-ko
Of a Place: -ko
-ko turns a place into a describing word: Bilboko museoa (the Bilbao museum).
How It Works
Forms.
- After a vowel: etxe → etxeko, mendi → mendiko, eskola → eskolako
- Common noun after a consonant: lan → laneko (from work, of work)
- Place names: Bilbo → Bilboko, Donostia → Donostiako
- Place names ending in a consonant: Gasteizko or Gasteizeko. After n or l the ending can be -go: Irungo, Madrilgo (or Iruneko, Madrileko).
- Place words take -go: hemengo (from here), hango (from over there)
Before the noun. etxeko giltza (the house key), mendiko bidea (the mountain path). The noun after it keeps its article.
With the article. Add -a to say where someone or something is from: Bilbokoa naiz, Gure irakaslea Donostiakoa da. In the plural: Bilbokoak gara. The question is nongoa?. See what kind, from where, whose. Another way to say it is bilbotarra.
-ko or -(r)en. -ko links to a place or a time: Bilboko etxea, gaurko egunkaria. -(r)en marks an owner: Aneren etxea. See -ko or -(r)en? and time with -ko.
Examples (6)
- Bilboko museoa oso ederra da.
The Bilbao museum is very beautiful.
Word by Word: Bilbao-of museum very beautiful is.
- Etxeko giltza galdu dut.
I have lost the house key.
Word by Word: House-of key lost I-have.
- Nongoa zara? — Bilbokoa naiz.
Where are you from? — I am from Bilbao.
Word by Word: From-where-the you-are? — Bilbao-of-the I-am.
- Herriko jaiak abuztuan dira.
The town festival is in August.
Word by Word: Town-of festivities August-in are.
- Madrilgo trena berandu dator.
The train from Madrid is running late.
Word by Word: Madrid-of train late comes.
After l the ending can be -go. Madrileko is also correct.
- Gure irakaslea Donostiakoa da.
Our teacher is from Donostia.
Word by Word: Our teacher Donostia-of-the is.
Common Mistakes
Using the owner ending -(r)en to link a noun to a place (intended meaning: the museum in Bilbao).
Bilboren museoa oso ederra da.Bilboko museoa oso ederra da.A place linked to a noun takes -ko. -(r)en is for owners.
Putting the -ko phrase after the noun, as in English.
Museoa Bilboko oso ederra da.Bilboko museoa oso ederra da.The -ko phrase comes before the noun it describes.
Leaving out the article when -ko stands on its own.
Bilboko naiz.Bilbokoa naiz.After izan, the -ko word needs the article: Bilbokoa.
How It Connects
Learn This First
The local genitive builds on the inessive.
Related Patterns
- -ko / -(r)en-ko or -(r)en?
Compares the place link -ko with the owner ending -(r)en.
Level 3 - -(r)enWhose: -(r)en
The other genitive, for owners.
Level 1 - Time Word + -koTime with -ko
The same ending with times: gaurko, udako.
Level 2 - nolako / nongoa / norenWhat Kind, From Where, Whose
nongoa asks where someone is from.
Level 2 - Phrase + -ko + NounLinking Phrases with -ko
Longer phrases with -ko before a noun.
Level 3 - -tar / -arWhere Someone Is from: -tar, -ar
Another way to say where someone is from: bilbotarra.
Level 4
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Practice -ko in Bubblegum
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