Biography — Telling a Life Story

Last unit of the level — the one for tying up loose ends. We’ll start with the ultimate test of your past: telling a whole life story, yours or anyone else’s. It’s THE classic A2 exam exercise and, by the way, the best way to get to know someone.

Life’s Milestones

English	Basque
To be born	jaio (jaio nintzen/zen)
To grow up	hazi
To go to school	eskolara joan
To study (a degree/course)	ikasketak egin
To start working	lanean hasi
To get married	ezkondu
To have children	seme-alabak izan
To move (house)	bizitzera joan / etxez aldatu
To retire	erretiroa hartu
To die	hil

Dates and Eras

1990ean jaio nintzen. — I was born in 1990. (year + -ean)

Gaztaroan Iruñean bizi izan zen. — In his/her youth, he/she lived in Pamplona.

Garai hartan ez zegoen internetik. — In those days, there was no internet.

Urte askoan irakasle ibili zen. — For many years, she worked as a teacher.

A Well-Rounded Biography (Exam Model)

Elbira Zipitria 1906an jaio zen, Zumaian, eta Donostian hazi zen. Gaztetan irakasle-ikasketak egin zituen. Gerra ostean, euskarazko eskolak debekatuta zeuden, baina Elbirak umeei euskaraz irakasten zien bere etxean, isilpean. Urte askoan aritu zen lan horretan, eta gaur egun euskal eskolaren aitzindaritzat hartzen dugu. 1982an hil zen, baina bere lana gure ikastoletan bizi da oraindik.

Notice the complete team: jaio zen / hazi zen (NOR), egin zituen / irakasten zien (NORK and NORI), zeuden / zegoen (descriptions)… The entire A2 past tense in one paragraph.

Your Turn: The Skeleton

Ni [urtea]n jaio nintzen, [herria]n. [Herria]n hazi nintzen eta [ikasketak] egin nituen. [Urtea]n [lana]n hasi nintzen. Orain [herria]n bizi naiz eta [zaletasuna] gustatzen zait. Etorkizunean [plana egingo dut].

Past → present → future. Three tenses, one life: the perfect answer to “tell me about yourself”.

Asking About Someone Else’s Life

Non jaio zinen? — Where were you born?

Non hazi zinen? — Where did you grow up?

Zer ikasi zenuen? — What did you study?

Noiz hasi zinen lanean? — When did you start working?

Nolakoa zen zure herria garai hartan? — What was your town like in those days?