-ero / duela / barru

Every Day, Ago and in

Level 2

egunero (every day), duela bi urte (two years ago), bi egun barru (in two days): three short ways to place an event in time.

How It Works

-ero: every. Add -ero to a time word:

  • egun → egunero (every day)
  • aste → astero (every week)
  • hilabete → hilabetero, also hilero (every month)
  • urte → urtero (every year)
  • goiz → goizero (every morning), gau → gauero (every night)
  • igande → igandero (every Sunday)

These often go with the present habitual: Egunero korrika egiten dut (I go running every day). -ero goes only on a single time word. For "every two weeks", say bi astetik behin (once every two weeks), not bi astero.

With -ko, the word describes a noun: eguneroko ogia (daily bread), asteroko bilera (the weekly meeting).

duela: ago. Put duela or orain dela in front of the length of time: duela bi urte (two years ago), orain dela hiru egun (three days ago), duela gutxi (a little while ago). Use it with a past tense: Duela bi urte etorri nintzen Bilbora (I came to Bilbao two years ago). Duela is written as one word; orain dela is two.

barru: in, within. Put barru after the length of time to say how long from now something will happen: bi egun barru (in two days), ordubete barru (in an hour). It usually goes with the future: Bi egun barru itzuliko naiz (I will be back in two days). In a story, it can also mean "later": Astebete barru, berriro hasi zen lanean (A week later, he started work again).

No article. The time words stay bare after duela and before barru: duela bi urte, bi egun barru, just like other number and noun phrases.

Examples (6)

  1. Egunero korrika egiten dut.

    I go running every day.

  2. Astero amonari deitzen diot.

    I call my grandma every week.

  3. Duela bi urte etorri nintzen Bilbora.

    I came to Bilbao two years ago.

  4. Orain dela hiru egun ikusi nuen Mikel.

    I saw Mikel three days ago.

    orain dela means the same as duela.

  5. Bi egun barru itzuliko naiz.

    I will be back in two days.

  6. Trena ordubete barru irtengo da.

    The train will leave in an hour.

Common Mistakes

  • Using duela for a future time.

    Duela bi egun etorriko da.
    Bi egun barru etorriko da.

    duela looks back from now ("ago"). For a time in the future, put barru after the length of time.

  • Adding -ero to a phrase with a number.

    Bi astero joaten naiz igerilekura.
    Bi astetik behin joaten naiz igerilekura.

    -ero goes on a single time word (astero, every week). For "every two weeks", say bi astetik behin.

  • Putting the article on the time word.

    Duela bi urteak etorri nintzen.
    Duela bi urte etorri nintzen.

    After a number, the time word stays bare: bi urte, not bi urteak.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

-ero / duela / barruLevel 2Every Day, Ago and in

Learn This First

These time phrases build on time words.

Words in This Pattern

duelabarruasteroeguneroorainorain duela