Betegnél

Betegnél is a Hungarian locative form of the noun beteg, meaning "at the patient" or "at the bedside." It is used to indicate the location related to a patient and is common in medical or caregiving contexts.

Morphology and forms: In singular, the form is beteg + -nál/-nél, yielding betegnél for most cases (location at the patient). In plural, the locative form is betegeknél, derived from betegek (patients) plus the same locative suffix. The choice between -nál and -nél follows vowel harmony and conventional suffixation rules in Hungarian, with betegnél representing the singular locative form.

Usage: Betegnél denotes proximity or presence at the patient rather than direction toward the patient. It often appears with verbs of presence, care, or examination, such as "Az orvos a betegnél volt" (The doctor was at the patient), "A nővér a betegnél járt" (The nurse visited the patient). It can be contrasted with beteghez (to the patient) to express movement toward the patient rather than location at the patient.

Related forms: The singular and plural locative forms align with the noun’s number: betegnél (singular) and betegeknél (plural). The base noun beteg means "patient" and is related to other forms such as betegségek (illnesses) in medical vocabulary.

See also: beteg, nál/-nál suffix, locative case, Hungarian morphology, medical terminology in Hungarian.

Note: As with many Hungarian grammatical forms, exact usage can vary by region and register, but betegnél is the standard locative form for indicating the location at the patient in everyday and clinical language.