Szétesik

Szétesik is a Hungarian verb meaning to fall apart or to disintegrate. It is intransitive and can describe physical objects that break into pieces as well as abstract things such as plans, systems, or reputations that lose coherence. The term often implies a gradual decline or a sudden collapse and is commonly used with darabokra to emphasize fragmentation, for example, a scene can “fall apart into pieces.”

Etymology and form: the word comes from the prefix szét-, meaning apart or into pieces, combined with esik, meaning to fall. The sense is thus “to fall apart.” It is an intransitive verb of the -ik conjugation group. The infinitive is szétesni; the present-tense third-person singular form is szétesik; the past tense form is szétesett. Other forms follow standard Hungarian conjugation for -ik verbs.

Usage and nuances: szétesik is used for both tangible and intangible breakage. It can describe objects breaking into pieces, such as glass or fabric, as well as systems, plans, or structures that lose coherence. The phrase szétesik darabokra explicitly emphasizes fragmentation: “It falls apart into pieces.” In figurative contexts, one can say a plan or institution szétesik to indicate collapse or loss of functionality.

Related terms: while szétesik emphasizes disintegration, other Hungarian verbs convey related ideas with different nuances, such as szétnyílik (to split apart) or széttörik (to break into pieces due to breakage). The prefix szét- frequently appears with various verbs to signal separation or fragmentation.