Tanácsot

Tanácsot is the accusative singular form of the Hungarian noun tanács, which primarily means advice or counsel. In general usage, tanácsot refers to a piece of guidance given to someone or sought by someone, rather than to a council as a formal body.

The word is used when it serves as the direct object of a verb. Common constructions include tanácsot adni (to give advice), tanácsot kérni (to ask for advice), and tanácsot kapni (to receive advice). A person may also act on it: megfogadni a tanácsot (to heed the advice) or nem hallgatni a tanácsot (to ignore the advice). Because Hungarian does not require articles in the same way as some languages, you can say simply tanácsot egyenként vagy a tanácsot without an article in many contexts.

The sense of tanács as guidance can be personal, professional, or juridical, and it often carries a nuanced distinction from the related noun útmutatás (instructions) or tanácstagok (council members) in the plural. It is less common to use tanácsot to refer to a formal body; in that case, the noun tanács is typically used, as in a városi tanács (city council).

Translations into English are primarily advice or counsel, depending on context. The accusative tanácsot is therefore most frequently encountered in phrases describing the giving, asking, or following of guidance.