diot / dizut / dit

Giving and Telling

Level 2

When someone gives or tells something to someone, the auxiliary starts with di-: eman diot (I have given it to him or her), esan dizut (I have told you), eman dit (he or she has given me).

How It Works

1. Three people in one word. In Liburua erosi dut (I have bought the book), dut shows only the doer and the thing. When a receiver with -(r)i joins the sentence, the auxiliary changes: Mikeli liburua eman diot. (I have given Mikel the book.)

2. How the form is built. After di- comes the receiver: -t- or -da- (to me), -zu- (to you), -o- (to him or her), -gu- (to us), -zue- (to you all), -e- (to them). Then comes the doer: -t (I), -zu (you), nothing (he or she), -gu (we), -zue (you all), -te (they). "To me" is -t at the end of the word and -da- when another ending follows: dit, but didazu.

3. The forms you need most (one thing given):

  • nik (I): dizut (to you), diot (to him or her), dizuet (to you all), diet (to them)
  • zuk (you): didazu (to me), diozu (to him or her), diguzu (to us), diezu (to them)
  • hark (he or she): dit (to me), dizu (to you), dio (to him or her), digu (to us), dizue (to you all), die (to them)

The same pieces give guk (we): dizugu, diogu, and haiek (they): didate, dizute, diote.

4. The main verb shows the time. The auxiliary stays the same: ematen diot (I give him), eman diot (I have given him), emango diot (I will give him).

5. Pronouns are usually left out. The auxiliary already says who is who, so nik, zuri and hari are only added for emphasis: Egia esan dizut. See leaving out pronouns.

6. Several things. When the thing given is plural, di- becomes dizki-: Liburuak eman dizkiot. See dizkiot and diet.

Tip: Common verbs that work this way are eman (give), esan (say, tell), bidali (send), erakutsi (show), galdetu (ask) and erosi (buy for someone). A diot with no verb before it means "I say": see esan: dio.

Examples (6)

  1. Liburua eman diot.

    I have given him the book.

    di-o-t: to him or her (o), by me (t). It can also mean "I have given her the book".

  2. Egia esan dizut.

    I have told you the truth.

    di-zu-t: to you (zu), by me (t).

  3. Anek opari bat eman dit.

    Ane has given me a present.

    dit: he or she to me. Anek carries the ergative -k.

  4. Mikelek mezu bat bidali digu.

    Mikel has sent us a message.

    digu: he or she to us.

  5. Zer esan dizu irakasleak?

    What has the teacher told you?

    dizu: he or she to you. The question word zer comes right before the verb.

  6. Emango didazu ura, mesedez?

    Will you give me the water, please?

    didazu: you to me. "To me" becomes -da- because -zu follows.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the two-person auxiliary dut when there is a receiver.

    Mikeli liburua eman dut.
    Mikeli liburua eman diot.

    Mikeli is a receiver with -(r)i, so the auxiliary must show it. dut only counts the doer and the thing.

  • Mixing up the doer and the receiver in the auxiliary.

    Nik zuri egia esan dit.
    Nik zuri egia esan dizut.

    dit means "he or she to me". With nik as the doer and zuri as the receiver, the form is di-zu-t.

  • Forgetting the ergative -k on the doer.

    Ane opari bat eman dit.
    Anek opari bat eman dit.

    The person who gives is the nork of the sentence and takes -k: Anek.

How It Connects

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diot / dizut / ditLevel 2Giving and Telling

Learn This First

Three-person verbs need the dative, the ergative and ukan.

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Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

nor nori norkedun