-tzear
About to
Take the verbal noun (bukatze, irtete), add -ar, and use egon: Trena irtetear dago. (The train is about to leave.)
How It Works
How to build -tzear. Start from the verbal noun, the form behind -tzea, and add -ar:
- bukatu → bukatze → bukatzear
- hil → hiltze → hiltzear
- irten → irtete → irtetear
- hasi → haste → hastear
- iritsi → iriste → iristear
Verbs that take -te in their verbal noun keep it: irten, egon, hasi, iritsi. See -tzen and -ten.
With egon. The -tzear form goes with egon, which shows person and tense:
- Filma hastear dago. (The film is about to start.)
- Lana bukatzear nengoen, argia joan zenean. (I was about to finish the work when the power went out.)
izan is also used instead of egon: hiltzear da. It can also describe a noun: hiltzear zegoen txori bat (a bird that was about to die).
-tzeko zorian. This form uses -tzeko plus zorian, from zori (fate). It often describes something bad or risky that almost happens: Erortzeko zorian zegoen. (It was on the verge of falling.) Enpresa ixteko zorian dago. (The company is on the verge of closing.)
About to, not in progress. -tzear says the action has not started yet. For an action already happening, use -tzen ari izan: Trena irteten ari da means the train is leaving right now.
Examples (6)
- Trena irtetear dago.
The train is about to leave.
- Erortzeko zorian zegoen.
It was on the verge of falling.
- Filma hastear dago; eseri zaitez.
The film is about to start; sit down.
- Lana bukatzear nengoen, argia joan zenean.
I was about to finish the work when the power went out.
- Negarrez hastear zegoen.
She was about to start crying.
- Hiltzear zegoen txori bat aurkitu genuen.
We found a bird that was about to die.
Common Mistakes
Building -tzear on the wrong verbal noun.
Trena irtetzear dago.Trena irtetear dago.irten takes -te in its verbal noun (irtete), so the form is irtetear. The same goes for hasi → hastear and iritsi → iristear.
Using the progressive for "about to". The speaker means the train has not started moving yet.
Trena irteten ari da; lasterka!Trena irtetear dago; lasterka!irteten ari da means the train is already pulling out. -tzear dago means it has not started to move but will very soon.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Being about to act combines a verbal form with egon and can also be expressed with -tzeko zorian.
Related Patterns
- -tzeaDoing as a Noun: -tzea
-tzear is built on the same verbal noun.
Level 2 - -tzen / -tenMaking the -tzen Form
Tells you whether a verb uses -tze or -te.
Level 1 - egon: nago / zaude / dagoThe Verb Egon (To Be Somewhere)
egon carries person and tense in -tzear dago.
Level 1 - -tzen ari izanRight Now: -tzen Ari Naiz
For actions already in progress rather than about to begin.
Level 2 - -ko / -goThe Future
The plain future; -tzear adds that the event is very close.
Level 1
Words in This Pattern
Practice -tzear in Bubblegum
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