nindoan / nentorren
Past of Joan and Etorri
nindoan means "I was going" and nentorren means "I was coming". They describe a movement that was in progress.
How It Works
You already know the present forms Going (noa, zoaz, doa) and Coming (nator, zatoz, dator). Their past forms work like Past of egon.
joan (to go): nindoan, zindoazen, zihoan, gindoazen, zindoazten, zihoazen.
etorri (to come): nentorren, zentozen, zetorren, gentozen, zentozten, zetozen.
Notice that the zu forms look plural (zindoazen, zentozen), just like zeunden from egon.
Scene or event?
- nindoan: I was on my way. It sets the scene.
- joan nintzen: I went. It tells a finished event. See The Simple Past.
- joaten nintzen: I used to go. See Used To.
A common story shape puts the scene first and the event in a -nean clause: Lanera nindoan, Ane ikusi nuenean (I was going to work when I saw Ane).
Was about to. With a -tzera verb, nindoan means "I was going to": Hori esatera nindoan! (I was just going to say that!). See Going to Do: -tzera.
Examples (6)
- Lanera nindoan, Ane ikusi nuenean.
I was going to work when I saw Ane.
- Nora zihoan hain goiz?
Where was he going so early?
- Etxera gentozen, ekaitza hasi zenean.
We were coming home when the storm started.
- Hori esatera nindoan!
I was just going to say that!
With -tzera, nindoan means "I was about to".
- Autobusa zetorren, baina ez zen gelditu.
The bus was coming, but it did not stop.
- Gurasoak bidean zetozen.
My parents were on their way.
Plural subject: zetozen.
Common Mistakes
Using the singular form with a plural subject.
Gurasoak bidean zetorren.Gurasoak bidean zetozen.zetorren is for one person. For haiek (they), the form is zetozen.
Using joan nintzen for a movement that was still going on.
Lanera joan nintzen, Ane ikusi nuenean.Lanera nindoan, Ane ikusi nuenean.joan nintzen tells a finished trip. To say you were on your way when something happened, use nindoan.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Past of joan and etorri follows their present and egon past.
Related Patterns
- joan: noa / zoaz / doaGoing (Noa, Zoaz, Doa)
The present forms. These past forms are built the same way.
Level 1 - etorri nintzen / ikusi nuenThe Simple Past
Tells the finished event, while nindoan sets the scene.
Level 2 - -tzen + Past AuxiliaryUsed to
joaten nintzen means "I used to go", which is different from nindoan.
Level 2 - -tzera + Motion VerbGoing to Do: -tzera
Hori esatera nindoan uses -tzera with the past of joan.
Level 2
Words in This Pattern
Practice nindoan / nentorren in Bubblegum
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