tarthatja

Tarthatja is a grammatical form in Hungarian derived from the verb tart, meaning to hold or keep. It expresses a potential mood combined with a third-person possessive/ object alignment, yielding a rough translation such as “he could hold it” or, in formal address, “you may hold it,” depending on sentence context.

Morphology and syntax: The form tarthatja is built from the stem tart- with the potential suffix -hat- and the possessive/particle suffix -ja. In this construction the verb conveys both modality (capability or permission) and a clausal relationship to an object. The exact interpretation depends on the surrounding sentence and any auxiliary elements.

Usage: Tarthatja is primarily discussed in descriptive grammar, typology, and studies of Hungarian verb morphology. It is more common in formal, literary, or technical registers where illustrating stacked mood and possession is desirable. In everyday speech, speakers typically prefer simpler modal constructions rather than employing tarthatja.

Relationship to other forms: Tarthatja sits among Hungarian forms that encode modality (potential or permissive) and possession within a single finite verb. It contrasts with non-modal equivalents like tart and other lighter periphrastic expressions used in ordinary conversation.

Etymology: The form combines tart- (to hold) with the potential suffix -hat- and the possessive/finite suffix -ja, reflecting standard patterns of Hungarian verb-construction with respect to mood and possession.

See also: Hungarian grammar, verb conjugation, mood, suffixation.

---