Hungarian verb conjugator
Type a regular verb in its dictionary form (vár, kér, olvas, lakik) to see present, past and conditional forms in both conjugations. Irregular verbs are recognised and sent to the full tables.
On this page
Every Hungarian verb has two full sets of endings: the indefinite set, used with no object or an indefinite one, and the definite set, used with a specific object. This conjugator puts them next to each other so the contrast becomes visible.
The endings the conjugator uses
Present tense, shown for a back-vowel verb (vár, wait) and a front-vowel verb (kér, ask for). Front rounded verbs such as ül use ö where kér has e in the 1st singular and 2nd plural: ülök, ültök.
| Person | Indefinite (back) | Definite (back) | Indefinite (front) | Definite (front) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| én | várok | várom | kérek | kérem |
| te | vársz | várod | kérsz | kéred |
| ő, Ön | vár | várja | kér | kéri |
| mi | várunk | várjuk | kérünk | kérjük |
| ti | vártok | várjátok | kértek | kéritek |
| ők, Önök | várnak | várják | kérnek | kérik |
Four stem types that change the endings
- Sibilant stems (ending in s, sz, z): the 2nd singular indefinite is -ol/-el/-öl (olvasol, nézel, főzöl) and the j of the definite endings becomes a copy of the sibilant (olvassa, nézzük).
- Stems ending in two consonants or -ít: a linking vowel appears in the 2nd singular, 2nd plural and 3rd plural (mondasz, mondotok, mondanak; tanítasz) and in the infinitive (mondani, tanítani).
- -ik verbs: the dictionary form is the 3rd singular (lakik), and in careful speech the 1st singular indefinite ends in -m (lakom). See -ik verbs.
- Stems ending in -t: forms change in the past and imperative (láttam, lásd; futottam).
Limits you should know
The conjugator is rule-based. It is reliable for regular verbs, but it does not know every lexical exception. The most common gap is the past tense, where a few verbs choose -t or -ott against the general pattern. Irregular verbs such as van, megy, jön, eszik, iszik, tesz, vesz, visz, hisz, alszik are detected and not guessed: see irregular verbs for their complete tables.
To decide which column you need in a real sentence, read definite vs indefinite conjugation. For the tenses themselves, see the present, past and conditional guides.
Sources and further reading
- Miklós Törkenczy, Hungarian Verbs and Essentials of Grammar (2nd ed., McGraw-Hill, 2008)
- Carol H. Rounds, Hungarian: An Essential Grammar (2nd ed., Routledge, 2009)
Frequently asked questions
Why do I type lakik instead of lakni?
Hungarian dictionaries list verbs by the 3rd person singular present, not the infinitive. The conjugator also accepts infinitives ending in -ni and strips them, but the dictionary form is more reliable.
Does the conjugator do the imperative?
Not yet, because the imperative has several sound changes (olvass, nézz, taníts, láss). They are explained on the imperative and subjunctive page.
What about verbs with prefixes like megnéz?
Conjugate the base verb (néz) and put the prefix in front: megnézem. In negative or focused sentences the prefix moves after the verb, as explained under verbal prefixes.
How do I say "I see you"?
Látlak. The special -lak/-lek ending is used when the subject is "I" and the object is "you". See -lak/-lek.