csak

Csak is a common Hungarian word meaning "only" or "merely." It functions as an adverb, a conjunction, and a sentence modifier, and it is used to restrict the scope of a statement, to soften requests, or to emphasize a point.

As an adverb, csak precedes the element it limits: for example, “Csak egy kicsit fáradt vagyok” (I’m only a little tired) or “Csak egy pohár vizet kérek” (Please, just a glass of water). As a conjunction, it introduces restrictive or conditional clauses: “Csak akkor megyek, ha megkapom az engedélyt” (I’ll go only if I get the permit). It can also serve as a sentence modifier in phrases such as “Csak idő kérdése” (It’s only a matter of time) or “Csak így lehet megoldani” (This is the only way to solve it).

In negated constructions, the phrase nem csak… hanem… is widely used to mean "not only… but also": for example, “Nem csak gyors, hanem pontos is” (Not only fast, but also accurate). The word often appears in everyday speech to narrow scope, contrast options, or steer the listener’s expectations.

Etymology and classification: the precise origin of csak is not definitively settled, but it is regarded as a long-established native Hungarian word rather than a borrow. It belongs to function words that shape emphasis and scope rather than to content words, and it interacts with negation and emphasis in a range of common expressions.

Translations of csak depend on context but include "only," "just," and "merely."