Hibáztak

Hibáztak is a Hungarian verb form meaning they blamed or faulted someone for something. It is the past tense, third person plural, of the verb hibáztatni (to blame, to accuse, to lay a fault on someone). The form is used when referring to actions taken by a group in the past.

Etymology and meaning: hibáztatni derives from the noun hiba, meaning fault or error, with the causative suffix -ztatni, which yields “to cause someone to be at fault” or “to blame.” The sense is to attribute responsibility for a fault or undesired outcome to a person or group. The base verb expresses transitive action and typically requires an object indicating who or what is blamed, often followed by a marker such as a for-phrase or a direct object in Hungarian sentences.

Usage and grammar: hibáztak is used when the subject is plural and the action occurred in the past. The sentence structure generally follows Subject + hibáztak + (valakit/valamiért) to indicate who or what is blamed, though word order can vary in Hungarian. Related forms include hibáztattak (they blamed/accused someone), hibáztatni (to blame), and hibáztatott (he/she blamed or was blamed, depending on the form). The term is common in journalism, political discourse, and everyday speech when assigning responsibility for a fault or problem.

Examples:

- A vizsgálat szerint többen hibáztattak valakit a balesetért.

- A jelentésben megállapították, hogy több vezető hibáztatott egy adott csapatot a késésekért.

See also: hibáztat, hibáztatás, hibázik (to err).