-(r)i

To Someone: -(r)i

Level 2

To say to whom, add the dative ending: Aneri (to Ane), mutilari (to the boy), lagunei (to the friends). The verb usually shows that person too.

How It Works

The endings.

  • Names after a vowel: Ane → Aneri
  • Names after a consonant: Mikel → Mikeli
  • Singular with the article: mutila → mutilari, ama → amari
  • Plural: mutilak → mutilei, lagunak → lagunei

Pronouns and demonstratives. niri (to me), zuri (to you), hari (to him or her), guri (to us), zuei (to you all), haiei (to them). This and that: honi, horri, hari, and in the plural hauei, horiei, haiei. The question word is nori? (to whom?).

Who takes the dative. The receiver of verbs like eman (give), esan (say), idatzi (write) and erakutsi (show). The person affected with zait verbs such as gustatu. Also the person with some verbs where English has a direct object: Amari deitu diot (I have called my mother), Aneri lagundu diot (I have helped Ane).

The verb agrees. A dative noun or pronoun is echoed inside the auxiliary: Aneri eman diot (-o, to her), Lagunei idatzi diet (-e, to them). See Giving and Telling and Several Things, Several Receivers. Because the verb shows the person, niri or hari is often left out.

Part of a bigger system. The dative is one of the case endings; its plural -ei follows the pattern in Plural Case Endings.

Examples (6)

  1. Aneri liburu bat eman diot.

    I have given Ane a book.

    Ane ends in a vowel, so -ri: Aneri.

  2. Amari deitu diot.

    I have called my mother.

    deitu (to call) takes the dative in Basque.

  3. Niri ez zait kafea gustatzen.

    I do not like coffee.

  4. Lagunei mezu bat idatzi diet.

    I have written a message to my friends.

    Plural -ei, and the verb ending -e shows several receivers.

  5. Irakasleari galdera bat egin diot.

    I have asked the teacher a question.

  6. Nori eman diozu giltza?

    Who have you given the key to?

Common Mistakes

  • Leaving out the dative ending.

    Ane liburu bat eman diot.
    Aneri liburu bat eman diot.

    The person who receives something takes -(r)i. Without it, Ane looks like the thing being given.

  • Adding -ri after a consonant.

    Mikelri deitu diot.
    Mikeli deitu diot.

    After a consonant the ending is just -i: Mikeli. -ri is only for words that end in a vowel.

  • Using the singular ending for several people.

    Lagunari mezu bat idatzi diet.
    Lagunei mezu bat idatzi diet.

    -ari means to the friend. For several friends use -ei: lagunei, which matches diet.

How It Connects

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

-(r)iLevel 2To Someone: -(r)i

Learn This First

The dative follows the case overview.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

zuriharigurihaiei