# I am writing a book



## pizzakid

Egy könyvet olvasom.

Is it right, or is it 'egy könyvet olvasok'? And how do you translate 'I am writing 'I am the book'? thank you in advance


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## jazyk

Olvasom is the definite conjugation, you can't use it with an indefinite object, hence (Egy) könyvet olvasok.

I am writing. - Olvasok.
I am the book.  - A könyv vagyok.


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## szivike

jazyk said:


> Olvasom is the definite conjugation, you can't use it with an indefinite object, hence (Egy) könyvet olvasok.
> 
> I am writing. - Olvasok.
> I am the book.  - A könyv vagyok.



I am writing = Írok. 
I am reading = Olvasok.


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## szivike

pizzakid said:


> Egy könyvet olvasom.
> 
> Is it right, or is it 'egy könyvet olvasok'? And how do you translate 'I am writing 'I am the book'? thank you in advance



Egy könyvet olvasok. - This is the correct form and it means that I am reading a book, answers to the question "What are you reading?" 
If you want to answer to "What are you doing?" 
I would say "Olvasok egy könyvet" since it sounds more natural. In this case, the emphasis is on the act of reading rather than the object. 

I am the book - Én vagyok a könyv. 
This is the closest I can find to "I am the book" but I'm not sure whether you really meant this meaning or something else.


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## jazyk

> I am writing = Írok.
> I am reading = Olvasok.


Yep.


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## Orreaga

I think you mean to say (in your second question) 'I am reading the book', which would be:  *Olvasom a könyvet.   *If you really mean writing, then:  _*Írom a könyvet.

*_indefinite conjugation: olvasok egy könyvet; írok egy könyvet

definite conjugation (known object): olvasom a könyvet; írom a könyvet

The two different conjugations (definite/indefinite) are part of what makes Hungarian either fun and/or challenging for the learner, depending on your approach to things.


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## spulp

Hi all, 
I don't know why, but I think I would translate "I am reading a book" as "Könyvet olvasok", rather than "Olvasok egy könyvet".
Am I wrong?


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## Orreaga

spulp said:


> Hi all,
> I don't know why, but I think I would translate "I am reading a book" as "Könyvet olvasok", rather than "Olvasok egy könyvet".
> Am I wrong?


That also sounds more natural to me (if we are emphasizing _what _is being read).  I was trying to emphasize the definite/indefinite distinction by using definite/indefinite articles.


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## Zsanna

spulp said:


> Hi all,
> I don't know why, but I think I would translate "I am reading a book" as "Könyvet olvasok", rather than "Olvasok egy könyvet".
> Am I wrong?


 
I agree with Orreaga but my approach would be different as English is not my native language: "a book" in your sentence does not sound accentuated to me so I wouldn't translate it by "Könyvet olvasok" because the sentence suggests a neutral way of informing somebody about what I am _doing_. (And in that case "Olvasok egy könyvet" would seem to be the right translation.)
But it all depends on the context (as usual), if there is an (special) accent on any of the words in the English sentence which may not appear in writing - so really everything is possible. (Or nearly.)


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## Andris

spulp said:


> Hi all,
> I don't know why, but I think I would translate "I am reading a book" as "Könyvet olvasok", rather than "Olvasok egy könyvet".
> Am I wrong?



I'd say the sentence "Könyvet olvasok" means rather "It's a book that I'm reading" (as opposed to reading a journal, a paper, etc.). 

In Hungarian the sense of most sentences is determined by the word order. In declarative sentences the essential part of the sentence is put first.

"Könyvet olvasok" answers most probably to "What are you reading?" 
"Olvasok egy könyvet" answers to "What are you doing?"

Also, there's a slight difference in indefinite conjugation between the cases when you put an indefinite article before the noun and when you don't. If you don't, the noun will have a more general sense. Here's an example:

"Könyvet olvasok" - "*It's a book* that I'm reading" (as opposed to a newspaper)
"Egy könyvet olvasok" - "I'm reading a *certain* book" (I know which one, but I don't indicate it).
"Olvasok könyvet" - "I *do read* books" (as an answer to an accusation that you're uncultured for example - although better if put to plural "könyveket").
"Olvasok egy könyvet" - "I'm *reading* a book" (that's what I'm doing right now).


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## Norfren

In other words:
The first word of the sentence is emphasized a bit, so the answer to my question "what are you doing?"
--> "olvasok egy könyvet" emphasizes reading itself (e.g. I'm not watching the tv even if it is turned on, etc.)
--> "egy könyvet olvasok" I read a book and not a letter or magazine.

However, there's normally only a very slight difference between the two.

Using the definite conjugation "a könyvet olvasom" or "olvasom a könyvet" implies that I know exactly what is the book you're reading now.


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