Távol

Távol is a Hungarian adverb meaning far away or at a distance. It is used to describe spatial separation, as in the house being far from the city, or more generally to indicate a considerable gap in distance or relevance. The word can also function in expressions that convey figurative distance, such as emotional or temporal separation.

The core meaning of távol stems from the Hungarian root táv, which denotes distance. Related forms include távoli, an adjective meaning distant or remote, and távolság, the noun for distance. The adverb távol is often contrasted with nearby terms such as közel (near) and messze (far, in a more emphatic sense).

In usage, távol commonly appears with verbs of being or existing, for example: A ház távol van a községtől (The house is far from the village). It can also appear with prepositional phrases indicating from where something is distant, such as várostól távol (far from the city). The comparative form távolabb means farther away, and the superlative leg távolabb or legmesszebb can be used to denote the farthest.

Differences from related words: messze is a close synonym often used for emphasis of extent, while távol emphasizes position and separation. közel refers to proximity. Távol is versatile in both literal and figurative contexts, but its use tends toward specifying a clear spatial or figurative distance.

See also: táv, távoli, távolság, messze, közel.