A1 Expression 중립

Tegnap.

Yesterday.

Phrase in 30 Seconds

Tegnap is the essential Hungarian word for 'yesterday,' used to anchor any conversation in the past.

  • Means: The day immediately preceding today.
  • Used in: Recounting stories, reporting work progress, or explaining absences.
  • Don't confuse: With 'holnap' (tomorrow), which sounds similar to beginners.
📅 - 1 Day = Tegnap ⏪

Explanation at your level:

Tegnap means 'the day before today'. We use it with past tense verbs. For example: 'Tegnap ettem.' (Yesterday I ate.) It is a very common word. You use it to talk about your day.
Tegnap is an adverb of time. It tells us when something happened. You can also say 'tegnapelőtt' for two days ago. If you add '-i', it becomes an adjective: 'tegnapi'. This describes things from yesterday, like 'tegnapi újság'.
In Hungarian, 'tegnap' functions as a temporal anchor. It is essential for narrative flow. Unlike English, it doesn't require prepositions. You can combine it with parts of the day, such as 'tegnap reggel' (yesterday morning) or 'tegnap délután' (yesterday afternoon).
Beyond its literal use, 'tegnap' appears in various idiomatic expressions. For instance, 'tegnapra kell' implies a task is overdue or extremely urgent. Understanding the adjectival form 'tegnapi' is crucial for discussing previous states or outdated information in professional contexts.
Linguistically, 'tegnap' is a fossilized compound. Its usage in literature often evokes a sense of immediate loss or recent memory. Advanced learners should master the nuances between 'tegnap éjjel' and 'múlt éjjel,' noting that 'tegnap' specifically emphasizes the 24-hour cycle.
The word 'tegnap' serves as a deictic center in Hungarian temporal logic. Mastery involves navigating its role in complex subordinate clauses and understanding its etymological journey from Proto-Uralic roots. It represents the psychological boundary between the 'now' and the 'recorded past' in the Hungarian consciousness.

뜻

The day before today.

🌍

문화적 배경

Hungarians often use 'tegnapelőtt' (day before yesterday) much more than English speakers, who might just say 'two days ago'. It's a very precise culture regarding recent history. The phrase 'tegnapra kell' (it's needed for yesterday) is a common, slightly stressful joke in Hungarian offices to indicate a task is extremely urgent. Many famous Hungarian poems use 'tegnap' to contrast the fleeting nature of youth or happiness with the present reality. On Hungarian Instagram, you'll see #tegnap used for photos from the previous night's party, often as a way to extend the social experience.

💡

The '-i' Rule

If you want to say 'yesterday's something', always add '-i'. Tegnap -> Tegnapi.

⚠️

Tense Match

Never use 'tegnap' with a future tense verb unless you are being very poetic or sarcastic.

뜻

The day before today.

💡

The '-i' Rule

If you want to say 'yesterday's something', always add '-i'. Tegnap -> Tegnapi.

⚠️

Tense Match

Never use 'tegnap' with a future tense verb unless you are being very poetic or sarcastic.

🎯

Tegnapelőtt

Learn this word early. Hungarians use it much more than English speakers use 'the day before yesterday'.

💬

Belated Wishes

If you missed a birthday 'tegnap', use 'utólag' when you finally call.

셀프 테스트

Fill in the blank with the correct word for 'yesterday'.

______ moziban voltam a barátaimmal.

✓ 정답! ✗ 아쉬워요. 정답: Tegnap

The verb 'voltam' is in the past tense, so 'Tegnap' is the only logical choice.

Which sentence is grammatically correct?

Choose the correct adjectival usage.

✓ 정답! ✗ 아쉬워요. 정답: A tegnapi leves finom volt.

When describing a noun (leves), you must use the adjectival form 'tegnapi'.

Match the Hungarian time word with its English meaning.

Match the pairs:

✓ 정답! ✗ 아쉬워요. 정답: Tegnap - Yesterday

These are the four basic temporal anchors in Hungarian.

Complete the dialogue.

A: Mit csináltál ______? B: Aludtam egész nap.

✓ 정답! ✗ 아쉬워요. 정답: tegnap

The answer 'Aludtam' (I slept) is in the past tense, indicating the question was about yesterday.

🎉 점수: /4

시각 학습 자료

Adverb vs Adjective

Adverb (Tegnap)
Tegnap ettem. I ate yesterday.
Adjective (Tegnapi)
A tegnapi étel. Yesterday's food.

