Singular Nouns with Numbers
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
In Hungarian, when you use a number, the noun that follows must always stay in the singular form.
- Use singular nouns after any number: 'két alma' (two apples).
- Do not add the plural suffix '-k' to nouns following a number.
- This rule applies to all cardinal numbers from 2 upwards.
Number + Noun Structure
| Number | Noun (Singular) | Full Phrase | English |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Egy
|
ház
|
Egy ház
|
One house
|
|
Két
|
ház
|
Két ház
|
Two houses
|
|
Három
|
ház
|
Három ház
|
Three houses
|
|
Tíz
|
ház
|
Tíz ház
|
Ten houses
|
|
Száz
|
ház
|
Száz ház
|
One hundred houses
|
|
Ezer
|
ház
|
Ezer ház
|
One thousand houses
|
Meanings
Hungarian grammar dictates that cardinal numbers act as quantifiers that neutralize the need for pluralization on the noun itself.
Cardinal Counting
Using numbers to quantify objects.
“Két könyv”
“Tíz ember”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
Number + Noun
|
Két alma
|
|
Negative
|
Nem + Number + Noun
|
Nem két alma
|
|
Question
|
Hány + Noun?
|
Hány alma?
|
|
Object
|
Number + Noun + -t
|
Két almát
|
|
Plural (No Number)
|
Noun + -k
|
Almák
|
|
Large Number
|
Number + Noun
|
Ezer alma
|
Espectro de formalidade
Két almám van. (Daily life)
Két almám van. (Daily life)
Van két almám. (Daily life)
Két alma nálam. (Daily life)
Number Agreement Logic
Condition
- Number present Always singular
Condition
- No number Plural suffix -k
Exemplos por nível
Két alma.
Two apples.
Három ház.
Three houses.
Négy autó.
Four cars.
Öt toll.
Five pens.
Hány könyv van itt?
How many books are here?
Hat diák tanul.
Six students are studying.
Hét nap egy hét.
Seven days are a week.
Nyolc óra van.
It is eight o'clock.
Kilenc szék hiányzik a teremből.
Nine chairs are missing from the room.
Tíz percünk maradt.
We have ten minutes left.
Tizenegy ember várakozik.
Eleven people are waiting.
Tizenkét hónap egy év.
Twelve months are a year.
Huszonöt év telt el azóta.
Twenty-five years have passed since then.
Száz forint nem sok pénz.
One hundred forints is not much money.
Ezer csillag ragyog az égen.
A thousand stars shine in the sky.
Kétezer ember vett részt a tüntetésen.
Two thousand people participated in the protest.
Tízezer példányban kelt el a könyv.
The book sold in ten thousand copies.
Százezer lakos él ebben a városban.
One hundred thousand inhabitants live in this city.
Millió gondolat kavarog a fejemben.
A million thoughts are swirling in my head.
Kétmillió forintot költöttek felújításra.
They spent two million forints on renovation.
Több mint ötmilliárd ember él a Földön.
More than five billion people live on Earth.
Tizenkétmilliárd csillagrendszer létezik.
Twelve billion star systems exist.
Százmilliárd sejt található az agyban.
One hundred billion cells are found in the brain.
Ezermilliárd forint a költségvetési hiány.
One trillion forints is the budget deficit.
Fácil de confundir
Learners often forget to add -k when there is no number.
Learners think 'sok' (many) works like a number.
Some learners confuse 'két' with 'kettő'.
Erros comuns
Két almák
Két alma
Három házak
Három ház
Öt kutyák
Öt kutya
Négy autók
Négy autó
Hány almák?
Hány alma?
Tíz diákok
Tíz diák
Hat napok
Hat nap
Két almátok
Két alma
Tizenegy emberök
Tizenegy ember
Száz forintok
Száz forint
Millió csillagok
Millió csillag
Ezer emberek
Ezer ember
Kétezer házak
Kétezer ház
Padrões de frases
Nekem ___ ___ van.
Látok ___ ___.
___ ___ hiányzik.
___ ___ maradt.
Real World Usage
Két kávét kérek.
Vettem 3 almát.
Két év tapasztalatom van.
Két jegyet kérek.
5 kép a nyaralásról.
3 pizza.
Think Singular
Don't translate 's'
Use the number as the plural
Natural flow
Smart Tips
Always stop before adding the plural suffix.
Check every noun after a number.
Pause slightly after the number to ensure you say the singular form.
Notice how the noun stays singular even for large numbers.
Pronúncia
Number stress
Numbers in Hungarian are typically stressed on the first syllable.
Declarative
Két alma. ↘
Falling intonation for statements.
Memorize
Mnemônico
Numbers are the boss; they tell the noun to stay small and singular.
Associação visual
Imagine a big number '2' standing in front of a single apple. The apple is wearing a tiny crown that says 'Singular'.
Rhyme
When a number is in the lead, the singular noun is all you need.
Story
Once there was a number named Two. He loved his friend Apple. Two always told Apple, 'Stay small, don't grow into Apples!' So Apple stayed singular forever.
Word Web
Desafio
Look around your room and count 5 things using the 'Number + Singular Noun' pattern.
Notas culturais
This rule is strictly observed in all regions of Hungary.
The rule remains the same, though some dialects use different number words.
Standard grammar applies here as well.
This construction is a standard feature of Uralic languages, emphasizing the quantifier over the noun.
Iniciadores de conversa
Hány könyved van?
Hány testvéred van?
Hány óra van most?
Hány ember dolgozik itt?
Temas para diário
Erros comuns
Test Yourself
Két ___ (alma) van az asztalon.
Which is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
Öt kutyák futnak.
két / van / autóm
Which needs -k?
A: Hány könyv van? B: ___
Four pens.
Answer starts with: Nég...
Numbers always take plural nouns.
Score: /8
Exercicios praticos
8 exercisesKét ___ (alma) van az asztalon.
Which is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
Öt kutyák futnak.
két / van / autóm
Which needs -k?
A: Hány könyv van? B: ___
Four pens.
Numbers always take plural nouns.
Score: /8
Perguntas frequentes (8)
The number already indicates quantity, so the noun doesn't need to.
Yes, from 2 to infinity.
1 also takes a singular noun.
No, the rule is the same everywhere.
It sounds incorrect to native speakers.
No, most languages pluralize.
No, it is a strict rule.
Count objects around you.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Number + Plural Noun
Plural suffix usage.
Number + Plural Noun
Plural suffix usage.
Number + Plural Noun
Plural suffix usage.
Number + Counter + Noun
Use of counters.
Number + Noun (varies)
Complexity of agreement.
Number + Measure Word + Noun
Use of measure words.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
Connected Grammar
Object Case -t
Builds OnYou need to add -t to these singular nouns.
Basic Numbers
PrerequisiteYou must know numbers to use this rule.
Plural Suffix -k
ContrastUnderstand when to use -k vs when not to.
Possessive Suffixes
Builds OnYou will add these to the singular nouns.
