The process: …-tzen aritu
To say a person was busy with something for a while, Basque has the verb aritu — "to be at it". The verb goes into -tzen plus aritu: Igandean korrika aritu gara — on Sunday we ran. For example: “Igandean korrika aritu gara mendian” — On Sunday we ran in the mountains. A rule from the Basque course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
How it works
To say a person was busy with something for a while, Basque has the verb aritu — "to be at it". The verb goes into -tzen plus aritu: Igandean korrika aritu gara — on Sunday we ran.
The form changes by person and tense: aritu naiz — I was busy, aritu da — he was busy. And arituko gara — we will be busy. A stretch of time often stands nearby: negu osoan entrenatzen aritu da — he trained all winter.
Table
| the meaning | the form | the example |
|---|---|---|
| I was busy | …-tzen aritu naiz | Korrika aritu naiz |
| he was busy | …-tzen aritu da | Entrenatzen aritu da |
| we will be busy | …-tzen arituko gara | Gimnasioan arituko gara |
By example
- Igandean korrika aritu gara mendianOn Sunday we ran in the mountains
- Negu osoan entrenatzen aritu daAll winter he trained
- Bihar gimnasioan arituko naiz arratsaldeanTomorrow I will work out at the gym in the afternoon
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 process: how does it work in Basque?
To say a person was busy with something for a while, Basque has the verb aritu — "to be at it". The verb goes into -tzen plus aritu: Igandean korrika aritu gara — on Sunday we ran.
What does it look like in an example sentence Basque?
“Igandean korrika aritu gara mendian” — On Sunday we ran in the mountains. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.