Hallott

Hallott is a Hungarian word meaning “heard” and functions as the past participle of the verb hallani, which means to hear. It is used both as a verbal participle in compound tenses and as an adjective describing something that has been heard.

In everyday use, hallott forms the basis for the perfect tenses, with subject agreement through the ending: hallottam (I have heard), hallottad (you have heard), hallotta (he/she has heard), hallottuk (we have heard), hallottatok (you all have heard), hallottak (they have heard). As an attributive adjective, hallott can modify a noun to indicate that the noun was something heard, for example hallott történet (the story that was heard) or hallott hír (news heard). The phrase a hallottak szerint is used to mean “according to what has been heard.”

Phonologically and orthographically, hallott is distinct from halott, which means “dead.” The two words are similar in pronunciation but differ in spelling and meaning, with hallott carrying the extra l that marks the past participle form. This contrast is a common point of confusion for learners of Hungarian.

Hallott is commonly found in narrative and reported speech, where speakers reference information that has been heard from others. It also appears in idiomatic expressions related to gossip or rumor, where what has been heard is central to the information being conveyed. Related terms include hallani (to hear) and hallás (hearing or sense of hearing).