Szedeget

Szedeget is a Hungarian verb meaning to pick up or gather small items bit by bit, often in a casual, somewhat scattered manner. It can describe physical actions, such as collecting crumbs or trinkets from a surface, as well as more figurative ones, like gathering information or objects in a loose, piecemeal way.

Etymology and form. Szedeget derives from the verb szed-, meaning “to pick” or “to harvest,” with an iterative or distributive nuance added by the -get suffix. The form indicates repeated, light, or haphazard action. The gerund form szedegetés refers to the act of picking up bits and pieces, and szedegető can denote a person who habitually engages in such picking.

Usage and examples. Szedeget is commonly used in everyday speech to describe collecting small, often low-value items. For example: A gyerekek a padlón hagyott morzsákat szedegették fel. (The children were pick­ing up the crumbs left on the floor.) Ő mindig apró dolgokat szedeget fel az asztalról. (He always picks up small things from the table.) The term can also convey a sense of tidying or scavenging in a relaxed, unhurried manner, rather than systematic organizing.

Related terms. A closely related concept is gyűjtöget, meaning to collect or hoard bit by bit over time, typically with a more intentional or accumulative nuance. Szedeget is more about the act of picking up items in the moment rather than deliberate accumulation.

See also. Hungarian vocabulary on everyday actions, collecting or tidying verbs.