The kin: one word for two, and the tender nenorak
Basque kinship terms often do not tell the sexes apart: suhi is both the son-in-law (the daughter's husband) and the daughter-in-law (the son's wife); iloba is both nephew and niece; biloba — grandson and granddaughter at once. Common for the mother-in-law on either side: amaginarreba (ama + -ginarreba "kin by marriage"), for the father-in-law on either side — aitaginarreba. When the difference matters, one says it…
How it works
Basque kinship terms often do not tell the sexes apart: suhi is both the son-in-law (the daughter's husband) and the daughter-in-law (the son's wife); iloba is both nephew and niece; biloba — grandson and granddaughter at once. Common for the mother-in-law on either side: amaginarreba (ama + -ginarreba "kin by marriage"), for the father-in-law on either side — aitaginarreba. When the difference matters, one says it in full: emaztearen ama — the wife's mother, senarraren ama — the husband's mother.
One's own, the whole kin, are tenderly called nenorak — "my dear ones": Nenorak bazkalera etorriko dira — mine will come to lunch. A spouse without distinction of sex is ezkontidea (ezkontza "wedding" + -ide "companion"): husband and wife in one word.
Table
| the meaning | one word | the example |
|---|---|---|
| son-in-law and daughter-in-law | suhi | gure suhia — our son-in-law / our daughter-in-law |
| mother-in-law on either side | amaginarreba | amaginarreba etorri da — the mother-in-law came |
| my dear ones | nenorak | nenorak — my dear ones |
By example
- Nenorak bazkalera etorriko dira igandeanMy dear ones will come to lunch on Sunday
- Suhi berria sukaldaritzan trebea daOur daughter-in-law cooks skillfully
- Bi iloba ditut: mutil bat eta neska batI have two nephews and nieces: a boy and a girl
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
The kin: how does it work in Basque?
Basque kinship terms often do not tell the sexes apart: suhi is both the son-in-law (the daughter's husband) and the daughter-in-law (the son's wife); iloba is both nephew and niece; biloba — grandson and granddaughter at once. Common for the mother-in-law on either side: amaginarreba (ama +…
What does it look like in an example sentence Basque?
“Nenorak bazkalera etorriko dira igandean” — My dear ones will come to lunch on Sunday. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.