Kukoricában

Kukoricában is a Hungarian grammatical form meaning “in the corn” or “inside the corn.” It is the inessive case of the noun kukorica (maize, corn) and is used to express location within corn material or inside a corn cob. The form appears in everyday language when discussing kernels, pests, or objects found inside corn.

Formation and spelling: The word is formed by adding the inessive suffix -ban to the stem kukorica. Because the root contains back vowels, the appropriate suffix is -ban, yielding kukoricában. The final vowel harmony is preserved, in line with Hungarian phonology.

Usage and examples: A szemek a kukoricában találhatók. (The kernels are found in the corn.) A kártevő a kukoricában rejtőzik. (The pest hides in the corn.) The expression is used when the location of items or phenomena is described as being inside corn, whether literally (within the cob or kernels) or metaphorically within corn-related contexts.

Relation to other forms: Kukoricában contrasts with other locative forms such as kukorican, or with phrases like a kukorrica? on the surface (on the corn) which would use a different suffix. It is one of several inessive forms in Hungarian that attach to plant or food nouns to specify interior location.

See also: kukorica; inessive case; Hungarian noun declension.