-(e)na
The One Who, What
Take a relative clause, drop the noun and add the article: etorri den laguna → etorri dena (the one who came); nahi duzun gauza → nahi duzuna (what you want).
How It Works
How it is built. Start from a relative clause and add the article straight to the verb:
- den + -a → dena (the one who is)
- duzun + -a → duzuna (what you have or do)
- diren + -ak → direnak (those who are)
Case endings. The form takes whatever case the sentence needs: Lehenengo iristen denak irabaziko du (Whoever arrives first will win, with the ergative -k), Ados nago esan duzunarekin (I agree with what you said).
One or many. Use -a for one person or thing and -ak for several: etorri dena (the one who came), etorri direnak (those who came). Note that -ak can also be the ergative singular: iristen denak is "the one who arrives" as the doer.
Watch out for dena. dena also means everything: Dena ondo dago (Everything is fine). See All and Whole.
Emphasis. The same form stresses one person or thing: Ane izan zen esan zuena (It was Ane who said it). See It Was Ane Who.
Examples (6)
- Etorri dena nire anaia da.
The one who came is my brother.
- Har ezazu nahi duzuna.
Take what you want.
- Esan duzuna egia da.
What you said is true.
- Etorri direnak pozik daude.
Those who came are happy.
-ak for several people.
- Gehien gustatzen zaidana itsasoa da.
What I like most is the sea.
- Lehenengo iristen denak irabaziko du.
Whoever arrives first will win.
The ergative -k shows this is the doer of irabazi.
Common Mistakes
Forgetting the article.
Esan duzun egia da.Esan duzuna egia da.With no noun after it, the clause itself needs the article: duzuna.
Using zer like English what.
Har ezazu zer nahi duzu.Har ezazu nahi duzuna.Take what you want is not a question. Basque uses the clause with the article: nahi duzuna.
Using the singular for several people.
Etorri dena pozik daude.Etorri direnak pozik daude.For several people, both the verb and the article are plural: direnak.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Headless relatives follow relative clauses.
Related Patterns
- -aThe Definite Article -a
The article that turns the clause into a noun.
Level 1 - -akThe Plural Article -ak
The plural article used for those who: direnak.
Level 1 - -kThe Ergative Case -k
Explains iristen denak, where the clause is the doer.
Level 1 - -(e)na daIt Was Ane Who
Uses these forms to stress one part of a sentence.
Level 4 - guztiak / denak / osoaAll and Whole
dena and denak also mean everything and everyone.
Level 2
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Practice -(e)na in Bubblegum
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