person
gb/pˈɚsən/ us/pˈɚsən/
A1
English
~ 400
ember, személy, szereplő, karakter, nyelvtani személy
NOUN
A1
1
Usage pattern:
[a/an/the] person
Only one person showed up for the meeting.
Csak egy ember jött el a megbeszélésre.
She’s the kind of person who always helps others.
Ő olyan ember, aki mindig segít másokon.
The police are looking for a missing person.
He’s the right person for this job.
Each person must sign the form.
Learner examples
I see one person in the room.
Egy embert látok a szobában.
She is a nice person.
Ő egy kedves ember.
That person is my teacher.
A person is walking outside.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'person' with 'people'. 'Person' is singular; 'people' is plural.
Meaning
A single human being
Collocations
young person
|famous person
|kind person
|missing person
|person in charge
Synonyms
individual (More formal; emphasizes separateness from others.)
|
human (Refers to the species; less personal than 'person'.)
Antonyms
animal (Non-human living creature.)
|
thing (Non-living object.)
Themes
daily life
|society
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
One human being.
A human being regarded as an individual, distinct from a group, animal, or thing.
NOUN
B1
TECHNICAL
2
Usage pattern:
[a/an/the] person in [a story/play]
The main person in the novel is a young detective.
A regény főszereplője egy fiatal nyomozó.
Each person in the play has a unique backstory.
A darab minden szereplőjének egyedi háttértörténete van.
That person is based on a real historical figure.
Learner examples
The story has one bad person.
A történetben van egy gonosz szereplő.
He is the main person in the movie.
Ő a film főszereplője.
I like the happy person in the book.
Meaning
Character in a story or play
Collocations
main person
|fictional person
|person in the novel
Synonyms
character (Most common term; 'person' is less frequent in this sense.)
Themes
arts
|literature
|arts_entertainment
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A character in a book, play, or movie.
A character portrayed in literature, drama, or another narrative medium.
NOUN
B2
TECHNICAL
3
személy
B2
In English, verbs change form depending on the person of the subject.
Az angolban az igék alakja az alany személyétől függően változik.
The sentence is written in the first person.
A mondat első személyben van megírva.
'You' is a second-person pronoun.
Learner examples
I is first person.
Az „én” első személyű névmás.
You is second person.
A „te” második személyű névmás.
He is third person.
Meaning
Grammatical category of pronouns/verbs
Collocations
first person
|second person
|third person
Themes
language
|education
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Definition
In grammar, shows if we talk about ourselves, the listener, or other people.
In grammar, a category that distinguishes between the speaker (first person), the addressee (second person), and others (third person).
Grammar
Dictionary form
person
IPA
GB/pˈɚsən/
US/pˈɚsən/
Syllables & stress
per - son (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (per)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: person
- Plural: person, persons
Word family
Forms
persons
noun
Core family
Related words
personalize
verb B2
personnel
noun B1
Negative and opposite forms
impersonal
adjective B2
Advanced or less common
Expressions
first person
1/fˈɚst pˈɚsən/
fixed phrase
technical
Grammar: refers to speaker/self or group including self
'I' and 'we' are first-person words.
Examples
- The story is told in the first person.
- 'I' is a first-person pronoun.
in person
1/ˈɪn pˈɚsən/
fixed phrase
Physically present somewhere
To be at a place yourself, not by phone or online.
Examples
- You must apply for the job in person.
- I finally met her in person after months of emails.
second person
1/sˈɛkənd pˈɚsən/
fixed phrase
technical
Grammar: refers to listener(s) addressed directly
'You' is a second-person word.
Examples
- Instructions are often written in the second person.
- 'You' is a second-person pronoun.
the right person for the job
1/ðə ɹˈaɪt pˈɚsən fɚ ðə d͡ʒˈɑb/
fixed phrase
Most suitable individual for a task
The best human to do a certain job.
Examples
- He’s definitely the right person for the job.
- We need to find the right person for this position.
third person
1/θˈɚd pˈɚsən/
fixed phrase
technical
Grammar: refers to others than speaker/listener
'He', 'she', and 'they' are third-person words.
Examples
- This novel is written in the third person.
- 'They' is a third-person pronoun.