Aurrera!: A Textbook for Studying Basque, Volume 2

Chapter Nine. We Met You Long Ago

252 th e th in gs we used to do 4. Nolakoa da Zaunka? What is Barky like? Ilets ua da. 5. Azken finean, zer zen arazoa? In the final analysis, what was the problem? Dirua zen arazoa. 6. Nor zen aberatsa? Who was rich? Goxo zen aberatsa. 7. Noren lagun ona da Goxo? Whose good friend is Goxo? Xurgaren lagun ona da. english equivalent of xurgaren ordenadorea (xurga’s computer) 1. “When we were little, learning new things was not so difficult,” said Xurga. 2. “It’s true,” replied Goxo. She was sitting in an armchair in Xurga’s house. She was having coffee and reading a magazine. “What new thing are you studying?” 3. “I bought a computer last week, but I have problems with the machine. I could not understand how it worked.” Xurga was a little depressed. 4. “Where is it now? In your coffin?” asked Goxo. 5. “No, it’s not in my coffin. I don’t have room. It’s on the dining room table. I put it there when I opened the box, and there it has remained . So many cables, so many pieces . . . I don’t understand it.” 6. “Well, I will help you. Let’s go.” Goxo left the magazine about poison on the floor and went to the dining room table. “Oh, how pretty your computer is!” 7. Xurga heaved a sigh. “At first, I was happy. But soon I realized that I don’t know what to do with the pieces.” 8. Goxo laughed. “The pieces and the cables are not the problem. I will fix it for you.” And Goxo fixed everything very quickly. Within ten minutes, the computer was ready. “Turn it on! Turn it on! It’s ready,” said Goxo. answ e rs 253 9. Xurga was completely happy. “Thanks a million, Goxo! Now I can use it!” 10. “And what do you want to do? Do you want to use e-mail? Do you want to write a book? Do you want to do scientific experiments? What?” 11. “No, no. Not those things. I bought the computer because I want the games!” (Lit: “I want to use the games.”) activity 8.13 ■ practicing the preterite forms 1. Kafea hartzen zuen 2. . . . eta errebista bat irakurtzen zuen. 3. Xurga pixkat deprimituta zegoen. 4. Goxok pozoiari buruzko errebista lurrean utzi zuen, 5. . . . eta jangelako mahaira joan zen. 6. Goxok barre egin zuen. 7. Eta arin-arin dena konpondu zuen Goxok. 8. Posta elektronikoa erabili nahi zenuen? 9. E sperimentu zientifikoak egin nahi zenituen? activity 8.14 ■ directed translation 1. I was sitting in the armchair. Besaulkian eserita nengoen. 2. We were sitting in the armchair. Besaulkian eserita geunden. 3. You were sitting in the armchair. Besaulkian eserita zeunden. 4. Last year I bought a computer. Ordenadorea erosi nuen joan zen urtean. 5. Last year we bought a computer. Ordenadorea erosi genuen joan zen urtean. 6. Last year you all bought a computer. Ordenadorea erosi zenuten joan zen urtean. 7. Ezin genuen ulertu nola funtzionatzen zuen. 8. Ezin nuen ulertu zergatik funtzionatzen zuen. 9. Ezin zuten ulertu nola funtzionatzen zuen. 254 th e th in gs we used to do 10. Hemen ipini nuen kartoia itxi nuenean. 11. Hemen ipini zenuen kartoia itxi zenuenean. activity 8.15 ■ practicing with hain and hainbeste 1. Ez da hain zaila ordua kontuan edukitzea. It is not so difficult keeping the hour in mind. 2. Ez daukagu hainbeste diru. We do not have so much money. 3. Otsogizonaren kotxea ez dago hain zikin. The werewolf’s car is not so dirty. 4. Haurrek ez dute hainbeste esne behar. The children don’t need that much (so much) milk. 5. Pentsatzen duzu hainbeste etxekolan behar dugula? Do you think that we need so much homework? 6. Nire ustez, emakume hori ez da hain polita. In my opinion, that woman is not so pretty. activity 8.16 ■ working with bezainbat and bezain 1. Nik ez daukat zuk bezainbat lagun. I don’t have as many friends as you [have]. 2. Baina ni zu bezain atsegina naiz. But I am as pleasant as you. 3. Nire amak esan zuen zure gurasoak elefanteak bezain indartsuak zirela. My mother said that your parents are as strong as elephants. 4. Haiek niri, zuri bezainbat opari emango didate. They will give me as many gifts as [they give] to you. 5. Guk haiek bezain laster bukatu genuen...