# meg akarom nézni



## NagyKiss

What is the difference between the following sentences? Is the second sentence possible at all?

Meg akarom nézni ezt a filmet.
Akarom nézni ezt a filmet.


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## francisgranada

Both are correct. _Meg _gives a perfective aspect to the verb _nézni (to watch)_, so _megnézni _means something like "to see it all", "to have it seen" (these are not translations, of course, only my attempts to explain the difference ). 

Principially, this is similar to the Russian verbs with and witout prefix, e.g. смотреть - просмотреть, видеть - yвидеть ... (the verbs with prefixes are perfective).


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## NagyKiss

Well I have a general notion of what this prefix means, but I'm curious about these given sentences.

If I were to say "Akarom nézni ezt a filmet", would it mean something like "I'd like to take a look at this movie."?
But "Meg akarom nézni ezt a filmet" would mean - "I'd like to watch this movie (from start to finish)".


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## francisgranada

NagyKiss said:


> ...  If I were to say "Akarom nézni ezt a filmet", would it mean something like "I'd like to take a look at this movie."?


I'd say "I want to watch this film" in sense of a continuous action, not only "to have a look" (I don't know exactly when _take a look _is used in English). For example:

"Mit csinálsz most?" (What are you doing know?) - "Nézem a filmet" (I'm watching the film)
"Gyere velem ..." (Come with me ...) - "Most nem megyek, mert akarom nézni ezt a filmet" (Now I don't go because I want to watch [see?] this movie)


> But "Meg akarom nézni ezt a filmet" would mean - "I'd like to watch this movie (from start to finish)".


Yes.


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## NagyKiss

Yeah maybe "take a look" is not a good example. But thanks anyway, it's more clear now!


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## francisgranada

Simply, _nézni _is a "continuous action" as also _hallgatni _(to listen), _beszélni _(to speak) etc. In other words, _Akarom nézni ezt a filmet_ means something like _I want to be watching this movie _(I'm not sure if this sentence sounds natural in English in this context, but it is another question ...).


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## Encolpius

NagyKiss said:


> What is the difference between the following sentences? Is the second sentence possible at all?
> 
> Meg akarom nézni ezt a filmet.
> Akarom nézni ezt a filmet.



The second sentence sucks..grammatically completely correct, but it is hard to imagine a situation you would use it... maybe a 4-year old child would use it...

These sentences sound nicer and I'd personally prefer them: 
- 'Meg szeretném nézni ezt a filmet. 
- Szeretném 'nézni ezt a filmet, drágám! (your wife is talking to you and you wran her you would like to watch the movie, so she stops)

(check also the stress I marked)


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## Zsanna

I agree with Encolpius there: it is not easy to imagine a situation in which the sentence could be used and that partly because of the "ezt"... If we insist on having it in the sentence, the conditional (with _szeretném_ - see above) offers itself naturally.

However, without the demonstrative: "Akarom nézni a filmet!" could be said (with or without a certain amount of annoyance) if somebody tried to distract you (even if in a friendly way) repeatedly and you wanted to make him understand that you are serious about wanting to watch the film that is on the screen. 
I think it is somewhat typical (to our metality) that a direct sentence like this can be said without being impolite and it may even express more the speaker's distress than an "irrefutable authority" (that the sentence may suggest). 
I could imagine only a child saying this sentence (maybe accompanied by stamping is feet) and believing that the world is interested to know what he wants...


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## francisgranada

Encolpius said:


> The second sentence sucks..grammatically completely correct, but it is hard to imagine a situation you would use it... maybe a 4-year old child would use it...


I'm (really) sorry, but I cannot agree ... The examples of NagyKiss with the verb _akarni _are perfectly ok from all the points of view, not only grammatically. The choice between _akarni _or _szeretni _depends merely on the context, i.e. on what one intends/wants to say. I agree with you in the sense that _szeretném _is surely more polite and more frequently used in Hungarian when expressing one's desire or will. However, I find absolutely nothing unusal in the examples given by NagyKiss. For example (contexts invented _ad hoc_):

- Ma este _meg akarom nézni ezt a filmet_, mert mindenki dicséri és én még nem láttam ... 
- Én most tényleg _akarom nézni ezt a filmet_, drágám, akkor is ha neked nem tetszik ...
etcetera ...


