nahiz ... nahiz / zein ... zein

Both ... and (Formal)

Level 5

Formal Basque joins items with zein ... zein or nahiz ... nahiz: Zein gazteek zein helduek parte har dezakete (Both young people and adults can take part).

How It Works

1. Two patterns.

  • Repeated: zein ahoz, zein idatziz; nahiz Bilbon, nahiz Donostian
  • Only in the middle: ahoz zein idatziz; euskaraz nahiz gaztelaniaz

When the word is repeated, the Basque Government style guide asks for a comma before each later item.

2. The meaning. Euskaltzaindia's grammar describes these pairs as "no matter which": whether it is this one or that one, the main statement holds. That is why they translate as both ... and, or as whether ... or: Nahiz dela euria, nahiz eguzkia, kalera aterako naiz (Whether it rains or shines, I will go out).

3. Keep each item's case. The linking word does not replace the case ending: zein gazteek zein helduek (ergative), zein irakasleei zein ikasleei (dative), nahiz Bilbon nahiz Donostian (inessive).

4. The everyday equivalent. In ordinary speech, bai ... bai does the same job: bai gazteek, bai helduek. Do not mix the two sets: repeat bai, or repeat zein, or use zein only in the middle.

5. Some ... others. Repeated zein can also split a group: Denok gara errudun, zein gehiago, zein gutxiago (We are all to blame, some more, some less).

Not the same as: nahiz eta (although) and the question word zein (which).

Examples (6)

  1. Zein gazteek zein helduek parte har dezakete.

    Both young people and adults can take part.

  2. Ikastaroa euskaraz nahiz gaztelaniaz egin daiteke.

    The course can be taken in either Basque or Spanish.

  3. Jakinarazpenak zein euskaraz, zein gaztelaniaz bidaliko dira.

    The notices will be sent both in Basque and in Spanish.

  4. Nahiz Bilbon, nahiz Donostian, jende asko bildu zen.

    Both in Bilbao and in Donostia, a lot of people gathered.

  5. Irakasleei zein ikasleei eskerrak eman dizkiete.

    They have thanked both the teachers and the students.

  6. Denok gara errudun, zein gehiago, zein gutxiago.

    We are all to blame, some more, some less.

    Here zein ... zein means some ... others.

Common Mistakes

  • Mixing bai with zein.

    Bai gazteek zein helduek parte har dezakete.
    Bai gazteek, bai helduek parte har dezakete.

    Style guides reject this mix. Repeat the same word (bai ... bai, zein ... zein), or use zein only between the items: gazteek zein helduek.

  • Dropping the case from one item.

    Zein gazteak zein helduek parte har dezakete.
    Zein gazteek zein helduek parte har dezakete.

    Both items are subjects of the transitive verb, so both need the ergative ending -ek.

How It Connects

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

nahiz ... nahiz / zein ... zeinLevel 5Both ... and (Formal)

Learn This First

Both ... and (formal) follows bai ... bai.