Lencsét

Lencsét is the definite direct object form of the Hungarian noun lencse, which means lentil in culinary contexts and lens in optical contexts. In Hungarian, when the noun refers to a specific object as the object of a sentence, the suffix -t is added and, if appropriate, the definite article a or az precedes it. Therefore lencsét signals a definite lentil or a definite lens as the object.

In practical use, lencsét appears in sentences such as “A lencsét megfőztem,” meaning “I cooked the lentil,” or “A lencsét a levesbe tettem,” meaning “I put the lentil into the soup.” The same form can also appear with lenses in technical or everyday speech, depending on context: for example, “A lencsét kicserélték” could refer to replacing a lens in a device.

Ambiguity can arise because lencse has dual meaning in Hungarian (lentil and lens). The intended sense is usually clear from surrounding words: culinary terms and grocery contexts point to lentils, while photography or optics discussions point to lenses. The plural form for multiple lenses or lentils changes accordingly (lencsék for lenses or lentils), while the accusative singular remains lencsét when the object is definite.

Lencsét is a standard inflected form in everyday Hungarian and is part of the broader system of noun declension that marks definiteness and case. Its precise interpretation relies on context, especially when the word could refer to either a legume or an optical component.