Meaning
The part of the day when it is light outside.
Cultural Background
In Hungarian villages, 'világos nappal' was the only time for work in the fields before electricity. This historical reliance on the sun makes the phrase deeply ingrained in the concept of 'productive time'. In cities like Budapest, 'világos nappal' is often used in news reports to contrast the safety of the city with unexpected daytime crimes, reflecting a high social expectation of safety during the day. Folklore often contrasts 'világos nappal' (the realm of humans and honesty) with 'éjfél' (midnight, the realm of ghosts and magic). In Hungarian law enforcement, the visibility conditions (like 'világos nappal') are a standard part of incident reports to determine the reliability of witnesses.
Use for Emphasis
If you want to sound more like a native, use this phrase when you are surprised that something happened during the day. It adds a layer of 'I can't believe it' to your sentence.
Not for Indoors
Don't use 'világos nappal' to describe a well-lit room at night. Use 'világos van' or 'jó a világítás' instead.
Meaning
The part of the day when it is light outside.
Use for Emphasis
If you want to sound more like a native, use this phrase when you are surprised that something happened during the day. It adds a layer of 'I can't believe it' to your sentence.
Not for Indoors
Don't use 'világos nappal' to describe a well-lit room at night. Use 'világos van' or 'jó a világítás' instead.
Test Yourself
Fill in the blank with the correct form of 'világos nappal'.
Nem kell lámpa, mert ________ van.
'Világos nappal' is the fixed adverbial phrase for 'broad daylight'.
Which sentence expresses shock that a crime happened when everyone could see?
A tolvaj elszaladt...
Option B emphasizes visibility, which makes a crime more shocking.
Match the phrase to the most likely situation.
Situation: A witness is describing a car accident to the police.
Witnesses use this phrase to confirm they had good visibility.
🎉 Score: /3
Visual Learning Aids
Day vs. Night Visibility
Practice Bank
3 exercisesNem kell lámpa, mert ________ van.
'Világos nappal' is the fixed adverbial phrase for 'broad daylight'.
A tolvaj elszaladt...
Option B emphasizes visibility, which makes a crime more shocking.
Situation: A witness is describing a car accident to the police.
Witnesses use this phrase to confirm they had good visibility.
🎉 Score: /3
Frequently Asked Questions
4 questionsIt is neutral. You can use it with friends, at work, or in a newspaper.
No, that's a contradiction. If it's dark, it's 'este' (evening) or 'éjszaka' (night). You could say 'borús nappal' (gloomy day) if it's cloudy.
'Nappal' just means 'during the day'. 'Világos nappal' adds the quality of brightness and visibility.
It's the instrumental case ending (-val/-vel). 'Nap' + 'val' becomes 'nappal'.
Related Phrases
fényes nappal
similarIn broad daylight (more emphatic)
nappali világosság
synonymDaylight
sötét éjszaka
contrastDark night
nap mint nap
builds onDay after day
