mindkét

Mindkét is a determiner in Hungarian used to refer to two items, essentially meaning "both" in English. It precedes a singular noun and indicates that exactly two items are being discussed. It is used when both members of a defined pair are relevant to the statement, in both formal and informal contexts, and in spoken as well as written Hungarian.

Mindkét is formed from the words minden (every) and két (two), historically fused into a single word. It is distinct from the pronoun mindkettő, which means "both of them" and stands independently of a noun.

It declines with the noun’s case but does not take a plural form. Typical usage attaches it to a singular noun, such as könyv or ember. Examples: nominative mindkét könyv; accusative mindkét könyvet; dative mindkét könyvnek. It may be accompanied by adjectives: mindkét nagy könyv; mindkét résztvevő. The choice between mindkét and other quantity words depends on whether two items are being singled out.

Distinctions: mindkét is a determiner; mindkettő is a pronoun used when referring to two previously mentioned items without repeating the noun. For example, mindkét könyv hasonló means “both books are similar,” while mindkettő hasonló means “both of them are similar.” For more than two items, Hungarian uses other constructions such as minden or explicit numerals; mindkét cannot express more than two. In practice, mindkét is common in everyday language, journalism, and literature.