ha a nagyanyámnak kereke volna, gurulna

Hungarian

Alternative forms

• Instead of “a nagyanyámnak” (“[to] my grandmother”), the following variants also occur: nagyanyámnak (without article), (a) nagymamámnak, (az) öreganyámnak (also “[to] my grandmother”) as well as (a) nénikémnek, (a) nagynénikémnek (“[to] my aunt”). A nagypapámnak (“[to] my grandfather”) occurs with talicska (“wheelbarrow”).
• Before “kereke volna” (“had wheels”), the numerals négy (“4”) or hat (“6”) can occur.
• After the comma, akkor (“then”) can occur without any change in meaning.
• Instead of “gurulna”, ő volna/lenne/lehetne a villamos/trolibusz/gőzmozdony or ő volna/lenne/lehetne az omnibusz (“she would/could be a tram/trolley-bus/steam-locomotive/omnibus”) are also possible, as well as omnibusznak neveznék (“she would be called an omnibus”).

Etymology

ha (“if”) + a (“the”) + nagyanya (“grandmother”) +‎ -m (“my”, possessive suffix) +‎ -nak (“to”, dative suffix) + kerék (“wheel”) +‎ -e (“her”, possessive suffix) + volna (“there would be; if [she] had”) + gurul (“roll”) +‎ -na (“would”, conditional suffix).

Literally: “If my grandmother had a wheel [or: wheels], she would roll.”

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈhɒɒ ˈnɒɟɒɲaːmnɒk ˈkɛrɛkɛvolnɒ ˈɡurulnɒ]

Phrase

ha a nagyanyámnak kereke volna, gurulna

1. (idiomatic) if my aunt had balls, she'd be my uncle, if pigs had wings they would fly, if wishes were horses, beggars would ride, if ifs and ans were pots and pans, there'd be no work for tinkers' hands (there is no point in discussing unreal and/or impossible scenarios)