CHAPTER IV
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.