Future + ahal
Hopes and Wishes
Put ahal between a future form and its auxiliary to hope: Etorriko ahal da! (I hope he comes!) To wish someone something, use a subjunctive with -(e)la: Ondo pasa dezazula! (Have a good time!)
How It Works
1. Hoping with ahal. Take a future form and put ahal between the main verb and the auxiliary:
- Etorriko da (He will come) → Etorriko ahal da! (I hope he comes!)
- Egingo dugu (We will do it) → Egingo ahal dugu! (I hope we can do it!)
- In the negative, ahal comes right after ez: Ez ahal zara berandu iritsiko! (I hope you are not late!)
This ahal is not the ahal of ahal izan (can). Etorri ahal da means "He can come". The -ko form is what makes it a hope.
2. Wishing someone something. Use a subjunctive with -(e)la, the ending of etor nadila:
- Ondo pasa dezazula! (Have a good time!)
- Zorte ona izan dezazula! (Good luck!)
- Hala izan dadila! (So be it!)
These are wishes with the "I want" left out.
3. If only! An if-clause with nothing after it is a wish: Hala balitz! (If only it were so!) Loteria tokatuko balitzait! (If only I won the lottery!)
Tip: Everyday short wishes like Ondo pasa! or Zorte on! leave out the verb completely.
Examples (6)
- Etorriko ahal da!
I hope he comes!
ahal sits between etorriko and da. It can also mean "I hope she comes!"
- Egingo ahal dugu!
I hope we can do it!
- Ez ahal zara berandu iritsiko!
I hope you are not late!
In the negative, ahal follows ez.
- Ondo pasa dezazula!
Have a good time!
Subjunctive dezazu + -la.
- Hala izan dadila!
So be it!
- Hala balitz!
If only it were so!
A ba- clause on its own is a wish.
Common Mistakes
Putting ahal after the auxiliary.
Etorriko da ahal!Etorriko ahal da!ahal goes between the main verb and the auxiliary, not at the end.
Using the dictionary form instead of the future.
Etorri ahal da!Etorriko ahal da!Etorri ahal da means "He can come". To hope, use the future form etorriko.
Leaving -la off the wish.
Ondo pasa dezazu!Ondo pasa dezazula!dezazu cannot stand alone. A wish needs -la: dezazula.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Wishes use several constructions whose future, subjunctive and hypothetical forms need separate foundations.
- ahal izanCan: Ahal
The familiar modal ahal provides a comparison with the wish use of ahal.
Level 2 - -ko / -goThe Future
The wish use of ahal combines with future forms.
Level 1 - Subjunctive + -(e)laReported Commands: Etor Nadila
Subjunctive forms such as dadila and dezazula express wishes.
Level 4 - banintz / banuIf I Were, If I Had
Hypothetical forms prepare wishes such as Hala balitz.
Level 3
Related Patterns
Words in This Pattern
Practice Future + ahal in Bubblegum
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