kívánja

Kívánja is a Hungarian verb form that appears in the present tense as the third-person singular, and can also function as the polite form of the second person. It comes from the verb kívánni, which means to desire or wish. As a finite form, kívánja marks that the subject desires something or wishes for a circumstance to occur. In everyday language, it is most often found in formal or written contexts, such as official statements or diplomacy.

Grammatically, kívánni is a regular -ni verb. The present tense forms are: én kívánom, te kívánod, ő kívánja, mi kívánjuk, ti kívánjátok, ők kívánják. The form kívánja is used for he/she or for Ön (you, formal). It is common to follow kívánja with a subordinate clause introduced by hogy to express a wish, as in: A miniszter kívánja, hogy a törvény gyorsan elfogadható legyen. The verb can also take a direct object, meaning to desire something: Ő kívánja a békét.

Usage notes: kívánja expresses a determined or official wish held by the subject and is typical of formal registers. In informal speech, speakers more often use verbs such as szeretné (would like) to convey a similar nuance. The noun forms related to the root—kívánság or kívánatos—derive from the same semantic field of wishing or desiring.

See also: kívánság, kívánatos, kívánni. The word family centers on desire, wish, and related expressions in Hungarian.