fordulhat

Fordulhat is a Hungarian verb meaning may turn or could turn, used to express possibility or probability that something will go in a certain direction. It is the potential mood form of the verb fordul, which means to turn, rotate, or face. The potential is formed with the suffix -hat or -het attached to the verb stem, following vowel harmony; the basic present form is fordulhat, and more specific forms can appear with prefixes such as meg-, el-, or vissza- to modify the sense (for example megfordulhat, elfordulhat).

The word is versatile and appears in both literal and figurative contexts. It can describe physical turning, such as a wheel, a vehicle, or a person changing direction, as well as more abstract changes, such as a situation or trend turning favorable or unfavorable. In usage, it often appears in clauses that express uncertainty, prediction, or hypothetical outcomes, sometimes with modifiers like talán or lehet.

Examples:

A kerék a kanyarban fordulhat. The wheel may turn in the bend.

A helyzet fordulhat úgy, hogy hosszú távon javul. The situation may turn out in such a way that it improves in the long run.

Etymology and related terms: fordulhat is formed from fordul plus the modal suffix -hat/-het. Related words include fordulás (turn, rotation) and forduló (turning point, turning). See also megfordulás, elfordulás for related directional nuances.