éslelni

**éslelni** is a Hungarian verb meaning "to listen" or "to hear." It is a fundamental part of the Hungarian language, used in both spoken and written communication. The verb is irregular in its conjugation, reflecting the language's agglutinative nature, where suffixes are added to the stem to indicate tense, mood, and person.

The base form of the verb is *éslel*, though it is most commonly encountered in its infinitive form, *éslelni*. In present tense, the verb conjugates as follows: *éslek* (I listen), *észel* (you listen), *észel* (he/she/it listens), *észelünk* (we listen), *észétek* (you all listen), and *észlik* (they listen). The past tense forms include *ésleltem* (I listened), *ésleltél* (you listened), *éslelt* (he/she/it listened), and so on.

The verb *éslelni* can be used both literally and figuratively. Literally, it describes the act of perceiving sound, such as listening to music or a conversation. Figuratively, it may imply paying attention or understanding, as in *észelni valakit* ("to listen to someone"). The verb is often paired with prepositions like *be-* (indicating active listening) or *fel-* (suggesting attentive listening).

In modern Hungarian, *éslelni* is frequently contrasted with *hallani*, another verb meaning "to hear." While *hallani* refers more to passive perception of sound, *éslelni* emphasizes active engagement or attention. The distinction is subtle but important in nuanced communication.

The verb appears in various idiomatic expressions, such as *észelni a szívét* ("to listen to one's heart"), which suggests making a decision based on intuition rather than logic. Its usage extends across literature, media, and everyday conversation, making it a versatile and essential part of Hungarian verbal expression.