Este együtt vacsorázunk, de a testvérem később vacsorázik.

the evening

Breakdown of Este együtt vacsorázunk, de a testvérem később vacsorázik.

• mi: we
• de: but
• együtt: together

Questions & Answers about Este együtt vacsorázunk, de a testvérem később vacsorázik.

Why is este at the beginning of the sentence?

Este means in the evening / tonight, depending on context. Hungarian often puts time expressions near the beginning of the sentence, especially when they set the scene.

So:

• Este együtt vacsorázunk = In the evening / Tonight we eat dinner together

This is natural Hungarian word order, but it is not the only possible order. Hungarian word order is quite flexible, and moving words can change the emphasis.

For example:

• Este együtt vacsorázunk = neutral, natural
• Együtt vacsorázunk este = puts a bit more focus on together
• Vacsorázunk este = emphasizes the action more simply

Does este mean in the evening or tonight?

It can mean either, depending on context.

• este = in the evening, at evening time
• in many everyday contexts, it can also be understood as tonight

So in this sentence, it could be interpreted as:

• We have dinner together in the evening
• or Tonight we’re having dinner together

If Hungarian wants to be more explicit about tonight, it can say ma este = this evening / tonight.

What does mean, and why is it placed there?