állhatnak

Állhatnak is a grammatical form of the Hungarian verb állni (to stand). It is the third-person plural present potential (modal) form, conveying possibility or ability in the present. In English it corresponds to they can stand or they may stand. The form is created from the verb stem áll-, the modal suffix -hat/-het (chosen according to vowel harmony), and the personal ending -nak/-nek for the third person plural, yielding állhatnak.

Usage and meaning: állhatnak is used to indicate that a group is able to stand or may stand under certain conditions. It often appears in instructional, descriptive, or hypothetical contexts where standing is possible rather than certain. The nuance is one of potentiality rather than a definite action.

Relation to other forms: Hungarian expresses the same idea for different subjects with similar constructions, such as állhatok (I can stand), állhatsz (you can stand), állhat (he/she/it can stand), and the corresponding forms for we and you plural. These forms share the same modal -hat/-het construction attached to the áll- stem.

Examples:

- A diákok állhatnak a kijelölt helyen. The students can stand in the designated area.

- Ha szükség van rá, a dolgozók állhatnak a bejáratnál. If needed, the workers may stand at the entrance.

Notes: állhatnak is distinct from the simple present állnak (they stand) in that the former conveys possibility rather than a definite, ongoing action. It is one of several modal constructions in Hungarian that express ability, permission, or possibility.