Tagmondat

Tagmondat, in Hungarian grammar, is a subordinate clause that depends on a main clause to complete its meaning. It is part of a complex sentence (összetett mondat) and cannot stand alone as a complete sentence. The main clause provides the core assertion, while the tagmondat supplies content such as statement, time, condition, reason, or description.

Tagmondatok fulfill several roles: as object clauses (tárgytagmondat), as subject clauses (alanytagmondat), as adverbial clauses (határozói tagmondat) expressing time, cause, condition, or concession, and as relative clauses (vonatkozó tagmondat) that modify a noun. Examples include: “Azt mondtam, hogy elmegyek.” (I said that I would leave.) “Ha esik, otthon maradunk.” (If it rains, we stay at home.) “Az a könyv, amelyet olvasol, az asztalon van.” (The book that you are reading is on the desk.)

In syntax, the finite verb of a tagmondat often appears at the end of the clause, especially in sentences introduced by conjunctions such as hogy, mert, vagy ha. A tagmondat is typically separated from the main clause by a comma in written Hungarian. The internal order of a subordinate clause tends to be less rigid than in the main clause, allowing some variation of elements within the clause.

Tagmondat is a standard concept in Hungarian grammar, widely described in school grammars and linguistic references. Its study helps explain how complex sentences convey content, sequencing, and logical relationships between ideas.