banio / nioke

If I Gave It to Him

Level 4

To imagine giving or telling something to someone, use banio (if I ... to him) and nioke (I would ... to him): Esango banio, haserretuko litzateke (If I told him, he would get angry).

How It Works

1. If ... to him or her.

  • I: banio → I would: nioke
  • you: bazenio → zenioke
  • he or she: balio → lioke
  • we: bagenio → genioke
  • they: baliote → liokete

2. Other receivers.

  • I to you: banizu → nizuke
  • he to me: balit → lidake
  • you to me: bazenit → zenidake
  • I to them: banie → nieke

With several things, add -zki- as in dizkiot: banizkio, nizkioke.

3. In a sentence. For an imagined present or future action, the main verb takes -ko, as in other hypothetical conditions:

  • Esango banio, haserretuko litzateke. (If I told him, he would get angry.)
  • Galdetuko banizu, egia esango zenidake? (If I asked you, would you tell me the truth?)
  • Dirua utziko balit, auto bat erosiko nuke. (If he lent me money, I would buy a car.)

4. Which verbs. Any verb that uses diot, dizut, dit: eman (give), esan (tell), galdetu (ask), utzi (lend), deitu (call), lagundu (help).

Tip: The if-part never has -ke, and the would-part never has ba-.

Examples (5)

  1. Esango banio, haserretuko litzateke.

    If I told him, he would get angry.

    banio: if I ... to him. It can also mean "If I told her, she would get angry".

  2. Deituko bazenio, pozik jarriko litzateke.

    If you called her, she would be happy.

    bazenio: if you ... to her.

  3. Galdetuko banizu, egia esango zenidake?

    If I asked you, would you tell me the truth?

    banizu: if I ... to you. zenidake: you would ... to me.

  4. Dirua utziko balit, auto bat erosiko nuke.

    If he lent me money, I would buy a car.

    balit: if he ... to me.

  5. Loreak emango bazenizkio, poztuko litzateke.

    If you gave her flowers, she would be glad.

    Several flowers, so -zki-.

Common Mistakes

  • Leaving out the receiver.

    Esango banu, haserretuko litzateke.
    Esango banio, haserretuko litzateke.

    Esango banu means "If I said it". To say "If I told him", the verb needs the receiver: banio.

  • Putting -ke in the if-clause.

    Esango banioke, haserretuko litzateke.
    Esango banio, haserretuko litzateke.

    The if-clause uses banio. -ke belongs only in the "would" part, like nioke.

  • Using the if-form in the result.

    Deituko bazenio, eskertuko balizu.
    Deituko bazenio, eskertuko lizuke.

    The result needs the "would" form lizuke, not another ba- form.

How It Connects

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

banio / niokeLevel 4If I Gave It to Him

Learn This First

Hypothetical giving follows both.

Words in This Pattern

nor nori norkedun