Expressing Likes (Tetszik/Szeret) in Hungarian

Overview

Hungarian has two main constructions for expressing liking: szeret (to love/like, with accusative object) and tetszik (to please/appeal to, with dative experiencer). These verbs have different structures and nuances, and tetszik has an additional function as a polite form of address. At the CEFR A2 level, mastering both constructions enables learners to express preferences naturally.

Szeret works like English "love/like" — the person who likes is the subject, and what they like is the accusative object. Tetszik works like Spanish "gustar" or Italian "piacere" — what is liked is the subject, and the person who likes is in the dative.

Understanding the structural difference between these two verbs is important because mixing up their constructions is a common error.

How It Works

Szeret: Subject Likes Object (Accusative)

Hungarian	English	Structure
Szeretem a zenét.	I love music.	I-love the music-ACC
Szereted a filmet?	Do you like the film?	you-love the film-ACC
Szeret olvasni.	He likes to read.	he-likes to-read
Nagyon szeretem.	I love it very much.	emphatic

Szeret uses definite conjugation when the object is definite.

Tetszik: Object Appeals to Dative Person

Hungarian	English	Structure
Tetszik nekem ez a ház.	I like this house.	appeals to-me this house
Tetszik a film?	Do you like the film?	appeals the film?
Nem tetszik nekem.	I don't like it.	not appeals to-me
Nagyon tetszett.	I liked it a lot. (past)	greatly appealed

Tetszik conjugates for the thing that is liked (the grammatical subject), not the person.

Tetszik as Polite Address

Tetszik + infinitive is used as a formal "you" construction:

Hungarian	English
Tetszik parancsolni?	What would you like? (very formal)
Hogy tetszik lenni?	How are you? (to elderly/formal)

Comparison

Aspect	Szeret	Tetszik
Subject	the liker	the thing liked
Object	accusative (what is liked)	dative (who likes it)
Feeling	active, strong (love/like)	receptive (appeals to)
Conjugation	for the liker	for the thing liked

Examples in Context

Hungarian	English	Note
Szeretem a zenét.	I love music.	szeret + definite
Tetszik nekem ez a ház.	I like this house.	tetszik + dative
Tetszik a film?	Do you like the film?	tetszik question
Nagyon szeretem.	I love it very much.	szeret, emphatic
Nem tetszik nekem.	I don't like it.	tetszik, negative
Szeret olvasni.	He likes to read.	szeret + infinitive
Tetszett a koncert.	I liked the concert.	tetszik, past
Szereted a csokoládét?	Do you like chocolate?	szeret, question
Ez nagyon tetszik!	I really like this!	tetszik, enthusiastic
Nem szeretem a hideget.	I don't like the cold.	szeret, negative

Common Mistakes

Using tetszik with accusative

• Wrong: Tetszem a filmet. (I please the film?)
• Right: Tetszik nekem a film. or Szeretem a filmet.
• Why: With tetszik, the thing liked is the subject (nominative), and the person is dative. It's the reverse of English.

Using szeret with dative

• Wrong: Nekem szeret a zene.
• Right: Szeretem a zenét. (I love music.)
• Why: Szeret takes a regular subject (who likes) + accusative object (what is liked).

Confusing conjugation of tetszik

• Wrong: Tetszem a házat. (I please the house?)
• Right: Tetszik a ház. or Tetszenek a házak. (The house appeals. / The houses appeal.)
• Why: Tetszik conjugates for the thing that appeals, which is the grammatical subject.

Usage Notes

Szeret is the stronger, more active verb. Szeretem can mean both "I like it" and "I love it" depending on context. For romantic love between people, szeret is the standard verb.

Tetszik is more passive and receptive — something appeals to you. It is the standard response when asked about aesthetic judgments (films, clothes, places): Tetszett a film? — Igen, nagyon tetszett.

The polite tetszik construction (Tetszik parancsolni?) is characteristic of Hungarian formal service interactions and is used particularly with elderly people.

Practice Tips

• Practice both constructions with the same content: Szeretem ezt a filmet. / Tetszik nekem ez a film.
• For aesthetic judgments (films, shows, places), practice tetszett/nem tetszett in past tense.
• Learn the polite tetszik forms for formal situations.

Related Concepts

• Prerequisite: Present Definite Conjugation — szeret typically uses definite conjugation