Subjunctive + -(e)la
Reported Commands: Etor Nadila
Etor nadila esan dit means "She has told me to come". The subjunctive with -(e)la turns an order into reported speech.
How It Works
You can report a command in two ways:
- With -tzeko: Etortzeko esan dit. This is the everyday way. See Telling Someone to Do.
- With a subjunctive and -(e)la: Etor nadila esan dit. This is more careful, and common in writing.
How to build it. Radical + subjunctive for the one who must act + -(e)la:
- Verbs with nor: nadila, zaitezela, dadila, gaitezela, zaiteztela, daitezela.
- Verbs with nork: dezadala, dezazula, dezala, dezagula, dezazuela, dezatela.
Order or statement? The ending -(e)la also reports a statement, see Reporting What Someone Said. The verb form tells them apart:
- Etorriko dela esan du: He said that he will come.
- Etor dadila esan du: He said that he should come.
-(e)la or -(e)n? Etor dadin esan dit is also correct. In the Southern Basque Country, -(e)la is usual with verbs of ordering and asking such as esan, eskatu and agindu.
In the past. After esan zidan or eskatu zigun, careful speech uses the past subjunctive: Etor nendila esan zidan (She told me to come). See The Past Subjunctive.
On its own, the same form gives an order about a third person: Etor dadila! (Let him come!). See Let It Be: bedi, beza.
Examples (6)
- Etor nadila esan dit.
She has told me to come.
- Isil gaitezela eskatu digute.
They have asked us to be quiet.
- Etor nendila esan zidan.
She told me to come.
After a past verb, the past subjunctive nendila.
- Irakasleak esan du liburua ekar dezagula.
The teacher has said that we should bring the book.
ekarri takes nork: dezagula.
- Esan iezaiozu itxaron dezala.
Tell him to wait.
- Medikuak ohean gera nendila esan zidan.
The doctor told me to stay in bed.
Common Mistakes
Using an ordinary past form when reporting an order.
Etorri naizela esan dit.Etor nadila esan dit.Etorri naizela esan dit means "She said that I have come". An order needs the subjunctive: etor nadila.
Using an edin form with a verb that takes nork.
Liburua ekar gaitezela esan du.Liburua ekar dezagula esan du.ekarri has an object (liburua), so it needs the ezan form dezagula.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Reported commands with the subjunctive follow both.
Related Patterns
- Reported Speech + -(e)laReporting What Someone Said
Reports a statement with -(e)la and an ordinary verb form: Etorriko dela esan du.
Level 3 - nahi + SubjunctiveWanting with the Subjunctive
The same subjunctive forms after nahi: Etor zaitezen nahi dut.
Level 4 - nendin / nezanThe Past Subjunctive
Gives the past forms: Etor nendila esan zidan.
Level 5 - bedi / bezaLet It Be: Bedi, Beza
On its own, Etor dadila! is an order about a third person.
Level 5 - iezadazuCommands with a Receiver
Often introduces a reported order: Esan iezaiozu itxaron dezala.
Level 4
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice Subjunctive + -(e)la in Bubblegum
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