Visszatérjen

Visszatérjen is a Hungarian verb form that represents the present subjunctive (kötőmód) of the verb visszatérni, meaning “to return” or “to come back.” It is used in subordinate clauses to express wishes, possibilities, or hypothetical situations, typically after a conjunction such as hogy (that). For example: Azt szeretném, hogy visszatérjen. I would like him to return.

Morphology and usage. The form visszatérjen is the third-person singular present subjunctive. Hungarian subjunctive has several persons and numbers, including: visszatérjek (1st person singular), visszatérj (2nd person singular), visszatérjen (3rd person singular), visszatérjünk (1st person plural), visszatérjetek (2nd person plural), and visszatérjenek (3rd person plural). Negative subjunctive constructions use ne: ne térjen vissza. The form is common in formal, literary, or written Hungarian and appears in indirect speech, wishes, or conditional-like statements.

Etymology and nuance. The word combines the prefix vissza- (“back, again”) with térni (“to turn; to return”). The present subjunctive vaya a form such as visszatérjen carries a nuance of expectation, possibility, or recommendation rather than a simple factual assertion. It tends to be used in contexts where a speaker is expressing a desired or hypothetical action rather than reporting a definite event.

Related terms. Closely related verbs include visszatérni (the infinitive) and other back-return verbs such as visszajönni, which may convey return with a more immediate or physical connotation. In everyday speech, visszajönni or visszatérni may be more common, while visszatérjen appears mainly in formal or literary constructions.

Overall, visszatérjen is a specific grammatical form that enables speakers to articulate wishes or possibilities regarding someone’s return in Hungarian.