LingoflyQuestions of measure: Zenbat pisu?, Xerra bat
A measure at the market is asked with zenbat — how much: zenbat balio du kilo batek? — how much is a kilo? "Half" goes after the measure: kilo erdi — half a kilo, ordu erdi — half an hour. After a number the article falls off: kilo erdi bakailao — half a kilo of cod, not "bakailaoa". For example: “Zenbat behar duzu, kilo erdi ala kilo bat?” — How much do you need, half a kilo or a kilo? A rule from the Basque…
How it works
A measure at the market is asked with zenbat — how much: zenbat balio du kilo batek? — how much is a kilo? "Half" goes after the measure: kilo erdi — half a kilo, ordu erdi — half an hour. After a number the article falls off: kilo erdi bakailao — half a kilo of cod, not "bakailaoa".
Portions are counted with a word: xerra bat — one slice, puskatxo bat — one small piece. esku bete is a handful, literally "hand full". Enough is nahikoa da. The price is asked with the same zenbat: zenbat ordaindu behar dut? — how much do I pay?
Table
| the question | the answer | the example |
|---|---|---|
| Zenbat behar duzu? | a measure of weight | kilo erdi, kilo bat |
| Zenbat balio du…? | the price | bost euro kilo batek |
| Nahikoa da? | is it enough | bai, nahikoa da |
By example
- That is enough, thanks: only a handful
How the rule settles in your head
A rule is not memorized from an explanation. It is memorized from an attempt to use it and a mistake — that is why the app delivers it mixed in with words, not as a separate lesson: it resurfaces exactly where you forgot it.
Frequently asked
Questions of measure: how does it work in Basque?
A measure at the market is asked with zenbat — how much: zenbat balio du kilo batek? — how much is a kilo? "Half" goes after the measure: kilo erdi — half a kilo, ordu erdi — half an hour. After a number the article falls off: kilo erdi bakailao — half a kilo of cod, not "bakailaoa".
What does it look like in a Basque example sentence?
“Zenbat behar duzu, kilo erdi ala kilo bat?” — How much do you need, half a kilo or a kilo? A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.