irányába

Irányába is a Hungarian directional postposition meaning "toward" or "in the direction of." It is formed from the noun irány (direction) and a suffix that marks motion toward something. The expression indicates the target of movement, gaze, influence, or attention and is used to describe where someone or something is heading.

Typical usage

- The construction follows a noun and is put after the target: [target] irányába. Examples include észak irányába (toward the north) or a város irányába (toward the city).

- It functions as an adverbial complement, commonly in sentences describing physical movement: A hajó az észak irányába halad. (The ship sails toward the north.)

- It can also appear in figurative contexts, referring to goals, plans, or policies: Az új irányába mutató lépések egy együttműködés felé viszik a projektet. (The steps moving toward the new direction push the project toward cooperation.)

Relation to other expressions

- Irányába is more formal or literary than the everyday alternative felé, which is often preferred in casual speech. Both convey direction, but felé is more common in spoken language, while irányába appears more in formal, technical, or descriptive contexts.

Variability and nuance

- The phrase emphasizes the target direction rather than the distance to the target. It can describe spatial movement as well as directional emphasis in abstract or strategic contexts.

See also

- Postpositions in Hungarian

- Felé (toward)

- Irány (direction)