affair
gb/əfˈɛɹ/ us/əfˈɛɹ/
B2
English
~ 1000
viszony, esemény, ügy, helyzet, lényeg
NOUN
B2
1
viszony
B2
Usage pattern:
to have [an affair] with [someone]
She discovered her husband was having an affair with a coworker.
Rájött, hogy a férjének viszonya van egy munkatársával.
The politician resigned after his affair became public.
A politikus lemondott, miután a viszonya nyilvánosságra került.
They ended the affair before it could damage their families.
Learner examples
He had an affair with another woman.
Egy másik nővel volt viszonya.
She found out about his secret affair.
Megtudta, hogy a férfinak titkos viszonya van.
The movie is about a love affair.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'affair' in this sense with 'event' or 'matter'. Context is important.
Meaning
Secret romantic or sexual relationship
Collocations
have an affair
|love affair
|extramarital affair
|secret affair
Synonyms
relationship (More general; can refer to any kind of connection between people, not necessarily secret or romantic.)
|
fling (More casual and short-term than 'affair'.)
Antonyms
faithfulness (Implies loyalty in a committed relationship, the opposite of having an affair.)
Themes
relationships
|emotions
|daily life
Definition
A romantic or sexual relationship that is usually secret and not with your husband, wife, or partner.
A romantic or sexual relationship, often secret and outside of a committed partnership such as marriage.
NOUN
B2
2
Usage pattern:
[an] [adjective] affair
The wedding was a grand affair with hundreds of guests.
Az esküvő nagyszabású esemény volt, több száz vendéggel.
The scandal was a messy affair that embarrassed the government.
A botrány zűrös ügy volt, amely kínos helyzetbe hozta a kormányt.
It was a private affair attended only by close family.
Learner examples
The party was a big affair.
A buli nagy esemény volt.
It was a happy affair for everyone.
Mindenki számára örömteli esemény volt.
The meeting was a serious affair.
Common mistake:
Some learners only know 'affair' as 'love affair' and misunderstand it when used for events.
Meaning
An event or happening
Collocations
a big affair
|a formal affair
|a tragic affair
Synonyms
event (More general; refers to anything that happens.)
|
incident (Often implies something negative or problematic.)
Antonyms
non-event (Something expected to be important but turns out to be insignificant.)
Themes
news
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
An event or situation, often important or unusual.
An event, incident, or matter, especially one of public interest or importance.
NOUN
B2
3
Usage pattern:
[someone's] affairs
She manages the company's affairs with great skill.
The committee will discuss foreign affairs next week.
He asked me not to interfere in his personal affairs.
Learner examples
I need time to put my affairs in order.
He works in foreign affairs.
Do not talk about my private affairs.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'affairs' meaning matters with 'affair' meaning romantic relationship.
Meaning
A matter or concern
Collocations
public affairs
|private affairs
|handle affairs
Synonyms
matter (Very general; can refer to any topic or issue.)
|
concern (Implies something that affects someone's interests or feelings.)
Antonyms
irrelevance (Something unrelated or unimportant to the matter at hand.)
Themes
business
|daily life
|communication
Definition
A subject or situation that needs attention or discussion.
A situation, business, or subject that is being handled or discussed.
Grammar
Dictionary form
affair
IPA
GB/əfˈɛɹ/
US/əfˈɛɹ/
Syllables & stress
af - fair (2 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (fair)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: affair
- Plural: affairs
Word family
Forms
affairs
noun
Expressions
an affair to remember
3/ən əfˈɛɹ tə ɹɪmˈɛmbɚ/
fixed phrase
Memorable and special event
An event that is very special and will be remembered for a long time.
Examples
- Their wedding was truly an affair to remember.
- The gala was an affair to remember for all who attended.
love affair
1/lˈʌv əfˈɛɹ/
fixed phrase
Romantic or sexual relationship
A romantic or sexual relationship between two people, often secret.
Examples
- They had a brief love affair during college.
- The novel tells the story of a tragic love affair.
no small affair
2/nˈoʊ smˈɔl əfˈɛɹ/
fixed phrase
Large or important event/situation
Something that is big, important, or difficult to do.
Examples
- Building the bridge was no small affair.
- Organizing the festival was no small affair.