-(e)lakoan

Thinking That: -(e)lakoan

Level 5

Etxean zeundelakoan deitu nizun. (I called you thinking you were at home.) The ending -(e)lakoan gives the belief behind an action.

How It Works

1. The form. Add -lakoan to the verb, or -elakoan after a consonant, exactly as with -(e)lako. Past forms drop their final -n first, and a few forms such as dago and zara change a little:

  • da → delakoan, dago → dagoelakoan, dator → datorrelakoan
  • zeunden → zeundelakoan, zegoen → zegoelakoan
  • etorriko zara → etorriko zarelakoan

2. The belief behind an action. The main clause tells what someone did because of what they believed:

  • Zu ere etorriko zarelakoan, bi sarrera erosi ditut. (Thinking you would come too, I bought two tickets.)
  • Denda irekita zegoelakoan joan nintzen, baina itxita zegoen. (I went thinking the shop was open, but it was closed.)

3. With egon. -(e)lakoan egon means "to be convinced that" or "to be under the impression that". egon agrees with the person who believes: Irabaziko genuelakoan geunden (we were sure we would win), Gezurra esan nuelakoan dago (he thinks I lied).

4. Compared with uste. The same idea can be said with uste izan and -(e)la: Etxean zeundela uste nuen. Use one or the other, not both in the same clause.

Note: In Northern Basque, -(e)lakoan can also simply give a cause. In standard use, keep it for beliefs.

Examples (5)

  1. Etxean zeundelakoan deitu nizun.

    I called you thinking you were at home.

  2. Irabaziko genuelakoan geunden.

    We were sure we would win.

  3. Zu ere etorriko zarelakoan, bi sarrera erosi ditut.

    Thinking you would come too, I have bought two tickets.

  4. Denda irekita zegoelakoan joan nintzen, baina itxita zegoen.

    I went thinking the shop was open, but it was closed.

  5. Gezurra esan nuelakoan dago.

    He thinks I lied.

    egon agrees with the person who holds the belief.

Common Mistakes

  • Using ukan instead of egon.

    Irabaziko genuelakoan genuen.
    Irabaziko genuelakoan geunden.

    The verb that goes with -(e)lakoan is egon, which has no object. genuen makes no sense here.

  • Adding uste on top of -(e)lakoan.

    Etxean zeundelakoan uste nuen.
    Etxean zeundela uste nuen.

    -(e)lakoan already means "in the belief that". With uste izan, use the plain -(e)la clause.

How It Connects

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

-(e)lakoanLevel 5Thinking That: -(e)lakoan

Learn This First

Thinking that follows -lako and -(e)la.