nahi + Subjunctive
Wanting with the Subjunctive
Etor zaitezen nahi dut means "I want you to come". The person who wants and the person who acts are different.
How It Works
There are three ways to use Wanting (nahi dut):
- You want to do it yourself: Etorri nahi dut (I want to come).
- You want someone else to do it, with -tzea: Zu etortzea nahi dut. See Wanting Someone Else to Do.
- You want someone else to do it, with a subjunctive: Etor zaitezen nahi dut.
How to build it. Take the verb radical and add the subjunctive form that matches the doer, ending in -(e)n. The same forms appear in So That: dadin, dezan.
- Verbs with nor (edin): nadin, zaitezen, dadin, gaitezen, zaitezten, daitezen.
- Verbs with nork (ezan): dezadan, dezazun, dezan, dezagun, dezazuen, dezaten.
The clause can come before or after nahi dut: Etor zaitezen nahi dut or Nahi dut etor zaitezen. When it stands apart after a pause, -(e)la is also used: Horixe nahi dugu, ondo senda dadila (That is what we want, that he gets well).
In the past. After nahi nuen or nahi zuen, careful speech uses the past subjunctive: Etor nendin nahi zuen (She wanted me to come). See The Past Subjunctive.
Style. The subjunctive is more formal than -tzea. In relaxed speech it can sound stiff, so -tzea is the everyday choice.
Examples (6)
- Etor zaitezen nahi dut.
I want you to come.
- Nahi dut ondo pasa dezazuen.
I want you all to have a good time.
zuek + a nork verb: dezazuen.
- Amak nahi du etxean gera gaitezen.
Mum wants us to stay at home.
- Ez dut nahi inork jakin dezan.
I do not want anyone to know.
- Zer nahi duzu egin dezadan?
What do you want me to do?
- Zoriontsuak izan zaitezten nahi dut.
I want you all to be happy.
Common Mistakes
Using the subjunctive when you want to do it yourself.
Etor nadin nahi dut.Etorri nahi dut.When the one who wants and the one who acts are the same person, use the participle with nahi.
Using an ordinary "that" clause after nahi.
Etorri zarela nahi dut.Etor zaitezen nahi dut.etorri zarela states a fact (that you have come). A wish about someone else needs the subjunctive or -tzea.
Using an edin form with a verb that takes nork.
Ez dut nahi inork jakin dadin.Ez dut nahi inork jakin dezan.jakin has a nork subject (inork), so the form comes from ezan: dezan.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Wanting with the subjunctive follows nahi + -tzea and dadin.
Related Patterns
- nahi izanWanting (Nahi Dut)
The basic verb for wanting: Etorri nahi dut.
Level 1 - Subjunctive + -(e)laReported Commands: Etor Nadila
The same forms with -(e)la report a command: Etor nadila esan dit.
Level 4 - nendin / nezanThe Past Subjunctive
The past forms used after nahi zuen: Etor nendin nahi zuen.
Level 5 - The Verb Radical
The main verb before the subjunctive is the radical: etor, gera, pasa.
Level 3
Words in This Pattern
Practice nahi + Subjunctive in Bubblegum
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