near
gb/nˈɪɹ/ us/nˈɪɹ/
A1
English
~ 2700
közel, közeli, a közelben, közeledik, majdnem, kis híján
A1
1
közel
A1
Usage pattern:
near [a place/thing/person]
The school is near the park.
Az iskola a park közelében van.
She lives near the train station.
A vasútállomás közelében lakik.
We stayed at a hotel near the beach.
There’s a bus stop near my apartment.
Learner examples
The shop is near my home.
A bolt közel van az otthonomhoz.
I sit near my friend.
A barátom közelében ülök.
The bank is near the bus stop.
He works near the airport.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'near' with 'next to'. 'Near' means close but not necessarily immediately beside.
Meaning
Close to in space
Collocations
near the house
|near the school
|near the station
|near the city center
Synonyms
close to (Very similar meaning; 'close to' is slightly more common in spoken English.)
Antonyms
far from (Opposite in meaning; indicates a large distance away from something.)
Themes
location
|daily life
|space
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Close to someone or something.
At or within a short distance from someone or something.
A2
2
közeli
A2
Usage pattern:
a near [place/event/time]
The hotel is in a near location to the airport.
A szálloda a repülőtérhez közeli helyen található.
We hope to see results in the near future.
Reméljük, hogy a közeljövőben látni fogjuk az eredményeket.
They live in a near village.
Learner examples
I will go there in the near future.
A közeljövőben elmegyek oda.
He lives in a near town.
Egy közeli városban lakik.
The bus stop is in a near place.
Common mistake:
Learners may overuse 'near' as an adjective where 'nearby' is more natural for describing location.
Meaning
Close in space or time
Collocations
near future
|near neighbor
|near disaster
Synonyms
close (Similar meaning; 'close' is more general and can apply to relationships as well as distance.)
Antonyms
distant (Indicates something far away in space or time.)
Themes
location
|time
|space
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Not far away in place or time.
Located a short distance away in space or time.
A2
3
közel
A1
a közelben
A2
Come near so I can see you better.
Gyere közelebb, hogy jobban lássalak.
He stood near and listened quietly.
A közelben állt, és csendben figyelt.
Don’t go near when the machine is running.
Learner examples
Come near to me.
Gyere közelebb hozzám.
She stands near when we talk.
Amikor beszélgetünk, a közelemben áll.
The dog comes near when I have food.
Meaning
Close by
Collocations
come near
|stand near
|stay near
Synonyms
closely (Can mean physically close, but also emotionally or in detail, so less precise for pure distance.)
Antonyms
far (Indicates being a long distance away.)
Themes
location
|space
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Close to a place or person.
At or to a short distance; close by.
VERB
B1
4
közeledik
B1
Usage pattern:
near [something/someone]
We are nearing our destination.
Közeledünk az úti célunkhoz.
As winter nears, the days get shorter.
Ahogy közeledik a tél, a nappalok rövidülnek.
The project is nearing completion.
Learner examples
The train is nearing the station.
A vonat közeledik az állomáshoz.
My birthday is nearing.
Közeledik a születésnapom.
We are nearing the end of the game.
Meaning
Move closer to something
Collocations
nearing completion
|nearing the end
|nearing the finish line
Synonyms
approach ('Approach' is slightly more formal and often used for deliberate movement toward something.)
Antonyms
recede (Means to move away from something or become more distant.)
Themes
movement
|time
|space
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To get closer to someone, something, or a time.
To come closer to someone, something, or a point in time.
B2
5
Usage pattern:
a near [disaster/miss/impossible task]
It was a near disaster when the car skidded on ice.
Kis híján katasztrófa lett belőle, amikor az autó megcsúszott a jégen.
They had a near miss with another vehicle.
Kis híján összeütköztek egy másik járművel.
Her performance was near perfect.
Learner examples
It was a near miss.
Kis híján baleset lett belőle.
We had a near disaster on the road.
Kis híján katasztrófa történt velünk az úton.
His score was near perfect.
Meaning
Almost happening or true
Collocations
near miss
|near disaster
|near perfect
Synonyms
almost ('Almost' is an adverb, so used differently in grammar but similar in meaning.)
Antonyms
certain (Indicates definite occurrence, opposite of 'almost'.)
Themes
probability
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Almost happening or true.
Very close to being something or happening; almost.
Grammar
Dictionary form
near
IPA
GB/nˈɪɹ/
US/nˈɪɹ/
Syllables & stress
near (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (near)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: near
- Comparative: nearer
- Superlative: nearest
Verb
- Base: near
- 3rd Person Singular: nears
- Present Participle: nearing
- Past: neared
Word family
Expressions
come near
1/kˈʌm nˈɪɹ/
fixed phrase
Move physically close to something/someone
To move closer to someone or something.
Examples
- Don’t come near the fire.
- She came near enough to hear their conversation.
draw near
2/dɹˈɔ nˈɪɹ/
fixed phrase
literary
Approach in space or time
To come closer in place or time.
Examples
- Winter is drawing near.
- She drew near to whisper something.
near future
3/nˈɪɹ fjˈut͡ʃɚ/
fixed phrase
Soon after now
A time that will come soon after now.
Examples
- We plan to travel in the near future.
- Big changes are expected in the near future.
near miss
4/nˈɪɹ mˈɪs/
fixed phrase
Event narrowly avoiding danger or failure
An event where something bad almost happened but did not.
Examples
- The two cars almost crashed—it was a near miss.
- The two planes had a near miss over the city.
- That was a near miss; the ball nearly broke the window.
- It was a near miss when he almost slipped off the ladder.