Köszönhették

Köszönhették is a Hungarian verb form derived from the verb köszönni (to thank) and, in some uses, from köszönhető (to be due to, owed to). Grammatically, it is the third-person plural past tense with a definite object and the modal suffix -hat/-het, indicating a hypothetical or potential meaning in the past. The exact sense depends on the context and on whether the sense is “to thank” or “to owe/attribute to.”

Formally, köszönhették is built from the stem köszönhet- plus the definite past plural ending -ék, with the intermediate -t- appearing as part of the past definite suffix. This combination yields a mood of possibility or attribution for actions completed in the past by multiple subjects.

Usage and sense:

- In its common sense related to attribution, it can express “they could have credited [something] to someone” or “they could have owed [something] to [someone].” For example: A sikert a jó felkészülésnek köszönhették. (“They could have credited the success to good preparation.”)

- In contexts tied to thanking someone, it can also appear in hypothetical past statements about expressing thanks, though this use is less frequent and often more literary.

Notes:

- The form is characteristic of Hungarian verb morphology, combining a potential/conditional mood element with a past definite plural ending.

- It is somewhat formal or literary in tone; everyday speech more often uses other constructions to convey similar ideas of attribution or possibility in the past.