-era / -kera
Manner: -era, -kera
-era and -kera answer "in what way?": bere idazkera = his or her way of writing. Hizkera is a way of speaking, often a local variety.
How It Works
1. Manner nouns.
- ibilera: way of walking; also behaviour
- idazkera: handwriting; spelling; writing style
- hizkera: way of speaking; the speech of a place
- janzkera: way of dressing
- jokaera: behaviour, conduct
- erabilera: use, way of using
2. Event nouns with -era. Many come from verbs of movement or change:
- hasiera (beginning), amaiera or bukaera (end)
- sarrera (entrance; also a ticket), irteera (exit, departure)
- etorrera (arrival), igoera (rise), jaitsiera (descent)
These are some of the most frequent -era words in daily life.
3. -era or -kera? Learn the form with each word: ibilera and jokaera, but idazkera and janzkera.
4. Compare other endings. -keta names the act: idazketa (the act of writing). -pen names a result: itzulpen (a translation). -era/-kera names the way it is done: idazkera (the way someone writes).
Examples (6)
- Zure idazkera oso polita da.
Your handwriting is very nice.
- Urrunetik ezagutu dut, bere ibileragatik.
I recognised him from far away, by the way he walks.
- Herri honetako hizkera berezia da.
The local speech of this town is special.
- Ez nuen jokaera hori espero.
I did not expect that behaviour.
- Filmaren hasiera aspergarria da, baina amaiera zoragarria.
The beginning of the film is boring, but the ending is wonderful.
- Sarrerak Interneten erosi ditugu.
We bought the tickets online.
Common Mistakes
Using -keta when you mean a manner.
Zure idazketa oso polita da.Zure idazkera oso polita da.If you mean "Your handwriting is very nice", use idazkera. idazketa is the act of writing a text.
Adding -era to the participle.
Haren jokatuera ez nuen espero.Haren jokaera ez nuen espero.The ending goes on the verb stem joka-, not on the participle jokatu.
How It Connects
Learn This First
-era and -kera follow the radical.
Related Patterns
- -pen / -menResult and Faculty: -pen, -men
Other nouns from verb stems, for results and abilities.
Level 5 - -ketaActions: -keta
Names the act itself: idazketa vs idazkera.
Level 4 - -tzeaDoing as a Noun: -tzea
The regular verbal noun: idaztea (writing).
Level 2 - The Basque Dialects
hizkera is the everyday word for the speech of a town or area.
Level 5
Words in This Pattern
Practice -era / -kera in Bubblegum
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