Darabokban

Darabokban is a Hungarian adverbial expression meaning "in pieces" or "in fragments." It is formed from the noun darab (piece) in its plural darabok, plus the inessive suffix -ban, and it denotes a state rather than a process. The phrase is used for both physical objects and, by extension, figurative situations described as being divided or broken.

Grammatical notes: darabokban is a noun phrase in the inessive case that functions adverbially, often occurring with a copula or verbs indicating position or existence, such as van (is) or fekszik (lies). It emphasizes the current condition of something being split into pieces rather than the act of breaking itself.

Usage and examples: The expression is common in everyday Hungarian. For example, Az üveg darabokban hever a padlón means "The glass is in pieces on the floor." Another example: A tál darabokban van a dobozban is used to describe a container whose contents are already divided into pieces. In literature, darabokban can carry a slightly more tactile or dramatic nuance than simply saying "töredezett" (shattered).

Differences from related forms: Darabokra typically marks a directional or resultative step of breaking, as in darabokra törik, meaning "to break into pieces." Darabokban, by contrast, describes the resultant state after the act has occurred, focusing on the condition of being composed of pieces.

See also: darab, töredék, darabokra törik.