Naptól

Naptól is a Hungarian postposition formed by combining the noun nap (meaning sun or day) with the suffix -tól, used to express a starting point in space or time. As a single word, naptól functions as a directional or temporal reference and is not a standalone lexical item with its own independent meaning beyond this grammatical role. The form is part of the broader system of Hungarian postpositions, where the base noun takes a suffix to indicate origin or commencement.

Etymology and form

The word is built from nap plus the directional suffix -tól, yielding a phonologically regular form naptól. The same suffix pattern can attach to other nouns (for example hétfőtől meaning from Monday). In practice, naptól can appear in various noun phrases or in fixed expressions that denote the moment or point from which something begins.

Usage

Naptól is used to mark the starting point of a period of time or a spatial reference. In temporal phrases, it can indicate when an event or period begins, especially in formal or technical language, often alongside other temporal expressions within longer constructions. In spatial or measurement contexts, it can denote origin or departure from a reference point associated with the sun or the day, though the exact semantic emphasis depends on the surrounding words.

Variants and related forms

Related forms are created by attaching -tól to other time-related or locational nouns, such as hétfőtől (from Monday) or naptól kezdve (starting from the day). The choice between different postpositions (such as tól/től or from-and-to constructions) follows general Hungarian rules for postpositional phrases and demonstratives.

See also

Hungarian grammar: postpositions, tól/től suffixes; nap (sun/day).