törekedni

Törekedni is a Hungarian verb meaning to strive, to endeavour, or to make an effort to achieve something; it also conveys a sense of aiming or aspiring to a goal. The word is often used to describe deliberate, sustained effort rather than a single attempt and can express personal ambition, organizational aims, or moral commitments.

Etymology and forms: Törekedni is derived from the noun törekvés, meaning striving or endeavour, with the infinitive suffix -edni. Related forms include törekvő (an aspiring person) and törekvés (the act or state of striving). The verb is conjugated regularly in Hungarian, with forms such as törekedik (present), törekedett (past), and törekedtek (past plural), among others, depending on subject and tense.

Usage and constructions: Common constructions include törekszik vmire or törekszik a vmire/felé, indicating striving toward or in the direction of a goal. Typical targets are abstract ideals (az igazságra, a jó életre) and concrete aims (sikerre, jobb körülményekre). The expression is frequent in formal writing, policy discourse, journalism, and literary contexts, but it also appears in everyday speech.

Examples:

- A diákok törekszenek a jó eredményekre.

- A vállalat törekszik a fenntartható növekedésre.

- Ő törekszik az igazságra.

Nuance: törekedni emphasizes deliberate, long-term effort and persistence, distinguishing it from more casual “to try” terms such as igyekezni. The adjective törekvő can describe someone as aspiring or ambitious.

See also: törekvés, törekvő, igyekezni, ambíció.