Word order of nominal oblique adverbials (Hungarian)

X1: The nominal oblique adverbial precedes the first transitive argument; for example, XSVO for SVO sentences, XSOV for SOV sentences, etc.

X2: The nominal oblique adverbial follows the first transitive argument and precedes the second; for example, SXVO for SVO sentences, SXOV for SOV sentences, etc.

X4: The nominal oblique adverbial follows the third transitive argument; for example, SVOX for SVO sentences, SOVX for SOV sentences, etc.


(1) a tanárnő az iskolá-ban dolgozat-ok-at javít.

the teacher the scool-ine test-pl-acc correct.prs.3sg

‘The teacher is correcting tests in the school.’


(2) a tanárnő ebéd közben dolgozat-ok-at javít.

the teacher lunch during test-pl-acc correct.prs.3sg

‘The teacher is correcting tests while she is having lunch.’


(3) a tanárnő dolgozat-ok-at javít az iskolá-ban.

the teacher test-pl-acc correct.prs.3sg the school-ine

‘The teacher is correcting tests in the school.’


(4) a tanárnő dolgozat-ok-at javít ebéd közben.

the teacher test-pl-acc correct.prs.3sg lunch during

‘The teacher is correcting tests while she is having lunch.’


(5) az iskolá-ban a tanárnő dolgozat-ok-at javít.

the school-ine the teacher test-pl-acc correct.prs.3sg

‘The teacher is correcting tests in the school.’


(6) ebéd közben a tanárnő dolgozat-ok-at javít.

lunch during the teacher test-pl-acc correct.prs.3sg

‘The teacher is correcting tests while she is having lunch.’


In Hungarian, the position of a nominal oblique adverbial is rather flexible in respect to the basic word order (SOV). It can be put after the subject (1)–(2), at the end of the sentence (3)–(4), and at the beginning of the sentence (5)–(6) (cf. Kenesei  et  al. 1998:  176, 179‒181).

Author: 

Nikolett F. Gulyás