Adjective basics
No adjective agreement; comparative -bb; superlative leg-
Can use adjectives without agreement and form comparatives and superlatives
Look at these examples. Can you spot the grammar pattern?
Szép a ház és szépek a virágok.
The house is beautiful and the flowers are beautiful.
Budapest nagyobb, mint Debrecen.
Budapest is bigger than Debrecen.
Ez a legnagyobb múzeum Magyarországon.
This is the biggest museum in Hungary.
Pay attention to the highlighted parts. What do they have in common?
Adjectives never agree with nouns. Comparative: + -bb/-obb/-ebb/-öbb. Superlative: leg- + comparative.
Adding case endings to adjectives. Hungarian adjectives never change — always use base form.
Common Error Patterns
Adding case/number endings to adjectives
Hungarian adjectives NEVER agree. 'nagy házakat' not 'nagyokat házakat'. The adjective stays 'nagy'.
Forming superlative without leg- prefix
Always use leg- before the comparative form: leg + nagyobb = legnagyobb.
Szép a ház és szépek a virágok.
The house is beautiful and the flowers are beautiful.
'Szép' is the same for singular and plural — adjectives never change form in Hungarian.
Budapest nagyobb, mint Debrecen.
Budapest is bigger than Debrecen.
Comparative: nagy + -obb = nagyobb. 'Mint' = than. No 'more' word needed.
Ez a legnagyobb múzeum Magyarországon.
This is the biggest museum in Hungary.
Superlative: leg- + nagyobb = legnagyobb. leg- prefix always added for superlative.
Practice in course
Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises