Menj egyenesen két utcát, majd fordulj jobbra!

Go straight for two streets, then turn right!

Breakdown of Menj egyenesen két utcát, majd fordulj jobbra!

• te: you
• majd: then
• menni: to go
• utca: the street
• egyenesen: straight
• fordulni: to turn
• két: two
• jobbra: right

Questions & Answers about Menj egyenesen két utcát, majd fordulj jobbra!

Why is menj used instead of the dictionary form menni?

Menni is the dictionary form, meaning to go.
Menj is the imperative form: go!

More specifically, it is the informal singular command form, used when speaking to one person you address with te.

So:

• menni = to go
• menj = go!

This is why the sentence uses menj: it is giving directions.

Why isn’t there a word for you in the sentence?

Hungarian usually does not need to state the subject pronoun if the verb ending already makes it clear.

In menj and fordulj, the verb forms already show that the speaker is giving a command to one person in the informal way.

So Hungarian normally says:

• Menj... = Go...
• not necessarily Te menj...

If you do add te, it gives extra emphasis, something like you go...

What does egyenesen mean grammatically? Why not egyenes?

Egyenes is basically straight as an adjective.
Egyenesen is the adverb form, meaning straight or straight ahead.

Compare:

• egyenes út = a straight road
• menj egyenesen = go straight

So here Hungarian needs the adverb, because it describes how you should go.

Why is it két utcát and not két utca?

Because utcát has the accusative ending -t.

In Hungarian, with verbs of motion, the distance or extent traveled is often expressed with the accusative. So két utcát literally looks like two streets as an object, but the meaning is more like:

• go two streets
• go for two blocks
• go past two streets/intersections

This is a normal Hungarian pattern.

So:

• utca = street
• utcát = street + accusative ending

Does két utcát literally mean two streets, or does it mean two blocks?

In directions, it often works more like two blocks in English.

So although utca literally means street, the phrase menj ... két utcát is commonly understood as continue for the length of two streets / past two intersections / two blocks depending on the layout of the place.

That is why the most natural English translation may vary a little by context.

What does majd do here?

Majd here means something like then, after that, or and then.

It helps link the two instructions:

1. Menj egyenesen két utcát
2. majd fordulj jobbra

So the sense is:

• go straight for two streets/blocks,
• then turn right.

It is very common in instructions because it makes the sequence clearer and more natural.

What form is fordulj?

Fordulj is the informal singular imperative of fordulni, meaning to turn.

So:

• fordulni = to turn
• fordulj = turn!

It matches menj, because both are commands to one person.

A useful contrast:

• fordulj jobbra = turn right
• fordítsd jobbra = turn it to the right

So fordulni is to turn oneself / to turn, while fordítani is more like to turn something.

Why is it jobbra and not just jobb?

Because jobb and jobbra do different jobs.

• jobb = right, or better
• jobbra = to the right / rightward

The ending -ra/-re often shows movement toward a direction or onto something. In this case, jobbra means movement to the right.

So:

• fordulj jobbra = turn right
• a jobb oldal = the right side

A similar pair is:

• bal = left
• balra = to the left

Is the word order fixed in this sentence?

Not completely. Hungarian word order is fairly flexible, though some versions sound more natural in certain situations.

The given sentence:

• Menj egyenesen két utcát, majd fordulj jobbra!

is perfectly natural.

You may also hear:

• Menj két utcát egyenesen, majd fordulj jobbra!

Both are understandable. The difference is mostly about emphasis and rhythm, not basic meaning.

In directions, Hungarian often places egyenesen early, because it sets the direction right away.

How would I say this politely, or to more than one person?

The sentence you have is informal singular.

Other common versions are:

• Menjen egyenesen két utcát, majd forduljon jobbra!
  = polite singular

• Menjetek egyenesen két utcát, majd forduljatok jobbra!
  = informal plural

• Menjenek egyenesen két utcát, majd forduljanak jobbra!
  = polite plural

So the main thing that changes is the verb form.

How is this sentence pronounced?

A rough pronunciation guide:

• Menj ≈ meny
  The nj here sounds close to the ny sound in British English news for some speakers, or like a softened n.

• egyenesen ≈ eh-dyeh-neh-shen
  The gy is a soft consonant that English does not have exactly.

• két utcát ≈ kayt oot-saat

• majd ≈ moyd

• fordulj ≈ for-dooly or for-doolj
  The end is a bit tricky; in connected speech it sounds smooth and compact.

• jobbra ≈ yob-braw
  Hungarian j is pronounced like English y in yes.

A very rough full pronunciation: Meny eh-dyeh-neh-shen kayt oot-saht, moyd for-dooly yob-braw!

Could I also say menjél instead of menj?

You may hear menjél in spoken Hungarian, and native speakers do use it, but menj is the standard, neutral form.

So for learners, menj is the safest choice:

• Menj egyenesen... = standard and natural

If you later hear menjél, recognize it as a real spoken variant, not a completely different verb.