From aste (“week”) + arte (“between”), literally “middle of the week”. While some authors have interpreted this etymology as meaning that sometime in the past Basques used a three-day week, this seems unlikely, furthermore the expected form if this was an ancient compound would be *astarte, using the combining form asta-. Instead, it is probable that this term originated in relatively recent times, but the motivation of its etymology is unknown.[1] See also astelehen (“Monday”, literally “beginning of the week”) and asteazken (“Wednesday”, literally “end of the week”).
astearte inan
| indefinite | singular | plural | |
|---|---|---|---|
| absolutive | astearte | asteartea | astearteak |
| ergative | asteartek | astearteak | astearteek |
| dative | astearteri | astearteari | astearteei |
| genitive | astearteren | asteartearen | astearteen |
| comitative | astearterekin | asteartearekin | astearteekin |
| causative | astearterengatik | asteartearengatik | astearteengatik |
| benefactive | astearterentzat | asteartearentzat | astearteentzat |
| instrumental | asteartez | astearteaz | astearteez |
| inessive | asteartetan | asteartean | astearteetan |
| locative | asteartetako | astearteko | astearteetako |
| allative | asteartetara | asteartera | astearteetara |
| terminative | asteartetaraino | astearteraino | astearteetaraino |
| directive | asteartetarantz | astearterantz | astearteetarantz |
| destinative | asteartetarako | astearterako | astearteetarako |
| ablative | asteartetatik | asteartetik | astearteetatik |
| partitive | astearterik | — | — |
| prolative | asteartetzat | — | — |