"Does this train go to these cities?"

Translation: Ez a vonat megy ezekbe a városokba?

[KatyLovesFrench]

Shouldn't this be "ezekhez" instead of "ezekbe" because it is saying "to these cities" and not "into these cities?"

[mizinamo]

If I ask "Does this train go to Budapest?", I expect the train to end up inside the city, not outside the built-up area somewhere.

I think we can't just translate words the same in all contexts but also have to look at the convention meaning - and here, trains going to cities in English implies into them and not next to them.

[KatyLovesFrench]

Yes that's what I mean, so that's why I am asking why we cannot use the word "ezekhez" in this sentence. Or do you think that either word would work in this context?

[mizinamo]

-hez specifically means "to a location that is next to (-nél/nál)".

But the train does not move "to a location that is next to Budapest".

I'm not sure I understand your question or why you think that -hez could possibly be appropriate for a train that goes "to a city".

[KatyLovesFrench]

Oh, sorry, then I think I misunderstood the true meaning of -hez. I thought -hez just meant "to something." I was translating the words and not the true meaning of going to a city, which actually means you're going into a city and that's why you use -be. Sorry for the confusion!

[Krisbaudi]

I had the same question and used hez in my translation. You are not the only one.

[SamanthaGasmire]

Yes I just now understand what the difference between hez and be are. Thank you to mizinamo. Alos, I never thought about the fact that when we say "to the city" we actually "into the city."

[dublen]

You are right. Usually the sentences are translated word to word, and here its not. Consistency out the window...

[BigWayne19]

-------- yeah but some trains don't go into a city. some pass by just outside. shouldn't the english be: does this train go INto these cities ? and why isn't the hungarian : ez a vonat megy BE ezekbe a va'rosokba ?