-tsu
Full of: -tsu
-tsu means full of: mendi (mountain) → menditsu (mountainous), euri (rain) → euritsu (rainy), zorion (happiness) → zoriontsu (happy).
How It Works
1. Noun + -tsu. The adjective describes something that has a lot of what the noun names:
- garrantzi (importance) → garrantzitsu (important)
- arrisku (danger) → arriskutsu (dangerous)
- ospe (fame) → ospetsu (famous)
- indar (strength) → indartsu (strong)
- harri (stone) → harritsu (stony)
- zapore (flavour) → zaporetsu (tasty)
- osasun (health) → osasuntsu (healthy)
Several of these are the everyday words: garrantzitsu is the normal word for important, and arriskutsu for dangerous.
2. Using the adjective. It works like any adjective: after the noun (abeslari ospetsu bat, a famous singer), and with -a in a sentence with da (Ospetsua da). Without an ending it can describe how someone lives: zoriontsu bizi dira (they live happily).
3. -tsu and -dun. -dun means having something; -tsu means having a lot of it. A group word does not usually take -tsu.
Tip: If you can say a lot of X, try X-tsu: a lot of rain → euritsu.
Examples (6)
- Euskal Herria herrialde menditsua da.
The Basque Country is a mountainous land.
- Udaberria oso euritsua izan da.
The spring has been very rainy.
- Oso gai garrantzitsua da.
It is a very important topic.
garrantzi (importance) + -tsu.
- Mendi hori arriskutsua da neguan.
That mountain is dangerous in winter.
- Abeslari ospetsu bat ikusi dut.
I have seen a famous singer.
The adjective goes after the noun.
- Zoriontsu bizi dira herrian.
They live happily in the village.
Common Mistakes
Leaving out -a after da.
Gai hau garrantzitsu da.Gai hau garrantzitsua da.In standard Basque, an adjective that describes the subject with da takes the article: garrantzitsua da, arriskutsua da.
Putting the -tsu adjective before the noun.
Ospetsu abeslari bat ikusi dut.Abeslari ospetsu bat ikusi dut.Like other Basque adjectives, a -tsu word follows the noun: abeslari ospetsu bat.
How It Connects
Learn This First
-tsu follows adjectives.
Related Patterns
- -dun / -gabeWith and Without: -dun, -gabe
-dun means having something and -gabe means without it; -tsu means having a lot of it.
Level 4 - Noun + Adjective + -aAdjective, Then Article
-tsu words are adjectives, so they follow the noun.
Level 1 - -garriCausing, Worth: -garri
Another ending that makes adjectives: harrigarri (surprising).
Level 4 - -korTending to: -kor
Another adjective ending, meaning tending to.
Level 5
Practice -tsu in Bubblegum
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