-(e)nik

That in Negative Sentences

Level 3

In a sentence like I do not think that..., Basque marks the inner verb with -(e)nik instead of -(e)la: Uste dut etorriko dela (I think he will come), but Ez dut uste etorriko denik (I do not think he will come).

How It Works

How to build it. Attach -(e)nik to the auxiliary or synthetic verb at the end of the clause, in the same place as -(e)la:

  • da → denik, du → duenik, dago → dagoenik
  • naiz → naizenik, dut → dudanik (t becomes d)
  • zen → zenik, zuen → zuenik in the past

Verbs of opinion. With uste izan, pentsatu, iruditu and eman, a negated main verb takes -(e)nik: Ez dut uste zaila denik (I do not think it is hard). Ez dirudi diru asko duenik (He does not seem to have much money). These mean the same as Uste dut ez dela zaila and Diru asko ez duela dirudi: the ez has simply moved up to the main verb. In a positive sentence, use -(e)la: Uste dut zaila dela.

Verbs of saying and knowing. With esan, entzun, ikusi and jakin, both endings are possible, and they mean different things. Ez du esan etorriko denik means he never said that he would come. Esan du ez dela etorriko means he did say something: that he will not come.

Room for anyone and anything. Because the clause is inside the negation, it can hold inor, ezer and inoiz: Ez dut uste inork hori dakienik (I do not think anyone knows that).

Not every negative sentence. Verbs that treat the clause as a known fact, such as ahaztu (forget) and duda egin (doubt), and the phrase ez da egia (it is not true), normally keep -(e)la. -(e)nik also appears in questions that expect the answer no: Benetan uste duzu erraza denik? (Do you really think it is easy?)

Regional note. The Basque Academy's grammar describes -(e)nik as a southern pattern. In Northern Basque you will also hear -(e)la after a negated verb: Ez dut uste etorriko dela.

Examples (6)

  1. Ez dut uste etorriko denik.

    I do not think he will come.

    denik is da + -(e)nik; the clause sits under the ez of ez dut uste.

  2. Ez dirudi diru asko duenik.

    He does not seem to have much money.

    dirudi (from irudi), iruditu and ematen du (eman) work like uste: negated, they take -(e)nik.

  3. Ez nuen pentsatzen hain berandu zenik.

    I did not think it was so late.

    In the past, zen becomes zenik.

  4. Ez dut uste inork hori dakienik.

    I do not think anyone knows that.

    inork is possible because the clause is inside the negation.

  5. Ez dut esan zu zarenik.

    I did not say it was you.

    With esan, -(e)nik means the statement itself was never made.

  6. Benetan uste duzu erraza denik?

    Do you really think it is easy?

    A doubtful question can take -(e)nik too.

Common Mistakes

  • Using -(e)nik in a positive sentence.

    Uste dut etorriko denik.
    Uste dut etorriko dela.

    -(e)nik needs a negation (or a doubtful question) above it. A plain positive statement of opinion takes -(e)la.

  • Using -(e)nik after a verb that treats the clause as a fact.

    Ez dut ahaztu bihar etorriko zarenik.
    Ez dut ahaztu bihar etorriko zarela.

    Here the ez only says that you did not forget; the fact that you are coming stays true. The clause is outside the negation, so it keeps -(e)la.

How It Connects

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

-(e)nikLevel 3That in Negative Sentences

Learn This First

-(e)nik follows the that clause and the partitive.