18 Comments
In English that would mean either immediate future (hatcher's [edit: your own :)] example) or habitual: "You know, I used to be a teacher." "Oh? What do you do now?" So the question would be whether the Hungarian sentence could have either of those meanings, in addition to present progressive.
Indeed, I didn't think of that. It could be used for "You know, I used to be a teacher." "Oh? What do you do now?" but I think I would be more likely to put "most" in front in that case. (Even with "most" at the end, I think the intonation is different for the two meanings but that's not something you should care about at the moment. :D) Without any context it didn't occur to me that it wasn't happening at that moment (nor did to the editor)
Ok, like this: "We've run out of fuel in the middle of the desert, now what do we do?" But I can't imagine it being used for "Mit csinálsz most?"
463
Mi is the subject, mit is the object of the action. Mi ez? – Az ebéd. = What's this? The lunch. — Mit eszel? – Az ebédet. = What are you eating? The lunch.
Thank you! I can't believe I forgot about the existence of the accusative. Much appreciated!!!!!!!!!
- 463
No problem, it happens often. Somehow it is not so obvious for speakers of those langauges that don't make definite distinction, I think. My Italian friends have rather hard times with it, too.
- 463
Actually yes. For formal speech we use the third person conjugation for second person, too (both in singular and plural). There are some specialities and the usage of informal speech is just getting spread out as the media and some multinational trade companies push it. As far as I think later we will meet these rules and guidelines in details.
- 463
The most important part. You can use the same wording to ask any of the three, and use stress to express what do you want to know.
MIT csinálsz most? - I know that you want to do many different things, but what do you actually do now?
Mit CSINÁLSZ most? - okay that you told about your plans but what is prepared right now?
Mit csinálsz MOST? - okay that you do three projects and prepare two others, but at this very moment which is your choice? Or: we play chess and I think that I made a clever trap, then I may challenge you with this intonation: so, what do you do now, Mr Smart Guy, if you move the bishop I take your queen, and if you don't, the next move is a check-mate? (Er... what? You took my queen and destroyed my nice trap? "A fenébe, ezt elnéztem!" (Oh ❤❤❤❤, I overlooked it!)
Please note that "a fenébe" is a weak interjection that is not really rude and not obtrusive even in less informal company, but it is better to avoid. AFAIK the original meaning is forgotten but it related to pest or cancer or other diseases.)
The 'l' appears to be silent in 'csinálsz'. I know it is silent in the 'ly' diphthong but are there any other instances of a silent 'l'?
- 463
Well, L is often gets very weak in presence of SZ (s in English) but completely omitting it is either sounds "ethnic" or undereducated. Try to avoid it, but prepare for the occurences.
A technical thing about the LY: it is not a diphthong but a double letter. In the past it noted a palatized L (perhaps something similar like Ł in Polish ot LL in Castilian Spanish) and that sound assimilated to J (as Y in "year" in English). NB. in Spanish LL is often pronounced as Y, too (yeismo) so my explanation may be wrong in this part :D
