-(e)la eta
Because: -(e)la Eta
Put -(e)la on the conjugated verb and add eta: Berandu zela eta, taxia hartu genuen. (Because it was late, we took a taxi.)
How It Works
How to build it. Take the conjugated verb in its -(e)la form and add eta:
- da → dela eta, zen → zela eta
- dago → dagoela eta, zegoen → zegoela eta
- dut → dudala eta, zuen → zuela eta
The clause usually comes first, followed by a comma: Bihar azterketa dudala eta, gaur ez naiz aterako. (Because I have an exam tomorrow, I will not go out tonight.) It can also come after the main clause: Ez zen etorri, lana zuela eta.
A reason someone gave. The Academy grammar explains that these clauses carry a hidden "saying" or "thinking". Gaixorik zegoela eta, ez zen etorri means he did not come because he was ill, or because he said he was. That is why -(e)la eta suits reasons and excuses people give: Lana zuela eta, ez zen afarira etorri. (Saying he had work, he did not come to dinner.)
Compared with other reason clauses.
- -lako is the neutral "because" and answers Zergatik?
- bait- adds an explanation, mostly in writing.
- A clause with plain eta after the verb, Goazen etxera, berandu da eta (Let us go home, it is late), is another spoken way to explain.
After a noun. With a noun, the fixed phrase dela eta means "because of": Euria dela eta, partida bertan behera geratu da. (Because of the rain, the match was called off.) See dela eta and -(e)la medio.
Examples (5)
- Berandu zela eta, taxia hartu genuen.
Because it was late, we took a taxi.
- Gaixorik zegoela eta, ez zen etorri.
Because he was ill, he did not come.
The reason can be the one he gave: he said he was ill.
- Lana zuela eta, ez zen afarira etorri.
Saying he had work, he did not come to dinner.
- Bihar azterketa dudala eta, gaur ez naiz aterako.
Because I have an exam tomorrow, I will not go out tonight.
dut becomes dudala: final t turns into d.
- Autoa hondatuta zegoela eta, trenez etorri ginen.
Because the car had broken down, we came by train.
Common Mistakes
Using two reason endings at once.
Berandu zelako eta, taxia hartu genuen.Berandu zela eta, taxia hartu genuen.Choose one pattern: zela eta, or zelako on its own. -lako already means "because", so it does not take eta.
Using the -(e)la form of the wrong person. The speaker means "because I was ill".
Gaixorik zegoela eta, ez nintzen joan.Gaixorik nengoela eta, ez nintzen joan.The -(e)la verb must match the person the reason is about. zegoela means "he or she was", so for "I was" use nengoela.
How It Connects
Learn This First
-(e)la eta follows the that clause and -lako.
Related Patterns
- -(e)laThat: -(e)la
Uses the same -(e)la verb form, here followed by eta.
Level 2 - bait-Because: Bait-
The written way to add an explanation to the main clause.
Level 4 - dela eta / -(e)la medioBecause of (Formal)
Fixed phrases built from dela eta, used after nouns and in formal style.
Level 5 - -(e)nezAs, Since: -(e)nez
Gives a reason both speakers already accept.
Level 3 - -(r)engatik / -(r)i eskerBecause of, Thanks to
Gives a reason with a noun instead of a clause.
Level 3
Practice -(e)la eta in Bubblegum
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