olvasták

Olvasták is a Hungarian verb form derived from the verb olvas, meaning to read. It is the past definite tense form for the third-person plural, used when the direct object is definite or known to the listener. In Hungarian, the past definite forms differ from the past indefinite forms and are chosen based on whether the object is definite.

Morphology and function: the form olvasták is built from the stem olvas-, plus the past definite marker t, followed by the 3rd-person plural ending -ák (the exact suffix can vary with vowel harmony, but -ták is common in this word). The result expresses a completed action performed by "they" with a definite object. For example: A könyvet olvasták. (They read the book.) Ők olvasták a levelet. (They read the letter.)

Difference from other forms: the indefinite third-person plural past would typically be olvastak, without the definite object marker. Thus olvasták signals not only past action but also that the object is specified or assumed to be known in the context.

Usage notes: olvasták is common in narrative, reporting, and written language when the object is explicit. As with other Hungarian verb forms, its form changes with the subject and tense; the base meaning remains “to read” with the nuance of a completed action and a definite object.

See also: Hungarian verb conjugation, definite vs. indefinite conjugation, past tense in Hungarian.