Reflexive pronouns are simply pronouns that refer back to the speaker's self
or to the self of the subject in disucssion. They're words like "myself" or "himself."
The basic word for self is maga. This then takes
personal endings to make the following words:
- magam myself
- magad youself
- maga himself/herself/itself
- magunk ourselves
- magatok yourselves
- maguk themselves
When used reflexively, the words can take endings just like any other noun. (It
behaves more like a noun than an pronoun in this respect). When used with a postposition
it is uninflected.
- jól érzem magamat I feel well
or more commonly: I'm having a good time.
- jól érezte magát she had a good
time. (irregular)
It takes the definite conjugation
when used as a direct object. Note the use of the
accusative in the above.
- veszel magadnak új autót? are you
buying for yourself a new car?. (dative)
- magáról beszél he speaks about himself.
When used with
postpositions it does not take endings.
- magunk között beszéljünk let's talk amongst
ourselves
- maga mellé tette a kulcsodat he put his
key next to himself
For emphasis one can use these pronouns instead of or next to the
nominative pronouns.
- magam megyek I myself am going
- én magam megyek I myself am going
- csak Áginak magának adom
I'll give it only to Ági herself
This pronoun can also mean "alone":
- maga lakik?
does he live alone?
- magam vagyok
I am alone
In also means "own" (as in, ownership of an object). In this sense, it takes the possessive suffixes according to the owner,
but the object itself only ever takes the third person possessive. In these examples, note how the house or the
car are always in third person, no matter whose it it. The owner is shown
by the endings on "maga".
- a magam házában lakom
I live in my own house
- a magad autójában jössz?
are you coming in your own car?
- a magunk házában lakunk
we live in our own house
- a maguk autójában jönnek?
are they coming in their own car?
Hungarian has several forms of second person address, of varying levels of politeness. The polite form sees the second person becomes the third person, and the word "maga" is used for "you".
It's a bit like "vous" in French.
Conjugations and possession then become third person.
- (te) magyar vagy?
are you Hungarian?
- Maga magyar?
are you Hungarian? (polite)
- (te) magyarországra mész?
are you going to Hungary?
- Maga magyarországra megy?
are you going to Hungary? (polite)
Another form of polite address uses "Ön" instead of "Maga" and is for official speech.