Padrão de uso:
to spell [a word or name]
How do you spell your last name?
Le tudná betűzni a vezetéknevét?
I can never remember how to spell "necessary."
Sosem emlékszem, hogyan kell írni a „necessary” szót.
Could you spell that word for me, please?
She slowly spelled the word so the child could write it down.
My email address is easy to spell and easy to remember.
Exemplos para aprendentes
Can you spell your first name?
Le tudod betűzni a keresztnevedet?
He does not know how to spell this word.
Nem tudja, hogyan kell írni ezt a szót.
Please spell it slowly for me.
The teacher asked the boy to spell "family."
I always spell this word wrong.
Erro comum:
Learners sometimes ask, *"How do you write it?"* when they mean *"How do you spell it?"* in the sense of giving each letter. Some learners also confuse **spell** with **spill**, and are unsure about the past forms **spelled** and **spelt** (both are used, but **spelled** is more common in American English).
Significado
write or say letters of a word
Colocações
spell a word
|spell your name
|spell it correctly
|spell it wrong
Sinónimos
write (More general; refers to putting words on paper or screen, not specifically to giving each letter of a word.)
Antónimos
misspell (Means to spell a word incorrectly, which is the opposite of spelling it correctly.)
Temas
language
|education
|daily life
|communication
Definição
To say or write all the letters in a word in the right order.
To write or say the letters of a word in the correct order.
Padrão de uso:
to spell [result] (for [someone/something])
Rising interest rates could spell trouble for small businesses.
Az emelkedő kamatok gondot jelenthetnek a kisvállalkozások számára.
A major data breach would spell disaster for the company’s reputation.
Egy súlyos adatszivárgás katasztrófát jelentene a vállalat hírneve szempontjából.
For many families, another rent increase would spell financial ruin.
The latest defeat may spell the end of his political career.
If we lose this contract, it will almost certainly spell layoffs for the team.
Exemplos para aprendentes
Heavy rain could spell problems for the event.
A heves eső gondot okozhat a rendezvényen.
This decision may spell the end of the project.
Ez a döntés a projekt végét jelentheti.
Another mistake will spell trouble for you.
A long strike would spell big losses for the company.
A bad review can spell failure for a new restaurant.
Erro comum:
Learners sometimes try to say *"This will spell a problem"* instead of more natural phrases like *"spell trouble"*, *"spell disaster"*, *"spell the end of"*, or *"spell problems"*. Also, this use of **spell** is mainly for serious or important results, not for small everyday things.
Significado
mean or cause a result
Colocações
spell trouble
|spell disaster
|spell the end of
|could spell ruin
Sinónimos
mean (Very close in meaning here, but more general and less dramatic; **spell** often sounds stronger or more serious, especially for bad results.)
Antónimos
prevent (To stop a bad result from happening, which is the opposite of causing or bringing it about.)
Temas
risk
|business
|news
|core_vocabulary
Definição
To mean or cause a certain result, usually a bad one.
To mean, indicate, or cause a particular result, often something negative or serious.
Padrão de uso:
a spell of [weather/activity/condition]
We had a long cold spell last winter.
Tavaly télen hosszú hideg időszak volt.
After a brief spell in hospital, she returned home.
Egy rövid kórházi tartózkodás után hazatért.
He went through a spell of unemployment before finding this job.
The region is experiencing a dry spell with almost no rain.
After a spell in Paris, he moved back to his hometown.
Exemplos para aprendentes
We had a short spell of warm weather.
Rövid meleg időszakunk volt.
He had a spell in hospital after the accident.
A baleset után egy ideig kórházban volt.
She is going through a spell of bad luck.
The team had a winning spell last year.
There was a dry spell and the grass turned brown.
Erro comum:
Learners sometimes confuse **a spell** with **a moment**. A **spell** usually lasts longer than a quick moment and often suggests a more continuous situation (for example, *a spell of rain* can last hours or days).
Significado
short period with a condition
Colocações
a cold spell
|a dry spell
|a brief spell
|a spell of unemployment
|a spell in hospital
Sinónimos
period (More general; **spell** suggests a fairly short, often noticeable or separate period.)
Antónimos
permanence (Suggests something lasting without ending, which contrasts with a limited short spell.)
Temas
weather
|time
|work
Definição
A short time when something, like weather or a situation, stays the same.
A short period of time, usually when a particular type of weather, activity, or situation continues.
