ölni

ölni is the infinitive form of the Hungarian verb meaning to kill, i.e., to cause the death of a living being. It is a transitive verb and normally takes a direct object in the accusative, as in phrases describing the act of killing a person or an animal. The noun form ölés denotes the act of killing, while gyilkosság refers to murder in a legal or criminal context. The distinction between killing in general and murder is common in Hungarian usage.

In everyday language, öli is used across a range of registers from ordinary speech to news reporting and literature. The verb can describe intentional killing as well as lethal harm in various situations, with the context clarifying intent, legality, or moral evaluation. The imperative form and other mood variants are used to express commands, requests, or hypothetical scenarios, such as discussions of consequences or ethics surrounding killing.

Etymology of the word is traditional and rooted in long-standing Hungarian vocabulary; it is considered a core verb of the language. Linguists generally place it within the historical development of Hungarian and note connections to related words in the broader Uralic language family, though precise roots are a matter of scholarly discussion.

Related terms include ölés (the act of killing), gyilkosság (murder), and halál (death). The verb forms part of discussions in law, ethics, literature, and everyday speech when describing actions that result in death.