-tzea
Doing as a Noun: -tzea
-tzea makes a verb into a noun: irakurtzea (reading), erretzea (smoking). Use it as a subject or an object: Irakurtzea gustatzen zait (I like reading).
How It Works
How to make it. Take the -tzen form and change the final -n to the article -a:
- irakurri → irakurtzen → irakurtzea (reading)
- ikasi → ikasten → ikastea (learning)
- erre → erretzen → erretzea (smoking)
- erosi → erosten → erostea (buying)
As a subject. Euskara ikastea ez da zaila (Learning Basque is not hard). Erretzea debekatuta dago (Smoking is prohibited). With gustatzen zait, the activity is the subject: Irakurtzea gustatzen zait (I like reading).
Always singular. The whole activity counts as one thing, even when its object is plural: Liburuak irakurtzea gustatzen zait, not zaizkit.
As an object. Euskara ikastea erabaki dut (I have decided to learn Basque). Be careful with ahaztu zait (I forgot): there the forgotten activity is the subject, not the object: Ogia erostea ahaztu zait (I forgot to buy bread). When you want someone else to do something, see nahi + -tzea: Zu etortzea nahi dut.
With case endings. Because -tzea is a noun, it can take case endings like any noun ending in -a: Erretzeak kalte egiten du (Smoking does harm), with the doer ending -k. You will meet more of these later: -tzeari (stop doing), -tzean (on doing), and the forms -tzeko and -tzera, which share the same stem.
Examples (6)
- Irakurtzea gustatzen zait.
I like reading.
irakurtzea is the subject of gustatzen zait.
- Erretzea debekatuta dago.
Smoking is prohibited.
- Euskara ikastea ez da zaila.
Learning Basque is not hard.
The whole phrase euskara ikastea is the subject.
- Liburuak irakurtzea gustatzen zait.
I like reading books.
The verb stays singular: the subject is the activity, not the books.
- Ogia erostea ahaztu zait.
I forgot to buy bread.
With ahaztu zait, the activity erostea is the subject, so the verb is zait.
- Erretzeak kalte egiten du.
Smoking does harm.
erretzeak has the doer ending -k because kalte egin has a doer.
Common Mistakes
Using the dictionary form as a noun.
Irakurri gustatzen zait.Irakurtzea gustatzen zait.The dictionary form is a participle, not a noun. To name the activity, use -tzea.
Making the verb plural because the object is plural.
Liburuak irakurtzea gustatzen zaizkit.Liburuak irakurtzea gustatzen zait.The subject is the activity of reading, which is one thing. The books are only its object.
Using the -tzen form as a subject.
Euskara ikasten ez da zaila.Euskara ikastea ez da zaila.The -tzen form goes with an auxiliary or with verbs like hasi. A subject needs the noun form -tzea.
How It Connects
Learn This First
The verbal noun builds on the -tzen form.
Related Patterns
- gustatzen zaitLiking (Gustatzen Zait)
The most common verb with a -tzea subject.
Level 1 - -tzekoIn Order to: -tzeko
Shares the -tze stem and says in order to.
Level 2 - -tzera + Motion VerbGoing to Do: -tzera
Shares the -tze stem and says go to do.
Level 2 - -tzea + nahiWanting Someone Else to Do
Uses -tzea to say you want someone else to do something.
Level 3 - -tzeari utziStopping Doing
Puts the dative ending on -tzea: stop doing.
Level 3 - -tzeanWhen Doing: -tzean
Puts the inessive ending on the same form: on doing, when doing.
Level 3
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Practice -tzea in Bubblegum
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