PERSONAL SUFFIXES
As already mentioned, the name of the object possessed is always
inflected.
Péternek kalap-ja (Peter’s hat).
In Hungarian, the function of the English possessive pronouns (my, thy,
&c.) is performed by suffixes.
atyá=-m= (my father); atyá=-d= (thy father).
These suffixes are as follows:—
(A.) _Where the Object possessed is Singular._
_Flat Words._ _Sharp Words._
Sing.: 1st person =-m= =-m= my
2nd ” =-d= =-d= thy
3rd ” =-ja= =-je= his, hers, its
Plural: 1st ” =-nk= =-nk= our
2nd ” =-tok= =-tek=, =tök= your
3rd ” =-jok=, =juk= =-jök=, =jük= their
When a word ends in a vowel these suffixes are added directly to the
word, the vowels a and e being lengthened, as in the case of the
formation of the plural.
_Examples._
atya (father)
atyá-m, my father atyá-nk, our father
atyá-d, thy father atyá-tok, your father
aty(á)-ja, his or her father[3] aty(á)-juk, their father[3]
eke (plough)
eké-m, my plough eké-nk, our plough
eké-d, thy plough eké-tek, your plough
eké-je, his or her plough eké-jük, their plough
A large number of words drop the j in the third person singular and
plural.
láb (foot) lába lábuk
bér (wages) bére bérük
szív (heart) szive szivük
toll (feather) tolla tolluk
orr (nose) orra orruk
In general, when a word ends with a consonant the j is omitted, but words
ending in two different consonants usually retain the j.
föld (ground) földje foldjük
kert (garden) kertje kertjük
domb (hill) dombja dombjuk
rojt (fringe) rojtja rojtjuk
There are exceptions, however.
gyümölcs (fruit) gyümölcse gyümölcsük
ércz (metal) ércze érczük
kilincs (door handle) kilincse kilincsük
(B.) _Where the Objects possessed are more than one._
_The mark of plurality is the vowel_ =i= _in the suffixes._
_Flat and Sharp Words._
Sing.: 1st person =-im= my
2nd ” =-id= thy
3rd ” =-i= his, hers, its
Plural: 1st ” =-ink= our
2nd ” =-itok=, =itek= your
(flat) (sharp)
3rd ” =-ik= their
_Examples._
hajó (ship) szoba (room) eke (plough)
Sing.: 1st person hajó-im szobá-im eké-im
2nd ” hajó-id szobá-id eké-id
3rd ” hajó-i szobá-i eké-i
Plural: 1st ” hajó-ink szobá-ink eké-ink
2nd ” hajó-itok szobá-itok eké-itek
3rd ” hajó-ik szobá-ik eké-ik
Nouns ending in a consonant link these endings by means of a vowel.
_Examples._
könyv (book); ház (house).
1. _The Object in the Singular._
1. könyv-em, my book. 1. ház-am, my house.
2. könyv-ed, thy book. 2. ház-ad, thy house.
3. könyv-e, his book. 3. ház-a, his house.
1. könyv-ünk, our book. 1. ház-unk, our house.
2. könyv-etek, your book. 2. ház-atok, your house.
3. könyv-ük, their book. 3. ház-ok, their house.
2. _The Object in the Plural._
1. könyv-eim, my books. 1. ház-aim, my houses.
2. könyv-eid, thy books. 2. ház-aid, thy houses.
3. könyv-ei, his books. 3. ház-ai, his houses.
1. könyv-eink, our books. 1. ház-aink, our houses.
2. könyv-eitek, your books. 2. ház-aitok, your houses.
3. könyv-eik, their books. 3. ház-aik, their houses.
Words which contract before adding the plural endings, also contract when
adding these personal suffixes.
ökör (ox), plural ökrök ökröm (my ox), &c.
malom (mill) ” malmok malmom (my mill), &c.
lélek (soul) ” lelkek lelkem (my soul), &c.
_Note._—If the possessor is the first or the second person, the
pronoun must not be put before it ordinarily, as the suffix
already indicates to whom the object belongs. The personal
pronoun is only to be used when it is desired to lay stress
on this ownership, as, az =én= könyvem, _my_ book (not yours);
a =te= könyved, _thy_ book (not another’s).
A noun to which has been added a personal suffix can take further
suffixes.
ezt atyá-m-nak adom, I am giving this to my father.
a hajó-m-at szeretem, I like my boat.
a hajó-m-ban, in my boat.
EXERCISE V.
A házak ablakai fényesek és ajtói magasak. A gazdának hat lova, nyolcz
ökre és tíz tehene van. Kié az eke és az ásó? A gazdáé. A hű és
szorgalmas szolga bére nagy. Kertem gyümölcsei érettek. Az én kertem
kisebb mint a barátomé. A körte íze kellemesebb mint az almáé. A mi
atyánk idősebb mint a te atyád. A rózsa szine piros, a buzavirágé kék.
My father’s books are very interesting. The scent of the roses is
pleasant. The colour of the rose is red. The farmer has many valuable
horses. The flowers of my father’s garden are beautiful. Whose is that
book? It belongs to my friend’s little boy.
fényes, bright
ajtó, door
hat, six
tíz, ten
tehén, cow
szorgalmas, industrious
szolga, servant
bér, wages
érett, ripe
kis, kisebb, small, smaller
barát, friend
íz, flavour
idős, old
buzavirág, cornflower
érdekes, interesting
értékes, valuable
FOOTNOTES:
[3] anya (mother), atya (father), and bátya (elder brother), drop the á
in the third person singular and plural.