-tzean
When Doing: -tzean
Add -tzean (or -tean) to a verb to say when or on doing it: Etxera iristean (when I got home, on getting home).
How It Works
Building it. Start from the -tzen form and change -tzen to -tzean, or -ten to -tean: iristen → iristean, entzuten → entzutean, ikusten → ikustean, egiten → egitean, sartzen → sartzean.
Any time frame. Because the main verb carries the tense, -tzean fits the past, the future and habits:
- Etxera iristean, afaria prestatu nuen. When I got home, I made dinner.
- Lana amaitzean, paseatzera joango naiz. When I finish work, I will go for a walk.
- Etxera iristean, dutxa hartzen dut. When I get home, I take a shower.
Who does it. The -tzean action is often done by the subject of the main verb, but it can have its own: Gu iristean, etxea hutsik zegoen (When we arrived, the house was empty).
A moment in time. -tzean usually ties two events to the same moment. To stress that two things last side by side, use -(e)n bitartean.
Examples (6)
- Etxera iristean, afaria prestatu nuen.
When I got home, I made dinner.
iristean has no person; nuen shows it was I, in the past.
- Hori entzutean, barre egin genuen.
When we heard that, we laughed.
- Lana amaitzean, paseatzera joango naiz.
When I finish work, I will go for a walk.
The same form points to the future here.
- Gu iristean, etxea hutsik zegoen.
When we arrived, the house was empty.
The clause has its own subject, gu.
- Autobusetik jaistean, kontuz ibili.
Be careful when you get off the bus.
- Gutuna irakurtzean, negarrez hasi zen.
On reading the letter, she began to cry.
Common Mistakes
Mixing -tzean with an auxiliary.
Etxera iristen naizean, dutxa hartzen dut.Etxera iristean, dutxa hartzen dut.Choose one pattern: either -tzean with no auxiliary (iristean) or a full verb with -(e)nean (iristen naizenean).
How It Connects
Learn This First
-tzean builds on the verbal noun and -(e)nean.
Related Patterns
- -(e)n bitarteanWhile
For two things that last at the same time.
Level 3 - -tzen / -tenMaking the -tzen Form
The form that -tzean and -tean are built from.
Level 1 - -tu ordukoAs Soon as
For something that happens immediately after another action.
Level 4 - -tu eta geroAfter Doing
For an action that follows another one.
Level 3
Practice -tzean in Bubblegum
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