ezin
Cannot: Ezin
ezin means cannot. Put the auxiliary right after it and the participle at the end: Ezin naiz etorri. Ezin dut ulertu.
How It Works
Word order. ezin behaves like ez: the auxiliary follows it directly, and the participle comes at the end.
- Ezin naiz etorri. (I cannot come.)
- Ezin dut ulertu. (I cannot understand it.)
- Gaur ezin gara irten. (We cannot go out today.)
Which auxiliary? The main verb decides, just as with ahal. etorri and irten take naiz and gara; ulertu takes dut. So the standard form is ezin naiz etorri, not ezin dut etorri.
Other tenses. Add izan for the past and izango for the future: Ezin izan nintzen etorri (I could not come), Bihar ezin izango naiz joan (I will not be able to go tomorrow).
General rules. ezin da with no named doer says something is not possible or not allowed: Hemen ezin da erre (You cannot smoke here). See daiteke.
Regional note. In Bizkaian speech you may hear the participle before the auxiliary: ezin etorri naiz. Standard Basque keeps the auxiliary right after ezin. Northern and literary Basque also use ezin with the verb radical and potential forms: ezin naiteke joan.
Examples (6)
- Ezin naiz etorri.
I cannot come.
etorri takes naiz, and the auxiliary follows ezin directly.
- Ezin dut ulertu.
I cannot understand it.
ulertu takes dut.
- Gaur ezin gara irten.
We cannot go out today.
- Ezin izan nintzen etorri.
I could not come.
izan marks the past.
- Bihar ezin izango naiz joan.
I will not be able to go tomorrow.
izango marks the future.
- Hemen ezin da erre.
You cannot smoke here.
ezin da with no doer states a general rule.
Common Mistakes
Switching to dut with a naiz verb.
Ezin dut etorri.Ezin naiz etorri.Some speakers say ezin dut etorri, but Standard Basque keeps the auxiliary of the main verb. You say etorri naiz, so you say ezin naiz etorri.
Adding ez to ezin.
Ez naiz ezin etorri.Ezin naiz etorri.ezin already contains the negative. Do not add a second ez.
How It Connects
Learn This First
ezin follows ahal and negation.
Related Patterns
- daitekeIt Can Be Done
Its negative is often ezin da: Hemen ezin da erre.
Level 3 - naiteke / dezaketCan: The Potential Forms
More formal forms, also used with ezin.
Level 3 - behar izanMust: Behar Dut
Another modal word placed before the auxiliary.
Level 2 - The Verb Radical
Used with ezin in Northern and literary Basque.
Level 3
Words in This Pattern
Practice ezin in Bubblegum
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