Ma is ugyanaz a zene szól a kávézóban.

No. In this sentence, is does not mean the English verb is.

Here, is means too / also / as well.

So:

• ma = today
• ma is = today too / today as well

This is a very common point of confusion for English speakers, because Hungarian is looks exactly like English is, but it is a completely different word.

For example:

• Én is = me too / I too
• Ott is = there too
• Ma is = today too

Hungarian word order is flexible, and the beginning of the sentence often sets the topic or the frame for what follows.

By starting with Ma is, the sentence first establishes the time frame: today too.

So the sentence feels like:

As for today as well, the same music is playing in the café.

You could move parts around, but the emphasis would change. For example:

• Ma is ugyanaz a zene szól a kávézóban.
  • emphasis first on today too
• Ugyanaz a zene szól ma is a kávézóban.
  • emphasis first on the same music

The basic meaning can stay very similar, but the information structure changes.

Because in Hungarian, when ugyanaz modifies a noun, the noun normally still keeps its article.

So:

• ugyanaz a zene = the same music
• ugyanaz a könyv = the same book
• ugyanaz az ember = the same person

This is the normal pattern:

ugyanaz + article + noun

Notice that the article changes to az before a vowel:

• ugyanaz az étterem

So ugyanaz a zene is the correct form.

Ugyanaz means the same or the same one, depending on context.

It can be used:

1. On its own

   • Ugyanaz.
   • It’s the same. / It’s the same one.

2. Before a noun

   • ugyanaz a zene
   • the same music

In this sentence, it describes zene, so it means the same music.

Yes, and that is exactly why it is used here.

The verb szólni has several related meanings, including:

• to speak
• to sound
• to be heard
• to be playing (for music, radio, etc.)

With music, szól is a very natural Hungarian way to say that music is playing.

So:

• Zene szól. = Music is playing.
• A rádió szól. = The radio is on / playing.
• Ugyanaz a zene szól. = The same music is playing.

English uses play here, but Hungarian often uses szól.

Szól is the 3rd person singular present tense form of szólni.

That matches the subject:

• a zene = the music

Since zene is singular, the verb is singular too:

• a zene szól = the music plays / the music is playing

Also, Hungarian present tense often covers both English simple present and present progressive:

• szól = plays / is playing

So in this sentence, English naturally translates it as is playing.

This breaks down into:

• a = the
• kávézó = café
• -ban = in

So:

• a kávézóban = in the café

The suffix -ban / -ben means in.

Examples:

• a házban = in the house
• az iskolában = in the school
• a kávézóban = in the café

The article a shows that this is a specific café, not just any café.

Because Hungarian uses articles much like English does in many cases.

• a kávézóban = in the café
• egy kávézóban = in a café

Here, a kávézóban suggests a specific café that the speaker and listener can identify from context.

So the sentence is not just saying music is playing somewhere in some café, but rather in the café being talked about.

Yes, and where is goes matters.

In Hungarian, is usually comes right after the word it belongs to.

So:

• Ma is = today too
• A zene is = the music too
• A kávézóban is = in the café too

In your sentence:

• Ma is ugyanaz a zene szól a kávézóban.
• This means Today too, the same music is playing in the café.

If you moved is, the meaning would shift. For example:

• A zene is szól a kávézóban.
  • The music too is playing in the café.
• A kávézóban is ugyanaz a zene szól.
  • The same music is playing in the café too.

So the placement of is is very important.

No. Hungarian does not need a separate progressive form here.

English distinguishes:

• the music plays
• the music is playing

Hungarian often uses the same present tense form for both:

• a zene szól

Context tells you whether it means a general fact or something happening now. In this sentence, the natural English meaning is is playing.

So Hungarian is simpler here: just the normal present tense verb.

Yes, that is closer to the literal structure, but it is not the most natural English.

A more idiomatic English translation would be:

• The same music is playing in the café today too.
• The same music is playing in the café again today.

Literally, szól is closer to sounds / is sounding, but with music English normally says is playing, so that is the better translation.