körül / mintegy

Approximation

Level 3

Hungarian uses three main ways to approximate: the postposition körül (follows the number), the formal adverb mintegy (precedes the number), and reduplication (joining two consecutive numbers with a hyphen).

How It Works

Hungarian offers several tools for expressing 'about' or 'approximately':

  • körül: This is a postposition, meaning it always follows the noun or number it modifies. The noun remains in the nominative case. It is a common way to approximate time or general quantities in everyday speech.
    Example: öt óra körül (around five o'clock).
  • mintegy: This is a more formal adverb used primarily in news, academic writing, or statistics. It always precedes the number and does not change the case of the following words.
    Example: mintegy száz ember (approximately one hundred people).
  • Reduplicated Numbers: You can join two consecutive cardinal numbers with a hyphen (e.g., egy-két, három-négy). This implies 'a few' or 'X or Y'. If you need to add a case suffix, it only attaches to the second number.
    Example: egy-két napig (for one or two days).

Note: While körül follows the number, the related adverb körülbelül (often abbreviated as kb.) precedes it, similar to English 'about'.

Examples (5)

  1. A vonat hat óra körül érkezik meg.

    The train arrives around six o'clock.

    Word by Word: The train six hour around arrives [prefix].

    Here, 'körül' acts as a postposition following the time 'hat óra'.

  2. Mintegy kétezer ember él ebben a faluban.

    Approximately two thousand people live in this village.

    Word by Word: Approximately two-thousand person lives this-in the village-in.

    'Mintegy' is used here in a slightly more formal, statistical context and precedes the number.

  3. Csak egy-két percet kérek.

    I just ask for one or two (a few) minutes.

    Word by Word: Just one-two minute-ACC I-ask.

    Consecutive numbers joined by a hyphen indicate a vague estimate. Note the accusative suffix is only on the second number.

  4. A ház száz négyzetméter körül van.

    The house is around one hundred square meters.

    Word by Word: The house hundred square-meter around is.

    'Körül' is used here for a physical measurement.

  5. Várok még három-négy napot.

    I will wait another three or four days.

    Word by Word: I-wait yet three-four day-ACC.

    Reduplication is very common in spoken Hungarian for quick estimates of time.

Common Mistakes

  • Placing 'körül' before the number.

    Körül tíz óra van.
    Tíz óra körül van.

    Unlike the English 'around', the Hungarian 'körül' is a postposition and must follow the word it modifies.

  • Applying case suffixes to both numbers in a reduplicated pair.

    kettővel-hárommal
    két-hárommal

    When using consecutive numbers for approximation, treat the pair as a single unit and only attach the suffix to the very end.

  • Pairing numbers that are far apart for a small, rough amount.

    két-öt nap
    két-három nap

    Approximation pairs normally use neighbouring numbers (két-három nap, öt-hat perc) or round numbers (tíz-húsz perc). For a wider range such as two to five days, say it as a range: 'két naptól öt napig'.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

körül / mintegyLevel 3Approximation

Learn This First

To express approximate quantities, you must first be comfortable with basic Hungarian counting and the rule that numbers are followed by singular nouns. Understanding the spatial postposition 'körül' (around) provides the conceptual basis for its use with numbers, while general knowledge of modifier placement helps in positioning 'mintegy' correctly.

Words in This Pattern

körülmintegy