Use of Modal Verbs in Hungarian: Expressing Necessity, Obligation, and Possibility

Modal verbs are an essential part of expressing necessity, obligation, and possibility in Hungarian. In this guide, we will cover the usage of modal verbs to help you master this aspect of the language.

1. Expressing Necessity:

• To express necessity, the modal verb "kell" is used. It can be translated as "must" or "have to" in English.

  Examples:

  • Kell mennem. (I must go.)
  • Kell neked ezt megvenned. (You have to buy this.)

2. Expressing Obligation:

• The modal verb "kell" can also be used to express obligation, similar to expressing necessity.

  Examples:

  • Kell tanulnod. (You must study.)
  • Kell nekünk segítenünk. (We have to help.)

3. Expressing Possibility:

• To express possibility, the modal verb "lehet" is used. It can be translated as "can" or "may" in English.

  Examples:

  • Lehet itt parkolni. (You can park here.)
  • Lehet, hogy eljön. (He may come.)

4. Negation with Modal Verbs:

• To negate a statement with a modal verb, you simply add the negation word "nem" before the modal verb.

  Examples:

  • Nem kell mennem. (I don't have to go.)
  • Nem lehet itt parkolni. (You can't park here.)

5. Expressing Ability:

• The modal verb "tud" is used to express ability or capability. It is translated as "can" in English.

  Examples:

  • Tudok úszni. (I can swim.)
  • Nem tudsz angolul? (Can't you speak English?)

6. Expressing Permission:

• The modal verb "enged" is used to express permission. It can be translated as "let" or "allow" in English.

  Examples:

  • Engedd meg nekem, hogy segítsek. (Let me help you.)
  • Megengedi az apám, hogy elmenjek. (My father allows me to go.)

Remember that in Hungarian, the subject of the sentence and the verb conjugation may change based on the person and tense. Pay attention to these changes as you form sentences with modal verbs.

Practice using these modal verbs in different sentences to reinforce your understanding. With time and practice, you will become more confident in expressing necessity, obligation, and possibility in Hungarian using modal verbs.