a/az, a proper noun, a pronoun like it/them, etc.).

Here the object is a nyugtát (the receipt, definite), so the verb is definite:

  • Indefinite: tesz = (he/she) puts (something unspecified)
  • Definite: teszi = (he/she) puts it / the specific thing
What would change if the receipt were not specific (like a receipt)?

You’d typically make the object indefinite and switch to the indefinite verb form:

  • A pénztáros egy nyugtát az asztalra tesz. = The cashier puts a receipt onto the table.

Key changes:

  • a nyugtát → egy nyugtát
  • teszi → tesz
Is the word order fixed? Could I rearrange this sentence?

Hungarian word order is flexible, and changes often reflect focus/emphasis rather than basic grammatical roles.

Neutral/common:

  • A pénztáros a nyugtát az asztalra teszi.

Possible emphasis shifts:

  • Az asztalra teszi a nyugtát a pénztáros. (emphasizes onto the table)
  • A nyugtát teszi az asztalra a pénztáros. (emphasizes the receipt)

The endings (-t, -ra) keep the roles clear even if the order changes.

Which part is the subject, and how can I tell?

The subject is A pénztáros (the cashier). You can tell because:

  • It’s in the basic (nominative) form (no object/location case ending).
  • The verb teszi is 3rd person singular, matching pénztáros.

The object is marked by -t (nyugtát), and the destination is marked by -ra (asztalra).

Do I need pronouns like he/she in Hungarian?

Usually not. Hungarian often omits subject pronouns because the verb ending carries person/number information.
So you could say just:

  • A nyugtát az asztalra teszi. = (He/She/The cashier) puts the receipt onto the table.
    If you want emphasis/contrast, you can add a pronoun, but it’s not required.
What does pénztáros literally mean, and is it gendered?

pénztáros means cashier (someone working at a cash desk/register). It’s not grammatically gendered; Hungarian doesn’t mark nouns for masculine/feminine in the way many languages do. The same word works for any gender.

What is the dictionary form of teszi, and how is it formed?

The dictionary form is tenni (to put/to place/to do). The present tense base verb you’ll often see is tesz (he/she puts/does in indefinite conjugation).
teszi is the definite 3rd person singular present form:

  • tesz (indefinite)
  • teszi (definite, with a definite object)