자주 묻는 질문

10 질문

No, 'tegnap' is an adverb and stands alone. You just say 'Tegnap mentem.'

You can say 'tegnap este' (yesterday evening) or 'tegnap éjjel' (yesterday night).

It is neutral. It's used in every level of formality.

'Múltnap' is not a standard word. Always use 'tegnap' for yesterday.

No, 'tegnap' is specifically 24 hours ago. Use 'mostanában' for recently.

Use 'tegnap óta'.

No, it is a hard 'g' sound, fully pronounced.

Yes, in sentences like 'A tegnap nehéz volt' (Yesterday was hard), it acts as a noun.

It means 'the day before yesterday'.

Tegnapi hírek.

관련 표현

🔗

tegnapelőtt

builds on

The day before yesterday

🔗

tegnapi

specialized form

Yesterday's

🔗

ma

contrast

Today

🔗

tavaly

similar

Last year

🔗

múltkor

similar

The other time / recently

어디서 쓸까?

⏳

Explaining a delay

Boss: Kész van a jelentés?

Employee: Tegnap elkezdtem, de még nem fejeztem be.

neutral
☕

Meeting a friend

Anna: Szia! Mit csináltál tegnap?

Béla: Tegnap moziban voltam a barátnőmmel.

informal
🏥

Doctor's visit

Orvos: Mióta fáj a torka?

Beteg: Tegnap reggel óta.

formal
🍕

Ordering food

Customer: A tegnapi pizzám hideg volt.

Staff: Elnézést, adunk egy újat.

neutral
📰

Checking news

A: Olvastad a tegnapi híreket?

B: Nem, mi történt?

neutral
❤️

Dating

A: Nagyon jól éreztem magam tegnap.

B: Én is! Találkozzunk holnap is.

informal

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of 'TAG-NAP'. You 'tag' the 'nap' (day) that just passed.

Visual Association

Imagine a calendar page being ripped off and falling behind you into a pile labeled 'TEG'.

Rhyme

Tegnap volt a szép nap. (Yesterday was the beautiful day.)

Story

You went to a party. You had a 'TAG' on your wrist from the 'NAP' (day) before. That was 'TEGNAP'.

Word Web

maholnaptegnapelőttmúltidőnapreggeleste

챌린지

Write three things you did yesterday using 'Tegnap...' and post them in a language forum.

In Other Languages

Spanish high

Ayer

Spanish uses 'de ayer' for adjectives, while Hungarian uses the suffix '-i'.

French high

Hier

French pronunciation of 'hier' is much shorter than the two-syllable 'tegnap'.

German high

Gestern

German word order is stricter regarding the position of 'gestern' in the sentence.

Japanese moderate

昨日 (Kinou)

Japanese verbs don't change as drastically for past tense as Hungarian ones do when paired with 'tegnap'.

Arabic moderate

أمس (Ams)

Arabic has different words for 'yesterday' depending on whether it has a definite article or not.

Chinese high

昨天 (Zuótiān)

Chinese verbs do not change tense, so 'Zuótiān' is the only marker of the past.

Korean high

어제 (Eo-je)

Korean often drops the subject, making 'Eo-je' the primary focus of the sentence.

Portuguese high

Ontem

Portuguese 'ontem' is derived from Latin 'ad noctem' (to night), while Hungarian is Uralic.

Easily Confused

Tegnap. 대 holnap

Both end in '-nap' and are taught together, leading to 'yesterday/tomorrow' flips.

Remember 'T' for 'Tegnap' (Time passed) and 'H' for 'Holnap' (Hope for the future).

Tegnap. 대 régen

Learners use 'tegnap' for any past event.

'Tegnap' is exactly 1 day ago. 'Régen' is a long time ago.

자주 묻는 질문 (10)

No, 'tegnap' is an adverb and stands alone. You just say 'Tegnap mentem.'

You can say 'tegnap este' (yesterday evening) or 'tegnap éjjel' (yesterday night).

It is neutral. It's used in every level of formality.

'Múltnap' is not a standard word. Always use 'tegnap' for yesterday.

No, 'tegnap' is specifically 24 hours ago. Use 'mostanában' for recently.

Use 'tegnap óta'.

No, it is a hard 'g' sound, fully pronounced.

Yes, in sentences like 'A tegnap nehéz volt' (Yesterday was hard), it acts as a noun.

It means 'the day before yesterday'.

Tegnapi hírek.

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