étja

Útja is a Hungarian noun formed from the base word út (road, way) with the third-person possessive suffix -ja, yielding útja. The construction designates something that belongs to or is associated with someone, in this case a road or path belonging to or taken by that person. In practice the term is most often interpreted literally as a path or route connected to a person, and also used in a figurative sense to indicate a person’s life course or chosen direction.

Etymology and form: út is the noun for “road” or “way.” The possessive suffix -ja attaches to the stem, producing útja. The form is common when speaking of a specific person’s road or path and can be contracted or expanded with pronouns as az ő útja (his/her/its road or path). The word appears in contexts where the belonging or association of the road or path to a subject is being emphasized.

Usage and nuances: útja can be used literally to refer to a particular route or road associated with someone, as in a sentence describing where that person’s road leads. It is equally common in figurative language to speak of life directions, decisions, or long-term plans as someone’s útja, for example when discussing career choices or personal trajectories. Verbs that relate to changing direction or path, such as megváltoztatja az útját (he/they changes his/her/its path), are typical uses.

See also: út (road, way); személyes birtokos jelzői formák (possessive forms) in Hungarian; figurative language for paths and life trajectories. Notes on pronunciation and stress align with standard Hungarian phonology for compound forms of út.