mentával

Mentával is the instrumental form of the Hungarian noun menta (mint). It denotes the presence of mint as an accompaniment, ingredient, or flavoring in a substance or dish. The form is created by attaching the instrumental suffix -val to the stem menta, producing mentával. Because the stem ends in a back vowel (a), the suffix appears as -val rather than -vel, in line with Hungarian vowel harmony.

Usage and scope: Mentával is commonly used in recipes, menus, labeling, and product descriptions to indicate mint as an ingredient or flavoring. It is typically paired with verbs or modifiers such as készült, ízesített, vagy hozzáadott. Examples include: Ez a tea mentával készült. A desszert mentával ízesített. A limonádé mentával gazdagított változata. In these contexts mentával functions to specify the method or composition rather than standing as a separate noun.

Form and variations: The suffix adapts to the stem’s final vowel according to vowel harmony; with menta it yields mentával. Other Hungarian stems may take -val or -vel depending on whether the final vowel is back or front. Mentával itself does not carry a meaning beyond the instrumental indication “with mint.”

See also: menta, Hungarian grammar on instrumental suffixes.