Azóta

Azóta is a Hungarian adverb meaning "since then" or "from that time on." It marks a time interval that begins at a reference moment mentioned earlier in discourse and extends to the present or to another point in time. It is commonly used in both spoken and written Hungarian to relate events to a past reference point.

Etymology and form: azóta is a fixed compound formed from az, meaning "that," and óta, meaning "since" or "for." As a temporal adverb, it functions independently within a sentence and is closely related to longer phrases such as attól a pillanattól kezdve, which also denote the starting point of a time period.

Usage and nuance: azóta is typically used with verbs in present or perfect forms to express continuity from the reference moment to now. It can appear in affirmative statements, negatives, and narratives, underscoring the ongoing effect of that initial moment. In some cases, it combines with additional modifiers or particles to emphasize duration or continuity, for example azóta is or azóta is csak.

Examples:

- Azóta tíz év telt el. (Ten years have passed since then.)

- Azóta nem láttam őt. (I haven’t seen him since then.)

- Azóta minden megváltozott. (Since then, everything has changed.)

See also: temporal adverbs in Hungarian, attól a pillanattól kezdve, óta, időhatározók. Azóta provides a concise way to anchor events to a preceding reference point and is a standard tool in narrative and explanatory contexts.