CHAPTER VI
POSTPOSITIONS
These resemble the suffixes just enumerated, except in the circumstance that they are not joined to the noun, but stand after it as separate words.
- az egér fut a macska elől, the mouse runs from the cat.
Many have three forms, according as they answer the question When? Whither? Whence?
- alatt, under (stationary): a macska az asztal alatt van, the cat is under the table.
- alá, under (towards): menj a fa alá, go under the tree.
- alól, under (from under): a növény kikel a föld alól, the plant comes from under the ground.
Such postpositions may be tabulated as follows:—
| Where? | Whither? | Whence? | |
|---|---|---|---|
| under | alatt | alá | alól |
| before | előtt | elé | elől |
| above | fölött | fölé | fölől |
| around | körött | köré | körül |
| between or among | között | közé | közül |
| behind | mögött | mögé | mögül |
| beside | mellett | mellé | mellől |
| on | hegyett | hegyé | |
| towards | felé | ||
| away from | felől |
Other Postpositions.
| ellen, | against |
| gyanánt, | as, for |
| iránt, | towards |
| miatt, | because of |
| mulva, | after, at the end of |
| nélkül, | without |
| óta, | since |
| szerint, | according to |
| után, | after |
| végett, | for the purpose of |
| helyett, | instead of |
The above postpositions do not necessitate any orthographical modification of the preceding substantive.
- a Duna mellett, beside the Danube.
The following postpositions do necessitate some change.
közel, near.
képest, in comparison with, in proportion to.
Before these the substantive takes -hoz, -hez, or -höz.
- a templom-hoz közel, near the church.
- öccsé-hez képest magas, he is tall compared with his younger brother.
fogva, since, by, from.
The substantive takes the suffix -nál, -nél, or -tól, -től.
- kezé-nél fogva, by his hand.
- tavasz-tól fogva épitik ezt a házat, they have been building this house since the spring.
nézve, in regard to.
The substantive takes the suffix -ra, -re.
- a dolog barátom-ra nézve kellemetlen, the business is disagreeable as regards my friend.
- a külsejé-re nézve megnyerő, he is pleasing as regards his appearance.
együtt, together with.
The substantive takes the suffix -val, -vel.
- Sándor Mari-val együtt érkezett, Alexander has arrived together with Mary.
Note.—együtt can also be used as an adverb, meaning together.
- a három ember együtt érkezett, the three men arrived together.
The following postpositions necessitate the addition to the substantives of the ending -n, -on, -en, or -ön.
alul, below, under.
- a becsáron alul adták el mindenét, all his belongings were sold under their value.
át, által, across, over.
- a katonák a hidon át mentek el, the soldiers went away over the bridge.
belül, within, inside.
- az ajtón belül, inside the door.
fölül, above.
- a felhőkön fölül, above the clouds.
innen, this side of.
- a folyón innen, this side of the river
keresztül, through, across.
- az erdőn keresztül, through the wood.
kívül, outside.
- a városon kívül, outside the town.
túl, beyond, the other side of.
- az erdőn túl vadásznak, they are hunting the other side of the wood.
The above postpositions (with the exception of gyanánt, mulva, óta, közel, képest, fogva, nézve, együtt, át, belül, innen, keresztül, and túl) may, like the suffixes in the preceding chapter, take the personal endings.
| alattam, | under me | alattad, | under thee, &c. |
| nélkülem, | without me | nélküled, | without thee, &c. |
| kívülem, | besides me | kívüled, | besides thee, &c. |
alúl, belül, fölül, kívül, közel, and túl can take the suffix for direction -ról, ről (from), and they then mean from under, from within, &c.
| alúl-ról, | from under |
| belül-ről, | from within |
| fölül-ről, | from above |
| kívül-ről, | from without |
| közel-ről, | from near |
| túl-ról, | from beyond |
Exercise VI.
A tehenek és lovak istállói tágasak és tiszták a gazdaságban. Magyarország hegyeiben sok ércz van. Atyánk uj könyvei a könyvtárban vannak. Hétfő helyett szerdán megyek el. A három közül ez a legszebb. A füst elszállt a tető fölől. A hirlap szerint a király megérkezett.
My father is in his garden, but will soon go into the house. The horses are in their stalls. The boys are coming out of school. The chimney fell down from the roof. Do not go to the shop without money. Flour is made into bread.
| tágas, | spacious |
| hegy, | hill |
| ércz, | metal |
| könyvtár, | library |
| hétfő, | Monday |
| szerda, | Wednesday |
| legszebb, | finest |
| elszállt, | has flown |
| tető, | roof |
| hirlap, | newspaper |
| hamar, | soon |
| jönnek, | are coming |
| iskola, | school |
| kémény, | chimney |
| bolt, | shop |
| ne menj, | do not go |
| liszt, | flour |
| kenyér, | bread |
| csinálják, | they make (the passive is not used) |