Megálljanak

Megálljanak is a Hungarian verb form, specifically the third person plural present subjunctive (optative) of megállni, meaning “to stop.” It is used to express a wish, request, or indirect command directed at a group of people, typically in subordinate clauses introduced by a conjunction such as “hogy,” or in formal, written language. The literal sense is “that they stop” or “may they stop.”

Morphology and usage

The form is built from the prefix meg- plus the root áll- (to stand) and the present-subjunctive plural suffix -janak. In Hungarian, -janak is used for 3rd person plural present subjunctive with back-vowel roots, producing megálljanak. This mood is found in clauses that report desires, obligations, or recommendations affecting multiple subjects, for example after verbs of demand or necessity: “A közlekedési szabályok szerint a járművek megálljanak a kijelölt helyen.”

Usage notes

In everyday speech, the direct imperative to multiple people is typically formed as “álljatok meg.” Megálljanak appears mainly in formal or bureaucratic language, or in reported speech and legal texts, where a third-person plural form is appropriate. Related forms include megálljon (3rd person singular present subjunctive) and megálljanak (3rd person plural present subjunctive), used in different grammatical contexts to express stopping by various subjects.

Examples

- A közlekedési szabályok szerint a járművek megálljanak a kijelölt helyen.

- A jegyzőkönyv szerint a tanúk megálljanak a helyszínen, amíg vizsgálat zajlik.