Bizonyos

Bizonyos is a common Hungarian adjective meaning "certain" or "particular." It is used to indicate that a subset of a category is being referred to, often with an implicit or explicit limit. For example, the expression "bizonyos körülmények között" means "under certain circumstances," while "bizonyos emberek" means "certain people." The word helps to specify that not all members of a group are included.

In function, bizonyos typically precedes the noun it modifies and agrees in number and case with that noun. It can appear in singular or plural contexts and is widely used in formal, academic, and everyday language. It can also be combined with phrases like "bizonyos mértékben" (to some extent) to express partial or degree-based qualification.

Etymologically, bizonyos is formed from the adverb "bizony" (indeed, certainly) plus the adjectival suffix "-os," yielding a meaning close to "featuring certainty." The concept it expresses is closely related to synonyms such as "egyes" or "némely," though bizonyos carries a nuance of a definite but not specifically identified subset.

In usage, bizonyos often conveys a neutral or cautious qualification rather than a definite enumeration. It contrasts with "mindegyik" (every) or "minden" (all) and with "néhány" (a few) by signaling a definite but not exhaustive subset. The term is widely understood across Hungarian dialects and is a standard tool for precise description in both spoken and written language.