It can be done: … daiteke
To say "this can be done" without naming anybody, Basque uses the link daiteke. Konpon daiteke — it can be fixed, word for word "fixing it may". For example: “Konpon daiteke, ez kezkatu” — It can be fixed, do not worry. A rule from the Basque course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
How it works
To say "this can be done" without naming anybody, Basque uses the link daiteke. Konpon daiteke — it can be fixed, word for word "fixing it may".
The negative puts ezin outside: Gailu hau ezin daiteke konpondu — this device cannot be fixed. The place stands in front: Telefonoz konpon daiteke — it can be fixed by phone.
The action has no owner: the repairman, the neighbour and you are all included.
Table
| the meaning | the form | the example |
|---|---|---|
| it can be done | … daiteke | Konpon daiteke |
| it cannot be done | ezin daiteke … | Ezin daiteke konpondu |
| it can be done where/with what | place + … daiteke | Telefonoz konpon daiteke |
By example
- Konpon daiteke, ez kezkatuIt can be fixed, do not worry
- Arazoa konpon daiteke telefonozThe problem can be solved by phone
- Gailu hau ezin daiteke konponduThis device cannot be fixed
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
It can be done: how does it work in Basque?
To say "this can be done" without naming anybody, Basque uses the link daiteke. Konpon daiteke — it can be fixed, word for word "fixing it may".
What does it look like in an example sentence Basque?
“Konpon daiteke, ez kezkatu” — It can be fixed, do not worry. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.