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## Encolpius

I do see a difference between the sentence
1. Akarom nézni ezt a filmet. 
2. Én most tényleg akarom nézni ezt a filmet....
I was talking about the first sentence...Zsanna keeps saying *context *is important...that sentence proves that.
The first isolated sentence sucks...even you have changed it...then why did you? 
I think people should teach natural language here in WR, not a robotic virtual speech...
I'd say the sentence: 'Nézni akarom ezt a filmet! sounds better to me...


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## tomtombp

I'm with Zsanna and Encolpius. I can only imagine a child saying "Akarom nézni ezt a filmet". Adults would use "szeretném" or add more words to make their request more polite as suggested in post #9 by Francis.


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## tomtombp

Encolpius said:


> I do see a difference between the sentence
> 1. Akarom nézni ezt a filmet.
> 'Nézni akarom ezt a filmet! sounds better to me...


Can't agree more...


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## francisgranada

Encolpius said:


> The first isolated sentence sucks...even you have changed it...then why did you?


To create a context . The question was about the difference between _akarom nézni_ and meg _akarom nézni_ and two simple examples were given by NagyKiss, without any particular context. So I think it can be misleading to present the second example as something that only (or typically) a 4 year old child would say. 



> 'Nézni akarom ezt a filmet! sounds better to me...


This also depends on the context, but I'm afraid we are starting to be OT here, because the question was not about this.


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## Encolpius

NagyKiss said:


> ...Is the second sentence possible at all?
> Meg akarom nézni ezt a filmet.
> Akarom nézni ezt a filmet.



The second sentence is possible...I am not sure how advanced your Hungarian is but I learnt from another member here who spoke some Hungarian that word order is the most difficult and complicated thing to master in Hungarian....it is extremely liberal, but.... Frankly I know no rules about the Hungarian word order...I have the feeling that the second isolated sentence carries the "sentence stress" on the word akarom....so..after all, of course, I can imagine a dialogue or I cannot?? 

- Csaba, te nem akarod nézni ezt a filmet???!!! (shocked, amazed)
- De, akarom! 
- De, akarom nézni!
- De, akarom nézni ezt a filmet! (it sucks )
- 'akarom nézni ezt a filmet! (it sucks more )

If you anyone can write me a naturally sounded dialogue with "Akarom nézni ezt a filmet" I am looking forward to it....I mean it...

Ezt a filmet akarom nézni. Nézni akarom ezt a filmet. Akarom ezt a filmet nézni. --- sound better...


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## NagyKiss

Well I started learning Hungarian 6 months ago all by myself, so right now I'm probably below basic level. But I remember when I first opened a textbook on Hungarian, it said that word order was "free". But the first small text I wrote, proved otherwise, and later I started seeing all these people saying that word order is super difficult to comprehend And I kinda believe it now!
P.S. Wow, I think I just realized, that the fact that it's "free" is what actually makes it difficult to master, otherwise it would be ABC.


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## francisgranada

Encolpius said:


> ... If you anyone can write me a naturally sounded dialogue with "Akarom nézni ezt a filmet" I am looking forward to it....


- Most mit akarsz csinálni?
- Akarom nézni ezt a filmet.

Nem tetszik?  ...


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## Encolpius

OK...it can work....if a married couple is making love and the TV is on ans the wife is watching a very interesting film, I really can imagine that dialogue: 
- Most akkor mit akarsz csinální, szeretkezni vagy akarod nézni ezt a hülye filmet? 
- (Igen), akarom nézni ezt a filmet! (dühösen)

Anything is possible, but sometimes it is hard to find a natural-sounding example....
Maybe if people are angry they use sentences used usually by kids...  just an opinion


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## Zsanna

*This thread is beginning to go haywire because the question implies a bit too much and providing a context by us is never a good idea.

If NagyKiss has been studying the language for 6 months maybe he doesn't need to know what a married couple could put up as a conversation before/after/during...
I suggest we leave it unless someone can stand out with something irrefutable. (That the others a) recognize as such b) agree with - no guarantee for either.)*


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## Akitlosz

Meg akarom nézni ezt a filmet. I want to see this movie *because I have not seen it.*
Akarom nézni ezt a filmet. I've *just** watch* this movie and also want to look down, *do not let me interrupt*!


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