-ko / -zko

Size, Length and Material

Level 4

A measure goes before the noun with -ko: hamar urteko umea (a ten-year-old child). A material goes before the noun with -zko: harrizko etxea (a stone house).

How It Works

Measures with -ko. Number + unit + -ko, then the noun with its article:

  • bi kiloko arraina (a two-kilo fish)
  • hiru orduko bidaia (a three-hour trip)
  • hamar urteko umea (a ten-year-old child)
  • lau hankako mahaia (a four-legged table)

Any description with an adjective works the same way: ile luzeko neska (a long-haired girl), kalitate oneko haragia (good-quality meat). When an adjective is in the phrase, the link is always -ko.

Materials with -zko. After a vowel add -zko; after a consonant add -ezko:

  • urre → urrezko (gold), harri → harrizko (stone), paper → paperezko
  • zur → zurezko (wooden), zilar → zilarrezko (silver); many speakers also say egurrezko

Other -zko words. -zko also comes from other -z phrases: euskarazko liburua (a book in Basque, from euskaraz), beldurrezko filma (a horror film), egiazko (true). But benetako (real) takes plain -ko.

Place and time. Plain -ko also links places and times: Bilboko museoa, gaurko egunkaria. See adnominal -ko.

Examples (6)

  1. Bi kiloko arraina erosi dut.

    I have bought a two-kilo fish.

    The unit kilo has no article: bi kiloko.

  2. Hiru orduko bidaia izan zen.

    It was a three-hour trip.

  3. Hamar urteko alaba bat dut.

    I have a ten-year-old daughter.

  4. Urrezko eraztuna oparitu diot.

    I have given her a gold ring.

    urre + -zko.

  5. Zurezko mahaia sukaldean dago.

    The wooden table is in the kitchen.

    zur ends in r, so it takes -ezko.

  6. Beldurrezko filmak gustatzen zaizkit.

    I like horror films.

    beldurrez (with fear) + -ko.

Common Mistakes

  • Using plain -ko for the material.

    Harriko etxe batean bizi dira.
    Harrizko etxe batean bizi dira.

    A material needs -zko: harrizko etxea is a house made of stone. harriko would mean belonging to or found on the stone.

  • Adding -zko to benetan.

    Benetazko laguna da.
    Benetako laguna da.

    benetako comes from benetan, not from a -z form, so it takes plain -ko: benetako laguna (a real friend).

  • Using -zko when an adjective is in the phrase.

    Kalitate onezko haragia da.
    Kalitate oneko haragia da.

    With an adjective between, the link is always -ko: kalitate oneko, ile luzeko.

How It Connects

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

-ko / -zkoLevel 4Size, Length and Material

Learn This First

Measure and material combine -ko and -z.