bērzs
Latvian
[edit]
Alternative forms
[edit]Etymology
[edit]From Proto-Balto-Slavic *berźas,[1] *berźā (with the long ē caused by the level intonation: er̄ > ēːr), from *bʰerHǵós.
Dialectal Latvian bērze is closer to Old Prussian, while dialectal Latvian bērza is closer to Slavic. Cognates include Lithuanian béržas, Old Prussian berse, Proto-Slavic *berza, Old English beorc, Old High German birka, English birch, German Birke, Sanskrit भूर्ज (bhūrjá), Latin frāxinus (“ash tree”) (< *bʰr̥Hǵ-s-inos). [2]
Pronunciation
[edit]Noun
[edit]bērzs m (1st declension)
- birch tree (gen. Betula)
- bērza lapa, malka, tāss ― birch leaf, wood, bark
- purva bērzs ― bog birch
- āra bērzs ― silver birch, European white birch
- nocirst bērzu ― to cut down a birch tree
- bērzu sula ― birch juice
- bērzu slota ― birch broom
- sasiet bērza zarus slotā ― to tie birch branches into a broom
Declension
[edit]| singular | plural | |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | bērzs | bērzi |
| genitive | bērza | bērzu |
| dative | bērzam | bērziem |
| accusative | bērzu | bērzus |
| instrumental | bērzu | bērziem |
| locative | bērzā | bērzos |
| vocative | bērz | bērzi |