diezaioket / diezaion

Could Give, So That It Is Given

Level 5

When a verb has a receiver, as eman (give) or esan (tell) usually do, use the diezaio- forms: Eman diezaiokezu? (Can you give it to him?) and egia esan diezaion (so that he tells him the truth).

How It Works

1. "Can" (potential). Add -ke after the receiver, and end with the doer:

  • diezaioket (I can ... to him or her), diezaiokezu (you can ... to him or her), diezaioke (he or she can ... to him or her), diezaiokegu (we can ... to him or her)
  • diezaieket (I can ... to them), diezazuket (I can ... to you), diezadake (he or she can ... to me), diezadakezu (you can ... to me)

They are the receiver forms of potential: naiteke, dezaket. In everyday speech many people use ahal izan instead: Eman ahal diozu? The diezaio- forms are the standard one-word potential and are common in writing.

2. "So that" (subjunctive). End with the doer and -n:

  • diezaiodan (so that I ... to him or her), diezaiozun (so that you ... to him or her), diezaion (so that he or she ... to him or her)
  • diezadan (so that he or she ... to me), diezazun (so that he or she ... to you), diezaien (so that he or she ... to them)

You use them in purpose with subjunctive: dadin, dezan and after verbs of wanting, as in nahi + subjunctive.

3. A plural thing. When the thing given or said is plural, add -zki- after dieza-: diezazkioket (I can ... them to him or her), diezazkiokezu (you can ... them to him or her).

4. The main verb. The main verb comes first. Careful writing uses its short stem, the verb radical (aditzoina): ekar diezaioket, erakuts diezazuket. With eman and esan, the stem looks the same as the participle.

Tip: These forms all come from the root ezan. See auxiliary roots edin and ezan for how the same root gives dezaket, dezan and ezazu.

Examples (6)

  1. Eman diezaiokezu?

    Can you give it to him?

  2. Bihar esan diezazuket.

    I can tell you tomorrow.

  3. Irakasleari galdera bat egin diezaiokegu?

    Can we ask the teacher a question?

  4. Nahi baduzu, nik esan diezaioket.

    If you want, I can tell her.

  5. Mezu bat bidali diot, egia esan diezadan.

    I sent him a message so that he tells me the truth.

    diezadan: he is the doer and I am the receiver.

  6. Giltza hemen utziko dut, Anek aitari eman diezaion.

    I will leave the key here so that Ane gives it to Dad.

Common Mistakes

  • Leaving out the receiver.

    Aneri esan dezaket.
    Aneri esan diezaioket.

    dezaket has no place for a receiver. When there is one, like Aneri, the auxiliary must show it: diezaioket.

  • Mixing up the doer ending.

    Eman diezaioket?
    Eman diezaiokezu?

    If you mean "Can you give it to him?", diezaioket is the wrong form: the final -t means I, so it asks "Can I give it to him?". For you, end in -zu: diezaiokezu.

How It Connects

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

diezaioket / diezaionLevel 5Could Give, So That It Is Given

Learn This First

Dative potential follows the potential, subjunctive and receiver commands.

Words in This Pattern

ezan