nioke

Would Give, Would Tell

Level 4

Egia esango nioke means "I would tell him the truth". nioke is the "would" partner of diot.

How It Works

This is the Would: nintzateke, nuke for verbs with a receiver, the ones that use diot, dizut and dit in Giving and Telling.

To him or her: nioke (I), zenioke (you), lioke (he or she), genioke (we), zeniokete (you all), liokete (they).

To them: nieke, zenieke, lieke, genieke.

To me: zenidake (you), lidake (he or she), lidakete (they).

To you: nizuke (I), lizuke (he or she), genizuke (we).

To us: zeniguke (you), liguke (he or she).

With several things as object, -zki- is added: emango nizkioke (I would give them to him).

Where you use it.

  • An imagined result: Nik ez nioke hori esango (I would not tell him that).
  • After an unreal "if": Diru gehiago banu, gehiago emango nieke (If I had more money, I would give them more). See If I Gave It to Him.
  • A polite request: Lagunduko zenidake? (Would you help me?). The Academy prefers this to a "can" form.

For "would have", add -en: esango niokeen, esango nizukeen. See Would Have.

Examples (6)

  1. Egia esango nioke.

    I would tell him the truth.

  2. Lagunduko nizuke, baina ezin dut.

    I would help you, but I cannot.

  3. Zer esango zenioke?

    What would you say to her?

  4. Diru gehiago banu, gehiago emango nieke.

    If I had more money, I would give them more.

    To them: nieke.

  5. Lagunduko zenidake?

    Would you help me?

    A polite request: you to me.

  6. Nik ez nioke hori esango.

    I would not tell him that.

Common Mistakes

  • Leaving the receiver out of the form.

    Egia esango nuke Aneri.
    Egia esango nioke Aneri.

    Aneri is a receiver, so the form must show it: nioke, not nuke.

  • Mixing up who helps whom.

    Lagunduko nizuke?
    Lagunduko zenidake?

    nizuke means "I would ... you". To ask "Would you help me?", use zenidake: you to me.

How It Connects

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

niokeLevel 4Would Give, Would Tell

Learn This First

Conditional giving combines the conditional and diot.

Words in This Pattern

nor nori norkedun