Félre

Félre is a Hungarian word that functions both as a spatial adverb and as a verbal preverb that modifies the meaning of verbs. In everyday use, it can appear as a separate particle meaning “to the side, aside,” or as a prefix attached to verbs to indicate deviation, error, or removal from a course.

As a prefix, félre- attaches to a base verb to convey the sense of doing something wrongly or misleadingly. Common examples include félreért (to misunderstand), félreértelmez (to misinterpret), félrevezet (to mislead), and félretesz (to put aside). This productive prefix creates nuanced verbs related to error, misdirection, or keeping something away from the intended outcome.

As an adverb or directional particle, félre denotes spatial orientation, equivalent to “to the side” or “aside.” It is used in imperatives or descriptive phrases to indicate moving out of the way or separating something from the main line, as in állj félre meaning “stand aside” or menj félre meaning “move to the side.”

Phonology and orthography: félre is pronounced with the long e sound in the first syllable and stress on the first syllable: [ˈfeːlrɛ]. The accent is integral to distinguishing it from related forms. When used as a prefix, it remains attached to the verb stem (e.g., félreért, félrevezet); when used as an adverb, it stands as a separate word.

Etymology: the particle likely derives from fél, meaning “half” or “side,” with a directional sense that signals deviation or moving away from a main line. In Hungarian, félre is part of a broader set of preverbs that alter verb meaning.