haszontalan

Haszontalan is a Hungarian adjective meaning useless or unprofitable, used to describe objects, actions, or efforts that do not provide practical benefit or yield little value. The term often carries a negative nuance, suggesting inefficiency or wasted resources.

Etymology and form: the word derives from haszon, meaning profit or benefit, combined with the suffix -talan, meaning without. Thus haszontalan literally means without benefit. It inflects like other Hungarian adjectives and agrees with the noun it modifies.

Usage and nuance: haszontalan is commonly applied in everyday language, in business, design, education, and critique, to label something as failing to achieve its intended purpose. It is similar to, but not always interchangeable with, felesleges (unnecessary) or hasznos (useful); haszontalan emphasizes lack of practical value rather than mere superfluity or need.

Translations and equivalents: in English, haszontalan is usually translated as "useless" or "unprofitable." In business contexts it can be rendered as "not cost-effective" or "unprofitable." Context determines whether it conveys uselessness, futility, or inefficient use of resources.

Examples:

- Ez a berendezés haszontalan, mert nem működik. (This equipment is useless because it does not work.)

- Az erőfeszítés haszontalan volt, mert semmi nem jött belőle. (The effort was useless because nothing came of it.)

- A projekt haszontalan volt és sok erőforrást pazarolt. (The project was unprofitable and wasted many resources.)

See also: hasznos, felesleges, haszon.