Másfél

Másfél is a Hungarian numeral that denotes one and a half. It is a compound formed from más and fél, literally conveying “more/another half.” In standard usage it functions as a determiner or modifier before a noun and expresses a quantity of 1.5 units. In mathematical notation the decimal 1,5 is used, but when referring to amounts in speech or writing, magyar speakers commonly say másfél.

In practice, másfél is used before singular countable nouns to indicate an amount of one and a half of that noun. Examples include másfél óra (one and a half hours), másfél liter víz (one and a half liters of water), or másfél kiló alma (one and a half kilograms of apples). The phrase can be integrated into longer phrases and is compatible with standard Hungarian spelling and grammar. In informal speech, many people also say egy és fél as an alternative, particularly when emphasizing the roughly half-unit portion.

Etymologically, másfél is a native Hungarian compound rather than a loanword, reflecting the language’s habit of creating compact numerals for common fractional quantities. It appears across various registers, from everyday conversation to writing, and is widely understood in Hungarian-speaking communities.

In summary, másfél is the conventional Hungarian way to express the quantity of one and a half, used before a noun to specify amounts in everyday and formal contexts, with egy és fél serving as a common informal alternative.