When: …tenean
"When" is assembled here from two familiar parts: the relative -n and "in" — -ean. The person hides in the auxiliary verb: denean — when he/she, nagoenean — when I am home, daudenean — when they are there. Iristen denean — "at the moment when he arrives" — when he arrives. For example: “Iristen denean, afaria prest egongo da” — When he arrives, dinner will be ready. A rule from the Basque course: worked out on…
How it works
"When" is assembled here from two familiar parts: the relative -n and "in" — -ean. The person hides in the auxiliary verb: denean — when he/she, nagoenean — when I am home, daudenean — when they are there. Iristen denean — "at the moment when he arrives" — when he arrives.
The past is built the same way: Azterketa amaitu zenean, denak pozik zeuden — when the exam ended, everybody was glad. Time here is not a separate word but a form of the verb — the language saves.
Table
| when who | the form | the example |
|---|---|---|
| I | nagoenean | Etxera nagoenean — when I am home |
| he, she | denean | Iristen denean — when he arrives |
| they | daudenean | Daudenean — when they (are there) |
By example
- Iristen denean, afaria prest egongo daWhen he arrives, dinner will be ready
- Etxera nagoenean, atseden hartzen dutWhen I am home, I rest
- Azterketa amaitu zenean, denak pozik zeudenWhen the exam ended, everybody was glad
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
When: how does it work in Basque?
"When" is assembled here from two familiar parts: the relative -n and "in" — -ean. The person hides in the auxiliary verb: denean — when he/she, nagoenean — when I am home, daudenean — when they are there. Iristen denean — "at the moment when he arrives" — when he arrives.
What does it look like in an example sentence Basque?
“Iristen denean, afaria prest egongo da” — When he arrives, dinner will be ready. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.