ba / tira / bai zera

Colloquial Particles

Level 4

Everyday Basque is full of little words: Ba, ez dakit (Well, I don't know), Tira, goazen! (Come on, let's go!), Bai zera! (No way!).

How It Works

1. ba: well, then. It is the spoken form of bada. It softens an answer or links to what was said: Ba, ez dakit. (Well, I don't know.) Goazen, ba! (Let's go, then!) The dictionary accepts ba in dialogue; neutral writing uses bada. Write it as a separate word with a comma. The affirmative ba- in badakit is a different thing and is joined to the verb.

2. tira: all right, come on. A Southern (Hegoaldeko) word with three uses:

  • giving in: Tira, ados. (All right, fine.)
  • urging: Tira, goazen! (Come on, let's go!)
  • disagreeing: Tira, tira! Hori ez da egia. (Come on! That isn't true.)

3. bai zera! and ez zera! Both reject what was said, like "no way!" or "yeah, right!": Zu aberatsa? Bai zera! (You, rich? Yeah, right!) Despite bai, bai zera is never a real yes.

4. Shortened words.

  • ze for zer or zein: Ze ordu da? (What time is it?)
  • ta for eta: ni ta zu (you and me)
  • zeozer (something): a Southern (Hegoaldeko) word the dictionary accepts; zerbait is the neutral choice.

Tip: These words make you sound natural when you speak. In an essay or a formal email, write bada, zer and eta.

Examples (6)

  1. Ba, ez dakit.

    Well, I don't know.

    ba softens the answer.

  2. Tira, goazen!

    Come on, let's go!

    tira urges someone to act.

  3. Tira, ados.

    All right, fine.

    tira gives in.

  4. Zu aberatsa? Bai zera!

    You, rich? Yeah, right!

    bai zera rejects the idea.

  5. Ze ordu da?

    What time is it?

    Spoken ze for zer.

  6. Zeozer jan nahi duzu?

    Do you want something to eat?

    zeozer is the Southern spoken word for something.

Common Mistakes

  • Writing the affirmative ba- as a separate word.

    Ba dakit.
    Badakit.

    When ba- adds emphasis to a verb (I do know), it is joined to it: badakit. The separate ba means "well" and takes a comma: Ba, ez dakit.

  • Using bai zera to say yes.

    Etorriko zara? — Bai zera!
    Etorriko zara? — Bai, noski!

    Bai zera! means "No way!". To agree, say Bai, noski! (Yes, of course!).

How It Connects

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

ba / tira / bai zeraLevel 4Colloquial Particles

Learn This First

Colloquial particles follow ba-.

Words in This Pattern

batirazezeta