gainean / azpian / ondoan / aurrean / atzean

Location Words

Level 2

To say where something is, put a location word after the noun: mahai gainean (on the table), aulki azpian (under the chair), etxe ondoan (next to the house).

How It Works

1. The main words.

  • gainean: on, on top of
  • azpian: under
  • ondoan: next to
  • aurrean: in front of
  • atzean: behind
  • artean: between, among
  • barruan: inside
  • erdian: in the middle of

2. Bare noun or -(r)en. For things and places, both are correct: etxe ondoan and etxearen ondoan mean the same. With hau, hori or hura, use -(r)en: etxe horren aurrean (in front of that house). For people and pronouns, use -(r)en or a possessive: nire ondoan (next to me), zure atzean (behind you), lagunen artean (among friends).

3. Where to and where from. Swap -an for -ra or -tik: mahai gainera (onto the table), ohe azpitik (from under the bed), Etorri nire ondora! (Come next to me!)

4. On their own. Without a noun they work as adverbs: Aurrean dago (It is in front), Atzean eseri naiz (I have sat down at the back).

5. Before a noun. Add -ko to describe a noun: mahai gaineko liburua (the book on the table).

Examples (6)

  1. Giltzak mahai gainean daude.

    The keys are on the table.

  2. Katua aulki azpian dago.

    The cat is under the chair.

  3. Farmazia gure etxe ondoan dago.

    The pharmacy is next to our house.

    gure goes with etxe: "next to our house".

  4. Autoa atearen aurrean utzi dut.

    I have left the car in front of the door.

    Here the noun has -(r)en: atearen aurrean.

  5. Eskolaren atzean parke bat dago.

    There is a park behind the school.

  6. Ane nire ondoan eseri da.

    Ane has sat down next to me.

    With a pronoun, use the possessive nire.

Common Mistakes

  • Putting the location word before the noun, like an English preposition.

    Liburua gainean mahai dago.
    Liburua mahai gainean dago.

    Location words follow the noun: mahai gainean, literally "table on-top".

  • Using the plain pronoun before a location word.

    Ane ni ondoan eseri da.
    Ane nire ondoan eseri da.

    People and pronouns need the -(r)en form or a possessive: nire ondoan, zure atzean.

  • Putting the article on the noun as well.

    Liburua mahaia gainean dago.
    Liburua mahai gainean dago.

    Use the bare noun (mahai gainean) or the -(r)en form (mahaiaren gainean), not the plain article form.

How It Connects

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

gainean / azpian / ondoan / aurrean / atzeanLevel 2Location Words

Learn This First

Location words need the genitive and the inessive.

Words in This Pattern

azpianondoanaurreanatzeanarteangain