köznév

Köznév is a term in Hungarian linguistics referring to a common noun—a general name that denotes a class of objects or entities rather than a single, specific item. It is contrasted with saját név (proper name), which designates a particular individual, such as a person or a place. Examples of köznév include kutya (dog), könyv (book), város (city). In grammar discussions, the broader category of főnév (noun) is divided into köznév and saját név.

Properties and usage: Köznév expresses generality and can be singular or plural (egy kutya, két kutyák). It can take definite or indefinite determiners (egy kutya, a kutya). It may be modified by adjectives (nagy kutya, régi könyv). In writing, köznév generally starts with a lowercase letter unless it appears at the beginning of a sentence. The distinction between köznév and saját név affects capitalization, determiner use, and agreement with adjectives.

Grammar and inflection: Like other Hungarian nouns, köznév inflects for case and number, using suffixes to mark roles such as direct object or location (for example, kutyát, kutyában). Possessive forms are built with suffixes (kutyám, kutyáid). Hungarian lacks grammatical gender in nouns, so these words do not change form for gender, only for number and case.

Notes: In education and dictionaries, the köznév–saját név distinction helps explain capitalization rules, article use, and adjective agreement. The term emphasizes category and generality rather than individuality.