barátokkal

Barátokkal is a Hungarian phrase meaning “with friends.” It is the instrumental plural form of the noun barát (friend) used to express accompaniment or association with a group of friends. The expression is common in both spoken and written Hungarian and denotes doing something together with friends rather than alone.

Formation and grammar: The base is barátok (friends). To indicate “with” in the instrumental, Hungarian uses the suffix -kal/-kkel. After a plural stem that ends in a consonant, the suffix appears as -kal and combines with the stem to produce barátokkal. The exact form is determined by vowel harmony, but in ordinary use barátokkal is the standard pronunciation and writing.

Usage: Barátokkal is used to describe actions performed in the company of friends. Examples: “A barátokkal mentem a moziba” (I went to the cinema with friends), “A barátokkal töltött hétvége nagyon jó volt” (The weekend spent with friends was very good). It can also be contrasted with narrower forms like barátaimmal (with my friends) or együtt with the same meaning in slightly different nuance.

Related forms and nuances: Barátokkal emphasizes accompaniment as a group activity, while barátaimmal emphasizes the possessive relation to the speaker’s own friends. Other related phrases include baráti kör (circle of friends) and baráti társaságban (in a circle of friends). In most everyday contexts, barátokkal is the natural choice to express “with friends” in Hungarian.