amíg / míg

While / Until

Level 3

Amíg and míg are conjunctions used to connect two actions happening at the same time. Amíg is the standard word for 'while' or 'as long as', while míg is more formal or used to show a contrast ('whereas').

How It Works

1. Temporal Duration ('While / As long as')
When you want to say that one action happens for the same duration as another, use amíg. It is often paired with the demonstrative addig ('for that long') in the main clause for emphasis.
Example: Addig várj, amíg esik az eső. (Wait as long as it is raining.)

2. Temporal Endpoint ('Until')
This is a common point of confusion for learners. Hungarian does not have a single word that perfectly matches the English 'until' in a clause. Instead, it uses amíg... nem. The logic is: 'I will wait as long as you are NOT here.'
Example: Várok, amíg meg nem jössz. (I wait until you arrive.)

3. Contrastive Usage ('Whereas')
While amíg is mostly about time, míg is frequently used to contrast two different situations, similar to 'whereas' in English. In this context, it is not necessarily about time duration.
Example: Én tanulok, míg ő alszik. (I am studying, whereas he is sleeping.)

4. Register Differences

  • Amíg: The everyday, standard choice for all temporal meanings.
  • Míg: More literary or formal. If you use it in casual speech for 'while', you might sound like a book.
  • Ameddig: A synonym for amíg that emphasizes the 'limit' or 'distance' of the time.

Examples (5)

  1. Addig maradj itt, amíg vissza nem jövök.

    Stay here until I come back.

    Word by Word: Until-then stay here, while back not I-come.

    Notice the use of 'nem' to create the 'until' meaning. The prefix 'vissza' is separated because of the negation.

  2. Amíg te főzöl, én takarítok.

    While you are cooking, I am cleaning.

    Word by Word: While you cook, I clean.

    A simple simultaneous action using the standard 'amíg'.

  3. Péter magas, míg a bátyja alacsony.

    Péter is tall, whereas his brother is short.

    Word by Word: Péter tall, while the brother-his short.

    Here 'míg' is used contrastively to compare two different states.

  4. Addig nem eszünk, amíg apa haza nem ér.

    We aren't eating until Dad gets home.

    Word by Word: Until-then not we-eat, while father home not reaches.

    The correlative 'addig' in the first clause points forward to the 'amíg' clause.

  5. Míg a városban laktunk, sokat moziba jártunk.

    While we lived in the city, we went to the cinema a lot.

    Word by Word: While the city-in we-lived, much cinema-to we-went.

    Using 'míg' here gives the sentence a slightly more formal or narrative tone.

Common Mistakes

  • Forgetting the 'nem' when you mean 'until'.

    Várok, amíg megjössz.
    Várok, amíg meg nem jössz.

    Without 'nem', the sentence sounds like 'I wait as long as you are arriving'. To say 'until', you must use the negative 'until you do NOT arrive'.

  • Using 'amíg' with a noun instead of a clause.

    Amíg hétfő.
    Hétfőig.

    Use the suffix -ig for nouns. 'Amíg' is a conjunction and must be followed by a verb/clause.

How It Connects

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

amíg / mígLevel 3While / Until

Learn This First

To understand 'amíg' and 'míg', learners must first be familiar with the terminative suffix '-ig' which expresses 'until'. Additionally, knowledge of relative pronouns (like 'ami') is necessary because 'amíg' functions as a relative adverb to link a subordinate temporal clause to a main clause. Familiarity with 'még' (still) also helps in grasping the durative 'while' aspect of the pattern.

Words in This Pattern

amígmíg