bērzs

• bērza, bērze (dialectal)

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]

• IPA^(key): [bǣːrs]

• Audio:

  (file)

bērzs m (1st declension)

1. 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

• tāss