bug
gb/bˈʌɡ/ us/bˈʌɡ/
A1
English
~ 2100
bogár, rovar, hiba, bug, programhiba, vírus, fertőzés, nyavalya, nyaggat, idegesít, poloska, lehallgatókészülék
NOUN
A1
1
Usage pattern:
a [type of] bug
There’s a strange bug crawling on the wall.
Valami furcsa bogár mászik a falon.
I think a bug bit me while I was sleeping.
Azt hiszem, megcsípett valami bogár, miközben aludtam.
Some bugs are actually good for your garden.
She screamed when a bug landed on her shoulder.
Learner examples
I see a bug on the table.
Látok egy bogarat az asztalon.
A bug is on my hand.
Egy bogár van a kezemen.
The bug is very small.
A bug is in the garden.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'bug' with only meaning 'insect', but in casual English it can also mean germs or computer errors.
Meaning
Small insect or similar creature
Collocations
bed bug
|ladybug
|catch a bug
|insect bug
|bug bite
Synonyms
insect (More general scientific term for small arthropods; 'bug' is less formal and broader.)
Antonyms
predator (Refers to a larger animal that hunts other creatures, opposite in scale and role to a small bug.)
Themes
nature
|daily life
|animals
Definition
A very small animal with six legs, like an ant or beetle.
A small insect or similar creature such as a beetle, ant, or spider.
NOUN
B1
2
Usage pattern:
a [serious/minor] bug
The developer fixed a critical bug in the app.
A fejlesztő kijavított egy kritikus hibát az alkalmazásban.
This update should remove most of the bugs.
Ez a frissítés várhatóan kijavítja a hibák nagy részét.
They found a bug that caused the program to crash.
Learner examples
The game has a bug.
A játékban van egy hiba.
We need to fix the bug.
Ki kell javítanunk a hibát.
The bug stops the program.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse 'bug' with 'virus'; a virus is malicious software, while a bug is an unintentional error.
Meaning
Error in software or hardware
Collocations
software bug
|fix a bug
|debug code
|bug report
Synonyms
glitch (A minor and often temporary fault; 'bug' can be more general.)
Antonyms
feature (A designed function of software, opposite of an unintended fault.)
Themes
technology
|computers
Definition
A problem in a computer program that makes it not work right.
An error, flaw, or fault in a computer program or system that causes it to behave unexpectedly or incorrectly.
NOUN
A2
INFORMAL
3
Usage pattern:
a [stomach/flu] bug
I think I caught a stomach bug.
Azt hiszem, elkaptam valami gyomorvírust.
There’s a flu bug going around at work.
Valami influenzaszerű vírus kering a munkahelyen.
He missed school because of a nasty bug.
Learner examples
I have a bad bug.
Elkaptam valami csúnya vírust.
She caught a bug at school.
Elkapott valami vírust az iskolában.
The bug made me sick.
Common mistake:
Learners may think 'bug' always means insect; in health contexts it means illness.
Meaning
Mild contagious illness
Collocations
catch a bug
|stomach bug
|flu bug
Synonyms
virus (More technical and specific to cause; 'bug' is informal and general.)
Antonyms
health (The state of being well and free from illness, opposite of having a bug.)
Themes
health
|daily life
Definition
A short illness, like a cold or stomach sickness.
A mild illness, especially one caused by a virus or bacteria, often affecting the stomach or respiratory system.
VERB
B1
INFORMAL
4
Usage pattern:
to bug [someone] about [something]
It really bugs me when people are late.
Nagyon idegesít, ha valaki késik.
Stop bugging your sister about her homework.
Ne nyaggasd a lánytestvéredet a házijával.
His constant questions started to bug her.
Learner examples
Loud music bugs me.
Idegesít a hangos zene.
He bugs me every day.
Mindennap nyaggat.
She bugs him about his phone.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse 'bug' (annoy) with 'bite' or 'sting' from insects due to shared noun sense.
Meaning
To annoy or bother repeatedly
Collocations
really bug someone
|stop bugging me
|bug you about
Synonyms
bother ('Bother' is more neutral; 'bug' is more informal and casual.)
Antonyms
please (To make someone happy, opposite of annoying them.)
Themes
emotions
|daily life
|relationships
Definition
To make someone feel annoyed again and again.
To annoy or bother someone persistently.
NOUN
B2
5
poloska
B2
Usage pattern:
plant/hide a bug [somewhere]
The agents found a bug hidden under the table.
Az ügynökök egy asztal alá rejtett poloskát találtak.
They planted a bug in his office to gather evidence.
Poloskát helyeztek el az irodájában, hogy bizonyítékot gyűjtsenek.
The meeting room was swept for bugs before the talks began.
Learner examples
They found a bug in the room.
Poloskát találtak a szobában.
A spy put a bug under the desk.
Egy kém poloskát tett az íróasztal alá.
The police put a bug in the car.
Meaning
Hidden microphone for spying
Collocations
plant a bug
|hidden bug
|detect a bug
Synonyms
wiretap ('Wiretap' refers to intercepting phone calls; 'bug' can be in any location.)
Antonyms
privacy device (A device that prevents eavesdropping, opposite of a listening device.)
Themes
security
|technology
|law
Definition
A small machine put in a place to hear people secretly.
A small hidden device used to secretly listen to conversations.
Grammar
Dictionary form
bug
IPA
GB/bˈʌɡ/
US/bˈʌɡ/
Syllables & stress
bug (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (bug)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: bug
- Plural: bugs
Verb
- Base: bug
- 3rd Person Singular: bugs
- Present Participle: bugging
- Past: bugged
Word family
Forms
bugs
noun
bugging
verb
bugged
verb
Core family
buggy
adjective
Related words
Advanced or less common
debugging
noun
debugger
noun C1
Highlights
- Irregular present participle: bugging Verb
- Irregular past: bugged Verb
Expressions
catch the bug
1/kˈæt͡ʃ ðə bˈʌɡ/
idiom
informal
Become very interested in something suddenly
To start liking something very much and want to keep doing it.
Examples
- After her first dance class, she really caught the bug.
- He caught the travel bug after visiting Italy.
debug
1/dibˈʌɡ/
fixed phrase
technical
Find and remove errors from code
To find and fix problems in computer programs.
Examples
- We need to debug this code before release.
- She spent hours debugging the app yesterday.
put a bug in someone's ear
1/pˈʊt ə bˈʌɡ ˈɪn sˈʌmwˌʌnz ˈɪɹ/
idiom
informal
Suggest an idea indirectly to someone
To tell someone something in a way that makes them think about it later.
Examples
- She put a bug in his ear about applying for the job.
- I’ll put a bug in her ear and see what she thinks.