Why is “szeretlek” one word in Hungarian?

Szeretlek is a complete sentence: “I love you.” Hungarian keeps a dedicated ending, -lak / -lek, used only when I am the subject and you are the object, so neither pronoun has to be said. The same ending gives látlak (“I see you”), várlak (“I’m waiting for you”) and kérlek (“I ask you,” the everyday word for please).

It is a real oddity. Most languages make you name both people, and Hungarian’s own verb system otherwise splits neatly into definite and indefinite conjugations — -lak/-lek sits outside both, a single form reserved for the I-to-you relationship. In this joke two peach blossoms conduct an entire courtship on it: Tetszem? — Igen, tetszel. Szeretsz? — Igen, szeretlek. Then one of them calls the bees.