The Subjunctive
Hungarian Grammar 3
Chapter 8 · The Subjunctive
🔗 "That you should…" — A kötőmód
The subjunctive has no forms of its own: it is the imperative of Chapter 7 used inside a hogy ("that") clause. It appears whenever one person wants, asks, advises or orders another person to act: azt akarom, hogy gyere (I want you to come). The second half of the chapter covers -hat / -het, a suffix that turns a verb into "may" or "can" (mehetek, I may go).
1. hogy + the imperative form
The verb in the hogy clause takes the same forms as in Chapter 7, with the person that fits the second subject, in the definite set when the object is definite.
| Hungarian | English | Form |
|---|---|---|
| Azt akarom, hogy gyere. | I want you to come. | 2sg of jön |
| Azt akarom, hogy olvasd el. | I want you to read it. | definite 2sg |
| Kérlek, hogy segíts. | I'm asking you to help. | 2sg of segít |
| Fontos, hogy tanulj. | It's important that you study. | 2sg |
| Azt mondta, hogy jöjjek. | He/she told me to come. | 1sg of jön |
| Azt akarja, hogy menjünk. | He/she wants us to go. | 1pl |
Which words call for the subjunctive?
| Type | Examples |
|---|---|
| Wanting and asking | akar (want) · szeretné (would like) · kér (ask) · követel (demand) |
| Advising, telling, allowing | tanácsol (advise) · javasol (suggest) · mond (tell to) · enged (let, allow) |
| Necessity and value | fontos, hogy (it is important that) · kell, hogy (it is necessary that) · jó, ha (it is good if) |
| Purpose | azért, hogy (so that, in order that) |
2. Purpose, avoidance and wishes
| Hungarian | English | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Azért tanulok, hogy jó munkát kapjak. | I study so that I get a good job. | purpose: azért, hogy |
| Siess, nehogy elkéss! | Hurry, so you don't get late! | nehogy = lest, so as not to |
| Legyen szerencséd! | Good luck! (may you have luck) | wish with the 3sg/2sg subjunctive |
| Éljen a király! | Long live the king! | the third person as a toast or slogan |
3. -hat / -het: "may" and "can"
Add -hat (back vowels) or -het (front vowels) to the verb stem. The result is a new verb that conjugates in the normal way: megy + het → mehet-, olvas + hat → olvashat-. The suffix says that the action is allowed or possible.
| Person | olvashat- (back) | mehet- (front) |
|---|---|---|
| I | olvashatok | mehetek |
| you (sg) | olvashatsz | mehetsz |
| he, she | olvashat | mehet |
| we | olvashatunk | mehetünk |
| you (pl) | olvashattok | mehettek |
| they | olvashatnak | mehetnek |
With a definite object, the definite set follows: olvashatom (I may read it). The past and conditional also work: mehettem (I was allowed to go), mehetnék (I could go).
| Hungarian | English |
|---|---|
| Kérdezhetek valamit? | May I ask something? |
| Hozhatok egy kávét? | Can I bring you a coffee? |
| Most már mehetsz. | You may go now. |
| Holnap esős idő lehet. | Tomorrow it could be rainy. |
| Nem mehetsz oda. | You can't (aren't allowed to) go there. |
🗣️ In Use — Használatban
Wishes and permissions in conversation.
① Wishes for the visit
② Permission
③ Advice
📋 Quick Reference — Gyorstábla
| Idea | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Subjunctive | hogy + imperative form (Chapter 7) | Azt akarom, hogy gyere. |
| Same subject | infinitive instead | Menni akarok. |
| Report against order | indicative against subjunctive | hogy jövök · hogy jöjjek |
| Purpose · avoidance | azért, hogy · nehogy | nehogy elkéss |
| May, can | -hat (back) · -het (front) | olvashat · mehet |
| Permission | -hat/-het verb, normal endings | Mehetsz. · Leülhetek? |
| Ability | tud + infinitive | Tudok úszni. |
✏️ Try It Yourself — Gyakorlás
Say the answer first, then click to check.
1. "I want you to come" (2sg).
Show answer
Azt akarom, hogy gyere.
2. "I'm asking you to help" (2sg).
Show answer
Kérlek, hogy segíts.
3. "He/she told me to come."
Show answer
Azt mondta, hogy jöjjek.
4. "He/she said that I'm coming."
Show answer
Azt mondta, hogy jövök. Present, so a report and not an order.
5. "It's important that you study" (2sg).
Show answer
Fontos, hogy tanulj.
6. "Hurry, so you don't get late" (2sg).
Show answer
Siess, nehogy elkéss!
7. "May I ask something?"
Show answer
Kérdezhetek valamit?
8. "You may go now" (2sg).
Show answer
Most már mehetsz.
9. "I want to go" and "I want you to go": give both.
Show answer
Menni akarok. and Azt akarom, hogy menj. Same subject: infinitive. Different subject: hogy + subjunctive.
10. Which fits a pool sign, Tudok úszni or Nem úszhat itt?
Show answer
Nem úszhat itt (You may not swim here). Tudok úszni is an ability, not a rule.