catch
gb/kˈæt͡ʃ/ us/kˈæt͡ʃ/
A1
English
~ 800
elkap, elfog, elér, megfertőződik, ért, kivesz, buktató, bökkenő, fogás, zsákmány
VERB
A1
1
Usage pattern:
to catch [something]
She managed to catch the ball with one hand.
Sikerült egy kézzel elkapnia a labdát.
I tried to catch the glass before it hit the floor.
Megpróbáltam elkapni a poharat, mielőtt földet ért volna.
He caught the butterfly gently in his net.
Catch the rope before it swings away.
Learner examples
I can catch the ball.
El tudom kapni a labdát.
Please catch this pen.
Kérlek, kapd el ezt a tollat.
He catches fish in the river.
Catch the ball now.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'catch' with 'grab'. 'Catch' usually involves something moving toward you or away, while 'grab' can mean taking anything quickly.
Meaning
Seize something moving
Collocations
catch a ball
|catch a fish
|catch a bus
|catch someone
Synonyms
grab (More general; can refer to quickly taking hold of anything, not just moving things.)
Antonyms
miss (Fail to take hold of something moving toward you.)
Themes
sports
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To stop and hold something that is moving, using your hands or something else.
To take hold of something that is moving through the air or escaping, usually with the hands or a device.
VERB
A2
2
elér
A2
Usage pattern:
to catch [a bus/train/flight]
I caught the last train home last night.
Tegnap este elértem az utolsó hazafelé tartó vonatot.
Hurry if you want to catch the bus.
Siess, ha el akarod érni a buszt.
We need to catch our flight at 8 p.m.
Learner examples
I catch the bus at 8.
A nyolcórás buszt szoktam elérni.
She catches the train every day.
Minden nap eléri a vonatát.
We must catch the plane now.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse 'catch' with 'take'. 'Catch' emphasizes being in time before departure; 'take' is more general.
Meaning
Board transport in time
Collocations
catch a bus
|catch a train
|catch a flight
Synonyms
board (More formal; refers specifically to entering transport.)
Antonyms
miss (Fail to arrive in time to board transportation.)
Themes
travel
|daily life
|transportation
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To get on a bus, train, plane, etc., before it goes away.
To reach and get on a bus, train, plane, or other transportation before it leaves.
VERB
A2
3
elkap
A2
Usage pattern:
to catch [an illness]
Don't get too close or you might catch his cold.
Ne menj túl közel hozzá, mert elkaphatod tőle a náthát.
She caught the flu last winter.
Tavaly télen elkapta az influenzát.
You can catch chickenpox from someone who has it.
Learner examples
I caught a cold.
Elkaptam egy náthát.
She caught the flu.
Elkapta az influenzát.
He caught a bad cough.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say 'take a cold' instead of 'catch a cold'. The correct phrase is 'catch a cold'.
Meaning
Get an illness
Collocations
catch a cold
|catch the flu
|catch pneumonia
Synonyms
contract (More formal and technical; often used in medical contexts.)
Antonyms
recover (Become well after having an illness.)
Themes
health
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To get sick with a disease from someone or something.
To become infected with or affected by an illness or disease.
VERB
B1
4
Usage pattern:
to catch [what someone says]
Sorry, I didn't catch your name.
Bocsánat, nem értettem a nevét.
Did you catch what she just said?
Értetted, amit az előbb mondott?
I couldn't catch all the details over the phone.
Learner examples
I did not catch your name.
Nem értettem a nevét.
Did you catch his words?
Értetted, mit mondott?
I cannot catch her voice.
Common mistake:
Learners might confuse with 'hear'. 'Catch' often implies effort or partial success in hearing/understanding.
Meaning
Hear or understand words
Collocations
catch every word
|catch what you said
Synonyms
understand (General comprehension; may not imply difficulty in hearing.)
Antonyms
miss (Fail to hear or understand what was said.)
Themes
communication
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To hear and know what someone says.
To hear and understand words that are spoken, especially when it is difficult to do so.
NOUN
B1
5
It sounds like a great deal, but what's the catch?
Remek üzletnek hangzik, de mi benne a buktató?
The job is perfect—the only catch is that it’s unpaid.
Az állás tökéletes – az egyetlen buktató az, hogy nem fizetnek érte.
There's always a catch with offers like this.
Learner examples
What is the catch?
Mi a buktató?
There is no catch here.
Itt nincs semmi buktató.
The only catch is the cost.
Meaning
Hidden drawback or condition
Collocations
there's a catch
|the only catch
Synonyms
drawback (A disadvantage; not always hidden.)
Antonyms
benefit (An advantage rather than a disadvantage.)
Themes
business
|daily life
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A secret problem that makes something not as good as it looks.
A hidden difficulty or disadvantage that makes something less attractive than it seems.
NOUN
A2
6
Today's catch was mostly salmon.
A mai fogás főleg lazacból állt.
The fisherman showed us his impressive catch.
A halász megmutatta nekünk a lenyűgöző fogását.
That's quite a big catch for one day.
Learner examples
This is my catch today.
Ez a mai fogásom.
The catch is small.
Kicsi a fogás.
We saw his big catch.
Meaning
Things captured, especially fish/animals
Collocations
good catch
|big catch
Synonyms
haul (Emphasizes quantity and effort in obtaining something caught.)
Themes
food
|nature
|animals
|food_drink
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Fish, animals, or things that someone catches at one time.
The amount of fish, animals, or other things that have been caught at one time.
Grammar
Dictionary form
catch
IPA
GB/kˈæt͡ʃ/
US/kˈæt͡ʃ/
Syllables & stress
catch (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (catch)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: catch
- Plural: catches
Verb
- Base: catch
- 3rd Person Singular: catches
- Present Participle: catching
- Past: caught
- Past Participle: caught
Word family
Forms
catches
noun
catching
verb
caught
verb
Related words
catcher
noun
catchy
adjective B2
Negative and opposite forms
miss
verb A2
uncatchable
adjective
Highlights
- Irregular past: caught Verb
- Irregular past participle: caught Verb
Expressions
catch on
1/kˈæt͡ʃ ˈɔn/
phrasal verb
Begin to understand something
To start to understand an idea or how something works after some time.
Examples
- It took him a while to catch on to the joke.
- She quickly caught on to the new system.
catch up
1/kˈæt͡ʃ ˈʌp/
phrasal verb
Reach same level as another
To move faster to be at the same place or level as someone or something ahead of you.
Examples
- You go ahead—I'll catch up later.
- She ran to catch up with her friends.
catch your breath
1/kˈæt͡ʃ jˈʊɹ bɹˈɛθ/
idiom
Pause to breathe after effort/shock
To stop for a short time so you can breathe easily again after running or feeling surprised.
Examples
- He stopped at the top of the hill to catch his breath.
- I had to pause and catch my breath after hearing the news.
catch fire
1/kˈæt͡ʃ fˈaɪɚ/
fixed phrase
Start burning suddenly
To begin to burn quickly without planning it.
Examples
- The curtains caught fire from the candle.
- His shirt caught fire when he got too close to the stove.
- Dry grass can catch fire easily in summer.
catch someone's eye
1/kˈæt͡ʃ sˈʌmwˌʌnz ˈaɪ/
idiom
Attract visual attention briefly
To make someone notice you or something by sight for a short time.
Examples
- That bright shirt really caught my eye.
- That bright dress really caught my eye.
- A movement in the corner caught her eye.
- A movement outside the window caught her eye.