naiteke / dezaket

Can: The Potential Forms

Level 3

To say can or may, use the verb radical with naiteke (nor verbs) or dezaket (nor-nork verbs): Etor naiteke? (May I come?) Egin dezaket (I can do it).

How It Works

Forms for nor verbs.

  • ni naiteke
  • zu zaitezke
  • hura daiteke
  • gu gaitezke
  • zuek zaitezkete
  • haiek daitezke

Forms for nor-nork verbs.

  • nik dezaket
  • zuk dezakezu
  • hark dezake
  • guk dezakegu
  • zuek dezakezue
  • haiek dezakete

With a plural object, the nor-nork forms change to ditzaket, ditzakezu, ditzake, ditzakegu, ditzakezue, ditzakete: Liburu hauek eraman ditzakezu (You can take these books).

Radical or participle. Standard Basque recommends the radical: Etor naiteke? Many Southern writers and speakers use the participle instead: Etorri naiteke? Both are correct.

Potential or ahal. The meaning is the same as ahal: Etor naiteke? = Etorri ahal naiz? In everyday Southern speech ahal is more common, and the potential sounds a little more careful. In the North the potential forms are everyday speech. Both are standard.

Negatives. You can say Ez naiteke joan, but most speakers use ezin: Ezin naiz joan (I cannot go).

With me or you as the object, the forms change: Lagun zaitzaket? (Can I help you?) See Can I Help You?.

Examples (6)

  1. Etor naiteke?

    May I come? / Can I come?

    etor is the radical of etorri.

  2. Egin dezaket.

    I can do it.

  3. Hemen eser zaitezke.

    You can sit here.

    eseri is a nor verb: zaitezke.

  4. Bihar joan gaitezke.

    We can go tomorrow.

  5. Nik ekar dezaket ardoa.

    I can bring the wine.

    ekar is the radical of ekarri.

  6. Liburu hauek eraman ditzakezu.

    You can take these books.

    Several books, so ditzakezu.

Common Mistakes

  • Using a nor form with a transitive verb.

    Egin naiteke.
    Egin dezaket.

    egin takes dut, so its potential is dezaket. naiteke is for verbs that take naiz.

  • Using the singular object form for several things.

    Liburu hauek eraman dezakezu.
    Liburu hauek eraman ditzakezu.

    With a plural object, the potential uses the ditzake- forms.

How It Connects

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naiteke / dezaketLevel 3Can: The Potential Forms

Learn This First

The potential needs ahal and the radical.

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Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

edinezan