ABSTRACT

The definite article is a or az ‘the’, the latter reserved for use before words beginning with a vowel. It does not agree in case or number with its noun.

a ház the house a házban in the house

az esemény the event az események the events

The definite article is used similarly as in English with the following additional uses:

before possessed nominals: a gyerekem ‘my child’ (except in ‘have’ constructions)

before possessive pronouns: az enyém ‘mine’

before nominals with a demonstrative pronoun: ez a gyerek ‘this child’

before many abstract nouns: Ilyen az élet. ‘Such is life.’