-tar / -ar

Where Someone Is from: -tar, -ar

Level 4

The endings -tar and -ar turn a place name into a word for someone from there: Bilbo → bilbotar (from Bilbao), Donostia → donostiar (from San Sebastián). Like any noun after izan, it takes the article: Bilbotarra naiz (I am from Bilbao).

How It Works

Choosing the ending. The official lists fix the form for each town, but these patterns cover most of them:

  • -tar after most vowels and consonants: Bilbo → bilbotar, Bermeo → bermeotar, Gasteiz → gasteiztar, Eibar → eibartar, Paris → paristar
  • Names ending in -a lose it and take -ar: Donostia → donostiar, Getaria → getariar, Europa → europar, Afrika → afrikar
  • -dar is common after n or l: Irun → irundar, Usurbil → usurbildar, Madril → madrildar
  • A few towns also allow -ztar: Getxo → getxotar or getxoztar

Some forms are simply irregular, such as bizkaitar (from Bizkaia). When in doubt, check a dictionary or Euskaltzaindia's place-name database (EODA).

Noun or adjective. The word names a person: donostiarrak (people from San Sebastián). After izan it takes the article, like any predicate: Ane donostiarra da. It can also describe a person, and then it usually comes before the noun: bilbotar idazle bat (a writer from Bilbao). Countries and continents use the same suffix: europar, afrikar, alemaniar, as in Europar Batasuna (the European Union).

People, not places. For things that belong to the place itself, such as streets, neighbourhoods and local products, use -ko: Bilboko auzoa (a Bilbao neighbourhood), Eibarko kaleak (the streets of Eibar), not *bilbotar auzoa. Both Bilbotarra naiz and Bilbokoa naiz mean I am from Bilbao.

Spelling. The place name has a capital letter, but the -tar word does not: Bilbo, bilbotar. Avoid hybrids copied from Spanish or English, such as *europear or *kanadiar; the Basque forms are europar and kanadar.

Examples (6)

  1. Bilbotarra naiz, baina Donostian bizi naiz.

    I am from Bilbao, but I live in San Sebastián.

    Bilbo + -tar, with the article -a after izan.

  2. Ane donostiarra da.

    Ane is from San Sebastián.

    Donostia loses its final -a and takes -ar.

  3. Gasteiztar asko etorri dira jaira.

    Many people from Vitoria-Gasteiz have come to the festival.

    After asko the word has no article.

  4. Madrildar batekin ezkondu da.

    She has married someone from Madrid.

    After l the ending is -dar: Madril, madrildar.

  5. Bilbotar idazle batek irabazi du saria.

    A writer from Bilbao has won the prize.

    Describing a person, the -tar word usually comes before the noun.

  6. Europar Batasunean bizi gara.

    We live in the European Union.

    Europa drops its -a: europar.

Common Mistakes

  • Using -tar for a place instead of a person.

    Bilbotar auzo batean bizi naiz.
    Bilboko auzo batean bizi naiz.

    -tar words describe people from a place. For a neighbourhood, a street or anything else that is part of the place, Basque uses -ko: Bilboko auzoa, Eibarko kaleak.

  • Writing the -tar word with a capital letter.

    Ni Donostiarra naiz.
    Ni donostiarra naiz.

    Place names are capitalized, but the words made from them with -ar, -tar or -dar are written in lower case.

  • Copying the ending from Spanish or English.

    Ni europearra naiz.
    Ni europarra naiz.

    The Basque suffix attaches to the place name itself: Europa, europar. Hybrids such as europear or kanadiar are not standard.

How It Connects

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

-tar / -arLevel 4Where Someone Is from: -tar, -ar

Learn This First

-tar follows -ko.