Négy

Négy is the Hungarian word for the cardinal number four. It is used in counting and numerical expressions and can function as a determiner before a noun (négy kutya = four dogs). In modern Hungarian, numerals like négy are generally invariable, but they participate in compound words and in the formation of ordinals.

Etymology and pronunciation: Négy derives from the Proto-Ugric numeral for four and has cognates in related language groups, such as Finnish neljä and Estonian neli. The word is pronounced roughly as [ˈneːɟ], with the stress on the first syllable; the digraph gy represents a palatal sound [ɟ].

Usage and compounds: As a base numeral, négy appears in words and phrases describing quantity, age, or date, and it forms several common compounds. For example, negyed denotes a quarter (one fourth), négyzet means square, and négyes can refer to a group or team of four. The ordinal form is negyedik, meaning “fourth.” In mathematical contexts, négy denotes the base count in four and participates in expressions about powers and geometry, such as the notion of a square (négyzet) or, in ordinals, the fourth position.

See also: Hungarian numerals; number words in Hungarian; etymology of Hungarian cardinal numbers.