LingoflyDirections: the root imperative
A direction in Basque is the shortest form in the language: the bare dictionary form of the verb. Ibili zuzen! — go straight, Biratu eskuinera! — turn right. One word is already a command. For example: “Ibili zuzen eta iritsiko zara” — Walk straight and you will arrive. A rule from the Basque course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
How it works
A direction in Basque is the shortest form in the language: the bare dictionary form of the verb. Ibili zuzen! — go straight, Biratu eskuinera! — turn right. One word is already a command.
A ban is just as simple: ez + the verb. Ez utzi hemen! — do not leave it here. To several people you add zaitezte, or ezazue when a thing is involved: Ibili zaitezte zuzen! — go straight, all of you. Signs, recipes and advice use this form more than any other.
Table
| the meaning | the form | the example |
|---|---|---|
| a direction | the verb | Ibili zuzen! |
| a ban | ez + the verb | Ez utzi hemen! |
| to several people | the verb + zaitezte / ezazue | Ibili zaitezte zuzen! |
By example
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
Directions: how does it work in Basque?
A direction in Basque is the shortest form in the language: the bare dictionary form of the verb. Ibili zuzen! — go straight, Biratu eskuinera! — turn right. One word is already a command.
What does it look like in a Basque example sentence?
“Ibili zuzen eta iritsiko zara” — Walk straight and you will arrive. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.