ibili: nabil / zabiltza / dabil
Getting Around (Nabil, Zabiltza, Dabil)
ibili (to walk, to go about) has short present forms: nabil (I), zabiltza (you), dabil (he, she or it), gabiltza (we), zabiltzate (you all), dabiltza (they).
How It Works
The forms.
- ni nabil (I am going about)
- zu zabiltza (you are going about)
- hura dabil (he, she or it is going about)
- gu gabiltza (we are going about)
- zuek zabiltzate (you all are going about)
- haiek dabiltza (they are going about)
Keep zabiltza for one person you call zu and zabiltzate for zuek. Familiar speech also has habil; see Familiar hi.
What it means.
- Moving around, walking: Oinez nabil (I am on foot). Umeak parkean dabiltza (The children are out in the park).
- How things are going: Zer moduz zabiltza? (How are you getting on?) Ondo nabil (I am doing well).
- Being busy with something: Lanean nabil (I am at work, busy working). Lan bila nabil (I am looking for work).
- A machine that works or does not: Telefonoa ez dabil (The phone is not working).
Now or usually. Like the present of joan and the present of etorri, these short forms are for now or for this period of time. For something you do regularly, use the habitual: Bizikletan ibiltzen naiz (I ride a bike). Lanean nabil and Lanean ari naiz are close in meaning; see Right Now: -tzen ari naiz.
Examples (6)
- Zer moduz zabiltza?
How are you getting on?
A very common way to ask how someone is doing.
- Mendian gabiltza, eta eguraldi ona dago.
We are out in the mountains, and the weather is good.
- Lan bila nabil.
I am looking for work.
- Umeak parkean dabiltza.
The children are out in the park.
dabiltza shows a plural subject, so umeak means the children.
- Telefonoa ez dabil.
The phone is not working.
ibili also says whether a machine works.
- Zuek beti presaka zabiltzate.
You are always in a hurry.
zabiltzate goes with zuek, several people.
Common Mistakes
Giving the subject the ergative -k.
Anek lan bila dabil.Ane lan bila dabil.ibili is a nor verb, like joan and etorri, so its subject takes no -k.
Using zabiltza for several people.
Zuek zer moduz zabiltza?Zuek zer moduz zabiltzate?zabiltza goes with zu, one person. With zuek the form adds -te: zabiltzate.
Using the plural form for one person.
Nire anaia Londresen dabiltza.Nire anaia Londresen dabil.nire anaia is one person, so the verb is dabil. dabiltza is for haiek, several people.
How It Connects
Learn This First
ibili follows joan.
Related Patterns
- etorri: nator / zatoz / datorComing (Nator, Zatoz, Dator)
The short present of etorri, built the same way.
Level 1 - -tzen + AuxiliaryThe Present Habitual
The form for habits: ibiltzen naiz (I walk, I go about).
Level 1 - -tzen ari izanRight Now: -tzen Ari Naiz
Another way to say what someone is busy doing right now.
Level 2 - -(r)en bila / -(r)en zainLooking for, Waiting for
bila often comes with ibili: zure bila nabil (I am looking for you).
Level 3 - egon: nago / zaude / dagoThe Verb Egon (To Be Somewhere)
Also answers Zer moduz?, but for how someone is, not how things are going.
Level 1
Words in This Pattern
Practice ibili: nabil / zabiltza / dabil in Bubblegum
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