ba- ... ere
Even if
Take an if clause with ba- and add ere right after the verb: Euria egiten badu ere, joango gara (Even if it rains, we will go).
How It Works
How to build it. Make an if clause with ba- and put ere right after its verb:
- euria egiten badu → euria egiten badu ere (even if it rains)
- nahi ez baduzu → nahi ez baduzu ere (even if you do not want to)
- esaten badidazu → mila aldiz esaten badidazu ere (even if you tell me a thousand times)
Imagined conditions. With the hypothetical forms, the main clause uses the conditional: Aberatsa banintz ere, ez nuke auto hori erosiko (Even if I were rich, I would not buy that car).
Even if or although? ba- ... ere is really about even if: the condition may or may not be true. For a fact you already know, arren and nahiz eta (although) are the usual choice: Nekatuta egon arren, lanera joan zen. In real use, though, ba- ... ere also appears with known facts: Galdu badugu ere, pozik gaude (Even though we have lost, we are happy).
Without a finite verb. A participle with -ta and ere works the same way: Presaka ibilita ere, ez genuen trena harrapatu (Even though we hurried, we did not catch the train).
Where ere goes. ere normally comes straight after the ba- verb. If you put it earlier, it attaches to that word and means also: Anek ere eskatzen badu means if Ane asks too.
Examples (6)
- Euria egiten badu ere, joango gara.
Even if it rains, we will go.
- Nahi ez baduzu ere, etorri behar duzu.
Even if you do not want to, you have to come.
In the negative, ez comes before the ba- verb.
- Aberatsa banintz ere, ez nuke auto hori erosiko.
Even if I were rich, I would not buy that car.
A hypothetical ba- clause goes with a conditional main clause (nuke).
- Mila aldiz esaten badidazu ere, ez dut sinetsiko.
Even if you tell me a thousand times, I will not believe it.
- Berandu iristen bazara ere, deitu iezadazu.
Even if you arrive late, call me.
- Presaka ibilita ere, ez genuen trena harrapatu.
Even though we hurried, we did not catch the train.
Participle + -ta + ere is the version without a finite verb.
Common Mistakes
Leaving out ere when you mean even if.
Euria egiten badu, joango gara.Euria egiten badu ere, joango gara.Without ere, the sentence means if it rains, we will go: the rain becomes a reason to go. To say even if, ere must follow the ba- verb.
Using a plain future after a hypothetical ba- clause.
Aberatsa banintz ere, ez dut auto hori erosiko.Aberatsa banintz ere, ez nuke auto hori erosiko.banintz describes an imagined situation, so the main clause needs the conditional (nuke), just as in an ordinary if I were sentence.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Even if combines ba- and ere.
Related Patterns
- arren / nahiz etaAlthough
The usual way to say although about a known fact.
Level 3 - banintz / banuIf I Were, If I Had
The imagined forms that combine with ere: banintz ere, banu ere.
Level 3 - nintzateke / nukeWould: Nintzateke, Nuke
The main-clause forms needed after an imagined ba- ... ere clause.
Level 3 - ezta ... ereNot Even
Another use of ere as even, in negative sentences: not even.
Level 3
Words in This Pattern
Practice ba- ... ere in Bubblegum
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