Hihetetlenül

Hihetetlenül is a Hungarian adverb used to express a very high degree, roughly equivalent to “incredibly,” “unbelievably,” or “extremely” in English. It modifies adjectives or verbs to intensify the meaning, and is formed from the adjective hihetetlen (unbelievable) plus the adverbial suffix -ül. In Hungarian, the stress generally falls on the first syllable of the word, so hihetetlenül is pronounced with emphasis on the first syllable.

In use, hihetetlenül typically precedes the word it modifies: for example, hihetetlenül gyorsan futott means “he ran incredibly fast,” and hihetetlenül jó volt a koncert means “the concert was unbelievably good.” When modifying a verb through an adjective or another adverb, the same pattern applies: hihetetlenül seal a context of intensity is conveyed by placing hihetetlenül before the word describing the manner.

The term is neutral and widely used in everyday speech, journalism, and literature, but it conveys strong emphasis and can sound hyperbolic if overused. In more formal writing, speakers sometimes opt for alternatives such as rendkívül (extremely) or igazán (really) for a more measured tone.

Related forms include hihetetlen (adjective: unbelievable) and, less commonly, hihetetlenebb (comparative). Hihetetlenül remains the standard adverbial form in most contexts.