nintekeen / nezakeen
Could Have, Was Able
The past "could" forms end in -en: etor nintekeen (I could have come), egin nezakeen (I could have done it). They tell what was possible in the past.
How It Works
These forms are the past partners of the present "can" forms in Can: The Potential Forms. Like them, they follow the verb radical: etor, egin, eros.
Verbs with nor (the root edin):
- ni: nintekeen
- zu: zintezkeen
- hura: zitekeen
- gu: gintezkeen
- zuek: zintezketen
- haiek: zitezkeen
Verbs with nork (the root ezan), one thing as object:
- nik: nezakeen
- zuk: zenezakeen
- hark: zezakeen
- guk: genezakeen
- zuek: zenezaketen
- haiek: zezaketen
With several things as object, -it- appears: nitzakeen, genitzakeen, zitzakeen.
What it means. The past potential tells what was possible at a past time. Two readings are common:
- A chance that was not taken: Gurekin etor zintezkeen (You could have come with us). Istripu larria izan zitekeen (It could have been a serious accident).
- An ability someone had in general: Gaztetan, ordubetez igeri egin nezakeen (When I was young, I could swim for an hour).
One success on one day. The form does not say that something actually happened. To say you managed to do something on a certain day, use ahal izan with the ordinary past: Azkenean, trena hartu ahal izan nuen (In the end, I was able to catch the train). For "could not" on one occasion, ezin izan nuen is the usual choice: Ezin izan nuen etorri (I could not come). See Can: ahal and Cannot: ezin.
The same forms also serve as the past of Could (Imagined), so an imagined past possibility uses them too.
Examples (6)
- Gurekin etor zintezkeen.
You could have come with us.
etorri takes nor, so the form comes from edin: zintezkeen.
- Egin zezakeen, baina ez zuen egin.
He could have done it, but he did not.
egin takes nork: zezakeen.
- Istripu larria izan zitekeen.
It could have been a serious accident.
- Gaztetan, ordubetez igeri egin nezakeen.
When I was young, I could swim for an hour.
An ability someone had over a period of time.
- Lehenago esan zenezakeen!
You could have said so earlier!
- Denok batera eraman genitzakeen kutxak.
We could have carried the boxes all together.
Several things as object: genitzakeen.
Common Mistakes
Using the present "can" form for a past time.
Atzo gurekin etor zaitezke.Atzo gurekin etor zintezkeen.zaitezke means "you can" now. With atzo (yesterday) you need the past form zintezkeen, "you could have".
Choosing the wrong person in the ending.
Hark egin nezakeen, baina ez zuen egin.Hark egin zezakeen, baina ez zuen egin.nezakeen is "I could have". For hark (he or she) the form is zezakeen.
Using the past potential to say you managed something on one day.
Azkenean, trena hartu nezakeen.Azkenean, trena hartu ahal izan nuen.hartu nezakeen means "I could have caught it", not that you did. To say you managed it, use ahal izan nuen.
How It Connects
Learn This First
The past potential follows the potential and izan past.
Related Patterns
- ninteke / nezakeCould (Imagined)
The imagined "could" forms, which share these past forms for imagined past possibilities.
Level 4 - nintzatekeen / nukeenWould Have
Says what would have happened, while this entry says what could have happened.
Level 4 - ahal izanCan: Ahal
ahal izan nuen is the way to say you actually managed to do something on one occasion.
Level 2 - ezinCannot: Ezin
ezin izan nuen is the usual way to say you could not do something.
Level 2 - The Verb Radical
The main verb before these forms is the radical: etor, egin, eros.
Level 3
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice nintekeen / nezakeen in Bubblegum
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