Régebbi

Régebbi is the comparative form of the Hungarian adjective régi, meaning “older” or “more ancient.” It is used to compare two or more items in terms of age, antiquity, or version, indicating that one item is older than another. The term can describe people, objects, editions, or versions, depending on context.

Formation and usage: Régebbi is formed by attaching the comparative suffix -bb to the stem régi, with standard Hungarian spelling rules applying the doubled consonant. It is typically placed before the noun it modifies: régebbi könyv (an older book) or régebbi kiadás (an older edition). In a comparison clause, it appears with mint: Ez a kiadás régebbi, mint az előző kiadás (This edition is older than the previous one).

Predicative use and nuance: In everyday speech, régebbi can occur in predicative constructions within comparative contexts, as in Ez régebbi, amikor összehasonlítjuk az előző verzióval (This is older when compared with the previous version). The word emphasizes relative age or version rather than a strict sequence.

Related terms and distinctions: Hungarian also uses korábbi and előző to convey related ideas. Korábbi stresses earlier in time or prior in general terms, while előző refers to a preceding item in a specific sequence. Régebbi specifically highlights relative age or antiquity between items being compared.

Superlative form: The corresponding superlative is legrégebbi, meaning “oldest” or “oldest one.” This form is used when ranking several items by age or historical precedence.