zait / zaizu / zaio

Happening to Someone (Zait, Zaizu, Zaio)

Level 2

When something happens to someone, the auxiliary shows that person: zait (to me), zaizu (to you), zaio (to him or her), zaigu (to us), zaizue (to you all), zaie (to them).

How It Works

From da to zaio. An intransitive verb normally takes da: Giltza galdu da (The key has got lost). When you also say who is affected, da becomes one of these forms: Giltza galdu zait (I have lost the key).

  • niri ... zait
  • zuri ... zaizu
  • hari ... zaio
  • guri ... zaigu
  • zuei ... zaizue
  • haiei ... zaie

Common verbs. gustatu (to please), ahaztu (to forget), galdu (to get lost), gertatu (to happen), amaitu (to run out), hondatu (to break down) and iruditu, falta, axola. Ama hil zaio (His mother has died; see the possessor dative) shows the same auxiliary where English uses his or her.

The person is often left out. The auxiliary already shows who is affected, so niri, zuri and so on appear only for contrast or clarity: Niri ez zait gustatzen, baina zuri bai. These are the dative forms.

Any aspect. The same auxiliary goes with the participle, the -tzen form and the future: ahaztu zait (I have forgotten), gustatzen zait (I like it), gustatuko zaizu (you will like it).

One thing only. These forms are for a singular subject. For several things add -zki-: see Several Things Happening to Someone. For the past, see Past of zait.

Note on ahaztu. ahaztu can also be used with dut: Etxean ahaztu dut telefonoa (I have left my phone at home). Both patterns are correct.

Examples (6)

  1. Giltza ahaztu zait.

    I have forgotten the key.

    The key is the subject; zait shows that it happened to me.

  2. Kafea gustatzen zaio?

    Does he like coffee?

  3. Zer gertatu zaizu?

    What has happened to you?

  4. Autoa hondatu zaigu.

    Our car has broken down.

    Basque shows the people affected in the verb, where English says our.

  5. Dirua amaitu zaie.

    They have run out of money.

  6. Film hau gustatuko zaizue.

    You will all like this film.

Common Mistakes

  • Using dut with gustatu.

    Kafea gustatzen dut.
    Kafea gustatzen zait.

    gustatu means to please. The coffee is the subject and the person is affected, so the auxiliary is zait, not dut.

  • Choosing the wrong person in the auxiliary.

    Zuri gustatzen zait?
    Zuri gustatzen zaizu?

    The ending must match the dative person: zuri goes with zaizu. zait means to me.

  • Putting -k on the person affected.

    Nik giltza ahaztu zait.
    Niri giltza ahaztu zait.

    With zait the person is in the dative: niri. Nik goes with the dut pattern instead: Nik giltza ahaztu dut.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

zait / zaizu / zaioLevel 2Happening to Someone (Zait, Zaizu, Zaio)

Learn This First

zait forms build on the dative and liking.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

izannor nori