wander
gb/wˈɔndɚ/ us/wˈɔndɚ/
A2
English
~ 1200
barangol, kóborol, elkalandozik, eltér a témától, elcsatangol, elkóborol, barangolás, kóborlás
VERB
A2
1
Usage pattern:
to wander [somewhere]
We spent the afternoon wandering around the old town.
A délutánt az óvárosban barangolva töltöttük.
He wandered into the forest and got lost.
Bebarangolt az erdőbe, és eltévedt.
Tourists often wander the streets looking for interesting shops.
She wandered aimlessly through the park.
I like to wander along the beach at sunset.
Learner examples
We wander in the park.
A parkban barangolunk.
She likes to wander around the city.
Szeret a városban barangolni.
He wandered into the shop.
We wandered along the river.
I wander when I have free time.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'wander' with 'wonder'. 'Wander' means to move without direction; 'wonder' means to think about something with curiosity.
Meaning
Move without a set path
Collocations
wander around
|wander off
|wander the streets
|wander aimlessly
Synonyms
roam (Implies moving freely over a wide area, often for pleasure.)
Antonyms
stay (Means to remain in one place, opposite of moving around.)
Themes
travel
|daily life
|nature
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To walk or travel with no plan or clear place to go.
To travel or walk around without a specific destination or clear purpose.
VERB
B1
2
elkalandozik
B2
Usage pattern:
to wander from [topic/subject]
Her mind wandered during the long meeting.
A gondolatai elkalandoztak a hosszú értekezlet alatt.
He tends to wander off topic when telling stories.
Történetmesélés közben hajlamos eltérni a témától.
The teacher noticed the students' attention was starting to wander.
My thoughts wandered as I listened to the music.
Learner examples
My mind wanders in class.
Az órán elkalandozik a figyelmem.
He wanders from the topic.
Eltér a témától.
Her mind wandered during the movie.
The speaker wandered from the main point.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this with physical movement. In this sense, it is about thoughts or conversation, not walking.
Meaning
Lose focus or digress
Collocations
mind wanders
|wander off topic
|wander in conversation
Synonyms
digress (More formal term for moving away from a topic in speech or writing.)
Antonyms
focus (Maintaining attention on one subject.)
Themes
communication
|thinking
|education
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To stop thinking or talking about the main thing and start on something different.
To stray in speech, thought, or attention from the main subject or purpose.
VERB
A2
3
elcsatangol
B1
elkóborol
B2
Usage pattern:
to wander away from [someone/something]
The child wandered away from his parents in the store.
A gyerek a boltban elcsatangolt a szüleitől.
Make sure you don't wander off during the tour.
Ügyelj, hogy ne csatangolj el a túra alatt.
One of the hikers wandered from the trail and got lost.
Learner examples
The baby wandered away from her mother.
A baba elcsatangolt az anyjától.
Do not wander off in the park.
Ne csatangolj el a parkban.
He wandered away from the group.
Meaning
Stray from a group or place
Collocations
wander off
|wander away
Synonyms
stray (Often used for animals or people who move away from where they should be.)
Antonyms
stay close (Remain near the group or place.)
Themes
safety
|daily life
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To go away from a group or place without planning to.
To move away from a place or group, often without noticing or meaning to.
NOUN
B1
4
barangolás
B1
kóborlás
B2
We went for a wander through the gardens.
Elmentünk egy kis barangolásra a kertekben.
A short wander around town helped me relax.
Egy rövid barangolás a városban segített ellazulni.
She enjoys a wander along the beach at weekends.
Learner examples
We went for a wander in the park.
Elmentünk egy kis barangolásra a parkban.
I like a wander after lunch.
Ebéd után szeretek egyet barangolni.
They took a wander through the market.
Meaning
Aimless walk or journey
Collocations
go for a wander
|take a wander
Synonyms
stroll (A slow, relaxed walk, often shorter and more intentional than a wander.)
Themes
travel
|daily life
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A walk or trip with no plan or clear place to go.
An act of moving around without a specific route or purpose.
Grammar
Dictionary form
wander
IPA
GB/wˈɔndɚ/
US/wˈɔndɚ/
Syllables & stress
wander (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (wander)
Word forms
Verb
- Base: wander
- 3rd Person Singular: wanders
- Present Participle: wandering
- Past: wandered
Word family
Forms
wanders
verb
wandering
verb
wandered
verb
Core family
wanderer
noun B2
Advanced or less common
wanderlust
noun
Expressions
mind wanders
1/mˈaɪnd wˈɔndɚz/
fixed phrase
Attention drifts away
When you stop thinking about what you should and start thinking about other things.
Examples
- During long lectures, my mind often wanders.
- Her mind wandered and she missed part of the story.
wander around
1/wˈɔndɚ ɚˈaʊnd/
phrasal verb
Move about aimlessly in area
To walk in a place with no plan or clear direction.
Examples
- We wandered around the old city all afternoon.
- He likes to wander around the shops on weekends.
wander from the point
1/wˈɔndɚ fɹˈʌm ðə pˈɔɪnt/
fixed phrase
Digress from main subject
To stop talking about the main subject and talk about something else instead.
Examples
- Try not to wander from the point when you answer questions.
- He kept wandering from the point during his speech.
wander off
1/wˈɔndɚ ˈɔf/
phrasal verb
Move away without purpose
To leave a place or group without planning to, often without noticing.
Examples
- The dog wandered off while we were talking.
- She wandered off during the concert and missed her favorite song.