Breakdown of Meg akarom javíttatni ezt a kerékpárt.
Questions & Answers about Meg akarom javíttatni ezt a kerékpárt.
What does javíttatni mean exactly?
It means to have something repaired or to get something repaired.
This is different from javítani, which means to repair something yourself.
So:
- Meg akarom javítani ezt a kerékpárt. = I want to repair this bicycle.
- Meg akarom javíttatni ezt a kerékpárt. = I want to have this bicycle repaired.
The second sentence implies that someone else will do the actual repair.
How is javíttatni built, and why does it have double tt?
It is built from:
- javít = repairs
- -tat/-tet = a causative suffix, often meaning make/have someone do something
- -ni = infinitive ending, to ...
So the structure is roughly:
- javít
- javít + tat → javíttat
- javíttat + ni → javíttatni
The double tt appears because the base verb already ends in t, and the causative suffix also begins with t.
What does meg add to the sentence?
Meg is a verbal prefix. Here it makes the action sound completed, successful, or brought to a result.
So:
- javíttatni = to be having something repaired / to get repairs done
- megjavíttatni = to have something repaired fully / to get it fixed
In many cases, English does not translate meg directly with a separate word, but it is still important in Hungarian because it affects the aspect and feel of the verb.
Why is it akarom and not akarok?
Because the sentence has a definite object: ezt a kerékpárt = this bicycle.
Hungarian has two main conjugation patterns:
Here, the speaker wants to have a specific bicycle repaired, so Hungarian uses the definite form:
- akarom = I want it / I want to ... [with a definite object]
This is very common with akar + infinitive:
- Meg akarok venni egy kerékpárt. = I want to buy a bicycle.
- Meg akarom venni ezt a kerékpárt. = I want to buy this bicycle.
Even though ezt a kerékpárt belongs semantically to javíttatni, it still triggers the definite conjugation on akarom.
Why is the prefix separated: Meg akarom javíttatni instead of Akarom megjavíttatni?
The dictionary form of the infinitive is megjavíttatni.
But in Hungarian, when a prefixed infinitive is used with a finite verb like akar, the prefix often moves in front of the finite verb in neutral word order:
- megjavíttatni → meg akarom javíttatni
This is very common:
- meg akarom nézni
- el akarok menni
- ki akarja nyitni
So Meg akarom javíttatni ezt a kerékpárt is the normal neutral order.
Why is it ezt a kerékpárt? Why do I need both ezt and a?
Because Hungarian normally says this + article + noun:
- ez a kerékpár = this bicycle
That article is required in this structure.
When the noun phrase is put into the accusative, the demonstrative also changes:
- ez a kerékpár = this bicycle
- ezt a kerékpárt = this bicycle as a direct object
So:
- ez → ezt
- a stays a
- kerékpár → kerékpárt
This double marking often surprises English speakers, but it is standard Hungarian.
Why does kerékpár become kerékpárt?
Because it is the direct object of the sentence, and Hungarian marks direct objects with the accusative suffix -t.
So:
- kerékpár = bicycle
- kerékpárt = bicycle as a direct object
That is why the sentence has:
- ezt a kerékpárt
and not just ezt a kerékpár.
Does this sentence mean that I will repair the bicycle myself?
No. It strongly suggests that someone else will do the repair.
That is exactly what the causative javíttatni expresses: to have something repaired, not to repair it yourself.
If you wanted to say that you personally will fix it, you would use javítani instead:
- Meg akarom javítani ezt a kerékpárt.
So the contrast is:
- javítani = repair it yourself
- javíttatni = have it repaired by someone else
Is the word order fixed, or can it change?
It can change, but the word order affects emphasis.
The neutral version is:
- Meg akarom javíttatni ezt a kerékpárt.
If you want to emphasize this bicycle, you could say:
- Ezt a kerékpárt akarom megjavíttatni.
That sounds more like:
- It’s this bicycle that I want to have repaired.
So the sentence is not completely fixed, but the version you were given is the most neutral and standard one.
Is kerékpár the usual word for bicycle, or would Hungarians say something else?
Kerékpár is a correct and standard word for bicycle. It is neutral and slightly more formal than everyday speech.
In casual spoken Hungarian, many people would often say bicikli instead.
So both are fine:
- Meg akarom javíttatni ezt a kerékpárt.
- Meg akarom javíttatni ezt a biciklit.
The second one sounds a bit more conversational.
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