"Ez az autópálya Budapest és a Balaton között fekszik."

Translation: This motorway lies between Budapest and Lake Balaton.

[-__Jacob__-]

Why "a Balaton" translates to "Lake Balaton"? Could someone explain please? Thank you.

[jsiehler]

On the one hand, a Balaton is how it is frequently called in Hungarian. It is such a significant natural feature that it gets referred to just with the definite article. On the other hand, in English, we very rarely use "The" with the name of a lake. In English, we call it "Lake Balaton." So the answer is: just because that is what this place is called in each language.

[Tarmil]

I often call it / hear it called "the Balaton" by my colleagues, but that might just be my Frenglish and their Hunglish :P

[jeliason]

We always refer to it as "the Balaton" in English at home

[Patricia460976]

In English I would say "Lake Balaton." Comparatively I say "Lake Placid."

[TimoPlath]

In German I would never call it that way...

[JohnWeber786406]

Non-city sites....there is a specific rule about the article being used.
Cities do not use the article, but lakes, rivers, sites (a Balaton, a Duna, a Kékes, etc.) do use the article.

[wyqtor]

Ez a M7! The only motorway in Hungary with a viaduct, at Köröshegy near lake Balaton.

[athb4hu]

"lies" is unnecessary in English, "is" should be perfectly acceptable

[Peter255437]

I think "runs" is even more natural in English. Not accepted!

[btiirwin]

'Road' was not accepted for 'autopalya'. But in American English, we use 'road' and not 'motorway (which is British English).

[Tarmil]

It's more specific than "road" though; "highway" would be a better American equivalent.

[Bastette54]

Also "freeway," which is used in many parts of the US.

[JohnWeber786406]

We use "highway", "expressway", "freeway", or as is seen in the thread: "interstate" - The United States has "interstates" in the 48 contiguous and Hawaii has least three main ones, H1, H2, and H3!

[Nick337182]

For US English an "autopalya" is definitely either an "interstate" or a "freeway", not a highway. "Expressway" is probably also good. As the Szechenyi 2020 infrastructure programme goes forward most of the autopalyak will extend to national borders as well making this an even more apt translation.

[wyqtor]

We tend to refer to those roads as motorways in the EU. They also have a special sign to differentiate them from other kinds of roads (the one at the bottom here):

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d0/Hungary_road_sign_G-401.svg/1200px-Hungary_road_sign_G-401.svg.png

Expressways are depicted by the car symbol, they are basically motorways built to lower standards to save money.

[JohnWeber786406]

pályaudvar - railway station
autópálya - motorway