Padrão de uso:
a spell (on/over [someone/something])
The witch cast a spell on the prince.
A boszorkány varázslatot szórt a hercegre.
The village believed a powerful spell protected the forest.
A falu lakói úgy hitték, hogy egy erős varázslat védi az erdőt.
The magician’s spell turned the frog into a prince.
The hero broke the spell and saved the kingdom.
She felt as if she were under some kind of spell.
Exemplos para aprendentes
The witch put a spell on the boy.
A boszorkány varázslatot szórt a fiúra.
The king was under a magic spell.
A király varázslat hatása alatt állt.
The hero broke the spell in the end.
The wizard used a spell to open the door.
In the story, a spell makes her sleep for 100 years.
Erro comum:
Learners sometimes mix **spell** and **curse**. A **spell** can be good or bad magic, while a **curse** is usually magic that brings harm or bad luck.
Significado
magic words or effect
Colocações
cast a spell
|under a spell
|magic spell
|love spell
|break the spell
Sinónimos
charm (Can also refer to a magic word or object; often sounds a bit softer or more positive than **spell**.)
Antónimos
disenchantment (The loss or ending of magical influence, which is the opposite of being affected by a spell.)
Temas
fantasy
|stories
|beliefs
|religion
|core_vocabulary
Definição
Special words or actions that people believe can use magic to change people or things.
A series of words or actions believed to have magical power to control or influence people, things, or events.
Padrão de uso:
a spell at [an activity/place]
After a long spell at the wheel, she needed a break.
A volánnál töltött hosszú idő után szüksége volt egy kis szünetre.
He had a short spell in goal before moving to midfield.
Egy rövid ideig a kapuban védett, mielőtt a középpályára került.
I did a spell at the front desk while the receptionist was at lunch.
After a spell working nights, he switched back to day shifts.
She had a brief spell behind the bar during the busy period.
Exemplos para aprendentes
After a long spell at the computer, my eyes hurt.
A számítógép előtt töltött hosszú idő után fájt a szemem.
He did a short spell in the shop while his boss was away.
Rövid ideig dolgozott a boltban, amíg a főnöke távol volt.
I had a spell at the wheel and then my friend drove.
She had a spell working in a bank before she became a teacher.
He enjoyed his spell on the team last year.
Erro comum:
Learners may not realize that this **spell** is often used for shared or repeated work or roles (one person's spell, then another's). For just "time working" in general, **period** or **time** is more common.
Significado
short turn of work or activity
Colocações
a driving spell
|a spell at the wheel
|a spell at the computer
|a brief spell in goal
Sinónimos
stint (Also means a period of work; **stint** can sound slightly more formal or official.)
Antónimos
rest (A time when you do not work, which contrasts with a spell of working.)
Temas
work
|sports
|daily life
|time
Definição
A short time when you do a job or activity, especially when you then let another person take a turn.
A short period of time spent doing a particular job or activity, especially as one turn in work that is shared with other people.
Padrão de uso:
to spell [someone] (at/in [a task])
Can you spell me at the wheel for a while?
Le tudnál váltani egy kis időre a volánnál?
She spelled him at the reception desk during the lunch rush.
Az ebédidős roham alatt leváltotta őt a recepción.
The substitute keeper will spell the main goalie during the easier games.
Exemplos para aprendentes
Can you spell me at the desk for ten minutes?
Le tudnál váltani tíz percre az asztalnál?
He spelled his friend at the wheel so she could rest.
Leváltotta a barátnőjét a volánnál, hogy pihenhessen.
I will spell you in goal for the second half.
She spelled her coworker at the counter during the busy time.
Erro comum:
Many learners do not know this meaning at all and only understand **spell** as about letters or magic. Also, this use is mainly in Australian and New Zealand English; in other varieties, **cover** or **relieve** is more common.
Significado
take someone’s place briefly at work
Colocações
spell me at the wheel
|spell her at the desk
|spell him in goal
Sinónimos
relieve (Used in a similar way in work contexts ("relieve someone at the wheel"), but more general and more common globally; **spell** in this sense is especially common in Australian and New Zealand English.)
Antónimos
cover continuously (To keep working without giving anyone a break, which is the opposite of spelling someone so they can rest.)
Temas
work
|daily life
|daily_life
Definição
To take another person’s place in some work for a short time so that the person can stop and rest.
To do someone else’s job or activity for a short time so that they can rest or do something else.