The purpose looks forward: -tzeko
To say WHY you came, Basque grows -tzeko onto the verb: Ikasteko etorri naiz — I came to study, word for word "for-studying I came". For example: “Ikasteko etorri naiz” — I came to study. A rule from the Basque course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
How it works
To say WHY you came, Basque grows -tzeko onto the verb: Ikasteko etorri naiz — I came to study, word for word "for-studying I came".
The -tzeko form can stand in front too: Bisa lortzeko paperak behar dira — to get a visa, papers are needed. The main verb stays behind: the language keeps the purpose in sight.
Table
| the verb | the -tzeko form | the example |
|---|---|---|
| ikasi — to study | ikasteko | Ikasteko etorri naiz — I came to study |
| hartu — to take | hartzeko | oporrak hartzeko — to take a vacation |
| alokatu — to rent | alokatzeko | autoa alokatzeko — to rent a car |
By example
- Ikasteko etorri naizI came to study
- Gela erreserbatu dut oporrak hartzekoI booked a room to take a vacation
- Bisa lortzeko paperak behar diraTo get the visa, papers are needed
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
The purpose looks forward: how does it work in Basque?
To say WHY you came, Basque grows -tzeko onto the verb: Ikasteko etorri naiz — I came to study, word for word "for-studying I came".
What does it look like in an example sentence Basque?
“Ikasteko etorri naiz” — I came to study. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.