Kétségbe

Kétségbe is the illative form of the Hungarian noun kétség, meaning doubt. In usage, kétségbe expresses movement into a mental or emotional state, specifically into doubt or despair. The form is most often found in constructions with verbs of change or movement, such as esik (to fall) or in compound verbs like kétségbeesik (to become desperate). The common noun for the resulting emotional state is kétségbeesés, or simply despair.

Grammatically, kétségbe is a case form of kétség, not a separate independent word. It is typically attached to verbs that describe a transition into a new state. In everyday language, both kétségbe esik (two words) and kétségbeesik (one word) are used, with the latter becoming a standard compound verb meaning “to become desperate.”

Usage and nuance: kétségbe implies entering a state characterized by doubt, hopelessness, or distress. It appears in contexts of crisis, uncertainty, or emotional strain. The phrase is common in literary and journalistic Hungarian and can describe individuals, groups, or situations that experience a loss of confidence or hope.

Related terms include kétség (doubt) and kétségbeesés (despair). While kétségbe focuses on the direction into a state of uncertainty, kétségbeesés denotes the resulting feeling or condition. Overall, kétségbe serves as a grammatical marker that helps convey a shift into an emotional state within idiomatic expressions.