lefelé

Lefelé is a Hungarian adverb of direction meaning downward or toward the lower part. It is used to describe movement, orientation, or position relative to a higher point and is the natural counterpart to felfelé, meaning upward.

Etymology and formation: The term combines the prefix le- (downward) with the directional element felé, forming a fixed expression that denotes movement toward the bottom. It is used primarily with verbs of motion and with nouns referring to vertical position or elevation.

Usage: Lefelé modifies verbs of motion or spatial description. Examples include: A víz lefelé folyik a lejtőn. (Water flows downward along the slope.) A grafikon lefelé mutat. (The graph shows a downward trend.) A turisták lefelé haladnak a dombról. (The tourists proceed downhill from the hill.) Beyond physical direction, lefelé can describe downward trends in data, economics, or measurements, as in a graph or chart indicating a decline.

See also and related terms: Le felé/lfelé is the basic directional pair in Hungarian, with felfelé meaning upward. Le felé is often contrasted with felfelé to express opposite directions, while remaining part of common spatial and figurative language.