Breakdown of A lány is jegyzetel, hogy otthon is jól tanuljon a vizsgára.
Questions & Answers about A lány is jegyzetel, hogy otthon is jól tanuljon a vizsgára.
What does is mean here? Is it the same as English is?
No. Hungarian is means also / too / as well.
In this sentence it appears twice:
- A lány is = the girl too / the girl also
- otthon is = at home too / also at home
A very important point: Hungarian is comes after the word or phrase it belongs to.
So:
- A lány is jegyzetel = The girl also takes notes
- otthon is = at home too
It has nothing to do with the English verb is.
What exactly does jegyzetel mean?
Jegyzetel means to take notes or to make notes.
It is related to jegyzet, which means note or notes, but jegyzetel is a full verb on its own.
Here jegyzetel is:
- present tense
- 3rd person singular
- roughly she takes notes / is taking notes
So the first part means that the girl is taking notes.
Why is it jegyzetel and not something like jegyzeteli?
Because here the verb is being used without a definite direct object.
Hungarian often distinguishes between:
- indefinite conjugation
- definite conjugation
In this sentence, the girl is just taking notes in general. There is no specific object like the notes that she is acting on. So Hungarian uses the indefinite form:
- jegyzetel
A form like jegyzeteli would suggest something more like she is noting down it / the specific thing, which is not what this sentence is doing.
Why is hogy used here?
Hogy introduces a subordinate clause. In this sentence it means something like:
- so that
- in order that
So:
- jegyzetel, hogy... = she takes notes so that...
Hungarian uses hogy very often in these purpose clauses, even when English might use a simpler structure like to study well at home.
Why is the second verb tanuljon instead of tanul?
Because after hogy in a purpose clause, Hungarian often uses the subjunctive / imperative form.
So:
- tanul = she studies
- tanuljon = that she study / so that she may study
In natural English, this is usually translated more smoothly as:
- so that she can study well at home
- in order to study well at home
So tanuljon does not sound like a command here. It is expressing purpose or intended result.
Why is it otthon with no article or case ending?
Because otthon is already an adverb meaning at home.
Hungarian has some location words that work as complete adverbs by themselves, and otthon is one of them.
So:
- otthon = at home
You do not normally need an article or an extra ending here.
If you tried to build something more literal like in the home, that would sound different and much less natural in this everyday meaning.
What does a vizsgára mean, and why does vizsga take -ra?
Vizsga means exam.
A vizsgára means for the exam.
The ending -ra / -re often has a directional meaning such as onto / toward, but with some verbs it is used in an idiomatic way. With tanul, Hungarian commonly says:
- tanul valamire = study for something / prepare for something
So here:
- a vizsgára = for the exam
The article a shows that this is a specific exam.
Why is it jól and not jó?
Because jól is the adverb, while jó is the adjective.
- jó = good
- jól = well
Here it modifies the verb tanuljon, so Hungarian needs the adverb:
- jól tanuljon = study well
This is the same basic difference as English good vs well.
Is the word order special in this sentence?
Yes, Hungarian word order is flexible, but it is not random. It often shows topic, emphasis, and what the speaker wants to highlight.
In:
- A lány is jegyzetel...
the phrase A lány is sets up the girl too as the topic/additive element.
In the second clause:
- otthon is jól tanuljon
otthon is means at home too, and jól stands right before the verb, which is a very common position for an important adverb.
So the order helps show what is being highlighted:
- the girl also
- at home also
- study well
Also remember: is must come after the word or phrase it belongs to, so its position is especially important.
Why is there no word for she in the second clause?
Because Hungarian often leaves out subject pronouns when they are already clear from the verb form and the context.
Here tanuljon is a 3rd person singular form, and it is obvious that the subject is still the same girl.
So Hungarian does not need to say ő unless there is some special emphasis or contrast.
This is very normal in Hungarian.
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