When you want to say that someone is going to lie down specifically to sleep, the Hungarian verb you're looking for is lefekszik.
This is a common verb you'll hear when talking about bedtime or resting before sleep. It's a compound verb, and the 'le-' prefix indicates a downward motion, which makes sense for lying down.
You'll use this verb often in daily conversations about sleep routines.
When you want to express the action of lying down specifically for the purpose of going to sleep, the Hungarian verb lefekszik is your go-to word. It directly translates to "lies down" and implicitly carries the meaning of doing so in preparation for sleep.
Think of it as a more specific and common way to say "goes to bed" in English, but literally referring to the act of lying down. You'll often hear it in contexts like "lefekszem aludni" (I lie down to sleep) or simply "lefekszem" when the context of sleep is clear.
§ Understanding 'lefekszik'
The Hungarian verb 'lefekszik' is super useful. It means 'to lie down', specifically when you're going to sleep. It's a compound verb, which means it's made of a prefix ('le-') and a base verb ('fekszik'). Don't worry too much about the parts right now; just focus on the whole meaning.
- DEFINITION
- To lie down (to sleep).
§ How to use 'lefekszik' in a sentence
When you use 'lefekszik', you're talking about the action of getting into a lying position, typically in a bed, to sleep. Let's look at some examples:
Este lefekszik a gyerek. (In the evening, the child lies down [to sleep].)
Fáradt vagyok, lefekszem. (I am tired, I will lie down [to sleep].)
Notice how the verb changes based on who is doing the action. Hungarian verbs conjugate, which means their endings change. Here's a quick look at the present tense conjugations for 'lefekszik':
- Én lefekszem (I lie down)
- Te lefekszel (You lie down - singular, informal)
- Ő lefekszik (He/She/It lies down)
- Mi lefekszünk (We lie down)
- Ti lefekszetek (You lie down - plural, informal)
- Ők lefekszenek (They lie down)
§ Prepositions with 'lefekszik'
While 'lefekszik' itself means 'to lie down (to sleep)', you often want to specify where you're lying down. In Hungarian, we use case endings or postpositions for this. The most common one you'll use is 'be' (into) or 'felé' (towards) if you're indicating direction.
Lefekszem az ágyba. (I lie down into the bed.)
A kutya lefekszik a takaró alá. (The dog lies down under the blanket.)
Here, 'az ágyba' means 'into the bed'. The '-ba/-be' suffix indicates motion into something. 'A takaró alá' means 'under the blanket', where 'alá' is a postposition showing motion under something. It's a bit different from English where we just say 'in' or 'under'.
§ Common mistakes to avoid
A common mistake for English speakers is to use 'fekszik' (to lie) without the 'le-' prefix when they mean 'to lie down to sleep'. While 'fekszik' means 'to be lying', 'lefekszik' specifically implies the action of getting into that position for rest. Think of 'le-' as adding the 'down' motion.
Helyesen: Már lefeküdtem. (Correct: I have already laid down [to sleep].)
Helytelen: Már feküdtem. (Incorrect: I was already lying. - This doesn't imply going to sleep.)
स्तर के अनुसार उदाहरण
Lefekszem aludni.
I lie down to sleep.
First person singular of 'lefekszik'.
Lefekszel?
Are you lying down?
Second person singular of 'lefekszik'.
Ő lefekszik.
He/she lies down.
Third person singular of 'lefekszik'.
Lefekszünk.
We lie down.
First person plural of 'lefekszik'.
Lefekszetek?
Are you all lying down?
Second person plural of 'lefekszik'.
Lefekszenek.
They lie down.
Third person plural of 'lefekszik'.
A baba lefekszik.
The baby lies down.
Third person singular of 'lefekszik'.
Este lefekszem.
I lie down in the evening.
First person singular of 'lefekszik' with time expression.
Anya, feküdj már le, késő van!
Mom, lie down, it's late!
Szeretek lefekvés előtt olvasni.
I like to read before lying down (going to sleep).
Miután megette a vacsorát, lefeküdt aludni.
After he ate dinner, he lay down to sleep.
Már alig várom, hogy lefeküdjek ma este.
I can hardly wait to lie down (go to sleep) tonight.
A kutya lefeküdt a szőnyegre, és elaludt.
The dog lay down on the rug and fell asleep.
Kérlek, ne feküdj le vizes hajjal!
Please, don't lie down with wet hair!
A gyerekek gyorsan lefeküdtek a mesekönyvekkel.
The children quickly lay down with the storybooks.
Holnap korán kell lefeküdnöm, mert sok dolgom lesz.
Tomorrow I have to lie down (go to sleep) early because I'll have a lot to do.
