Translation
to run out, to be used up; to become exhausted
Word origin
Built inside Esperanto from ĉerpi ('to draw water from a well'), the prefix el- ('out') and the suffix -iĝ- ('to become'). Ĉerpi comes from a Slavic root, cherpat', with the same well-bucket picture behind it.
- Origin
- Esperanto
- Root
- el- + ĉerpi + -iĝ-
Examples
.
Our money ran out before the end of the month.
.
The water in the well ran dry during the dry summer.
.
After three days of work he was completely exhausted.
Three pieces, and taking them apart teaches the word. is to draw water from a well with a bucket. - is out. So elĉerpi is to draw it out until the well is dry - to use something up completely. Then -- turns the transitive verb round: instead of somebody exhausting the supply, the supply exhausts itself.
That is the whole -- / -- contrast in one word. is to spend it all; is the money running out with nobody named as the culprit. English uses two unrelated phrasings for that pair - "use up" and "run out" - where Esperanto changes one letter. How -ig- and -iĝ- work is the article to read if the pattern is still slippery.
It covers people as well as supplies. means I am shattered, and does duty for both a wrung-out person and a sold-out concert. Watch the two hats: ĉ is the ch of church, ĝ the j of judge, so the whole word runs el-CHER-pee-jee in the infinitive.
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elĉerpiĝi: worksheet, infographic and listicle
Free printable study downloads for the Esperanto word "elĉerpiĝi" (to run out, to be used up; to become exhausted): a worksheet with the answer key built in, an infographic, and a sentence listicle. Open any one to view, print or save.
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Start your free weekThis word is part of lesson 45.