toka / noka

Allocutive Forms: Toka and Noka

Level 6

Ama etorri duk. (Mum has come; said to a man.) Ama etorri dun. (Said to a woman.) The sentence is about Mum, but the verb also points to the listener.

How It Works

1. The most common present forms. Plain form, then toka / noka:

  • izan: naiz → nauk / naun; da → duk / dun; gara → gaituk / gaitun; dira → dituk / ditun
  • ukan: dut → diat / dinat; du → dik / din; dugu → diagu / dinagu; dute → ditek / diten
  • synthetic verbs: nago → nagok / nagon; dago → zegok / zegon; daki → zekik / zekin

Notice that intransitive da becomes duk, and some third-person forms start with z-.

2. The past. zen → zuan / zunan; nintzen → ninduan / nindunan; ziren → zituan / zitunan; zuen → zian / zinan; nuen → nian / ninan. Compare the plain past of izan.

3. Only in main statements. Allocutive forms are not used:

  • in subordinate clauses: Ez zioat esan Andoni etorri dela (I didn't tell him that Andoni has come), with a plain -(e)la form
  • in questions and exclamations, which normally keep the plain form: Etorri da?
  • when the verb already has a hi person in it: Hi etorri haiz (You have come) is already a hi form; see hi verb forms.

4. Hi or zu, not both. With someone you address as zu, use plain forms: Zu etorri zara, baina besteak ez dira etorri. Once you choose hi, keep the allocutive forms: Hi etorri haiz, baina besteak ez dituk etorri.

5. Who uses them. Hitano belongs to close friends, siblings and family in many areas. Noka forms are heard less and less, and some speakers use toka forms with women too. The forms also vary from town to town; the ones above are the forms most often taught.

Examples (6)

  1. Ama etorri duk.

    Mum has come.

    Said to a man. The plain form is Ama etorri da.

  2. Ama etorri dun.

    Mum has come.

    Said to a woman.

  3. Mikelek dena egin dik.

    Mikel has done everything.

    Said to a man. The plain form is egin du.

  4. Bihar euria egingo din.

    It is going to rain tomorrow.

    Said to a woman. The plain form is egingo du.

  5. Atzo ez zuan inor etorri.

    Nobody came yesterday.

    Said to a man. zen becomes zuan.

  6. Nekatuta nagok.

    I'm tired.

    Said to a man. The plain form is nekatuta nago.

Common Mistakes

  • Using an allocutive form inside a subordinate clause.

    Ez zioat esan Andoni etorri dukela.
    Ez zioat esan Andoni etorri dela.

    The main verb zioat already marks the listener. A subordinate clause keeps the plain form: dela, not dukela.

  • Using an allocutive form in a question.

    Amona etorri duk?
    Amona etorri da?

    Allocutive forms belong to statements. A yes-no question to a hi friend normally uses the plain form.

  • Mixing zu and hitano.

    Zu etorri zara, baina besteak ez dituk etorri.
    Zu etorri zara, baina besteak ez dira etorri.

    Allocutive forms are used only when you speak to the listener with hi. After zu, every verb keeps its plain form.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

toka / nokaLevel 6Allocutive Forms: Toka and Noka

Learn This First

Allocutive forms follow hi forms.

Words in This Pattern

hi