mehetünk

Mehetünk is a Hungarian verb form that expresses possibility or permission for a group including the speaker, roughly translating to “we may go” or “shall we go.” It is formed from the stem mehet, which comes from the verb menni (to go) with the modal suffix -het, plus the first-person plural ending -nk. The result is a present-tense, first-person plural form used to propose an action or to seek agreement.

In use, mehetünk commonly serves to make a suggestion or ask for confirmation about going somewhere. It can function both as a question, "Mehetünk?" meaning "Shall we go?" and as a declarative, "Mehetünk," meaning "We may go" or "We can go," depending on the context. The phrase is flexible in informal conversation and is often paired with a destination or plan, such as "Mehetünk a moziba?" or "Mehetünk tovább, ha készen vagy."

Mehetünk contrasts with megyünk (we go), which states an actual action rather than a possibility or invitation. It is also related to other modal forms in Hungarian that express possibility or permission, such as lehet (it is possible / you may). Variants that increase politeness or tentativeness include mehetnénk? (could we go?) and mehetünk-e? (shall we go?).

Examples:

- Mehetünk a moziba? (Shall we go to the cinema?)

- Most már mehetünk. (Now we may go / We can go.)

- Ha készen vagy, mehetünk tovább. (If you’re ready, we can go on.)

Etymologically, the form reflects Hungarian’s use of modal -het plus the plural ending -nk to express collective permission or possibility.