sentence
gb/sˈɛntəns/ us/sˈɛntəns/
A2
English
~ 1200
mondat, büntetés, ítél
NOUN
A2
1
mondat
A1
Usage pattern:
[someone] writes/says [a sentence]
The teacher asked the students to write a sentence using the new vocabulary.
A tanár arra kérte a diákokat, hogy írjanak egy mondatot az új szavakkal.
This sentence has both a subject and a verb.
Ebben a mondatban alany és ige is van.
She spoke in short, clear sentences to help the audience understand.
Can you find the main verb in this sentence?
Each sentence in the paragraph supports the main idea.
Learner examples
I wrote a short sentence.
Írtam egy rövid mondatot.
This is a long sentence.
Ez egy hosszú mondat.
Please read the first sentence.
The boy made a funny sentence.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'sentence' with 'phrase'. A phrase does not have both a subject and a verb, while a sentence does.
Meaning
A set of words forming a statement
Collocations
form a sentence
|complete sentence
|simple sentence
|write a sentence
|read a sentence
Synonyms
statement (More general; can refer to any spoken or written expression, not necessarily grammatically complete.)
Antonyms
fragment (An incomplete group of words that does not form a complete sentence.)
Themes
language
|grammar
|education
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A group of words that says a complete idea.
A set of words that expresses a complete thought, typically containing a subject and a predicate.
NOUN
B1
2
büntetés
A2
Usage pattern:
[someone] receives [a sentence] for [crime]
The judge gave her a five-year prison sentence.
A bíró ötéves börtönbüntetést szabott ki rá.
He is serving a life sentence for murder.
Gyilkosságért életfogytiglani börtönbüntetését tölti.
The court handed down the maximum sentence allowed by law.
After the trial, the defendant received a suspended sentence.
She appealed her sentence, hoping for a reduced term.
Learner examples
He got a long prison sentence.
Hosszú börtönbüntetést kapott.
The man will serve his sentence in jail.
A férfi a börtönben fogja letölteni a büntetését.
She has a short sentence for theft.
The judge gave him a life sentence.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse 'sentence' meaning 'punishment' with 'sentence' meaning 'group of words'. Context usually makes the meaning clear.
Meaning
Court's decision on punishment
Collocations
prison sentence
|life sentence
|death sentence
|serve a sentence
|pass a sentence
Synonyms
punishment (More general; not limited to legal contexts.)
Antonyms
acquittal (A legal decision that someone is not guilty, so no punishment is given.)
Themes
law
|crime
Definition
The time or punishment a judge gives to someone guilty of a crime.
A punishment assigned to someone found guilty of a crime, decided by a judge or court.
VERB
B2
3
ítél
B1
Usage pattern:
[someone] sentences [someone] to [punishment]
The judge sentenced him to ten years in prison.
A bíró tíz év börtönbüntetésre ítélte.
She was sentenced to community service for her crime.
A bűncselekményéért közérdekű munkára ítélték.
The court sentenced the defendant to death.
They were sentenced to probation instead of jail time.
Learner examples
The judge sentenced him to five years in jail.
A bíró öt év börtönre ítélte.
She was sentenced to two months in prison.
Két hónap börtönbüntetésre ítélték.
The man was sentenced to death.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes forget to include 'to' before stating the punishment (e.g., 'sentenced him five years' instead of 'sentenced him to five years').
Meaning
To declare someone's legal punishment
Collocations
sentence someone to death
|sentence someone to life in prison
|sentence someone to community service
Synonyms
condemn (Can mean to give severe punishment, but also used more broadly for strong disapproval.)
Antonyms
acquit (To formally declare someone not guilty and free them from punishment.)
Themes
law
|crime
Definition
When a judge says what punishment someone guilty of a crime will get.
To officially state the punishment for someone found guilty of a crime in court.
Grammar
Dictionary form
sentence
IPA
GB/sˈɛntəns/
US/sˈɛntəns/
Syllables & stress
sen - tence (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (sen)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: sentence
- Plural: sentences
Verb
- Base: sentence
- 3rd Person Singular: sentences
- Present Participle: sentencing
- Past: sentenced
Word family
Forms
sentences
noun
sentencing
verb
sentenced
verb
Advanced or less common
sentential
adjective
Expressions
life sentence
1/lˈaɪf sˈɛntəns/
fixed phrase
Prison term for life
When someone must stay in prison for the rest of their life.
Examples
- He is serving a life sentence for armed robbery.
- The court gave her a life sentence without parole.
suspended sentence
1/səspˈɛndɪd sˈɛntəns/
fixed phrase
Punishment not enforced if rules are followed
A court decision where the person will not go to prison now, but will if they break the law again soon.
Examples
- She got a suspended sentence for her first offense.
- The judge gave him a suspended sentence and ordered community service.
death sentence
1/dˈɛθ sˈɛntəns/
fixed phrase
Official order to execute someone as punishment for a crime
When a court says someone must be killed as punishment for a crime.
Examples
- The judge handed down a death sentence for the murderer.
- The murderer received the death sentence after the trial.
- In some countries, drug trafficking carries a death sentence.
- Many countries have abolished the death sentence.