A kezdés és a fizetés a szerződéstől függ.

A is the definite article, like the in English.

So:

• a kezdés = the start / the beginning
• a fizetés = the payment
• a szerződéstől = from the contract structurally, or on the contract in English meaning

Hungarian often repeats the article in coordinated phrases:

• a kezdés és a fizetés

That is very normal. English can also repeat the, but Hungarian does it more naturally and more often.

Kezdés is a noun meaning beginning, start, or starting.

It comes from the verb kezd = to begin / to start.

In a sentence like this, especially in a business or legal context, kezdés often means something like:

• the start
• the starting date
• the commencement

So it is not just the abstract idea of beginning; it can refer to the actual agreed start.

Fizetés can mean either payment or salary/pay, depending on context.

It comes from fizet = to pay.

In this sentence, because it mentions a contract, payment is the more likely meaning. But in another context:

• jó fizetés = good salary
• a fizetés módja = the method of payment

So this is one of those nouns whose meaning depends heavily on the situation.

Because the verb függ requires the noun to take the ending -tól / -től.

So:

• szerződés = contract
• szerződéstől = from the contract

That ending marks what something depends on.

A useful pattern to memorize is:

• függ valamitől = to depend on something

Even though English says depend on, Hungarian uses a form that is literally more like depend from.

They are the same suffix in two vowel-harmony forms.

• -tól is used after back vowels
• -től is used after front vowels

Since szerződés contains front vowels, it becomes:

• szerződéstől

This is a very common Hungarian pattern. The ending changes shape to match the vowels in the word.

Because verbs do not always match prepositions or cases across languages.

In Hungarian, függ simply takes the -tól / -től ending. That is the normal construction, and it should be learned as a set phrase:

• függ a körülményektől = depends on the circumstances
• függ az időjárástól = depends on the weather
• függ a szerződéstől = depends on the contract

So the best approach is not to translate the structure word for word, but to remember:

• függ + -tól/-től

Hungarian word order is much more flexible than English word order. It is organized mainly by topic and focus, not by a rigid subject-verb-object pattern.

In:

• A kezdés és a fizetés a szerződéstől függ.

the sentence starts with what is being talked about:

• a kezdés és a fizetés

and then gives the important information about it:

• a szerződéstől függ

Putting the verb near the end is very natural here.

This is a very good question.

Many learners expect a plural verb because there are two coordinated nouns:

• a kezdés
• a fizetés

And yes, függenek can also be possible.

However, Hungarian often allows a singular verb when two inanimate or abstract things are treated as one combined matter. Here, the start and the payment can be understood as one package of contract conditions, so függ sounds natural.

So the nuance is roughly:

• függ = the whole matter of start-and-payment depends on the contract
• függenek = the two items are felt more separately

In real usage, the singular here does not sound strange.

Yes. That is also a natural Hungarian sentence.

The basic meaning stays the same, but the emphasis changes.

• A kezdés és a fizetés a szerződéstől függ.

  • starts with the start and the payment as the topic

• A szerződéstől függ a kezdés és a fizetés.

  • puts more attention on the contract
  • often fits well if someone has asked What do the start and the payment depend on?

So both are correct, but the information structure is different.

Because the sentence is talking about things/terms, not actions in the abstract.

• kezdés = the start / beginning
• fizetés = the payment

This sounds natural in formal, business, or contractual language.

If you used verb forms like kezdeni and fizetni, the sentence would shift toward talking about the acts of starting and paying, which is a different structure and usually not what is meant here.

So the noun forms are appropriate because the sentence is about contract terms or conditions.

Both kezdés and fizetés are verbal nouns built with the ending -ás / -és.

• kezd → kezdés
• fizet → fizetés

This ending often turns a verb into a noun meaning:

• the act of ...
• the result of ...
• the process of ...

Then szerződés gets the case ending -től:

• szerződés → szerződéstől

So the sentence shows two very common Hungarian patterns:

• verb → noun with -ás/-és
• noun → case-marked form with -tól/-től