If: ba- and …bada
A condition grows ba- onto the front of the verb: badator — if he comes, badago — if there is. And badu — if he has it. For example: “Badator, hitz egingo dut berarekin” — If he comes, I will talk with him. A rule from the Basque course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
How it works
A condition grows ba- onto the front of the verb: badator — if he comes, badago — if there is. And badu — if he has it.
The other way round works too: the verb form plus -ba behind — etortzen bada — if he comes.
After a condition the verb is usually in the future: Badator, hitz egingo dut berarekin — I will talk with him. The negative is "ez bada": Dirurik ez badago, atzeratuko dugu bidaia — we will put the trip off.
Table
| the verb | ba- in front | …bada at the back |
|---|---|---|
| comes (dator) | badator | etortzen bada |
| there is (dago) | badago | ondo badago |
| has (du) | badu | dirurik badu |
By example
- Badator, hitz egingo dut berarekinIf he comes, I will talk with him
- Euria egiten badu, etxean geratuko garaIf it rains, we will stay home
- Dirurik ez badago, atzeratuko dugu bidaiaIf there is no money, we will postpone the trip
How the rule settles in your head
A rule is not memorized from an explanation. It is memorized from an attempt to use it and a mistake — that is why the app delivers it mixed in with words, not as a separate lesson: it resurfaces exactly where you forgot it.
Frequently asked
If: how does it work in Basque?
A condition grows ba- onto the front of the verb: badator — if he comes, badago — if there is. And badu — if he has it.
What does it look like in an example sentence Basque?
“Badator, hitz egingo dut berarekin” — If he comes, I will talk with him. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.