-nak

See also: nak, NAK, nák, nāk, -nák, and ␕

Hungarian

Pronunciation
  • IPA(key): [nɒk]

Etymology 1

Case suffix.

Suffix

-nak

  1. (case suffix) to, for. Used to form the dative case.
    húg (“younger sister”) → Adtam egy könyvet a húgomnak. - I gave a book to my little sister.
  2. (case suffix) 's, of. Used to form the possessive case. Often omitted if the act of possession is not the predicate of the sentence.
    szomszéd (“neighbor”) → A szomszédom(nak a) kertjében áll egy tölgyfa. - There is an oak in my neighbor’s garden.
    múzeum (“museum”) → A múzeumnak két bejárata van. - The museum has two entrances.
  3. as, for (in the function or role specified)
    Ne dobd ki az újságot, jól jöhet még csomagolópapírnak. ― Don't throw out the newspaper, it could come in handy as wrapping paper.
  4. Used to devalue the predicate of the sentence when repeated and followed by a clause that contrasts with or contradicts it. See also -ni.
    Olcsónak olcsó, de ráférne egy felújítás. ― It may be cheap, but it needs renovating.
Usage notes
   Hungarian case suffixes
Case Back vowel
a, á, o, ó, u, ú		 Front vowel
unrounded
e, é, i, í		 rounded
ö, ő, ü, ű
nominative —
accusative -t
-ot / -at -et -öt
dative -nak -nek
instrumental -val -vel
causal-final -ért
translative -vá -vé
terminative -ig
essive-formal -ként
essive-modal -ul -ül
inessive -ban -ben
superessive -n
-on -en -ön
adessive -nál -nél
illative -ba -be
sublative -ra -re
allative -hoz -hez -höz
elative -ból -ből
delative -ról -ről
ablative -tól -től
Note for all endings:
Stem-final -a/-e changes to -á-/-é-, respectively, except -ként.
    alma - almában, but almaként
    zene - zenében, but zeneként
  • (case suffix) Harmonic variants:
    -nak is added to back vowel words. Final -a changes to -á-.
    házigazda (“host”) → Ajándékot hoztunk a házigazdának. - We brought gifts for the host.
    -nek is added to front vowel words. Final -e changes to -é-.
    gyerek (“child”) → Vettem egy játékot a gyereknek. - I bought a toy for the child.
    körte (“pear”) → A körtének jó íze van. - The pear tastes good.

See also

Etymology 2

Personal suffix.

Suffix

-nak

  1. (personal suffix) third-person plural present tense (indicative mood, indefinite conjugation)
    olvas (“read”) → olvasnak (“they read, they are reading”)
Usage notes
    Present tense indefinite - personal endings
Person Back vowel Front vowel
unrounded rounded
én 1st person singular -ok -ek -ök
-ik verbs (optional) -om -em -öm
te 2nd person singular -sz
after two consonants or a long vowel + t -asz -esz
after s, sz, z, dz -ol -el -öl
ő
maga
ön		 3rd person singular –
-ik verbs -ik
mi 1st person plural -unk -ünk
ti 2nd person plural -tok -tek -tök
after two consonants or a long vowel + t -otok -etek -ötök
ők
maguk
önök		 3rd person plural -nak -nek
after two consonants or a long vowel + t -anak -enek
  • (personal suffix) Harmonic variants:
    -nak is added to back vowel verbs
    tanul (“study”) → A gyerekek nem tanulnak eleget. - The children are not studying enough.
    -nek is added to front vowel verbs
    énekel (“sing”) → A madarak énekelnek. - The birds are singing.
    -anak is added to front vowel verbs ending in two consonants or -ít
    tanít (“teach”) → Mire tanítanak minket az állatok? - What do animals teach us?
    -enek is added to front vowel verbs ending in two consonants or -ít
    fest (“paint”) → A gyerekek festenek. - The children are painting.

See also
  • Category:Hungarian noun forms
  • Category:Hungarian words taking -nak/-nek
  • Category:Hungarian verb forms
  • Appendix:Hungarian suffixes
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