zergatik

Basque

Alternative forms

• zeatik (Biscayan)

Pronunciation

 

• IPA^(key): /s̻erɡatik/ [s̻er.ɣ̞a.t̪ik]

• IPA^(key): (most dialects) /s̻erɡatik/ [s̻er.ɣ̞a.t̪ik]
• IPA^(key): (Biscayan) /s̺erɡatik/ [s̺er.ɣ̞a.t̪ik]

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• Rhymes: -atik, -ik
• Hyphenation: zer‧ga‧tik

Adverb

zergatik (interrogative)

1. causative indefinite of zer; why

   Synonym: zerentzat (Northern)

   Zergatik da zerua urdina? ― Why is the sky blue?

   Ez dakit zergatik. ― I don't know why.

Derived terms

• zergatik edo hargatik (“for some reason”)
• zergatiko (“reason”)

Related terms

• zergati (“reason”)

Further reading

• “zergatik”, in Euskaltzaindiaren Hiztegia [Dictionary of the Basque Academy] (in Basque), Euskaltzaindia [Royal Academy of the Basque Language]
• “zergatik”, in Orotariko Euskal Hiztegia [General Basque Dictionary], Euskaltzaindia, 1987–2005