We can add -ság/ség to nouns, adjectives and verbs to make abstract nouns Sometimes we can make nouns that are not abstract, such as turning "baker" into "bakery".

In a rare similarity with Hungarian, English actually modifies some of its nouns and adjectives to make abstract nouns.

In English add -ness (among others) to turn adjectives and nouns into abstract nouns.

For example

• white (adjective)
  whiteness (abstract noun) (degree of white)
• hot (adjective)
  hotness = heat (abstract noun) (degree of hot)
• beautiful (adjective)
  beautifulness = beauty (abstract noun)
• friend (noun)
  friendship (abstract noun)

• fehér white ... ... fehérség whiteness
• forró hot ... ... forróság heat
• beteg ill ... ... betegség illness, disease
• szép beautiful ... ... szépség beauty
• barát friend ... ... barátság friendship

Hungarian does the above, but also allows us to turn verbs and adverbs into abstract nouns too.

• segít (to) help ... ... segítség (some) help
• egész all, whole ... ... egészség health

One of the things you will see in your books is egészségedre! cheers!
Well now you understand its genesis.
egész + ség + ed + re all + ness + your + for = for your health = cheers!

Some nouns can be converted into other nouns. We don't always have to start with a verb. Very often the resulting word will mean something like "place of, office of, place of work of" as can be seen in the below.

• rendőr policeman ... ... rendőrség police station
• nagykövet ambassador ... ... nagykövetség embassy
• pék baker ... ... pékség bakery, baker's shop