-tasun
Abstract Nouns: -tasun
Add -tasun to an adjective to name the quality: eder (beautiful) → edertasun (beauty), zail (difficult) → zailtasun (difficulty).
How It Works
From adjectives. Almost any describing word can take -tasun:
- eder → edertasun (beauty), zail → zailtasun (difficulty), erraz → erraztasun (ease)
- berdin → berdintasun (equality), trebe → trebetasun (skill), seguru → segurtasun (safety, security)
- Some change a little: aske → askatasun (freedom)
From nouns and other words. zorion → zoriontasun (happiness), adiskide → adiskidetasun (friendship), anaia → anaitasun (brotherhood), euskaldun → euskalduntasun (being a Basque speaker). Even nor (who) gives nortasun (identity, personality).
Older words. A few old words end in -asun: maitasun (love), osasun (health). New words always use -tasun.
Using them. Like other nouns, they take the article and case endings: Askatasuna garrantzitsua da, edertasunaz (about beauty). Most name a quality and are not counted. A few, like zailtasun, can also mean a single case: zailtasun asko (many difficulties).
Other noun endings. For actions, use -keta: azterketa (exam). For bad behavior, -keria.
Examples (6)
- Zoriontasuna ez da diruarekin erosten.
Happiness is not bought with money.
- Askatasuna guztiontzat da.
Freedom is for all of us.
- Gizonen eta emakumeen arteko berdintasuna nahi dugu.
We want equality between men and women.
- Mendi honen edertasuna ikaragarria da.
The beauty of this mountain is tremendous.
- Gure adiskidetasuna oso garrantzitsua da niretzat.
Our friendship is very important to me.
adiskide (friend) + -tasun.
- Ez dut zailtasunik izan.
I have not had any difficulty.
Common Mistakes
Adding -tasun after the article.
Ederratasuna ez da dena.Edertasuna ez da dena.Add -tasun to the bare adjective eder, then the article: edertasuna. ederra already has the article.
Using the adjective with the article instead of the noun.
Askea oso garrantzitsua da guretzat.Askatasuna oso garrantzitsua da guretzat.askea means "the free one". To talk about freedom itself, use the -tasun noun: askatasuna.
How It Connects
Learn This First
-tasun builds on adjectives.
Related Patterns
- -keriaBad Behaviour: -keria
The disapproving partner: alfertasun (laziness) vs alferkeria (idleness as a fault).
Level 5 - -garriCausing, Worth: -garri
Adjectives in -garri can take -tasun too: maitagarritasun.
Level 4 - -ketaActions: -keta
Makes nouns for actions rather than qualities: azterketa.
Level 4 - -tsuFull of: -tsu
Goes the other way, from a noun to an adjective: zorion → zoriontsu (happy).
Level 5 - -aThe Definite Article -a
The article comes after -tasun: edertasuna.
Level 1 - -dun / -gabeWith and Without: -dun, -gabe
euskaldun can take -tasun: euskalduntasun.
Level 4
Practice -tasun in Bubblegum
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