Verb + egin

Stressing the Action: Egin

Level 4

The word just before the verb is the focus. To make the action the focus, put the participle there and let egin carry the tense: Ikusi egin dut (I did see it), Erori egin naiz (I fell).

How It Works

Why egin appears. In Basque the focus sits right before the verb. When the new information is the action itself, there is nothing else to put in that slot, so the participle moves there and egin takes over the job of carrying tense and aspect:

  • Etorri da. (He has come.) Neutral.
  • Etorri egin da, baina berandu. (He did come, but late.) The coming is what matters.

How to build it. Keep the main verb as a participle and give egin the aspect the sentence needs. The auxiliary is the one the main verb would normally take, so it is da with etorri and dut with ikusi:

  • Done: Ikusi egin dut. (I did see it.)
  • Habit: Neguan, ura izoztu egiten da. (In winter, the water freezes.)
  • Future: Etorri egingo naiz. (I will come.)

When to use it. Use egin when the verb is the answer or the contrast: Zer gertatu zaizu? Erori egin naiz. (What happened to you? I fell.) Ez dut erosi; alokatu egin dut. (I did not buy it; I rented it.) Do not add egin when another word is the focus. If someone asks Zer erosi duzu? (What did you buy?), the answer is Egunkari bat erosi dut, because the newspaper is the new information.

Where it is not used. This egin belongs to main clauses. It is not used inside relative clauses or other clauses with a linking ending: say ikusi dudan filma (the film I saw), not ikusi egin dudan filma. Verbs with their own short forms, such as dago, dator or daki, use ba- instead: Badator. (He is coming.)

Region. The Academy grammar notes that this egin is used mainly in the Southern Basque Country. It is part of everyday standard Basque there, and Northern speakers use it less.

Examples (6)

  1. Ikusi egin dut, baina ez dut ezer esan.

    I did see it, but I did not say anything.

    The action ikusi is the focus, and egin carries the tense.

  2. Etorri egin da, baina berandu.

    He did come, but late.

  3. Zer gertatu zaizu? Erori egin naiz.

    What happened to you? I fell.

    erori takes naiz, so the auxiliary stays naiz.

  4. Ez dut erosi; alokatu egin dut.

    I did not buy it; I rented it.

    egin marks the contrast between two actions.

  5. Neguan, ura izoztu egiten da.

    In winter, the water freezes.

    For a habit, egin becomes egiten.

  6. Euria egiten badu ere, etorri egingo naiz.

    Even if it rains, I will come.

    For the future, egin becomes egingo.

Common Mistakes

  • Putting the future or habit ending on the main verb instead of on egin.

    Etorriko egingo naiz.
    Etorri egingo naiz.

    Only egin carries the aspect. The main verb stays a bare participle: etorri egingo, ikusi egiten, erori egin.

  • Adding egin when another word is the new information.

    Zer erosi duzu? Egunkari bat erosi egin dut.
    Zer erosi duzu? Egunkari bat erosi dut.

    The question asks what was bought, so egunkari bat is the focus. Keep egin for sentences where the action itself is the point.

  • Using focus egin inside a relative clause.

    Ikusi egin dudan filma oso ona da.
    Ikusi dudan filma oso ona da.

    Focus egin belongs to main clauses. Inside a relative clause or a -(e)nean (when) clause, use the plain verb.

How It Connects

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

Verb + eginLevel 4Stressing the Action: Egin

Learn This First

Verb focus follows the focus rule.

Words in This Pattern

egin