Szóltatok

Szóltatok is a Hungarian verb form that functions as the second-person plural past tense of the verb szól, which in modern Hungarian has several related meanings, including to say, to tell, or to mention. In everyday usage, szól often expresses what someone has spoken or commented, making szóltatok equivalent to “you said” or “you commented” in English, depending on context. The common interrogative phrase Mit szóltatok? means “What did you say?” or “What did you comment on?”

Morphology and grammar: szóltatok is formed from the past tense stem szólt- (derived from szól) plus the second-person plural suffix -atok. Thus the form explicitly marks both the past time and the plural subject “you.” In contrast, other person forms include szóltam (I said), szóltál (you said, singular), szólták (they said), and present forms such as szólottok (you say/you are saying). The verb szól itself can carry nuance beyond mere “saying,” including mentioning or commenting on something mentioned in discourse.

Usage and nuance: The form appears primarily in narrative or reported speech, dialogue, and inquiries about others’ remarks. It is common in both spoken and written Hungarian when referring to what a group of people said or commented on previously. Translation into English is context-dependent and can be rendered as “you said,” “you commented,” or “you mentioned.”

Related forms and notes: Szóltatok is specifically past tense for the second person plural. Other persons and tenses use different endings (e.g., szóltok in present, szóltam in first-person singular). The root szól should not be confused with the separate sense of szólni as “to ring,” which in different contexts uses different constructions.