Conjunctions and Connectors in Basque

Overview

Conjunctions and connectors allow you to link ideas, create compound sentences, and express relationships between clauses. At the A2 level, mastering these words transforms your Basque from simple isolated sentences into more natural, flowing speech.

The basic coordinating conjunctions are: eta (and), edo (or), baina (but), and baizik (but rather). Temporal connectors let you sequence events: -nean (when), gero (then/after), aurretik (before), and bitartean (while). These are essential for storytelling and describing sequences of events.

Basque connectors work somewhat differently from English because many are expressed as verb suffixes rather than separate words. The suffix -nean (when), for example, attaches to the auxiliary verb of the subordinate clause.

How It Works

Coordinating conjunctions:

Basque	English	Example
eta	and	Ogia eta esnea (bread and milk)
edo	or	Tea edo kafea (tea or coffee)
baina	but	Pozik nago, baina nekatuta. (I am happy, but tired.)
baizik	but rather	Ez tea, baizik kafea. (Not tea, but rather coffee.)
ezta...ere	neither...nor	Ezta hau ere. (Not this either.)

Temporal connectors:

Basque	English	Type
-nean / -(e)nean	when	Verb suffix
gero	then, after	Adverb
aurretik / baino lehen	before	Postposition
ondoren	after	Postposition
bitartean	while, meanwhile	Postposition
arte	until	Postposition

Pattern for -nean (when): Verb + auxiliary with -n suffix + -ean → etorri + naiz + nean → etorri naizenean (when I came)

Examples in Context

Basque	English	Note
Ogia eta esnea erosi dut.	I have bought bread and milk.	Eta linking nouns
Nahi duzu tea edo kafea?	Do you want tea or coffee?	Edo for choice
Pozik nago, baina nekatuta.	I am happy, but tired.	Baina for contrast
Etxera iritsi naizenean.	When I arrived home.	Temporal -nean
Jan eta gero, irteten naiz.	After eating, I go out.	Gero as "after"
Zu etorri aurretik.	Before you came.	Aurretik (before)
Zu hemen zauden bitartean.	While you are here.	Bitartean (while)
Lehenik jan, gero jolasean.	First eat, then play.	Lehenik...gero
Bai zurea da, baina ez nirea.	It is yours, but not mine.	Contrast
Bihar arte!	Until tomorrow! (See you tomorrow!)	Arte (until)

Common Mistakes

Using baina and baizik interchangeably

• Wrong: Ez da gorria baino urdina. (mixing forms)
• Right: Ez da gorria, baizik urdina. (It is not red, but rather blue.)
• Why: Baina = simple contrast (but). Baizik = correction after a negative (but rather, instead).

Forgetting the verb suffix for "when"

• Wrong: Noiz etorri naiz, pozik nago.
• Right: Etorri naizenean, pozik nago.
• Why: "When" as a temporal connector is not a separate word like noiz (question word). It is formed by adding -(e)nean to the verb: naiz → naizenean (when I am/came).

Placing eta in the wrong position

• Wrong: Eta ogia esnea erosi dut.
• Right: Ogia eta esnea erosi dut.
• Why: Eta goes between the items it connects, not at the beginning. It works just like English "and."

Usage Notes

Basque favors using verb suffixes for many connections that English expresses with separate words. As you advance, you will learn that "because" is -(e)lako, "although" is -(e)n arren, and "if" is ba-. This suffix-based approach to clause linking is a distinctive feature of Basque that becomes increasingly important at B1 and beyond.

Practice Tips

1. Connect pairs of simple sentences using eta, baina, and edo. Then try temporal connectors: describe a sequence of daily events using gero, ondoren, and aurretik.
2. Practice forming -nean clauses: take any sentence and add "when" by modifying the auxiliary: etorri da → etorri denean (when he/she came).

Related Concepts

• Temporal Clauses
• Discourse Markers and Connectors