Cause, Result, and Concessive Clauses in Basque

In Brief

Basque usually marks “because,” “given that,” and “although” on the verb or auxiliary at the end of a subordinate clause: -lako, -nez gero, and -n arren. Nahiz eta introduces a stronger concession (“even though”), while horregatik and beraz connect a cause already mentioned to its consequence: “that is why” and “therefore.”

Overview

At B2, it is not enough merely to place two facts next to each other. You need to show whether one fact explains another, follows from another, or fails to prevent another. These relationships are expressed through causal clauses (clauses giving a reason), result expressions (words or structures presenting a consequence), and concessive clauses (clauses meaning “although X, Y still happened”).

This area feels different from English because English normally puts a separate conjunction before a complete clause: because it is late. Basque often puts the relationship at the end of the subordinate clause, attached to its finite verb or auxiliary: berandu delako. The subordinate clause commonly comes before the main clause, although a reason clause with -lako can also follow it.

These patterns build directly on subordinate clauses. A subordinate clause is a group of words that depends on a main clause and cannot carry the whole message by itself. If you already recognize forms such as dela (“that it is”) and den (a dependent form of “is”), the new endings will be easier to spot.

How It Works

Giving a direct reason with -lako

Attach -lako to the finite verb or, in a compound verb, to the auxiliary. In many frequent forms, the result appears as delako, duelako, naizelako, or dutelako. The whole marked clause means “because …” or “since …”.

Basque pattern	English meaning	Note
berandu delako	because it is late	da → delako
denbora duelako	because he/she has time	du → duelako
nekatuta nagoelako	because I am tired	nago → nagoelako
etorri direlako	because they have come	the suffix is carried by the auxiliary

The negative word ez stays before the verb phrase: denborarik ez duelako (“because he/she has no time”), ez delako etorri (“because he/she did not come”).

A reason clause can come first or last:

• Gaixorik dagoelako, etxean geratu da. — “Because he/she is ill, he/she has stayed home.”
• Etxean geratu da gaixorik dagoelako. — “He/she has stayed home because he/she is ill.”

The first order sets up the reason before the conclusion. The second often answers an explicit or implicit “why?” English allows both orders too, but remember that the Basque marker remains at the end of its own clause.

Presenting an accepted reason with -nez gero

-nez gero means “given that,” “seeing that,” or sometimes “since.” It presents the reason as known, visible, or accepted by the speakers and then draws a practical conclusion from it.

The form is built on a dependent finite form ending in -n, followed by -ez gero:

• da → denez gero — “given that it is”
• duzu → duzunez gero — “given that you have”
• zara → zarenez gero — “given that you are”
• etorri da → etorri denez gero — “given that he/she has come”

This is not simply a longer, more formal replacement for every -lako clause. Compare:

• Ez naiz joan gaixorik nagoelako. — “I have not gone because I am ill.” The clause supplies the cause.
• Gaixorik zaudenez gero, geratu etxean. — “Given that you are ill, stay home.” The illness is treated as established and supports a recommendation.

The clause with -nez gero normally comes first because it provides the premise—the fact from which the speaker proceeds.

Concession with -n arren and participle + arren

A concessive clause names a fact that might be expected to block the main event, but does not: “although it rained, we went out.” Basque commonly uses arren after either a dependent finite form in -n or a verb participle.

Pattern	Example	Meaning
finite form in -n + arren	Euria egiten duen arren…	although it is raining / rains…
participle + arren	Euria egin arren…	although it rained / has rained…
copular dependent form + arren	Zaila den arren…	although it is difficult…

The finite pattern can make person, tense, and argument relationships explicit through the auxiliary. The participle pattern is compact and common when the intended reading is clear from context. In both patterns, arren follows the material it governs; do not place it before the clause as if it were English although.

Arren also appears after verbal nouns in expressions of purpose or motivation, such as -tzearren (“for the sake of doing”). That is a different construction: laguntzearren means “in order to help” or “for the sake of helping,” not “although helping.”

