communal
gb/kəmjˈunəl/ us/kəmjˈunəl/
B2
English
~ 8700
közös, közösségek közötti, közösségi, kommunaszerű
B2
1
közös
A1
Usage pattern:
communal [noun]
The flat has a communal kitchen that all twelve students share.
A lakásban van egy közös konyha, amelyet mind a tizenkét diák használ.
Residents are responsible for cleaning the communal areas of the building.
A lakók felelősek az épület közös használatú területeinek takarításáért.
We grow vegetables together in a communal garden behind the block.
The hostel offers free breakfast in a large communal dining room.
Many co-working spaces have communal desks instead of private offices.
Learner examples
We all cook in the communal kitchen.
Mindannyian a közös konyhában főzünk.
There is a big communal area on the first floor.
Az első emeleten van egy nagy közös helyiség.
They eat dinner at a long communal table every night.
The house has a small communal garden at the back.
Students share the communal bathroom in the hall.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use "community" instead of "communal", saying *"a community kitchen"* when they mean a kitchen shared by residents of a building. "Community kitchen" usually refers to a social service project providing food to the public, while "communal kitchen" describes a shared kitchen inside a building. Learners also sometimes use "public" when they mean "communal"; "public" means open to everyone, not just members of a specific group or building.
Meaning
shared by a group
Collocations
communal kitchen
|communal garden
|communal area
|communal space
|communal facilities
|communal table
Synonyms
shared (Very general word; does not always suggest an organized group or community, while "communal" often does.)
|
collective (More formal and can suggest joint decision-making or responsibility, not just shared use.)
Antonyms
private (Emphasizes that something belongs to or is used by one person or family only, not by a group.)
|
individual (Highlights that something is for a single person rather than a group.)
Themes
society
|housing
|work
|daily_life
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Used by everyone in a group, not owned or used by just one person.
Used or shared by all members of a group or community rather than being privately owned or used by one person.
C1
2
Usage pattern:
communal [noun]
The government is worried about rising communal tensions in the region.
A kormány aggódik a térségben fokozódó közösségek közötti feszültségek miatt.
Several people were killed in communal violence after the election results were announced.
Többen meghaltak a közösségek közötti erőszakos összecsapásokban, miután kihirdették a választási eredményeket.
The new policy aims to promote communal harmony among different religious groups.
Journalists reported that old grievances had fueled the latest outbreak of communal riots.
Leaders from both sides met to calm communal fears and prevent further conflict.
Learner examples
The news showed scenes of communal violence in the city.
A híradó a városban zajló, közösségek közötti erőszak jeleneteit mutatta.
The mayor spoke about the need for communal harmony.
A polgármester arról beszélt, hogy szükség van a különböző közösségek békés együttélésére.
Communal tensions increased after the attack.
They started a project to reduce communal conflict in the area.
Many people left the town because of communal riots.
Common mistake:
Learners may think "communal violence" means violence in a shared space. In news and politics, "communal" here refers to violence between groups (often ethnic or religious), not just in a public or shared place. Learners may also confuse "communal" with "community" and say *"community tensions"*; this is possible in some contexts, but in many news reports "communal tensions" is the more fixed, idiomatic phrase.
Meaning
between social or ethnic groups
Collocations
communal violence
|communal tensions
|communal riots
|communal harmony
|communal conflict
|communal divisions
Synonyms
intercommunal (More technical and formal; used mainly in political or academic contexts for relations between communities.)
|
ethnic (Focuses specifically on ethnic groups; "communal" can include other types of groups such as religious or neighborhood groups.)
Antonyms
individual (Shifts focus from group-based relations or conflicts to actions or issues involving single persons.)
|
personal (Describes issues between particular people, not between large organized groups.)
Themes
society
|politics
|relationships
Definition
About how different groups in a community, like ethnic or religious groups, live together or fight with each other.
Relating to the relationships, tensions, or conflicts between different groups within a community, especially ethnic or religious groups.
