Grammar Topic
Spatial Postpositions (Névutók)
Hungarian does not use prepositions exactly like English words such as “under,” “above,” or “before.” Instead, it often uses postpositions, which come after the noun.
The key idea is that postpositions also follow the logic of “to where?”, “where?”, and “from where?”
| Meaning | To where? (Hova?) | Where? (Hol?) | From where? (Honnan?) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under | alá (to under something) | alatt (under something) | alól (from under something) |
| Above | fölé (to above something) | fölött (above something) | (fölül) |
| In front of | elé (to in front of something) | előtt (in front of something) | elől (from in front of something) |
| Behind | mögé (to behind something) | mögött (behind something) | mögül (from behind something) |
| Next to / beside | mellé (to next to something) | mellett (next to something) | mellől (from next to something) |
| Between / among | közé (to between something) | között (between something) | közül (from among something) |
Usage rule: the noun before a postposition stays in its base form, with no spatial suffix.
- Az asztal alatt - under the table.
- A ház mögött - behind the house.
Reading Practice
- A macska az asztal alá szalad. [The cat runs under the table.]
- A macska az asztal alatt alszik. [The cat is sleeping under the table.]
- Az egér az asztal alól fut ki. [The mouse runs out from under the table.]
- A szék az asztal mellett van. [The chair is next to the table.]
- Az autó a ház mögé megy. [The car goes behind the house.]