Concession with nahiz eta

Nahiz eta introduces an explicit concession and is often well translated as “even though” or “although.” Unlike the suffix-like patterns above, it comes before the clause, but the clause usually uses a form such as a participle or a dependent finite form:

• Nahiz eta zaila izan, lortu dugu. — “Even though it was difficult, we achieved it.”
• Nahiz eta berandu den, lanean jarraitzen du. — “Even though it is late, he/she keeps working.”
• Nahiz eta euria egin, kalera atera dira. — “Even though it rained, they went out.”

Learn nahiz eta as one unit. Leaving out eta produces the wrong pattern for this use. Compared with -n arren, it often makes the contrast especially easy to hear because the listener is warned at the beginning that an unexpected outcome is coming.

Linking a cause to its result: horregatik and beraz

Horregatik and beraz are discourse connectors: words that show how one sentence or clause relates to the previous one. They do not turn the preceding verb into a subordinate form.

Connector	Core meaning	Typical use
horregatik	for that reason; that is why	points back to a specific cause
beraz	therefore; so	presents a conclusion or inference

Compare the direction of the relationship:

• Ez dut sinesten, gezurra esan didalako. — “I do not believe him/her because he/she has lied to me.” The -lako clause gives the reason.
• Gezurra esan dit; horregatik, ez dut sinesten. — “He/she has lied to me; that is why I do not believe him/her.” Horregatik introduces the consequence.
• Atea itxita dago; beraz, inor ez dago barruan. — “The door is closed; therefore, nobody is inside.” Beraz presents an inference, which might or might not be certain.

Both connectors often appear near the beginning of the result clause, commonly separated by a comma in careful writing. Basque word order remains flexible, so they can be moved for emphasis, but the neutral learner-friendly choice is connector + result clause.

Examples in Context

Basque	English	Note
Autobusa galdu dudalako iritsi naiz berandu.	I arrived late because I missed the bus.	Direct reason with -lako
Ez du kanpora irten, euria ari duelako.	He/She did not go outside because it is raining.	Reason follows the main clause
Denborarik ez dugulako, labur azalduko dut.	Because we do not have time, I will explain it briefly.	Negative reason
Berandu denez gero, joango gara.	Given that it is late, we will leave.	Accepted fact leading to a decision
Dena prest duzunez gero, has gaitezen.	Given that you have everything ready, let us begin.	Shared premise
Hemen zaudenez gero, lagunduko al didazu?	Since you are here, will you help me?	A request based on the situation
Euria egin arren, irten gara.	Although it rained, we went out.	Participle + arren
Nekatuta dagoen arren, lanean jarraitzen du.	Although he/she is tired, he/she keeps working.	Finite dependent form + arren
Diru gutxi duten arren, pozik bizi dira.	Although they have little money, they live happily.	The auxiliary shows a plural subject
Nahiz eta zaila izan, lortu dugu.	Even though it was difficult, we achieved it.	Strong, explicit concession
Nahiz eta ez nagoen ados, ulertzen dut zure iritzia.	Even though I do not agree, I understand your opinion.	Negative concessive clause
Ez zuen abisurik jaso; horregatik, ez zen bilerara etorri.	He/She received no notice; that is why he/she did not come to the meeting.	Specific cause and consequence
Bihar jai da; beraz, dendak itxita egongo dira.	Tomorrow is a holiday; therefore, the shops will be closed.	Conclusion
Merkea da, baina ez dut erosiko, kalitate txarrekoa delako.	It is cheap, but I will not buy it because it is poor quality.	Contrast plus reason

Common Mistakes

Putting the Basque reason marker before the clause

• Wrong: Delako euria ari du, etxean geratu gara.
• Right: Euria ari duelako, etxean geratu gara.
• Why: Unlike English because, -lako belongs on the finite verb or auxiliary at the end of its clause.

Adding -lako to the participle instead of the auxiliary

• Wrong: Etorri-lako pozik nago.
• Right: Etorri delako pozik nago.
• Why: In a compound finite verb, the ending is normally attached to the auxiliary: etorri da becomes etorri delako.

Treating -nez gero as a neutral answer to every “why?”

• Less natural in a simple answer: Zergatik geratu zara? Nekatuta nagoenez gero.
• Better: Nekatuta nagoelako.
• Why: -lako directly states a cause. -nez gero usually treats the reason as an established premise and leads to a conclusion, decision, or request.

