A feeling from an action: …tzeak as the subject
An action can itself be the cause of a feeling: the verbal noun in -tzea takes the doer case -k and stands as the subject: Harremana izateak poza ematen du — being in a relationship brings joy, literally "relationship-hav-ing brings joy". For example: “Harremana izateak poza ematen du” — Being in a relationship brings joy. A rule from the Basque course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
How it works
An action can itself be the cause of a feeling: the verbal noun in -tzea takes the doer case -k and stands as the subject: Harremana izateak poza ematen du — being in a relationship brings joy, literally "relationship-hav-ing brings joy".
To whom it brings — the auxiliary verb says: ematen du — brings (to him), ematen dit — to me, sumindu egiten nau — annoys me. The whole wave of feelings is gathered by this formula: to be shy, to be annoyed, to rejoice — it all starts with someone else's action.
Table
| action as a thing | the form | the example |
|---|---|---|
| the doer | -tzeak | izateak — the very having acts |
| to whom | ematen du / dit | poza ematen dit — gives me joy |
| on me | … nau | sumindu egiten nau — annoys me |
By example
- Harremana izateak poza ematen duBeing in a relationship brings joy
- Gozokiak jateak plazera ematen ditEating sweets gives me pleasure
- Esamesak entzuteak sumindu egiten nauListening to gossip annoys me
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
A feeling from an action: how does it work in Basque?
An action can itself be the cause of a feeling: the verbal noun in -tzea takes the doer case -k and stands as the subject: Harremana izateak poza ematen du — being in a relationship brings joy, literally "relationship-hav-ing brings joy".
What does it look like in an example sentence Basque?
“Harremana izateak poza ematen du” — Being in a relationship brings joy. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.