-aldi / -zaro
Periods of Time: -aldi, -zaro
aldi means "time, occasion". As an ending it makes a stretch of time: atseden (rest) → atsedenaldi (a break). For stages of life, Basque uses -aro: haur (child) → haurtzaro (childhood).
How It Works
1. -aldi words.
- from nouns: denboraldi (season, period), atsedenaldi (break), oporraldi (holiday period), lanaldi (working day, shift), hitzaldi (talk, lecture)
- from verbs: egonaldi (stay, from egon), bizialdi (lifetime, from bizi)
- a very common one: eguraldi (weather)
Aldi is also a word on its own: aldi berean (at the same time), bigarren aldiz (for the second time).
2. Stages of life.
- haurtzaro or umezaro: childhood
- gaztaro: youth
- zahartzaro: old age
The ending appears as -tzaro, -zaro or -aro, so learn each word as a whole. The same -aro is in urtaro (season of the year).
3. denboraldi or urtaro? Urtaro is one of the four seasons: spring, summer, autumn, winter. Denboraldi is a period set by an activity: futbol denboraldia (the football season), goi denboraldia (high season).
4. With -ko. These nouns often describe other nouns: haurtzaroko oroitzapenak (childhood memories), gaztaroko lagunak (friends from youth).
Examples (6)
- Hamar minutuko atsedenaldia hartuko dugu.
We will take a ten-minute break.
- Futbol denboraldi berria abuztuan hasiko da.
The new football season will start in August.
- Astebeteko egonaldia egin genuen Donostian.
We had a week-long stay in Donostia.
- Haurtzaroa baserrian igaro nuen.
I spent my childhood on a farm.
- Gaztaroko lagunekin afaldu dut.
I had dinner with my friends from my youth.
- Zahartzaroan lasai bizi nahi dut.
In old age I want to live peacefully.
Common Mistakes
Using denboraldi for the seasons of the year.
Udaberria da nire denboraldi gogokoena.Udaberria da nire urtaro gogokoena.If you mean "Spring is my favourite season", use urtaro. denboraldi is a period set by an activity, such as a sports season.
Leaving out the case ending.
Haurtzaro baserrian bizi nintzen.Haurtzaroan baserrian bizi nintzen.To say "in my childhood", add the article and -n: haurtzaroan.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Periods follow time words.
Related Patterns
- Dates, Months and Seasons
The seasons of the year (urtaroak) and other time words.
Level 2 - behin / bitan / hirutanOnce, Twice, Three Times
Other ways to count occasions; aldi also means "time" in bigarren aldiz.
Level 3 - -nWhere: -n (In, At, On)
Periods take the inessive for "in": haurtzaroan.
Level 1 - -koOf a Place: -ko
Periods describe nouns with -ko: haurtzaroko oroitzapenak.
Level 1 - Compound Nouns
Many -aldi words work like compounds: atseden + aldi.
Level 5
Words in This Pattern
Practice -aldi / -zaro in Bubblegum
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