gondoskodtak

Gondoskodtak is a Hungarian verb form meaning "they took care of" or "they cared for." It is the third-person plural past tense (simple past) of the verb gondoskodni, which means to take care or to look after. The form can be used in literal contexts—taking care of people, animals, or property—as well as in figurative senses, such as ensuring that something is taken care of or arranged.

Etymology and morphology: gondoskododni is built on the stem gondoskod- plus the infinitive suffix -ni. The past tense plural suffix -tak (often written as -ták depending on harmony) is attached to the stem, yielding gondoskodtak. The pronunciation emphasizes the first syllable: GON-dos-kod-tak.

Usage notes: gondoskodtak is used when the subject is plural and the action occurred in the past. It commonly appears with objects in the accusative or with prepositional phrases such as róla/róla, a gyerekekről, a betegekről, etc. Examples include:

- A szülők gondoskodtak a gyerekekről. (The parents took care of the children.)

- A kórházi dolgozók gondoskodtak a betegekről. (The hospital staff took care of the patients.)

- Gondoskodtak róla, hogy minden rendben legyen. (They took care of him/her, ensuring that everything was in order.)

Related forms: gondoskodás (care, provision), gondoskodó (caregiving, caring), gondozás (caretaking or nursing). The verb is commonly contrasted with elhanyagolás, meaning neglect.

See also: gondoskodás, gondozó, gondozás.

---