lóval

Lóval is the instrumental case form of the Hungarian noun ló, meaning horse. It is used to express the instrument or means by which an action is performed, and it can also indicate accompaniment or transport by horse. In Hungarian, instrumental forms are created by attaching the suffix -val or -vel to the noun stem; the form is -val after words ending in a vowel and -vel after words ending in a consonant. Since ló ends in a vowel (ó), the correct form is lóval.

Usage and examples. The phrase lóval is commonly used to describe traveling or moving by horse, as in Az erdőbe lóval mentünk (We went to the forest by horse). It can also denote using a horse as a tool or aid in performing an action, though such uses are more context-specific and often found in rural or historical contexts. For instance, egy mezőn lóval dolgoztak would be an example in a suitable setting.

Phonology and spelling. The instrumental suffix -val/-vel is a standard Hungarian construction and is selected to fit the phonology of the stem. When the stem ends in a vowel, -val is typically used, producing forms like lóval; when the stem ends in a consonant, -vel is used (for example, ollóval for “with scissors,” from olló). The choice maintains smooth pronunciation and is part of the general pattern of Hungarian instrumental formation.

See also. Hungarian grammar, instrumental case, suffix -val/-vel, Hungarian phonology.