LingoflyComparing measures: bikoiztu, erdia, aldiz gehiago
Basque says "double" in two ways. There is the word bikoitz — double: prezio bikoitza — a double price, and bikoiztu — to double: Prezioa bikoiztu da. And there is counting in times: bi aldiz gehiago — twice as much, hiru aldiz gehiago — three times as much; aldiz means "times". For example: “Prezioa bikoiztu egin da aurten” — The price doubled this year. A rule from the Basque course: worked out on examples, not…
How it works
Basque says "double" in two ways. There is the word bikoitz — double: prezio bikoitza — a double price, and bikoiztu — to double: Prezioa bikoiztu da. And there is counting in times: bi aldiz gehiago — twice as much, hiru aldiz gehiago — three times as much; aldiz means "times".
Half is erdia: Erdia hartuko dut — I will take half. After a number the article drops: hiru metro — three metres, no -a.
Table
| the meaning | the form | the example |
|---|---|---|
| twice as much | bi aldiz gehiago | bi aldiz gehiago behar dut |
| double / to double | bikoitza / bikoiztu | prezioa bikoiztu da |
| half | erdia | erdia hartuko dut |
By example
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
Comparing measures: how does it work in Basque?
Basque says "double" in two ways. There is the word bikoitz — double: prezio bikoitza — a double price, and bikoiztu — to double: Prezioa bikoiztu da. And there is counting in times: bi aldiz gehiago — twice as much, hiru aldiz gehiago — three times as much; aldiz means "times".
What does it look like in a Basque example sentence?
“Prezioa bikoiztu egin da aurten” — The price doubled this year. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.