euri
/eu̯ɾi/
The English word "rain" is euri in Basque.
euri functions as a noun meaning an instance of particles falling. It can also serve as a root for various related weather terms.
Meaning: an instance of particles falling (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
To say "it rains," you use the phrase euri egiten du, which literally means "rain does" using the verb egin (to do/make). To specify "the rain," add the suffix -a to the noun to form euria. For the plural form "the rains," use euriak.
How do you pronounce it?
/eu̯ɾi/
Did you know?
- The word euri is part of a linguistic isolate, meaning it has no known cognates in any other living language family, unlike many English weather words which have Latin roots.
- In many Basque-speaking regions, the frequency of euri is so high that the word is integrated into many idioms and cultural expressions regarding luck and agriculture.
- When referring to a rainy day, Basques may use the term euri-egun, combining 'rain' and 'day' into a single compound noun.
Examples in context
- Euri asko egiten du Alemanian?Does it rain much in Germany?This sentence is useful for asking about the frequency of rain in a specific location using euri.Tatoeba #6000885 by ugaldexabi9, translation #1763313 by Amastan
- Eguzkia eta euria, erromako zubia.Sun and rain, rainbow.This sentence illustrates the connection between sun, rain and a rainbow using euri.Tatoeba #1928058 by Zuriberri, translation #1928105 by Zuriberri
- Partida euriaren erruz eten egin zen.The game was called off because of the rain.This sentence shows how a game can be cancelled due to euri.Tatoeba #862359 by garikolc, translation #47295 by CM
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Xabi and Amaia are looking out the window.
- XabiMira, euria hasi da!Look, the rain has started!
- AmaiaBai, gaur euri asko egongo da.Yes, there will be a lot of rain today.
- XabiUmbrela ekartzen duzu?Did you bring an umbrella?
- AmaiaEz, utzi dut etxean.No, I left it at home.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry euri, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
