Mellékneves

Mellékneves is a Hungarian term that translates to "adjectival" or "attributive" in English. It refers to the function of a word, typically an adjective, to modify or describe a noun. In Hungarian grammar, mellékneves forms are crucial for providing detail and specificity to nouns.

When a word functions as mellékneves, it stands in close relation to the noun it modifies, often appearing directly before it, though word order can be flexible in Hungarian. This modification can indicate qualities, characteristics, states, or possessions of the noun. For example, in the phrase "piros alma" (red apple), "piros" (red) is in a mellékneves function, describing the color of the apple.

The mellékneves function is not exclusive to adjectives; other word classes can also take on this role. Participles, for instance, can function mellékneves to describe a noun based on an action. Possessive suffixes in Hungarian also contribute to describing the owner of a noun, effectively acting in a mellékneves capacity. Understanding the mellékneves function is fundamental to comprehending how Hungarian sentences build descriptive meaning and establish relationships between different parts of speech.