ezta ... ere
Not Even
ezta ... ere adds one more thing to a negative sentence: Ez dut ezer jan, ezta ogirik ere. (I have not eaten anything, not even bread.)
How It Works
1. The pattern. Negative sentence, then ezta + word + ere. The added word can be a thing, a person, a place or a time.
2. Not even. Ez dut ezer jan, ezta ogirik ere. In negative sentences, "any" things take the partitive -(r)ik: ogirik.
3. Nor, neither. Nik ez dakit, ezta Anek ere. Anek keeps its -k because it is short for Anek ez daki. For a short "me neither", use ere: Nik ere ez.
4. The positive partner. After a positive sentence, use baita ... ere: Dena jan dut, baita ogia ere. (I have eaten everything, even the bread.)
5. Short answers. —Kafea nahi duzu? —Ez. —Eta tea? —Ezta ere. A common phrase is Ezta pentsatu ere! (Don't even think about it!)
Do not confuse: ezta? at the end of a sentence means "right?". See ala and ezta?.
Examples (5)
- Ez dut ezer jan, ezta ogirik ere.
I have not eaten anything, not even bread.
- Nik ez dakit, ezta Anek ere.
I don't know, and neither does Ane.
Anek keeps the -k it has in "Anek ez daki".
- Ez dut inor ezagutzen, ezta irakaslea ere.
I don't know anyone, not even the teacher.
- Ez da etxetik atera, ezta igandean ere.
He has not left the house, not even on Sunday.
It can also mean "She has not left the house".
- Ezta pentsatu ere!
Don't even think about it!
Common Mistakes
Dropping the -k of the doer.
Nik ez dakit, ezta Ane ere.Nik ez dakit, ezta Anek ere.jakin has a doer with -k. The added person keeps it: Anek, as in "Anek ez daki".
Using ezta after a positive sentence.
Dena jan dut, ezta ogia ere.Dena jan dut, baita ogia ere.ezta ... ere only follows a negative sentence. After a positive one, use baita ... ere.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Not even follows ere and the partitive.
Related Patterns
- ezNegation with Ez
ezta ... ere only follows a sentence with ez.
Level 1 - inor / ezer / inon / inoizNobody, Nothing, Nowhere, Never
These words often come just before an ezta ... ere phrase.
Level 2 - ala / ezta?Or? and Isn't It?
ezta? at the end of a sentence means "right?", a different use.
Level 2 - bai ... bai / ez ... ezBoth ... and, Neither ... nor
Another way to join two negative items: ez ... ez.
Level 3
Words in This Pattern
Practice ezta ... ere in Bubblegum
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