-(e)larik

While, When: -(e)larik

Level 6

Gazte zelarik hil zen. He died when he was young. -(e)larik works like -(e)nean, but it sounds more formal.

How It Works

1. The form. It is -(e)la + -rik, attached to the conjugated verb:

  • da → delarik, zen → zelarik
  • nindoan → nindoalarik, nituen → nituelarik
  • dut → dudalarik (a final -t becomes -da-)

2. Time. Most often it means when or while, like -(e)nean:

  • Gelan sartu zelarik, isiltasun handia egin zen. When she came into the room, there was a great silence.

3. Other shades. The context can add a reason or a manner:

  • Zu nirekin zarelarik, ez naiz inoren beldur. With you beside me, I am afraid of no one.

4. -(e)larik and -(e)la. With an ongoing action, both work: Aita sartzen zelarik or Aita sartzen zela (as Dad was coming in). With a completed action, only -(e)larik works: Partida amaitu zelarik (when the match ended), not amaitu zela. See accompanying action -(e)la.

5. Not "and then". Do not use -(e)larik to add the next event, as some languages do with an -ing form. To say he fell and broke his leg, join the events with eta: Leihotik erori zen, eta hanka hautsi zuen.

6. Register. -(e)larik comes from the eastern dialects and is now used mostly in writing. In everyday speech, -(e)nean is the usual choice.

Examples (6)

  1. Etxera nindoalarik, Ane ikusi nuen.

    As I was going home, I saw Ane.

    nindoan + -larik: the final -n drops.

  2. Sei urte nituelarik hasi nintzen eskolara.

    I started school when I was six.

  3. Gazte zelarik hil zen.

    He died when he was young.

  4. Partida amaitu zelarik, txaloka hasi ginen.

    When the match ended, we started clapping.

    A completed action: -larik is needed here, not -la.

  5. Zu nirekin zarelarik, ez naiz inoren beldur.

    With you beside me, I am afraid of no one.

    Here -larik adds a reason as well as a time.

  6. Liburua irakurtzen nuelarik, telefonoak jo zuen.

    While I was reading the book, the phone rang.

Common Mistakes

  • Using -(e)larik to add the next event.

    Leihotik erori zen, hanka hautsi zuelarik.
    Leihotik erori zen, eta hanka hautsi zuen.

    If you mean "He fell out of the window and broke his leg", join the two events with eta. -(e)larik gives the time or situation of the main event; it does not mean and then.

  • Using -(e)la with a completed action.

    Partida amaitu zela, txaloka hasi ginen.
    Partida amaitu zelarik, txaloka hasi ginen.

    -(e)la can mean while only with an ongoing action (sartzen zela). With a completed action like amaitu zen, use -(e)larik or -(e)nean.

How It Connects

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

-(e)larikLevel 6While, When: -(e)larik

Learn This First

-(e)larik follows accompanying -(e)la.