Köszöntötte

Köszöntötte is a Hungarian verb form meaning “he/she greeted” and is the third-person singular past tense in the definite (or suffixal) conjugation of the verb köszön, “to greet.” In Hungarian, when the direct object is definite, the past tense takes a definite form, which affects the ending of the verb. Köszöntötte illustrates this pattern: the stem köszönt- plus the definite past suffix -ötte.

This form is used when the greeting is directed at a specific, known recipient. For example: “Ő köszöntötte a vendégeket,” meaning “He greeted the guests,” or “Köszöntötte a tanárt,” meaning “He greeted the teacher.” Such sentences emphasize that the recipient is definite.

The definite past form contrasts with non-definite or indefinite past forms, where the ending differs and the recipient is not specified. For instance, other tense or mood forms of the same verb are used depending on person and definiteness of the object, but köszöntötte specifically marks a past action directed at a definite object in the third person singular.

Etymologically, köszöntötte derives from the verb köszön, with the added suffix -ötte to indicate past definite third-person singular. This suffixing pattern is a characteristic feature of Hungarian verb conjugation, notably in transitive verbs where the object’s definiteness influences the ending.

In summary, köszöntötte is the standard past definite form used to say that someone greeted a particular person or group, and it appears frequently in narrative and reported speech.