nintzen / zinen / zen
Past of Izan
To say what someone was, use the past of izan: nintzen (I was), zinen (you were), zen (he, she or it was), ginen (we were), zineten (you all were), ziren (they were).
How It Works
The forms.
- ni nintzen (I was)
- zu zinen (you were)
- hura zen (he, she or it was)
- gu ginen (we were)
- zuek zineten (you all were)
- haiek ziren (they were)
Keep zinen and zineten apart: zinen is for one person you call zu, and zineten is for zuek, several people. Familiar speech also has hintzen for hi; see Familiar hi.
What it is for. Like the present of izan, it tells what or who someone was: a job, a name, a nationality, or a lasting quality. Nire aitona arrantzalea zen (My grandfather was a fisherman). Etxea oso zaharra zen (The house was very old). For where someone was, or how they felt at one moment, use the past of egon instead: Etxean nengoen (I was at home).
Negatives and questions. As in the present, ez goes right before the verb form: Ez zen erraza (It was not easy). In a question the question word sits next to the verb: Nolakoa zen zure etxea? (What was your house like?)
Also an auxiliary. These same forms make the past of verbs that take naiz, such as joan and etorri: Atzo etorri nintzen (I came yesterday). See The Simple Past.
Examples (6)
- Txikitan lotsatia nintzen.
As a child I was shy.
Txikitan means as a child, so the verb is in the past: nintzen.
- Nire aitona arrantzalea zen.
My grandfather was a fisherman.
A job is what someone is, so it takes izan.
- Garai hartan ikasleak ginen.
At that time we were students.
- Ez zen erraza.
It was not easy.
ez comes right before zen.
- Nolakoa zen zure lehen etxea?
What was your first house like?
- Zuek oso gazteak zineten.
You were all very young.
zineten is for zuek, several people.
Common Mistakes
Using egon for what someone was.
Nire aitona arrantzalea zegoen.Nire aitona arrantzalea zen.A job or identity is what someone is, so it takes izan: zen. zegoen belongs to where someone was or how they were at a moment.
Using zineten for one person.
Zu nire laguna zineten.Zu nire laguna zinen.zinen goes with zu. zineten goes with zuek, when you talk to several people.
Keeping the present with a past time word.
Txikitan lotsatia naiz.Txikitan lotsatia nintzen.Txikitan (as a child) places the sentence in the past, so izan must be past too: nintzen, not naiz.
How It Connects
Learn This First
izan past follows izan present.
Related Patterns
- nengoen / zeunden / zegoenPast of Egon
The past of egon, used for where someone was and how they were at a moment.
Level 2 - izan / egonChoosing Izan or Egon
Explains which of the two verbs to choose; the choice is the same in the past.
Level 1 - etorri nintzen / ikusi nuenThe Simple Past
Uses these forms as the past auxiliary of verbs like joan and etorri.
Level 2 - nuen / zenuen / zuenPast of Ukan
The past of the other basic verb, for what someone had.
Level 2
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice nintzen / zinen / zen in Bubblegum
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