hogyclauses

Hogyclauses are a term used in linguistics to describe Hungarian subordinate clauses that are introduced by the conjunction hogy, which translates roughly as “that” in English. These clauses function as complement clauses, providing content for the main verb or predicate, such as what someone thinks, says, feels, believes, or desires.

In standard Hungarian syntax, the hogy clause follows the main clause and contains a finite verb that agrees with the subject of the subordinate clause. The conjunction hogy marks the clause as the embedded proposition rather than as a standalone sentence. The boundary between the main clause and the hogy clause is typically signaled by a comma in written Hungarian. In many contexts, especially after verbs of saying, thinking, knowing, hoping, or wanting, hogy is obligatory, though in informal speech the conjunction can sometimes be omitted.

Examples of hogyclauses:

- Azt mondta, hogy holnap jön. (He said that he is coming tomorrow.)

- Szeretném, hogy segítsen. (I would like him to help.)

- Nem hiszem, hogy eljön. (I don’t think that he will come.)

- Remélte, hogy megoldja a problémát. (He hoped that he would solve the problem.)

- Nem tudom, hogy jön-e. (I don’t know whether he will come.)

Hogyclauses also form embedded yes–no questions when combined with a question marker, as in hogy jön-e. They contrast with content clauses in other languages by relying on the magyar egybehangzás and inflection of the subordinate verb within the clause. In linguistic typology, they are often discussed alongside other complementizers as a core feature of Hungarian clause structure.