Predicative adjectives (Hungarian)

AdjPredNonV: Predicative adjectives are non-verbal.


(1a) a virág ki-nyíl-t.

the flower open-pst.3sg

’The flower has opened.’


(1b) a virág-ok ki-nyíl-t-ak.

the flower-pl full-blow-pst-3pl

‘The flowers have opened.’


(2a) a virág szép.

the flower beautiful

‘The flower is beautiful.’


(2b) a virág-ok szép-ek.

the flower-pl beautiful-pl

‘The flowers are beautiful.’


(2c) a virág-ok szép-ek vol-t-ak.

the flower-pl beautiful-pl cop-pst-3pl

‘The flowers were beautiful.’


Hungarian verbs are marked for number, person, mood and definiteness (1a), (1b), and agree with the subject. Adjectives in the predicative position agree with the subject, but (unlike verbs) only in number (cf. Lengyel 2000a: 142‒150).

Author: 

Nikolett F. Gulyás