Szétválnak

Szétválnak is a Hungarian intransitive verb in the present tense, third-person plural form of szétválik. It means to separate, part ways, or split apart, referring to a division of physical objects, groups, paths, or more abstract concepts. The prefix szét- conveys separation, and válik conveys the idea of becoming or turning into something different. Szétválnak can be used both literally (roads or boundaries diverge) and metaphorically (opinions, plans, or loyalties diverge).

The term is distinct from szétválaszt, a transitive verb meaning to separate something into parts or to differentiate, and from szétválás, the noun for separation or split, with szétválasztás as the act of separating or differentiating.

Usage notes: In present-tense statements with szétválnak, the subject is typically plural (for example, baráti társaság tagjai szétválnak útjaik miatt, the members of a friend group part ways because of their paths). For a singular present, szétválik is used (Ő szétválik). Past tense forms include szétváltak for “they separated.” The construction is common in both everyday and formal discourse when describing division, divergence, or a break in continuity.

Examples:

- Az utak szétválnak a város határában. (The roads diverge at the edge of the city.)

- A baráti társaság tagjai szétválnak útjaik miatt. (The members of the friend group part ways due to their paths.)

- A kutatók nézetei szétválnak az új adatok hatására. (The researchers’ views diverge in light of the new data.)

See also: szétválás, szétválasztás.