Beszélhet

Beszélhet is a Hungarian verb form built from the verb beszél (to speak) by adding the modal suffix -het. The -het suffix expresses possibility, permission, or potential ability rather than a definite action. In use, beszélhet roughly means “can speak” or “may speak,” indicating that speaking is possible in a given situation or that someone is allowed to speak.

The exact person and number are indicated by context and by related endings in emphasized forms. For example, beszélhetünk conveys “we may speak” or “we can speak,” and beszélhetnek means “they may speak.” In negative statements, nem beszélhet communicates “cannot speak” or “may not speak.” The form is typically used in present-tense contexts, but related variants exist for hypothetical or conditional meaning (for example, beszélhetne, meaning “could you speak?” or “would you be able to speak?”) and for past possibilities (beszélhetett — “could have spoken”).

Usage notes: Hungarian often expresses ability with tudni plus an infinitive (tud beszélni — he can speak). The -het form emphasizes general possibility or permission rather than certainty, and it appears with various subjects depending on the sentence.

Origin and classification: -het belongs to the broader Hungarian -hat/-het modal suffix system, used to form finite verbs that denote potentiality or permission across different verbs. Beszélhet therefore functions as a modal variant of beszél, enabling discussion of what someone may or can do in speaking.