tárgyesete

Tárgyesete, in Hungarian grammar, is the accusative case used to mark the direct object of a transitive verb. It denotes what is being acted upon by the verb and typically answers the question “what?” or “whom?” in relation to the verb.

Morphology and forms: The accusative is usually formed by adding a suffix to the noun stem, most commonly -t, with alternative allomorphs -ot, -et, -öt depending on vowel harmony and the final consonant of the stem. For example, könyv becomes könyvet (the book), ház becomes házat (the house), kép becomes képet (the picture). Pronouns have separate accusative forms, such as engem (me), téged (you), őt (him/her/it), minket (us), titeket (you all), őket (them).

Usage: The tárgyesete marks the direct object in sentences with transitive verbs and coexists with definite or indefinite noun phrases. It can interact with definite articles (a/az) in the noun phrase, as the suffix -t provides the accusative marking regardless of article presence. In practice, the form is often required to indicate the object of the action, and word order in Hungarian tends to place the object after the verb or before it in emphasized constructions.

Notes: In addition to nouns, the accusative forms apply to pronouns and certain fixed expressions. The choice of suffix and any phonological adjustments follow standard Hungarian vowel harmony and assimilation rules. The tárgyesete is a fundamental aspect of Hungarian syntax and sentence structure, complementing the nominative subject and other grammatical cases.