Befejezettség

Befejezettség is a linguistic term describing the feature of a verb phrase that presents the action as completed or finished. In many languages it is associated with the perfective aspect, which emphasizes the endpoint and overall completion of an event rather than its ongoing process or repetition. The category is about the view of the event, not solely about when it happens.

In Hungarian grammar, befejezettség is used to distinguish completed actions from those that are still in progress or repeated. An action marked with befejezettség tends to focus on the result and the fact that the event has reached its endpoint. Verbs can express this through specific forms, sometimes aided by prefixes such as meg- to signal completion. For example, megírtam a levelet indicates that I have finished writing the letter, whereas írok egy levelet emphasizes the act of writing without asserting completion.

The distinction between befejezettség (completed) and nem befejezett vagy imperfectív (uncompleted) is important for interpretation, aspect, and aspectual contrast in Hungarian. Context, tense, and aspect interact to determine whether a sentence describes a finished result or an ongoing process. The concept has parallels in many languages, where a similar distinction between completed and ongoing actions helps speakers convey nuance about timing, endpoints, and consequences.

In linguistic analysis, befejezettség helps explain how speakers encode aspectual meaning, how verbs combine with tense and mood, and how completion of an action affects interpretation in narrative and discourse.