"This is a big bank."

Translation: Ez nagy bank.

[Gaboya1987]

Or "Ez egy nagy bank".

[weichwieschnee]

So why does this sentence not have van, but when you are describing yourself (in the other lesson, "I am a writer" - "én iró vagyok"), you need the verb (vagyok)? My understanding was that descriptions didn't need the verb?

[Gaboya1987]

Ok, i try to describe it to you. It's not so difficult...
With your example:

I am a witer = Én író vagyok
You are a writer = Te író vagy
He/She is a writer = Ő író (no "lenni" needed) (Or "Ő lenni író" but hungarian never use this form)

We are writers = Mi írók vagyunk
You are writers = Ti írók vagytok
They are writers = Ők írók (same as before)

And the original sentence in a loan translation:

This is a big bank = Ez lenni egy nagy bank (but in this case, you no need "lenni", so the end result is "Ez egy nagy bank").

I hope it is understandable, and i hope i helped you.

[Andras_Gyep]

Is it "writer" "író" or "írok"? because the previous lesson said "író" :/

[ion1122]

iró = writer (singular)
irók = writers (plural)

[Andras_Gyep]

Köszönöm szépen =)

[ion1122]

It is only in the third person that the verb gets omitted in descriptions, not in the first or second person.

[imnotveryc1]

because it has 'ez' which is "this is" and 'van' is "i am". The 'van' here is 'ez'.

[Judit294350]

"van" is h/she/it is. "I am" is "vagyok".