-ál

See also: Appendix:Variations of "al"

Hungarian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [aːl]

Etymology 1

From -á- (linking vowel) + -l (verb-forming suffix).

Suffix

-ál

1. (verb-forming suffix) Same as -l with the -á- linking vowel. Used for integrating loanwords into Hungarian.

   ‎telefon (“telephone”) + ‎-ál → ‎telefonál (“to telephone”)

Usage notes

• (verb-forming suffix) Variants:

  -l is added to words ending in a vowel. Final -a changes to -á-. Final -e changes to -é-. Final long vowels may shorten, e.g. ű → ü.

  -ol is added to some back-vowel words ending in a consonant

  -al is added to other back-vowel words ending in a consonant

  -el is added to unrounded (and some rounded) front-vowel words ending in a consonant

  -öl is added to most rounded front-vowel words ending in a consonant

  -ál is added to some back-vowel words ending in a consonant

Note: Certain words take another, synonymous suffix, -z/-oz/-az/-ez/-öz/-áz or -zik/-ozik/-azik/-ezik/-özik.

Derived terms

Hungarian verbs suffixed with -ál

Etymology 2

From the original open, lengthened stem-final vowel connecting to the ancient verb-forming suffix -l.

Suffix

-ál

2. (frequentative suffix) Added to a verb to form a verb that expresses repetitive action.

   ‎dob (“to throw”) + ‎-ál → ‎dobál (“to throw one after the other”)

Usage notes

• (frequentative suffix) Variants:

  -ál is added to back-vowel verbs

  -él is added to front-vowel verbs

Derived terms

Hungarian verbs suffixed with -ál (frequentative)

• bugyolál
• cibál
• cincál
• csócsál
• csóvál
• fitymál
• kószál

Etymology 3

From the original open stem-final vowel connecting to the ancient noun-forming suffix -l.

Suffix

-ál

1. (archaic, noun-forming suffix) Added to a verb to form a noun.

   ‎fon (“to weave”) + ‎-ál → ‎fonál (“thread”)

Usage notes

• (noun-forming suffix) Variants:

  -ál is added to back-vowel verbs

  -él is added to front-vowel verbs

• See also the suffix variants -al/-el.

Derived terms

Hungarian nouns suffixed with -ál

Etymology 4

Suffix

-ál

1. (personal suffix) Forms the second-person singular indefinite of verbs. It presents in the past tense as -tál, in conditional mood, as -nál, and in subjunctive mood, as -jál.

   tud (“to know”)

   Tudtál erről? ― Did you know about this?

   Tudnál segíteni? ― Could you help?

   Azt akarta, hogy tudjál róla. ― He wanted you to know about it. (literally, “…that you should know…”)

See also

• Appendix:Hungarian suffixes