Tapasztalat

Tapasztalat is a Hungarian noun meaning experience, knowledge gained through doing, observing, or living through events. It covers practical know-how as well as broader life lessons and is used for both personal and professional contexts. The term can refer to a single learning moment or to the cumulative skills and insights someone has acquired over time.

Etymology and sense: Tapasztalat derives from the verb tapasztalni, meaning to experience or feel through contact. Historically linked to touch and perception, the noun now denotes knowledge obtained by practice and observation rather than theory alone. It contrasts with tudás (knowledge) and is often distinguished from ismeret (information) or more theoretical forms of understanding.

Usage: In everyday speech, one may talk about sok tapasztalat (a lot of experience) or élettapasztalat (life experience). In professional contexts, it is common to specify évek tapasztalata or 3 év tapasztalat in resumes and job postings. Phrases such as tapasztalatot szerez (to gain experience) and tapasztalattal rendelkezik (has experience) are common; gyakorlati tapasztalat emphasizes hands-on skills, while elméleti tapasztalat refers to experience gained through theory-based activities.

Related terms and data: élettapasztalat for life experience; empirikus tapasztalat and tapasztalati adatok appear in research and applied sciences to describe knowledge based on observation or experiments. The distinction between tapasztalat and tudás is that experience often denotes tacit, context-dependent know-how acquired through action rather than explicit information.