Numbers 0–10
Numbers 0–10: nulla, egy, kettő/két, három, négy, öt, hat, hét, nyolc, kilenc, tíz
Can use numbers 0–10 and knows to use két before nouns and keep nouns singular after numbers
Look at these examples. Can you spot the grammar pattern?
Két alma és három narancs van a kosárban.
There are two apples and three oranges in the basket.
Hány óra van? — Hét óra.
What time is it? — Seven o'clock.
Öt diák ül az osztályban.
Five students are sitting in the classroom.
Pay attention to the highlighted parts. What do they have in common?
Numbers 0–10: nulla, egy, kettő/két, három, négy, öt, hat, hét, nyolc, kilenc, tíz. Key rules: két before nouns (not kettő); nouns stay singular after numbers. 'Hét' = 7 AND week.
Using 'kettő' before a noun; pluralizing noun after number (e.g. *két könyvek). Both are wrong.
Common Error Patterns
Using 'kettő' directly before a noun instead of 'két'
Use 'két' before nouns: 'két könyv' (two books). 'Kettő' is used alone or at the end: 'Hány? — Kettő.'
Pluralizing the noun after a number (e.g. két könyvek instead of két könyv)
Hungarian nouns always stay in the singular after a numeral: öt alma (five apples), tíz ház (ten houses). Never add the -k plural suffix after a number.
Két alma és három narancs van a kosárban.
There are two apples and three oranges in the basket.
'Két' (not kettő) before noun 'alma'. Noun stays singular after number.
Hány óra van? — Hét óra.
What time is it? — Seven o'clock.
'Hét' = 7 AND week. Context: 'Hét óra' = seven o'clock; 'egy hét' = one week.
Öt diák ül az osztályban.
Five students are sitting in the classroom.
'Diák' stays singular after 'öt'. In English we say 'students' (plural) — in Hungarian: singular.
Practice in course
Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises