In Hungarian

[ronanpoirier]

I'd like to know how to say "in + a language name" like: In Hungarian, in English.

Example: How do I say "hi" in Portuguese?
Would it be something like "milyen/hogy beszélek "szia" portugálhoz?"

Thanks in advance. _o/

 

[Lakeview]

Hogy mondod 'szia' portugálul?

 

[ronanpoirier]

Köszönöm. _o/

 

[gorilla]

I'm maybe a bit late. That translation is not very bad but no Hungarian would say it like that. A little better but not good:
Hogy mondod a „szia”-t portugálul.

Good:
Hogy mondják portugálul, hogy „szia”?

Beszél is speak, mond is say, elmond is tell

 

[Lakeview]

Thank you--always good to have the opinion of a native speaker.

 

[csiga]

"I'd like to know how to say "in + a language name""

-ul/-ül:
portugálul
spanyolul
olaszul
franciául
angolul
kínaiul
hollandul
szlovákul
szlovénül
németül
svédül
norvégül
héberül
stb.
Whether it's -ul or -ül depends on the last vowel of the stem, it seems.

 

[Zsanna]

Whether it's -ul or -ül depends on the last vowel of the stem, it seems.

I don't know about such a rule (it may be a good 'working' one). Where does it come from?

In general, the choice is made according to the vocal harmony of the stem.
Otherwise, how would you decide in the case of 'kínai' ending in 'i' which is considered either a magas (front) vowel or (rather) one that is not 'decisive' (neither front or back, so does not decide about the vocal harmony of a word)?