Elérni

Elérni is a Hungarian verb meaning to reach, to attain, or to contact. It is a transitive verb used with a direct object to express arriving at a location, achieving a goal, or getting in touch with someone. The sense can be physical, such as reaching a destination, or abstract, such as reaching a decision or a milestone. The action is typically presented as a completed achievement rather than an ongoing process, reflecting the verb’s aspect.

In usage, elérni combines with nouns that denote targets or contact points. Examples include elérni a célt (to reach the goal), elérni egy személyt (to contact/reach a person), or elérni egy beszélgetést (to reach someone in a conversation). The expression can be followed by phrases indicating means or conditions, such as by phone, by email, or through effort. In everyday language, it often appears in past tense to emphasize successful attainment, as in megcsináltam/elértem a célt (I reached the goal).

Etymologically, elérni is formed with the prefix el-, which conveys attainment or completion, attached to the root ér- or érni, meaning to reach or to be sufficient in older usage. Related forms include elérhető (reachable, accessible) and elérhetőség (reachability, accessibility), which derive from the same root and convey related ideas about access and possibility.

Notes on usage: elérni often implies a definite result or outcome rather than mere potential. It can pair with modal or temporal expressions to indicate feasibility or timing. See also érni, a more general root related to reaching or sufficiency in Hungarian.