ez dela / etorri ez den

Negation Inside a Clause

Level 3

Uste dut ez dela etorriko and Uste dut etorriko ez dela both mean I think he will not come. But: etorri ez den ikaslea (the student who has not come).

How It Works

In a main clause, ez and the auxiliary come first, and the main verb follows: Ez da etorriko. (He will not come.)

In a that clause with -(e)la, two orders are possible, with the same meaning:

  • Like a main clause: Uste dut ez dela etorriko.
  • With the verb first and ez + auxiliary at the end: Uste dut etorriko ez dela.

Both mean I think he will not come. The same choice appears with -lako and -(e)nean, where the order with the auxiliary at the end is very common: gonbidatu ez nautelako (because they have not invited me).

In a relative clause (relative clause -(e)n), the main verb comes first and ez goes right before the auxiliary at the end:

  • etorri ez den ikaslea (the student who has not come)
  • gustatzen ez zaidan filma (the film I don't like)

The order ez den etorri ikaslea is not used.

One rule never changes: the main verb never comes between ez and the auxiliary. So ez dela etorriko and etorriko ez dela are fine, but ez etorriko dela is not. Only a small particle such as al, ote or omen can sit between them: Ez ote da etorriko?

One-word verbs such as dago or daki have no separate auxiliary, so ez simply goes right before them: etxean ez dagoenean (when he is not at home).

When the main verb is negative, as in Ez dut uste, the clause usually takes -(e)nik instead: Ez dut uste etorriko denik. See negative that clause -(e)nik.

Examples (6)

  1. Uste dut ez dela etorriko.

    I think he will not come.

    ez and the auxiliary come first inside the clause.

  2. Uste dut etorriko ez dela.

    I think he will not come.

    Same meaning; ez and the auxiliary stay at the end.

  3. Etorri ez den ikaslea gaixorik dago.

    The student who has not come is ill.

    In a relative clause, ez goes right before the auxiliary at the end.

  4. Hau da gustatzen ez zaidan filma.

    This is the film I don't like.

  5. Ez naiz joan, gonbidatu ez nautelako.

    I didn't go, because they didn't invite me.

    In a -lako clause, ez + auxiliary often stays at the end.

  6. Etxean ez dagoenean, mezu bat uzten diot.

    When he isn't at home, I leave him a message.

    With a one-word verb, ez goes right before it.

Common Mistakes

  • Separating ez from the auxiliary.

    Uste dut ez etorriko dela.
    Uste dut ez dela etorriko.

    The main verb cannot come between ez and the auxiliary. Say ez dela etorriko or etorriko ez dela.

  • Putting ez and the auxiliary first in a relative clause.

    Ez den etorri ikaslea gaixorik dago.
    Etorri ez den ikaslea gaixorik dago.

    In a relative clause, the main verb comes first and ez + auxiliary go at the end, right before the noun.

How It Connects

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ez dela / etorri ez denLevel 3Negation Inside a Clause

Learn This First

Negation inside a clause needs ez and subordinate clauses.

Words in This Pattern