Megtartani

Megtartani is a Hungarian verb meaning to retain, keep, or maintain. It is used to express the act of keeping something in a given state, holding onto an object, or preserving a condition, rule, or memory. The sense can cover physical possession, social or professional status, or informational retention, depending on context.

Etymology and form: The verb is formed from the stem tart, meaning to hold, with the prefix meg-, which in Hungarian often signals completion or achievement. The infinitive suffix -ani yields megltartani as the basic infinitive. The related noun is megtartás, which denotes retention or keeping. The prefix meg- is common across many Hungarian perfective verbs, signaling a completed action.

Grammar and usage: Megtartani is a transitive verb and requires a direct object in the accusative case. Common constructions include retaining employees, keeping a rule, or maintaining an existing state. Examples in English translations include: “The company tried to retain its employees” (A cég megpróbálta megtartani a dolgozóit), “We must retain the previous state” (Meg kell tartani a korábbi állapotot), and “The politician promised to retain his position” (Ő megígérte, hogy megtartja a posztját). In present tense, the forms are megtartom, megtartod, megtartja, megtartjuk, megtartjátok, megtartják. Past tense forms include megtartottam, megtartottad, megtartotta, etc., with future forms built from auxiliary constructions like fogom megtartani in typical usage.

Semantic nuances: Megtartani emphasizes a deliberate action to prevent loss and to maintain something over time, distinguishing it from tartani (to hold) and megőrizni (to preserve, often with a broader sense of safeguarding). Related terms include megtartás (retention) and megőrzés (preservation).

See also: tartás, megőrzés, megtartás.