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Implicit "you" or "me" within Hungarian

MagyarJános
Hungary

Implicit "you" or "me" within Hungarian

Post by MagyarJános »

A fivérednek tekintesz = You consider me your brother.

But, I don't know where the "me" is in this sentence.

I read it as "you consider for your brother". I got burned three times. :(

JuditRandomNumbers

Re: Implicit "you" or "me" within Hungarian

Post by JuditRandomNumbers »

tekint valaminak - consider AS something/regard as something. So literally, "You consider ? as your brother." With a missing direct object you usually assume second person.

User avatar
jzsuzsi

Re: Implicit "you" or "me" within Hungarian

Post by jzsuzsi »

Yes, sometimes there is an implicit "you" or "me" in a sentence. You can tell the meaning from context.

For example:
Szeretsz? - Do you love me?

Tetszik az a ház? Do you like that house?
Tetszik az a ház. I like that house.

I included this example, because if it is a question, implicit "you" was there, when it is a statement, implicit "me" was there. :P

MagyarJános
Hungary

Re: Implicit "you" or "me" within Hungarian

Post by MagyarJános »

I am glad you both used tekint and tetszik - there's another topic I found that might need to be addressed, but I'll keep it separate :).

Adam1978
Hungary

Re: Implicit "you" or "me" within Hungarian

Post by Adam1978 »

In fact, it's because of the indefinite (technically "general") conjugation of the verb. This conjugation can imply engem, minket ("me, us" as objects) or no object at all, as well as téged, titeket ("you, you guys" as objects) if the subject is third-person.

The latter is limited to the third person because it would be -lak/-lek if the subject is first-person singular and the object is second-person, as in szeretlek, "I love you". It's like a third type of conjugation aside from indefinite and definite.

On the other hand, the definite conjugation can imply őt, azt, őket, azokat ("him/her/it/them") as well as önt, magát, önöket, magukat (formal/official "you", singular or plural) and the reflexive magát, magukat ("yourself, yourselves"). Hence, A fivérednek tekinted (with definite -ed) would mean "you consider him your brother."

However, tetszik is a different case, the omitted pronoun is the dative, not the accusative, it's a bit different structure ("it appeals TO me/you").

Last edited by Adam1978 on Sun Jul 16, 2023 7:44 am, edited 1 time in total.
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