háttérbe

Háttérbe is a Hungarian adverbial and case-formed expression meaning "into the background" or "to the background." It derives from the noun háttér ("background") combined with the illative suffix -be, which indicates motion or transfer toward an interior or position. The term is used both literally and figuratively in everyday language and specialized contexts.

In literal senses, háttérbe describes moving a visual element or focus away from the foreground — for example, in photography, film and design when a subject is placed or shifted toward the background. In computing and technology, it appears in related forms (e.g., háttérben, meaning "in the background") to describe processes that run without active user interaction; háttérbe can imply the act of sending a task into that state.

Figuratively, háttérbe is common in social, political and cultural discourse to indicate marginalization or loss of prominence, as in phrases like háttérbe szorít ("to push into the background") or háttérbe kerül ("to be relegated to the background"). Collocations include háttérbe helyez ("to place into the background") and háttérbe szorul ("to be forced into the background").

Etymologically, the noun háttér is a calque influenced by German Hinter‑ (Hintergrund) and has been part of modern Hungarian vocabulary since the 19th century. Pronunciation can be approximated in English as "HAHT-ter-beh."