becsapni

Becsapni is a Hungarian verb meaning to deceive, to fool, or to trick someone. It is used as a transitive, perfective verb that describes causing another person to believe something that is not true.

Etymology and sense: The form combines the prefix be- with the verb csap, which originally means to strike or hit. The figurative development of the word conveys “to strike someone with a false impression,” later extended to mean mislead or swindle.

Usage and examples: Becsapni takes a direct object, as in becsapni valakit (to deceive someone). Common sentences include: A hirdetés becsapta a vásárlókat hamis ígéretekkel (The advertisement deceived the customers with false promises). A csaló becsapta őt egy látszólag kedvező ajánlattal (The con man duped him with a seemingly favorable offer). The phrase magát becsapni means to fool oneself. The past participle is becsapott, and the verb forms include becsapok, becsapol, becsapod, becsapja, etc., depending on the subject.

Related terms: The noun becsapás denotes deception or fraud, and synonyms include átverés and megcsalás, used in contexts ranging from everyday misrepresentation to organized fraud.

See also: becsapás, átverés.