amíg

See also: amìg and amig'

Hungarian

Etymology

az +‎ míg

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈɒmiːɡ]

• Audio

  (file)

• Hyphenation: amíg
• Rhymes: -iːɡ

Adverb

amíg

1. as long as, while

   Synonyms: ameddig, míg

2. (chiefly in the negative) until, till

   Synonyms: ameddig, míg

   Boldogan éltek, amíg meg nem haltak. ― They lived happily ever after. (literally, “…(up) until they [“not”] died.”)

Usage notes

Both of these translations may be correct depending on whether the verb that follows is negated.

Amíg is actually equivalent to the opposite of until in the same way that unless is the opposite of if. It specifies a case in which the statement of the main clause is not valid or the time period during which the event of the main clause persisted:

Addig sétáltunk, amíg világos volt. (no negation) ― We walked as long as it was light.

Addig sétáltunk, amíg sötét nem lett. ― We walked until it got dark.

Amíg nem csinálod meg a házi feladatodat, addig nem játszhatsz. ― You can’t play until you’re done with your homework.

Zenét hallgattam, amíg a metrón ültem. (no negation) ― I was listening to music while I was on the subway.

Sentences should be translated using the pronoun or wording that matches the intent of the speaker: amíg … nem/nincs is similar to until and amíg is similar to while.

Derived terms

Expressions

• addig üsd a vasat, amíg meleg
• amíg világ a világ

 

Further reading

• amíg in Bárczi, Géza and László Országh. A magyar nyelv értelmező szótára (‘The Explanatory Dictionary of the Hungarian Language’, abbr.: ÉrtSz.). Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó, 1959–1962. Fifth ed., 1992: →ISBN
• amíg in Ittzés, Nóra (ed.). A magyar nyelv nagyszótára (‘A Comprehensive Dictionary of the Hungarian Language’). Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó, 2006–2031 (work in progress; published A–ez as of 2024)