szégyenben

Szégyenben is a Hungarian adverbial noun form meaning "in shame" or "ashamed." It conveys a state of moral or social embarrassment and is used to describe a person or situation as being under the influence of shame. The phrase is most common in literary Hungarian but also appears in everyday speech to emphasize the seriousness of embarrassment or public reproach.

Grammatically, szégyenben is formed from the noun szégyen (shame) with the inessive suffix -ben, used with forms of the verb lenni (to be) to denote a state: van, volt, lehet. Examples: "A férfi szégyenben volt." "Szégyenben érzi magát." In everyday speech, speakers more often express the feeling of shame with "szégyelltem magam" or "szégyellem magam," while szégyenben emphasizes the state rather than the act of feeling ashamed.

Usage and nuance: The term underscores moral dimensions of embarrassment and may appear in poetry and prose to heighten dramatic effect. It is not a title or a proper noun; rather, it is a grammatical construction that describes a condition. Related terms include szégyen (shame), megszégyenítés (humiliation), and bűntudat (guilt).