Number + urte
Saying Your Age
In Basque you have your years: Hogeita bost urte ditut (I am twenty-five, literally I have twenty-five years). To ask, say Zenbat urte dituzu?
How It Works
Asking and answering. Zenbat urte dituzu? (How old are you?) uses zenbat with the bare noun urte. The answer repeats the pattern: Hogeita bost urte ditut. In a quick reply the number alone is enough: Hogeita bost.
Why ditut and not dut. Twenty-five years are several things, so the verb takes the plural forms, as in Bi katu ditut. See Having Several Things. The noun itself stays bare after the number, as with any number: hogei urte, not hogei urteak. One year is different, because bat comes after the noun and the verb stays singular: Nire semeak urte bat du (My son is one).
Other people. Because ukan is transitive, a named person takes the ergative -k: Nire alabak zazpi urte ditu, Gure txakurrak hiru urte ditu. Babies are counted in months the same way: Sei hilabete ditu (She is six months old).
Past and birthdays. Use the past of ukan for an age you had: Hamar urte nituen (I was ten). To turn an age, say urteak bete or urteak egin: Bihar hogei urte beteko ditut (I turn twenty tomorrow). Noiz egiten dituzu urteak? means When is your birthday?
Before a noun. To describe someone by age, use -ko: zazpi urteko neska (a seven-year-old girl). See Size, Length and Material.
Examples (6)
- Zenbat urte dituzu?
How old are you?
Literally: how many years do you have?
- Hogeita bost urte ditut.
I am twenty-five.
Several years, so the verb is ditut.
- Nire alabak zazpi urte ditu.
My daughter is seven.
alaba takes -k because ukan is transitive.
- Hamar urte nituen Bilbora etorri nintzenean.
I was ten when I came to Bilbao.
The past of ukan gives the age someone had.
- Bihar hogei urte beteko ditut.
I turn twenty tomorrow.
urteak bete means to turn an age.
- Gure txakurrak hiru urte ditu.
Our dog is three.
Common Mistakes
Using izan, as in English I am twenty-five.
Hogeita bost urte naiz.Hogeita bost urte ditut.Basque does not say you are an age. You have the years, so the verb is ukan: ditut.
Using the singular form dut.
Hogeita bost urte dut.Hogeita bost urte ditut.Twenty-five years are plural, so the verb takes the plural form ditut.
Leaving out -k on the person.
Nire alaba zazpi urte ditu.Nire alabak zazpi urte ditu.With ukan the person who has the years takes the ergative: alabak.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Age needs plural-object ukan and the numbers.
Related Patterns
- zenbatHow Much, How Many (Zenbat)
The question word in Zenbat urte dituzu?
Level 1 - Numbers and Nouns
Explains why urte stays bare after a number.
Level 1 - -kThe Ergative Case -k
Explains the -k on nire alabak.
Level 1 - -ko / -zkoSize, Length and Material
Describes a person by age before a noun: zazpi urteko neska.
Level 4
Words in This Pattern
Practice Number + urte in Bubblegum
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