Megkérni

Megkérni is a Hungarian verb meaning to ask someone to do something or to request a favor. It is the perfective form of kérni, formed with the prefix meg-, which in Hungarian often signals completion or emphasis. As a transitive verb, megkérni requires a person who is asked (the direct object of the request) and a clause that specifies what is being asked, typically introduced by hogy.

In standard usage, megkérni is followed by a clause that names the person being asked and the action requested. Common constructions include megkérni valakit, hogy perform a task, as in Megkértem a szomszédot, hogy vigye fel a csomagokat (I asked the neighbor to carry up the packages). The polite, formal form Megkérném Önt, hogy legyen szíves elküldeni a dokumentumokat (I would ask you to please send the documents) is frequently used in formal written or spoken Hungarian. Another everyday pattern is Megkérni valakit, hogy segítsen (to ask someone to help).

Conjugation and tense are aligned with other perfective verbs in Hungarian. The past tense forms include megkértem, megkérted, megkérte, megkértük, megkértétek, megkérték (I asked, you asked, he asked, etc.). The present and future are formed similarly to kérni, with the meg- prefix marking the action as completed when viewed from a perspective, and the subordinate clause typically remains a hogy-clause.

Megkérni contrasts with megkérdezés (to ask a question) and with egyszerű kérés (to request) in nuance: megkérni emphasizes that someone is being invited or prompted to perform a specific action, often with a sense of expectation.