rátával

Rátával is a Hungarian instrumental form derived from the noun ráta, meaning rate. It is formed by adding the instrumental suffix -val/-vel to ráta, yielding rátával. This construction is not a separate lexical item but a grammatical form used to express manner or method.

In usage, rátával indicates that an action is performed according to a specified rate or by applying that rate. It is most common in technical, financial, actuarial, and statistical contexts, where quantities are often calculated or adjusted by a rate. The form can modify verbs in phrases such as rátával számolva or rátával szorozva, conveying “calculated at the rate” or “multiplied by the rate.” It is typically found in written, formal prose rather than casual speech.

Rátával functions similarly to other instrumental expressions in Hungarian, emphasizing the means or method by which a calculation or change is carried out. Because it is a specialized grammatical vehicle, its appearance is most frequent in technical documents, reports, or academic writing discussing rates, taxes, interest, or growth projections.

See also: ráta (rate), szorozni (to multiply), számolni (to calculate), gyorsulás üteme or growth rate terms in Hungarian.

Notes: The form aligns with Hungarian vowel harmony rules, and the appropriate suffix is chosen as -val after a final vowel. Its semantic value is tied to the concept of rate-based calculation or adjustment, rather than representing a standalone lexical category.