foreign
gb/fˈɔɹən/ us/fˈɔɹən/
A2
English
~ 700
külföldi, idegen, ismeretlen, szokatlan
A2
1
Usage pattern:
[something] is foreign to [a country/person]
She enjoys learning foreign languages.
Szeret idegen nyelveket tanulni.
The company is expanding into foreign markets.
A vállalat külföldi piacokra terjeszkedik.
Foreign visitors must show their passports at the border.
He studied foreign policy at university.
They import foreign goods to sell locally.
Learner examples
I like foreign food.
Szeretem a külföldi ételeket.
English is a foreign language in Japan.
Az angol idegen nyelv Japánban.
We met a foreign student at school.
This car is from a foreign country.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'foreign' with 'strange'. While something foreign may be unfamiliar, it specifically means from another country.
Meaning
from another country
Collocations
foreign language
|foreign policy
|foreign country
|foreign visitor
|foreign market
Synonyms
overseas (Often used for goods, travel, or business involving countries across the sea; slightly more geographical in focus.)
|
international (Emphasizes involvement between multiple nations; broader in scope than 'foreign'.)
Antonyms
domestic (Refers to things from one's own country, opposite of 'foreign' in national origin.)
Themes
geography
|culture
|travel
|politics
|core_vocabulary
Definition
From or about another country, not your own.
Relating to, coming from, or originating in a country other than one's own.
B1
2
Usage pattern:
[something] is foreign to [someone/something]
The idea of working from home was foreign to him.
Az otthonról végzett munka gondolata idegen volt számára.
This concept is completely foreign to our culture.
Ez a fogalom teljesen idegen a kultúránktól.
Her behavior seemed foreign to her usual self.
Learner examples
This food is foreign to me.
Ez az étel idegen számomra.
The rules are foreign to new players.
A szabályok idegenek az új játékosok számára.
The feeling was foreign to him.
Common mistake:
Learners may overuse 'foreign' for anything unusual, but in this sense it often has a tone of being outside one's experience rather than just odd.
Meaning
unfamiliar or strange
Collocations
foreign concept
|foreign idea
|foreign custom
Synonyms
alien (Implies a stronger sense of strangeness or incompatibility.)
|
unfamiliar (Neutral term for something not known before.)
Antonyms
familiar (Well-known or easily recognized; opposite of foreign in this sense.)
Themes
emotions
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Not familiar; strange or new to you.
Unusual or unfamiliar to a person because it is different from what they know or are used to.
B2
TECHNICAL
3
idegen
B2
The doctor removed a foreign object from his eye.
Az orvos eltávolított egy idegen testet a szeméből.
Foreign substances can trigger an immune response.
Az idegen anyagok immunválaszt válthatnak ki.
Engineers found a foreign particle in the fuel line.
Learner examples
The nurse took out a foreign object from my ear.
A nővér kivett egy idegen testet a fülemből.
A virus is a foreign thing in the body.
A vírus idegen a szervezet számára.
Dust is a foreign substance in clean air.
Meaning
not belonging to the body/system
Collocations
foreign body
|foreign object
Synonyms
external (From outside; broader in scope and not necessarily unwanted.)
Antonyms
native (Naturally occurring within the body/system.)
Themes
science
|medicine
|health
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Not naturally part of something; coming from outside it.
Not naturally part of a particular body, system, or environment; introduced from outside.
Grammar
Dictionary form
foreign
IPA
GB/fˈɔɹən/
US/fˈɔɹən/
Syllables & stress
for - eign (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (for)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: foreign
Word family
Expressions
foreign affairs
1/fˈɔɹən əfˈɛɹz/
fixed phrase
international relations matters
Matters about how one country deals with other countries.
Examples
- She works for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
- Foreign affairs have been tense between the two nations lately.
foreign body
1/fˈɔɹən bˈɑdi/
fixed phrase
technical
object in wrong place/system
Something that is inside a place where it should not be, often inside the body.
Examples
- The X-ray showed a foreign body in his stomach.
- A small stone acted as a foreign body in the machine.
foreign exchange
1/fˈɔɹən ɪkst͡ʃˈeɪnd͡ʒ/
fixed phrase
currency trading between countries
The buying and selling of money from different countries.
Examples
- He works in the foreign exchange market.
- Foreign exchange rates can change daily.
foreign policy
1/fˈɔɹən pˈɑlɪsi/
fixed phrase
government's plan for other countries
A country's plan for how it will act toward other countries.
Examples
- The president announced changes to foreign policy.
- The president announced a change in foreign policy.
- Foreign policy decisions can affect the economy.
- Foreign policy decisions affect international trade.