Place Names and Case Endings

Level 2

Bilbo: Bilbon (in Bilbao), Bilbora (to), Bilbotik (from), Bilboko (of). A common noun has the article first: etxean, etxera, etxetik, etxeko.

How It Works

Why no article. A common noun takes the article before the ending: etxe → etxea → etxean. A place name names one place already, so the ending goes straight on: Bilbo → Bilbon. If a name ends in -a, that -a belongs to the name and stays: Donostia → Donostian, Donostiara, Donostiatik; Gernika → Gernikan, Gernikara. In casual speech you may hear Donostira, but the standard form is Donostiara.

Names ending in a vowel.

  • Bilbon (in), Bilbora (to), Bilbotik (from), Bilboko (of)
  • Donostian, Donostiara, Donostiatik, Donostiako

Names ending in a consonant. The -n form always adds -e-: Madrilen, Parisen, Gasteizen. For -ra the -e- form is the usual one: Madrilera, Parisera, Gasteizera. For -tik and -ko, Euskaltzaindia accepts both forms, and the shorter one is more common today: Paristik or Parisetik, Gasteizko or Gasteizeko. After -n or -l they become -dik and -go: Irundik, Madrilgo. A name ending in -r doubles it before -e-: Eibarren, Eibarrera; see Words Ending in -r.

Common nouns. Ordinary nouns keep the article: etxean, mendira, kaletik, hondartzan. In the plural they use -eta-: mendietan; see Plural Case Endings. A few names include the plural article and take plural endings: Estatu Batuetan (in the United States). For people, the place endings use -gan; see People as Places.

Examples (6)

  1. Bilbon bizi naiz, baina Donostian lan egiten dut.

    I live in Bilbao, but I work in San Sebastián.

    The -a of Donostia is part of the name, so it stays: Donostian.

  2. Bihar Madrilera noa.

    Tomorrow I am going to Madrid.

    Madril ends in a consonant, so it adds -e-: Madrilera.

  3. Gure lagunak Paristik datoz.

    Our friends are coming from Paris.

    Parisetik is also correct.

  4. Gasteizko trena berandu dator.

    The train from Vitoria-Gasteiz is late.

  5. Mendira goaz, eta gero hondartzara.

    We are going to the mountains, and then to the beach.

    Common nouns keep the article: mendira, hondartzara.

  6. Eibarren jaio zen, eta Gernikan bizi da.

    She was born in Eibar and lives in Gernika.

    Eibar doubles its r before -e-: Eibarren.

Common Mistakes

  • Adding the article to a place name.

    Bilboan bizi naiz.
    Bilbon bizi naiz.

    Place names take no article. Bilbo takes -n straight on: Bilbon.

  • Using -an after a consonant-final name.

    Madrilan ikasten dut.
    Madrilen ikasten dut.

    A place name that ends in a consonant adds -e-, not -a-: Madrilen, Parisen, Gasteizen.

  • Using the where ending -n for a destination.

    Bihar Donostian noa.
    Bihar Donostiara noa.

    The intended meaning is Tomorrow I am going to San Sebastián. joan needs the where-to ending -ra, not -n. The -a of Donostia belongs to the name, so it stays: Donostiara.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

Place Names and Case EndingsLevel 2

Learn This First

Place names apply the local cases.