-ko / -(r)en

-ko or -(r)en?

Level 3

Aneren etxea (Ane's house) but Bilboko etxea (a house in Bilbao). Owners take -(r)en; places and times usually take -ko.

How It Works

Both endings let one noun describe another, and both come before it. The difference is the kind of link.

-(r)en: whose, of what. The possessive genitive -(r)en links a noun to its owner or to a whole:

  • People and animals as owners always take -(r)en: Aneren etxea (Ane's house), katuaren janaria (the cat's food).
  • A part of a whole: etxearen teilatua (the roof of the house), liburuaren lehen kapitulua (the first chapter of the book).
  • A place seen as a whole: Euskal Herriaren historia (the history of the Basque Country).
  • Before location words: etxearen aurrean (in front of the house).

-ko: where, when, what kind.

  • A place where something is or comes from, the local genitive -ko: Bilboko etxea (a house in Bilbao), etxeko giltzak (the house keys).
  • A time: gaurko bilera (today's meeting), arratsaldeko autobusa (the afternoon bus); see -ko with time words.
  • A material, with -zko: urrezko eraztuna (a gold ring), egurrezko mahaia (a wooden table); see measure -ko and material -zko.

Sometimes the meaning changes. hamar euroko kafea is a coffee that costs ten euros, but hamar euroren kafea is ten euros' worth of coffee.

Sometimes both work. Euskaltzaindia's grammar notes that it is not always easy to choose: etxeko teilatua and etxearen teilatua are both used. When in doubt, a person as owner means -(r)en, and a place or time means -ko.

Examples (6)

  1. Aneren etxea oso handia da.

    Ane's house is very big.

    Ane is the owner, so -(r)en.

  2. Bilboko etxea saldu dugu.

    We have sold the house in Bilbao.

    Bilbao is where the house is, so -ko.

  3. Etxearen teilatua konpondu behar dugu.

    We need to fix the roof of the house.

    The roof is part of the house, so -(r)en.

  4. Gaurko bilera bertan behera geratu da.

    Today's meeting has been cancelled.

    A time takes -ko.

  5. Urrezko eraztun bat oparitu diot.

    I gave her a gold ring.

    A material takes -zko.

  6. Euskal Herriaren historia ikasten ari naiz.

    I am studying the history of the Basque Country.

    The place is seen as a whole with a history, so -(r)en.

Common Mistakes

  • Using -ko for a person as owner.

    Aneko etxea oso handia da.
    Aneren etxea oso handia da.

    When a person owns something, use -(r)en: Aneren etxea. -ko is for places and times.

  • Using -(r)en with a time word.

    Gaurren bilera bertan behera geratu da.
    Gaurko bilera bertan behera geratu da.

    Time words link to a noun with -ko: gaurko, atzoko, biharko.

  • Using -(r)en for what something is made of.

    Urrearen eraztun bat oparitu diot.
    Urrezko eraztun bat oparitu diot.

    urrearen eraztuna would mean the gold's ring. For the material, use -zko: urrezko eraztuna.

How It Connects

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

-ko / -(r)enLevel 3-ko or -(r)en?

Learn This First

-ko or -(r)en needs both endings.