Önt

Önt is the formal second-person pronoun in Hungarian in its accusative form. It functions as the object of a sentence referring to the person being addressed with politeness. The corresponding nominative form is Ön, used when addressing someone in a formal way. In everyday use, informal pronouns te (you, singular) and ti/veletek (you all, informal) are common, while Önt marks a higher degree of social distance or respect.

Morphology and related forms vary by case and number. In addition to Önt (accusative), the dative form is Önnek (to you), and the instrumental form is Önell/Önnel (with you). The plural polite form is Önök, with its own object form Önöket (you all, object). Verbs typically conjugate in the third person singular when addressing Ön, even though the listener is the second person, reflecting the formality of the address.

Usage and context are central to Önt. It is employed in formal settings such as business, customer service, official communications, and interactions with strangers, elders, or superiors. It signals respect and politeness and helps maintain a respectful tone. In casual contexts, speakers usually switch to te or other informal forms. The choice between Ön/Önnel and informal pronouns can influence perceived distance, hierarchy, and propriety in the conversation.

Examples:

- Ön mit gondol erről a javaslatról? (What do you think about this proposal?)

- Látom Önt a képen. (I see you in the photo.)

- Kérhetném Önt, hogy… (May I ask you to…)

Ön and Önt are typically capitalized to reflect formality in Hungarian orthography.