meglát

Meglát is a Hungarian verb built from the base lát (to see) with the perfective prefix meg-, which signals a completed act of perceiving or a momentary realization. The form is transitive and typically governs a direct object that represents what is seen or noticed. In contrast to lát, which can describe ongoing seeing, meglát conveys catching sight of something or realizing something at a specific moment.

Etymology and grammar

The prefix meg- adds a sense of completion or accomplishment to the act of seeing. The infinitive is meglátni, and common finite forms include meglátom (I will see / I will notice), meglátod (you will see), and meglátja (he/she/it will see). Past forms can be meglátta (he saw) or megláttam (I saw). The word also yields the noun meglátás, meaning perception, sight, or figurative realization/understanding.

Usage

Meglát is used when emphasizing the moment of noticing or discovering something, whether physical sight or understanding. It frequently appears in contexts such as:

- I will notice/see: Meglátom a fény miatt a kivilágítást.

- I noticed: Megláttam a madarat az ablakban.

- Realize/understand: Meglátja, hogy tévedett (he will realize that he was wrong).

Nuances

Meglát often conveys a quicker, more decisive act than simple lát, and it can carry figurative meanings like realizing a truth or recognizing a problem. The noun meglátás captures related ideas of perception and insight.

See also

Lát, meg-, megértés, megragadtat’s examples of prefixal verbs in Hungarian.