Editing Grammatical number (section)

===Basque===
[[Basque language|Basque]] declension has four grammatical numbers: indefinite, definite singular, definite plural, and definite close plural:

* The '''indefinite''' is used after the question words {{lang|eu|Zer?}} ("What?"), {{lang|eu|Zein?}} ("Which?") and {{lang|eu|Zenbat?}} ("How much? / How many?"), after indefinite numerals, such as {{lang|eu|zenbait}} ("some"), {{lang|eu|hainbat}} ("several"), {{lang|eu|honenbeste / horrenbeste / hainbeste}} ("so many / so much"), {{lang|eu|bezainbeste}} ("as much as / as many as"), and before {{lang|eu|asko}}, {{lang|eu|anitz}} (this one can go before nouns), {{lang|eu|ugari}}, {{lang|eu|pilo bat}}, {{lang|eu|mordo bat}}, after {{lang|eu|makina bat}} ("much, many, a lot, lots of, plenty of..."), before {{lang|eu|gutxi}} ("a few, little") and {{lang|eu|batzuk}} ("some"), and the numbers, if they do not refer to a defined amount: {{lang|eu|'''Zer etxe''' eraberritu duzu?}} ("What house[s] have you renewed?"), {{lang|eu|'''Zer etxe''' eraberritu dituzu?}} ("What houses have you renewed?"). {{lang|eu|'''Zein''' etxe'''tan''' bizi zinen?}} ("In what house[s] were you living?"). {{lang|eu|'''Zenbat''' etxe dituzu?}} ("How many houses have you got?"). {{lang|eu|Lapurrak '''hainbat''' etxe'''tan''' sartu dira}} ("The thieves have broken into a number of houses"). {{lang|eu|Lapurra '''hainbeste''' etxe'''tan''' sartu da!}} ("The thief has broken into so many houses!").

A noun followed by an adjective or a demonstrative is in the absolutive case, and the last word in the phrase is declined:
{{lang|eu|Etxe'''a'''}} ("The house / House"). {{lang|eu|Etxe '''bat'''}} ("A house"). {{lang|eu|Etxe '''handi bat'''}} ("A big house"). {{lang|eu|Etxe '''handi batean'''}} ("In a big house"). {{lang|eu|Etxe '''handi hori'''}} ("That big house"). {{lang|eu|Etxe '''zuri handi horretan'''}} ("In that big white house").

If the amount is known, the plural grammatical numbers are used: {{lang|eu|Lapurrak '''bi''' etxe'''tan''' sartu dira}} ("The thieves have broken in two houses" [indefinite: the houses are unknown to the speakers]). {{lang|eu|Lapurrak '''bizpahiru''' etxe'''tan''' sartu dira}} ("The thieves have broken in two or three houses" [indefinite: the speakers does not know the exact amount of houses]). {{lang|eu|Lapurrak '''bi''' etxe'''etan''' sartu dira}} ("The thieves have broken in both houses" [definite plural: both are known to the speakers]). {{lang|eu|Lapurrak '''bi''' etxe'''otan''' sartu dira}} ("The thieves have broken in these two houses" [definite close plural: both are being shown by the speaker]).

The indefinite is also used in some idioms and set phrases: {{lang|eu|Egun '''on'''!}} ("Good day! / Good morning!"), {{lang|eu|'''On''' egin!}} ("Bon appetit!"), {{lang|eu|Etxe'''z''' etxe}} ("From house to house"), {{lang|eu|Meza'''tara''' joan}} ("Go to the mass"), {{lang|eu|'''Etxe''' bila ibili}} ("To look for a house"), and as the root for compound words ({{lang|eu|'''etxe'''-galgarri}}, {{lang|eu|'''etxe'''kalte}}, "Person or thing which brings loss to a home") or derivative words ({{lang|eu|'''etxe'''ratu}}, "To go home / To send home"; {{lang|eu|'''etxe'''koi}}, "fond of home"; {{lang|eu|'''etxe'''gile}}, "housebuilder").

* The '''definite singular''' is used to designate a person or thing known or to present: {{lang|eu|Zer da eraikin hori? Nire etxe'''a''' da.}} ("What is that building? It is my home"). {{lang|eu|Etxe'''a''' nire'''a''' da}} ("The house is mine").
* The '''definite plural''' designates people or things known or present: {{lang|eu|Zer dira eraikin horiek? Nire etxe'''ak''' dira.}} ("What are those buildings? They are my houses"). {{lang|eu|Etxe'''ak''' nire'''ak''' dira}} ("The houses are mine").
* The '''definite close plural''' refers to people or things which are in the vicinity of the speakers: {{lang|eu|Zer dira eraikin'''ok'''? Nire etxeak dira.}} ("What are those buildings? They are my houses"). {{lang|eu|Etxe'''ok''' nireak dira}} ("These houses are mine").

It is also used to include oneself in the group referred to: {{lang|eu|Nafarr'''ak''' festazale'''ak''' dira}} ("The Navarrese like celebrations": the speaker is not a Navarrese). {{lang|eu|Nafarr'''ok''' festazaleak gara}} ("We Navarrese like celebrations": the speaker is a Navarrese).

Verbs have four singular persons and three plural ones, as follows:

'''Singular''':
* First person (the speaker): {{lang|eu|Euskalduna naiz}} ("I am Basque"). {{lang|eu|Testua idatzi dut}} ("I have written the text").
* Informal second person (the person the speaker is addressing to, i.e., an inferior, an animal, a child, a monologue with oneself): {{lang|eu|Euskalduna haiz}} ("Thou art Basque"). In some tenses, there are different verbs for a man or a woman: {{lang|eu|Testua idatzi duk}} ("Thou hast written the text [said to a man, a boy]", {{lang|eu|Testua idatzi dun}} ("Thou hast written the text [said to a woman, a girl]").
* Formal second person (the person the speaker is addressing to: a superior, somebody older, one's parents), the most frequent one: {{lang|eu|Euskalduna zara}} ("You [singular] are Basque"). {{lang|eu|Testua idatzi duzu}} ("You [sing.] have written the text").
* Third person (neither the speaker nor the listener): {{lang|eu|Handia da}} ("He / She / It is big"). {{lang|eu|Testua idatzi du}} ("He / She / It has written the text").

'''Plural''':
* First person (the speaker and somebody else at least): {{lang|eu|Euskaldunak gara}} ("We are Basque"). {{lang|eu|Testua idatzi dugu}} ("We have written the text").
* Second person (the addressees): {{lang|eu|Euskaldunak zarete}} ("You [plural] are Basque [said to a group, either informally or formally]"). {{lang|eu|Testua idatzi duzue}} ("You [pl.] have written the text").
* Third person (more than one person outside the conversation): {{lang|eu|Handiak dira}} ("They are big"). {{lang|eu|Testua idatzi dute}} ("They have written the text").