C1
3
közösségi
B1
kommunaszerű
B2
Usage pattern:
communal [noun]
They spent a year experiencing communal living on an organic farm.
Egy évet töltöttek egy biogazdaságban, ahol megtapasztalták a közösségi együttélést.
The 1970s saw a rise in communal households that rejected traditional family models.
Az 1970-es években egyre több olyan kommunaszerű lakóközösség jelent meg, amely elutasította a hagyományos családmodellt.
He wrote a book about his time in a communal village in northern Spain.
Some young families are exploring communal lifestyles to save money and build stronger social ties.
The project started as a small communal farm run by five friends.
Learner examples
They are interested in communal living on a farm.
Érdekli őket a közösségi együttélés egy farmon.
The group started a communal household in the city.
A csoport kommunaszerű lakóközösséget hozott létre a városban.
She wrote about her life in a communal village.
Many people in the 1960s tried communal lifestyles.
They left their jobs to join a communal farm.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use "communal" here when they only mean that roommates share a flat. In everyday shared apartments, "shared house" or "shared flat" is more natural; "communal living" usually suggests a stronger, more organized lifestyle choice, like a commune or intentional community.
Meaning
relating to a commune
Collocations
communal living
|communal household
|communal lifestyle
|communal farm
|communal village
|communal experiment
Synonyms
collective (Often used for political or economic structures; "communal" here specifically suggests shared everyday living.)
|
cooperative (Stresses working together and sometimes legal structure; "communal" more strongly suggests shared life and space.)
Antonyms
individualistic (Emphasizes people acting and living separately, focused on their own interests rather than shared living.)
|
private (Describes separate ownership and living arrangements instead of shared property and space.)
Themes
society
|lifestyle
|daily_life
|housing
Definition
About a way of living where people live together in a group and share money, work, and things, like in a commune.
Relating to a commune or intentional community in which people live together and share property, work, and responsibilities.
Grammar
Dictionary form
communal
IPA
GB/kəmjˈunəl/
US/kəmjˈunəl/
Syllables & stress
com - mun - al (3 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (mun)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: communal
Word family
Expressions
communal area
1/kəmjˈunəl ˈɛɹiə/
fixed phrase
shared part of a building
A place in a building, like a hall, living room, or garden, that everyone who lives there can use.
Examples
- Smoking is not allowed in any communal area of the building.
- The rent includes cleaning of all communal areas, such as corridors and stairwells.
- Tenants are asked to keep the communal area tidy for everyone.
communal living
1/kəmjˈunəl lˈɪvɪŋ/
fixed phrase
living together and sharing a lot
A way of living where people live together and share a home, work, and many things instead of living as separate households.
Examples
- The documentary looks at communal living in modern eco-villages.
- Rising rents have pushed more young people to try communal living in big houses.
- They found communal living difficult at first but later enjoyed the strong sense of community.
communal meal
1/kəmjˈunəl mˈil/
fixed phrase
meal shared by a group
A meal that many people eat together, usually sitting at one or more big tables and sharing the food.
Examples
- Every Friday the residents cook a big communal meal in the courtyard.
- The workshop ended with a communal meal where participants shared dishes from their home countries.
- Communal meals helped build friendships in the student residence.
communal space
1/kəmjˈunəl spˈeɪs/
fixed phrase
shared space for everyone
A place that everyone in a group can use, such as a shared living room, garden, or work area.
Examples
- The building has a large communal space on the roof for events and parties.
- Designers included more communal spaces to encourage people to meet their neighbors.
- Students often study together in the communal space next to the cafeteria.
communal violence
1/kəmjˈunəl vˈaɪələns/
fixed phrase
group-based violence in a community
Violence between different groups in a community, often between religious or ethnic groups, not just between single people.
Examples
- The region has a long history of communal violence between rival clans.
- Leaders called for calm after a week of communal violence left dozens injured.
- The report blamed social media posts for spreading rumors that sparked the communal violence.