Published: July 28 2023
Hungarian language, also known as Magyar, is a unique language not only in Europe but across the globe. A characteristic feature of Hungarian that stands out is its rich and flexible system of adjective formation. An important part of this system, especially for learners, are the irregular adjectives. This post will detail and simplify these specific adjectives, enhancing your Hungarian language skills notably.
Absolute, Comparative, and Superlative Forms
A distinctive trait of adjectives in Hungarian is their existence in three forms: absolute, comparative, and superlative. The absolute form is the base adjective, while the comparative form expresses higher degree, and the superlative form expresses the highest degree. Let's examine some examples:
- "Jó" (good), "Jobb" (better), and "Legjobb" (best)
- "Hosszú" (long), "Hosszabb" (longer), and "Leghosszabb" (longest)
These demonstrate how a simple adjective can be transformed to express different degrees.
Notable Irregular Adjectives and their Forms
While many adjectives follow a regular pattern in forming their comparative and superlative forms, some do not. Let’s go through some of the commonly used irregular adjectives:
- "Könnyű" translates as "easy," with the comparative form being "könnyebb" (easier) and the superlative "legkönnyebb" (easiest).
- "Szép" is how you say "beautiful." It becomes "szebb" (more beautiful) and "legszebb" (most beautiful) in its comparative and superlative forms respectively.
- "Sok" means "many" or "much." It transforms to "több" (more) and "legtöbb" (most).
- "Nagy" means "large." Its comparative is "nagyobb" (larger) and superlative is "legnagyobb" (largest).
- "Felső" translates as "top," with the comparative form being "felsőbb" (higher) and the superlative "legfelsőbb" (topmost).
- "Belső" is known as "inside." It becomes "belsőbb" (inner) and "legbelsőbb" (innermost) in its comparative and superlative forms respectively.
Keep in Mind: Exceptions and Variations
Take note of the exceptions and slight variations among these words to avoid confusion. For example, the adverb "több" is only used for comparative degree and doesn't have an absolute form. When referring to 'the rest' and 'the others', we use "a többi" and "a többiek" respectively in Hungarian.
Understanding these irregular adjectives and their usage in Hungarian will undoubtedly add color and precision to your communication. With their assimilation, you're a further step closer to mastering Hungarian. Watch out for more posts in this series to aid you in your language endeavor.