"The man goes to the forest and hunts."

Translation: A férfi elmegy az erdőbe és vadászik.

[KatyLovesFrench]

Why doesn't just "megy" work for this sentence? Why is it "elmegy"? Because it doesn't say the man goes away to the forest, just that he goes to the forest. Or is it always that you use elmegy when they are going somewhere else?

[Shamarth]

Prefixes often express that an action is completed successfully. This is the case here too: megy simply means he's going, but we don't know if he will actually reach the forest or not. By adding the prefix el- it's clear that he will reach his destination. The directional meaning is secondary. Here you can find other examples that might clear it up.

[KatyLovesFrench]

Thank you :)

[vvsey]

I think it could work both ways here. The "és vadászik" part indicates that the man makes it to the forest. But it could be just "megy" anyway.
If "megy" is emphasized, not "férfi", it gives the sentence a progressive feeling.
"The man is going..." - "A férfi megy...", or "Megy a férfi...."

[EkS1xNex]

Why not "bemegy"?

[Forzafiori]

Erdőhoz(nal? I can never seem to keep that group straight) would work here too right? If the hunter was on the edge of the forest for instance?