Copying English word order with arren

• Wrong: Arren euria egin, irten gara.
• Right: Euria egin arren, irten gara.
• Why: Arren follows the participle or the dependent finite form it marks.

Dropping eta from nahiz eta

• Wrong: Nahiz zaila izan, saiatuko naiz.
• Right: Nahiz eta zaila izan, saiatuko naiz.
• Why: For this concessive construction, learn nahiz eta as the complete connector.

Using horregatik when the intended meaning is an inference

• Awkward contrast: Argiak itzalita daude; horregatik, etxean ez dago inor.
• Better for an inference: Argiak itzalita daude; beraz, etxean ez dago inor.
• Why: Horregatik presents something as a consequence of a cause. Beraz is better when you are drawing a conclusion from evidence.

Usage Notes

In conversation, -lako is the everyday workhorse for explaining reasons. It is especially useful after a question with zergatik? (“why?”): Zergatik ez zara etorri? Gaixorik nengoelako. In a full sentence, the reason may precede or follow the main clause; as a short answer, the -lako clause can stand alone because the omitted main clause is understood.

-nez gero sounds natural when both speakers can accept the premise: the time is late, someone is already present, or a task is complete. English since is ambiguous between time and reason, but Basque forms make the intended relationship clearer. Do not choose -nez gero merely because an English translation happens to use since.

Horregatik is strongly backward-pointing: horregatik literally contains horregatik, “because of that/for that reason.” Beraz is more argumentative: it tells the listener what conclusion follows. In formal writing, these connectors help organize an explanation, but repeating one in every sentence sounds mechanical. Sometimes the relationship is already obvious and no connector is needed.

With both arren and nahiz eta, the main clause often contains the surprising information. English speakers sometimes add but automatically. Basque can use baina for extra rhetorical contrast, but it is not required merely because the English thought contains “although …, (but) …”. Keep the basic pattern clean before experimenting with heavier emphasis.

Beyond the Basics / Advanced Use

Cause is not the same as reported information

The forms delako and dela look similar but do different jobs:

• Badakit etxean dela — “I know that he/she is at home.” The -la clause reports the content of knowledge.
• Etxean delako ez da etorri — “He/She did not come because he/she is at home.” The -lako clause gives a reason.

Recognizing the extra -ko is therefore important: it changes the relationship between the clauses.

A stated cause and the speaker’s conclusion may differ

Beraz can introduce a logical inference rather than a real-world effect. A closed door does not cause a building to be empty; it merely provides evidence for that conclusion. Horregatik, by contrast, normally presents the earlier situation as the reason for what follows. Skilled use depends on the relationship you mean, not on translating “so” with the same Basque word every time.

Concession can carry different time references

The concessive marker itself does not mean past or present. Time comes from the verb form and context:

• Zaila den arren — “although it is difficult”
• Zaila zen arren — “although it was difficult”
• Euria egin arren — often “although it rained/has rained,” with context supplying the exact English tense

This matters because English requires a visibly tensed verb in every such clause, whereas a Basque participle construction may leave more to context.

Stronger result clauses

When you need not just a connector but the structure “so … that …,” Basque can use hain … non …: Hain nekatuta nengoen, non berehala lo hartu nuen (“I was so tired that I fell asleep immediately”). This is a true degree-and-result pattern. By contrast, horregatik and beraz connect separate propositions and do not express “so + adjective + that” by themselves.

Practice Tips

1. Build three versions from one situation. Start with Euria ari du (“It is raining”). Add a reason (Euria ari duelako…), an accepted premise (Euria ari duenez gero…), and a concession (Euria ari duen arren…). This trains meaning and form together.
2. Reverse the logic. Write Autobusa galdu dut; horregatik, berandu iritsi naiz, then recast it with -lako: Autobusa galdu dudalako iritsi naiz berandu. Check that the cause and result have not accidentally switched places.
3. Listen for the clause ending. When hearing Basque, wait for -lako, -nez gero, or arren before deciding how the clause relates to the next one. English habits encourage you to expect the relationship at the beginning; Basque often reveals it at the end.

Related Concepts

• Prerequisite: Subordinate Clauses — introduces the dependent verb forms and clause order used by these B2 patterns.
• Related: Purpose and Result Clauses — covers purpose with -t(z)eko and degree-result with hain … non.